A landmark ruling in the Mpumalanga High Court in the middle of November has seen the Emalahleni local municipality being fined R650 million for its years-long polluting practices.

The court heard that the municipality had, for years, allowed untreated sewage to be released into the rivers and dams in its municipality. This happened persistently between March 2016 and March 2025.

The municipality pleaded guilty to multiple offences that are violations of the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) and the National Water Act.

The case came about from investigations by the Green Scorpions and the Blue Scorpions after widespread accounts and complaints of sewage spills into the Olifants Rivers.

WaterCAN, the water activism group fighting for water rights and water justice, welcomed the ruling saying that municipalities and the officials who enable the polluting and neglect of water ways need to be brought to book and further action beyond the measure of fining should also apply. This includes personal accountability by municipal officials.

The activism group has also called for a national audit and enforcement drive on the state of water ways and for there to be improved mechanisms for full transparency and community oversight of rivers and dams.

Of the R650 million fine that the municipality has been slapped with, R500 million is being ringfenced for rehabilitation and critical repair work to the municipality’s water infrastructure system.

Picture: Ajaysinh Chauhan - Unsplash