CoCT sewage debacle: ActionSA files criminal charges as City’s records confirm unlawful non-compliance with permit requirements

2 November 2023

Today, ActionSA has filed criminal charges against the City of Cape Town, in continuation of our ongoing efforts to combat the City's continued discharge of raw sewage into the ocean via its Marine Outfall Pipelines. Through studying the City’s own records, we have unearthed numerous instances of unlawful non-compliance with the permit requirements, with alarming consequences for both public health and the environment.

Our decision to file criminal charges against the City, follows the City's responses to ActionSA's request for information, which unveiled their unlawful non-compliance with the stipulated requirements outlined in the Hout Bay Marine Outfall Permit issued in 2019, thereby violating the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act.

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) failed to adhere to critical provisions outlined in the permit, notably with regard to effluent quantity and quality monitoring, consistently surpassing both the permitted quantity and quality thresholds. Importantly, non-compliance with these monitoring requirements constitutes a criminal offense under the requirements of the permit.

We previously underscored the significant impact of the City's continuous discharge of raw sewage into the ocean on the environment, public health and tourism economy. Shockingly, having studied the City’s records, it is apparent that the City of Cape Town has not met the minimum requirements of the permit. It is both alarming and disheartening to discover that the entrusted authorities are directly contributing to the devastation of marine life and the potential risks to public health.

Guided by ActionSA's Climate and Environment Policy Suite, we are committed to safeguarding our natural environment, recognising its vital role in South Africa's economic and social prosperity. As such, we are fully committed to pursuing all available avenues to hold the City accountable for their unlawful non-compliance with permit requirements.

Issued by Michelle Wasserman, 2 November 2023