The Newcastle Municipality is set to take a local property owner to court, suing him for R4.9 million in water and sanitation losses, as well as laying criminal charges against the businessman for allowing untreated sewage to flow into Amcor Dam from one of his properties.
This action stems from a two-year investigation into residents suspected of illegally accessing electricity and water in Newcastle West, which came to light in January 2026.
As reported by Newcastillian News at the time, Councillor Bertie Meiring – who serves in the municipality’s Department of Planning and Human Settlements and as the Democratic Alliance (DA) caucus leader – explained that the Newcastle DA formally tabled a motion calling for a comprehensive forensic investigation into suspected illegal electricity and water connections.
At one of the individual’s properties, investigators discovered that a sewage line had been illegally connected directly to a stormwater manhole.
At another property owned by the same individual, a similar illegal connection was identified, with untreated sewage allegedly flowing directly into the Amcor Dam.
“This constitutes a severe environmental hazard and poses a direct risk to public health, local ecosystems, and water quality in the area,” stressed Councillor Meiring.
In addition to these findings, a further investigation is currently underway into several of the same individual’s buildings, which appear not to have been constructed in accordance with approved building plans or established municipal standards.
Investigators also found that smart meters in some locations had been replaced with outdated models and that, at one property, the municipal water meter had been swapped for another.
To read more on the initial investigation, click here
Two months after the report exposed the extent of the property owner’s alleged actions, Newcastle Municipal Manager Zamani Mcinecka stressed that the Newcastle Municipality is treating the matter with the seriousness it warrants.
He indicated that the local authority is not only taking the businessman concerned to court, but is also moving to identify and remove municipal officials implicated in the illegal utilities racket, clamp down on other business owners suspected of similar conduct, and appoint an independent auditing firm to determine the full scale of the losses.
Speaking to Newcastillian News, Mcinecka explained;
“When looking at water losses, the Newcastle Municipality is taking the property owner to court, and we will be suing him for approximately R4.9 million for water and electricity losses. We will also be opening criminal charges against the property owner, where we will be focusing on recouping losses and gaining carte blanche access to his properties so that we can conduct inspections to investigate their structural integrity.”
Mcinecka further added that investigations into the three identified municipal employees involved in the property owner’s racket – all from a single department – remain suspended, while further investigations continue.
The three municipal employees were suspended shortly after the report was released, with Mcinecka being questioned on the matter at the end of January 2026 by the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs alongside the Standing Committee on Public Accounts during an oversight visit.
While these three employees will face the full extent of the law, pending the outcome of the investigations, Mcinecka stressed that further investigations are continuing within the technical services department, the financial department, and among meter readers, with an internal investigator appointed to uncover any additional accomplices elsewhere within the Municipality.
Reflecting on these departments and individuals, Mcinecka emphasised;
“It must be explained how they have been calculating consumption in areas where there are no meters.”
While both the landowner and municipal staff now find themselves under scrutiny, Mcinecka made it clear that the property owner facing court action is not an isolated case, with the Municipality having identified other entities allegedly committing similar offences.
“While one can blame the infrastructure, illegal connections in both Newcastle West and Newcastle East are costing millions,” stressed the Municipal Manager.
Furthermore, councillor Bertie Meiring added;
“We are glad with the way the investigations are going, because recouping monies owed to the Municipality by these individuals will ensure the Municipality can run more efficiently,” he concluded.
While the government entity prepares to take the property owner to court, an occupant of one of the owner’s properties in Ncandu Park spoke to Newcastillian News on condition of anonymity.
He explained that although he understood the legalities surrounding the matter, he noted that, for some residents, the premises were their homes.
“The living conditions are not bad, and many must understand, this is affordable housing with a safe environment. It is all that many of us can afford, so it is important for us to be taken into consideration while moving ahead with the matter.”
Despite this, an occupant from one of the property owner’s properties in the Central Business District noted that it was time that the property owner was investigated.
“Just because we do not have much, it doesn’t give anyone the right to live in buildings where the owner has tried to cut corners,” said the resident, who requested to remain anonymous out of concern of being victimised.
As the matter proceeds to court, the case is expected to serve as a critical test of the municipality’s ability to enforce accountability, both externally and within its own ranks.
The outcome may not only determine the extent to which financial losses can be recovered but also signal how decisively the municipality is prepared to act against entrenched illegal practices that have placed sustained pressure on public resources and infrastructure.
At the same time, with investigations broadening and further entities under scrutiny, the municipality’s actions point to a wider clean-up operation within Newcastle’s utility systems. However, the effectiveness of these interventions will ultimately be measured by whether they lead to lasting compliance, improved oversight, and a tangible reduction in ongoing losses linked to illegal connections.
This is a developing story, and Newcastillian News will continue to keep readers updated as new information emerges.
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comment section below.
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2 Responses
This was discovered in 2022 and reported . The investor was called in to make arrangements but failed to comply . This matter was shield by certain employees in the municipality. This matter goes back to a decade . The officials must be fired and blacklisted for future governmental jobs . A criminal must also be opened and external investigations must take place
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