Tshwane's Step Forward: R150m Paid for Rooiwal Wastewater Plant Rehabilitation

The Tshwane Municipality has recently made a strategic investment towards improving the quality of water in Pretoria North, particularly in the Hammanskraal area, by paying the first installment of R150 million for the refurbishment of the dilapidated Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant. The payment marks a critical step forward in addressing a long-standing public health issue, which gained urgency following a deadly cholera outbreak that claimed more than 20 lives.

The Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant, an essential facility servicing large parts of Pretoria North, has been under scrutiny for its role in the provision of unsafe drinking water over the last year. The crisis has brought to the forefront the urgent need for comprehensive rehabilitation, with the total revamp projected to cost approximately R4 billion. The onus of covering the majority of these expenses rests on the National Treasury, leaving the local municipality to contribute R450 million.

Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink has confirmed the commencement of the project, with the first tranche of funds allocated to immediate improvements such as the installation of a new settling tank, security enhancements with cameras, and the reinforcement of boundary fencing. Mayor Brink stressed the priority of improving the quality of effluent discharged into the Apies River, indicating ongoing construction with Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) personnel and subcontractors already operative at the site.

Apart from the rehabilitation work, there is a parallel pursuit of justice and reclamation regarding financial losses sustained by the municipality in a past tender fiasco. Efforts are being made to recover funds from businessperson Edwin Sodi and associates, who were implicated in a defective contract aimed at the enhancement of the Rooiwal facility. The city has placed its hopes on the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to recover these misused taxpayer monies.

The refurbishment of the Rooiwal plant is more than an infrastructure project; it is vital for restoring the trust of residents in their local water supply and for safeguarding public health. With many households in Hammanskraal having faced the risk of contaminated water for an extended period, the commencement of repair works signals a beacon of hope for the people, reflecting the municipality’s renewed commitment to providing its citizens with safe, clean drinking water.