Critical upgraded water infrastructure has been commissioned to significantly improve water security for the residents of the Rustenburg local municipality, in the North West, and the Thabazimbi local municipality, in Limpopo.

The commissioning includes the upgraded Vaalkop Water Treatment Works raw water pump station and the associated bulk water pipeline, responding to growing water demand and ensuring long-term water security in the two provinces.

The Vaalkop pump station upgrade, from a capacity of 240 megalitres a day (Mℓ)/day) to 360 Mℓ/day, was implemented by Magalies Water from February 2023 and completed in November 2025.

The pump station, directly abstracting water from Vaalkop dam, has been equipped with ten pump sets designed to efficiently supply raw water to the water treatment works, strengthening operational reliability, improving water management and reducing water losses.

The upgraded bulk water supply scheme, which was initiated in response to increasing water demand from the rural communities of Bethanie, Modikoe and Berseba within the Rustenburg local municipality, has also been commissioned.

Implemented by Magalies Water in partnership with Glencore Rhovan PSV mine, the project involved the construction and installation of a 23.4 km bulk potable water pipeline, comprising 560 mm and 400 mm diameter pipes with associated valves.

The pipeline runs from the Kortbegrip reservoir to the Bethanie and Modikoe reservoirs.

The new pipeline replaces the ageing asbestos fibre-cement pipeline that had reached the end of its operational life and was prone to frequent bursts.

The upgraded infrastructure increases bulk water supply capacity to meet the current demand of 7.05 Mℓ/day and the future demand of a projected 12.60 Mℓ/day.

The project will also enable additional water volumes to supply Makolokwe Village, where access to water remains critically low. Currently, the village relies on boreholes that are insufficient to meet the growing needs of the community.

The second phase of the project, the bulk pipeline between Bethanie and Makolokwe Village, is scheduled to start in March 2026 and will include the construction of a booster pumpstation at the Bethanie reservoir.

The project, once completed, will provide a reliable water supply to a combined population of about 144 133 residents, including households, schools, clinics, businesses and community institutions.

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina commended the public-private partnership between Rustenburg local municipality and Glencore Rhovan PSV Mine, noting its positive contribution to accelerating service delivery in Bethanie and Modikoe villages.

“The benefits of this investment are clear and far-reaching. For households, it means a more reliable water supply and greater resilience during peak demand periods. For local businesses, industries and emerging enterprises, it provides the certainty needed to operate efficiently, expand production and create jobs. For municipalities, it strengthens the backbone of service delivery and long-term development planning,” said Majodina.

Majodina further called on communities to protect the newly commissioned infrastructure from vandalism and sabotage, and strongly condemned individuals and syndicates who deliberately damage water infrastructure to sustain illegal water trading activities.

“These projects must be protected, and I want to speak clearly and firmly today: water infrastructure is not a playground for criminals. The vandalism of pipelines, theft of equipment and manipulation of water systems by so-called water mafias is a direct attack on the dignity and well-being of our people. It deprives families of water, disrupts livelihoods and undermines development.

“This government will not tolerate water mafias. Those who vandalise, steal or illegally profit from water infrastructure are stealing from children, the elderly and the most vulnerable. Law enforcement agencies are working closely with the Department of Water and Sanitation, municipalities and water boards, and we will pursue arrests, prosecutions and harsh consequences for anyone who undermines service delivery,” she concluded.