By Thapelo Molefe
Millions of South Africans remain without clean drinking water, and failing infrastructure threatens to deepen the crisis.
With municipalities struggling to provide reliable water services and criminal syndicates profiting from illegal water sales, the government has vowed to take immediate action.
Closing the 2025 National Water and Sanitation Indaba on Friday, Deputy President Paul Mashatile warned that if decisive action was not taken, South Africa would face a full-scale water disaster.
“Water is life… It is not just a commodity, but a vital resource essential for the survival of our communities and households, for businesses to operate and for the economy to grow,” Mashatile said.
He reiterated that water security must be prioritised, as failure to protect the resource would hinder national development goals.
The two-day indaba in Midrand saw government leaders, municipal officials and industry experts deliberate on pressing water issues.
It concluded with a high-level declaration presented by Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo, who outlined key resolutions aimed at reversing the decline in water service delivery.
Mashatile, who chairs the Water Task Team, painted a stark picture of South Africa’s water crisis.
He highlighted the findings of the latest Blue Drop Report, which reveal a steady deterioration of quality drinking water and infrastructure across the country.
“One of the biggest difficulties in accessing quality drinkable water is the inadequate infrastructure for water reticulation and sanitation, resulting in the unreliable availability of clean water,” the deputy president said.
Currently, 19% of rural communities still do not have a reliable water supply, leaving them vulnerable to water shortages and unsafe drinking conditions. Additionally, 33% of the population continues to live without basic sanitation services, exacerbating public health risks and deepening social inequalities.
The crisis extends to critical institutions. A total of 26% of schools and 45% of clinics are without access to clean water, which severely impacts education, healthcare and overall well-being.
“It should not be business as usual while rural communities suffer the most,” Mashatile declared.
“It is unacceptable that in 2025, after decades of democracy, nearly half of our clinics still struggle to provide basic water services.”
Mahlobo outlined a series of urgent measures aimed at addressing the catastrophe.
The government plans to accelerate key infrastructure projects, including Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and the uMkhomazi Dam, while fast-tracking the establishment of the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency.
To address funding shortages, municipalities will receive support through the Water Partnerships Office, which will facilitate private sector investment in water infrastructure.
Stronger oversight will be enforced at local government level to curb corruption, mismanagement and non-payment of water services.
Additionally, authorities will intensify efforts to dismantle criminal syndicates profiting from illegal water sales.
Legislative reforms, including a new licensing system under the Water Services Amendment Bill, will hold service providers accountable and revoke licences if quality standards are not met.
To ensure financial sustainability, municipalities will be empowered to ring-fence water revenue for infrastructure improvements and crack down on illegal water connections.
And, through the Presidential Employment Stimulus, the government aims to boost employment by prioritising labour-intensive water infrastructure projects.
Mashatile stressed that municipalities needed to take their responsibilities seriously.
“According to Section 154 of the Constitution, national and provincial governments must bolster the capabilities of municipalities in managing their affairs and carrying out their functions,” Mashatile said.
“It is, therefore, imperative that municipalities do not fail to implement their constitutional obligations, particularly as they pertain to the provision of water and sanitation.”
On corruption, Mashatile vowed that the government would go after those who exploited water shortages for financial gain.
“Both the president and minister of water and sanitation have stressed the need to deal effectively with the criminal networks who manipulate water shortages for profit; tampering with infrastructure to sell water to desperate communities,” he said.
On the non-payment for water services, Mashatile reminded attendees that this placed an immense financial strain on municipalities.
“The culture of non-payment must end,” he said. “Businesses and households that can afford to pay must do so. Without financial sustainability, our water system will collapse.”
He called for strengthened revenue collection mechanisms, reduced water wastage and improved financial accountability at municipal level.
Mashatile said the resolutions must be implemented “in full and with speed”.
“If we don’t implement them, we will not be able to achieve what we have set out to change. Without action, all our intended objectives will be in vain.”
He called on all stakeholders, including the government, private sector and civil society, to work together.
“Water security is not just a government responsibility. It is a national priority that requires collaboration at all levels,” Mashatile concluded.
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