A joint oversight meeting of the Select Committee on Public Infrastructure and the Select Committee on Cooperative Governance and Public Administration (Traditional Affairs, Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation) this week heard that Matlosana Local Municipality is at risk of losing more than R23 million allocated to address its worsening infrastructure challenges.
The committees received briefings from various government departments on the progress of infrastructure projects, raising serious concerns about delays and poor implementation.
“It is unacceptable that a municipality facing such a critical wastewater crisis risks returning more than R23 million to the National Treasury due to delays,” said the Chairperson of the Select Committee on CoGTA, Mr Mxolisi Kaunda. “Officials and contractors must be held accountable for their failure to deliver.”
The committees noted that the scale of the crisis has reached alarming levels. According to the latest Green Drop Report released in March this year by the Department of Water and Sanitation, Matlosana has a score of 11.9%, placing it in the high-risk, dysfunctional category. This is the result of a severe decline in wastewater management. The Green Drop Report assesses municipal wastewater treatment works across South Africa. It scores treatment works based on management, compliance and operational risk. A score below 31% is classified as high risk, while those above 90% achieve certification.
According to the Department of Water and Sanitation, R70 million had been allocated to support infrastructure improvements in the municipality. However, the Matlosana municipality has struggled to spend the funds. Delays in rolling out projects could mean that more than R23 million may be returned to the National Treasury if it is not spent by the end of the municipal financial year on 30 June 2026.
The committees warned that this spending failure amid significant service delivery needs reflects systemic weaknesses in planning and execution. The Chairperson of the Select Committee on Public Infrastructure, Mr Rikus Badenhorst, noted that there is a persistent trend of poor planning and delays resulting in returned funds. “This undermines service delivery and economic recovery. Effective planning, continuous monitoring and strict adherence to project timelines are non-negotiable,” he said.
The committees called for a coordinated intervention to prevent further deterioration, which would mean that untreated wastewater would continue to be released, posing both health and environmental risks. They noted that spending the allocated resources must translate into improvements for residents.
By Malatswa Molepo
23 April 2026
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