South Africa's water crisis: Government accountability and infrastructure challenges

South Africa grapples with a severe water crisis, as damaged pipelines leak raw sewage and clean drinking water onto streets and rivers. The government plans to impose criminal liability on municipal managers for service failures and pollution. Over R156 billion will be allocated over three years to improve water and sanitation access.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has imposed restrictions on the uMngeni uThukela Water Supply System in KwaZulu-Natal due to rising water demand, climate variability, water losses, and aging infrastructure. However, these restrictions have been lifted at several KZN municipalities following an analysis and stakeholder consultations.

The uMgeni Water Supply System began the year at 99.5% storage, nearly full. The DA's eThekwini Mayoral Candidate, Haniff Hoosen, highlighted the city's water losses, now exceeding 65% with approximately 13,000 leaks. The municipality resolved a plumbers crisis, with 106 plumbers on the ground. However, efforts to reduce non-revenue water and sewer spills via the Water Turnaround Strategy have been unsuccessful.

The City of Cape Town faces significant complaints about poor service delivery, with Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka finding that the municipality's failure to maintain sewer infrastructure constitutes maladministration. Cape Town's Team Water and Sanitation has replaced 27.36km of pipes in June, investing over R12.24 billion in capital infrastructure in a single year.