Johannesburg – The new Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Dr. Jack Bloom, has shone the spotlight on the polluted Klip River in Soweto, which poses a serious health hazard to residents.
Commenting on the matter on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, Deputy Minister Bloom said a multi-pronged approach was needed to clean up the severely polluted Klip River.
“This is my conclusion after my oversight visit yesterday (27 July) with senior officials as part of the Clear Rivers Campaign,” the deputy minister said.
“I was invited by Dr Mark Potterton, Principal of Immaculata High School in Diepkloof, who is deeply concerned about the river’s impact on his students, many of whom cross it every day on a bridge with broken guardrails.”
Deputy Minister Bloom revealed that officials confirmed that the river contains dangerous pollutants, including contaminants that can cause cancer.
“It is not safe to drink or even touch, yet a schoolgirl told us that people sometimes boil the water for household use during water outages in the area,” he said.
“I was shocked by the sheer volume of rubbish that has been dumped into the river or washed into it by rain.
“Overflowing sewer manholes are a major source of the pollution.“
They are caused by blockages, illegal sewer connections and wastewater infrastructure that is no longer able to cope with demand.
“Astonishingly, sewage thieves also damage pipes to sift through the sand for valuables,” said the deputy minister.
He said a broader problem across the Klip River Catchment was the discharge of poorly treated sewage from Johannesburg’s failing wastewater treatment works at Olifantsvlei, Bushkoppies and Goudkoppies.
All three were rated high risk in the 2023 Green Drop Assessment Report because of poor effluent quality.
Deputy Minister Bloom said the situation is so serious that the Department of Water and Sanitation has laid criminal charges over raw sewage pollution against the Bushkoppies and Goudkoppies wastewater treatment works, while a private complainant has laid charges against the Olifantsvlei works.
“These matters are now before the National Prosecuting Authority,” he said.
“It is shameful that a government department has had to resort to criminal charges after every other attempt to resolve the problem has failed.
“Restoring the Klip River Catchment will require action on multiple fronts. Illegal dumping, illegal sewer connections and vandalism must be stopped.”
The deputy minister stated that the wastewater treatment works must be rehabilitated, sewer lines need better maintenance, and additional sewer infrastructure is required to serve the area’s growing population.
“Officials told me of their plans for an Ecological Park along the river all the way to the Orlando Dam,” Deputy Minister Bloom said.
“It is an inspiring vision – it will uplift the area, provide recreation, and increase jobs through tourism.
“I will do everything I can to encourage the cooperation and investment needed to turn it into a reality.”
