Thirst for Justice: Billions wasted as taps run dry
Residents resort to fetching water, pushing buckets home on trolleys due to the ongoing water shortage in their area. With the committee vowing to recall the DWS for a deeper probe into water boards, South Africa's water catastrophe has reached a breaking point.
Image: Oupa Mokoena/Independent Newspapers
THE water crisis in South Africa is not looming — it's already here, fueled by systemic failures, corruption, and a dangerous blame game between national and local government.
This sinking reality dominated the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) hearing, where the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) faced an intense interrogation over its financial mismanagement, R25 billion in unpaid municipal debts, and the collapse of basic service delivery.
Minister Pemmy Majodina, making her debut Scopa appearance under the seventh administration, delivered a rather sobering admission: 'There is no crisis in bulk water supply — but at household level, the system is collapsing.' The root cause? A staggering 105 of the country's 144 municipalities are chronically underperforming, leaving millions without reliable water despite South Africa's dams operating at 98% capacity.
The Minister was quick to deflect accountability, citing the constitutional division of powers. 'Whenever there's no water in a village, the DWS is blamed. But reticulation is a local government function,' she said.
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Advertisement
Video Player is loading.
Play Video
Play
Unmute
Current Time
0:00
/
Duration
-:-
Loaded :
0%
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind live
LIVE
Remaining Time
-
0:00
This is a modal window.
Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.
Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan
Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque
Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps
Reset
restore all settings to the default values Done
Close Modal Dialog
End of dialog window.
Next
Stay
Close ✕
Yet the data presented by her department painted a damning picture of the consequences: Municipalities owe water boards R25bn, pushing critical entities such as Amatola, Lepelle, and Vaal Central to the brink of insolvency. Meanwhile, the DWS achieved just 70% of its performance targets despite spending 99.8% of its R21.4bn budget — a disparity Deputy Minister David Mahlobo attributed to 'multi-year infrastructure projects'.
Corruption remains a festering wound. Over the past five years, the Department investigated 446 misconduct allegations, with 326 substantiated. Cases have been referred to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI – alias Hawks) and the SA Police Service (SAPS), but convictions remain elusive.
The SIU's ongoing probes reveal even darker rot: R4.7bn squandered on the 'War on Leaks' programme, which deployed untrained youth to fix municipal leaks — a function outside the DWS's mandate. Another R17.9 million was paid to a consulting firm with 'no evidence of work performed', while 'water tanker mafias' sabotage infrastructure to profit from emergency contracts.
The hearing turned incendiary when MK Party MP Khethukuthula Madlala confronted the DWS over its inertia. 'If the government waits for formal complaints while people are being shot, we've failed,' he said. Minister Majodina conceded the grim reality: communities are too terrified to report extortion and vandalism, fearing violent retaliation. 'We share the frustration, but our hands are tied,' she admitted, highlighting the limitations of a system that requires sworn affidavits to act against criminal networks.
The Auditor-General's findings further eroded confidence. The DWS has received three consecutive unqualified audits with 'material misstatements', while 37 procurement deviations, including a water-saving campaign that ballooned to R4.4bn, double its budget, exposed glaring financial controls. The Water Trading Entity (WTE) is owed R18bn, with debtors now taking 573 days to pay, up from 451 days last year.
The collapse of water boards emerged as a national security threat. While Rand Water and Umngeni were praised as 'world-class', entities like Amatola and Magalies are buckling under municipal debt and governance chaos. Vaal Central's potential failure would paralyse the Free State and Northern Cape. Court battles rage as defiant municipalities — some owing billions, 'take the DWS to court after receiving debt letters'.
The DA's Peter Atkinson delivered a warning: 'At R12bn a year, it will take 40 years to fix water infrastructure.' The DWS's own estimates confirm R400bn is needed just for the worst-performing municipalities, excluding metros. While the Department touted public-private partnerships as a solution, Deputy Minister Mahlobo acknowledged a brutal truth: 'Investors won't touch bankrupt municipalities.'
