Balfour

R160 Million Fine for Dipaleseng Local Municipality for Misconduct Spanning Five Years

Balfour – The Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Sello Seitlholo, has commended the Balfour Magistrate’s Court for imposing a R160 million fine on the Dipaleseng Local Municipality.

The municipality, based in Mpumalanga, was penalised for severe contraventions of environmental laws that harmed water resources, livestock, and community livelihoods.

The ruling, delivered on 15 November, found the municipality guilty under multiple statutes, including the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA) 107 of 1998 and the National Water Act 36 of 1998.

Violations included pollution of water sources, failure to comply with remedial directives, and unauthorised disposal of wastewater.

Between December 2018 and August 2023, the municipality reportedly engaged in activities that devastated local ecosystems and communities. Evidence revealed the disposal of untreated sewage, including raw sludge laden with high levels of fecal coliform and E. coli, into water sources such as the Suikerbostant River and Gasteplaas Dam. Affected areas included Balfour Town, Kanini Township, Greylingstad, Grootvlei, Nthoarane, and Siyathemba Township.