The EFF's Veronica Mente's closing remarks cut to the heart of the crisis. 'Thirty years into democracy, flushing a toilet is still a luxury,' she said, demanding that the DWS take over municipal water functions. 'This isn't just failure — it's betrayal.'
As the hearing adjourned, Scopa Chairperson Sizwe Zibi fired a parting shot: 'It's still your problem to solve. I'm sorry.' With the committee vowing to recall the DWS for a deeper probe into water boards, South Africa's water catastrophe has reached a breaking point — and millions are left waiting for a government that cannot, or will not, act. Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
National Dialogue 2. 0… the last throw of the dice?
A cartoon by award-winning, Nanda Soobben Image: Nanda Soobben IT IS A common cause that 31 years since the formal demise of apartheid, the promises, great expectations and dreams of democracy are rapidly turning into horrific nightmares for the poor and disadvantaged. At the same time (new and old) elites rule the roost. Socio-economic and spatial inequalities of the apartheid era widened, while the politically-connected continued to accumulate wealth and power at the expense of the poor. Crime and corruption escalate exponentially and are inextricably connected to political elites, global mafia operations of every genre magnetically gravitate to our country, and gender-based violence is a pandemic. South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world (33%), especially among young adults. The poor have inadequate access to essential services like water, electricity, health care and basic education. Many of these challenges were aggravated by state capture. As highlighted by the Zondo Commission, state capture in South Africa involved the systematic and deliberate subversion of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) for private gain. State capture eroded good governance practices within SOEs and government departments (including law enforcement and intelligence services), decreasing operational performance and effectiveness. This entailed influencing appointments, procurement procedures, governance, and institutional structures to favour specific individuals and organisations. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Key SOEs like Eskom, Transnet, and South African Airways were significantly impacted by state capture, with subsequent multiplier effects on all aspects of South African life, destroying the economy. All these problems and challenges were aggravated during the hegemonic rule and reign of one political party, the ANC. Not surprisingly, some of its senior members were implicated in the State Capture report. Still, no one has yet been convicted because of the hollowing out of capacity in the National Prosecuting Authority. When he was firmly ensconced on the throne, Jacob Zuma repeatedly said that the "ANC will rule until Jesus returns". However, there were some obvious indications that the ANC was haemorrhaging, for example, in the 2021 Local Government Elections, it received 45.59% of the vote. In the May 2024 General Elections, the ANC lost its parliamentary majority, winning 40.18% of the vote. Ironically, Zuma's newly-established uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party (while he still claimed to be a disciplined member of the ANC) eroded the support of the ANC, winning 14.58% of the vote. The notion of a National Dialogue entered the public domain against the background of the ANC's declining electoral support. Former president Thabo Mbeki initially proposed a national dialogue in May 2024, where he called for 'seismic reflections". This was endorsed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who in his inauguration address after the May 2024 national elections, invited 'all parties, civil society, labour, business and other formations to a national dialogue on the critical challenges facing the nation'. President Ramaphosa said: 'By establishing the government of national unity, by preparing for a national dialogue, we have deliberately set ourselves along the path towards a 'co-operation nation.' We would like all of us as South Africans to behave like 'weaver birds'... despite all the challenges, despite our differences, despite all the headwinds.' There is a view that ruling elites have frequently utilised national dialogues to obtain or regain political legitimacy. According to the Geneva-based Inclusive Peace and Transition Initiative: 'National Dialogues are typically convened when the fundamental nature or survival of a government in power is questioned. Thus, they usually intend to redefine the relationship between the state, political actors, and society by negotiating a new social contract.' A national dialogue can be used for peacebuilding and reconciliation to increase confidence and trust amongst national actors, encourage inclusive engagement, and advance agreement on critical social, political, and economic challenges. The "National Dialogue Handbook" defines national dialogues as: 'nationally owned political processes aimed at generating consensus among a broad range of national stakeholders in times of deep political crisis, in post-war situations or during far-reaching political transitions.' The goal is for national leaders (political, business, religious, civil society, sports, etc.) across the ideological spectrum to debate, discuss and encourage inclusive engagement and advance agreement on significant social, political, and economic challenges. It is worth noting that the first National Dialogue was the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA), which took place in Johannesburg in December 1991. It was a critical step in the process of transitioning South Africa from apartheid to a democratic state. Nineteen political organisations participated, including the ruling National Party and the dominant African National Congress (ANC), comprising 228 delegates. Key aspects of CODESA included signing a "Declaration of Intent" committing to negotiations and creating a new, democratic constitution. The parties agreed on the principles of a unified, democratic, and non-racial South Africa, with a supreme constitution and an independent judiciary. CODESA established the foundation for negotiations for a democratic South Africa. While there were many disagreements, CODESA was a crucial step in the process of dismantling apartheid and building a new nation. The procedure was sufficiently adaptable to permit the creation of new forums and committees and modifications to existing ones based on political South Africa's transition from apartheid proceeded (with all its twists and turns), a Multi-Party Negotiating Process (MPNP) was established in March 1993, culminating in the adoption of an interim Constitution and preparations for the country's first non-racial elections. Parties with opposing views had to make substantial concessions during this process. Given the protracted conflict and violent past, the comparatively quiet and orderly democratic transition was praised globally as a miracle. Essential outcomes from the first National Dialogue were the RDP and the Constitution. The National Development Plan (NDP), which presented a long-term vision and goals for South Africa to achieve by 2030, was released in 2012. All three documents can influence outcomes in the National Dialogue 2.0. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Almost a year since it was initially proposed, on June 10, 2025, Ramaphosa released the names of the Eminent Persons Group to 'guide and champion the National Dialogue.' All the problems in South Africa cannot be solved by national dialogues alone. For a national dialogue to be successful, several challenges must be addressed, including political actors' opposition and resistance to change, a lack of support from groups, persistent violence, crime, corruption, instability, and a lack of inclusivity. The National Dialogue 2.0 should not be about saving the ANC. It is about saving our country. All stakeholders must put their shoulders to the wheel, rise above personal, parochial, and party interests, and put South Africa first. In many respects, National Dialogue 2.0 may well be the last throw of the dice. Brij Maharaj Image: File
IOL News
5 hours ago
- IOL News
Thirst for Justice: Billions wasted as taps run dry
Residents resort to fetching water, pushing buckets home on trolleys due to the ongoing water shortage in their area. With the committee vowing to recall the DWS for a deeper probe into water boards, South Africa's water catastrophe has reached a breaking point. Image: Oupa Mokoena/Independent Newspapers THE water crisis in South Africa is not looming — it's already here, fueled by systemic failures, corruption, and a dangerous blame game between national and local government. This sinking reality dominated the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) hearing, where the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) faced an intense interrogation over its financial mismanagement, R25 billion in unpaid municipal debts, and the collapse of basic service delivery. Minister Pemmy Majodina, making her debut Scopa appearance under the seventh administration, delivered a rather sobering admission: 'There is no crisis in bulk water supply — but at household level, the system is collapsing.' The root cause? A staggering 105 of the country's 144 municipalities are chronically underperforming, leaving millions without reliable water despite South Africa's dams operating at 98% capacity. The Minister was quick to deflect accountability, citing the constitutional division of powers. 'Whenever there's no water in a village, the DWS is blamed. But reticulation is a local government function,' she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Yet the data presented by her department painted a damning picture of the consequences: Municipalities owe water boards R25bn, pushing critical entities such as Amatola, Lepelle, and Vaal Central to the brink of insolvency. Meanwhile, the DWS achieved just 70% of its performance targets despite spending 99.8% of its R21.4bn budget — a disparity Deputy Minister David Mahlobo attributed to 'multi-year infrastructure projects'. Corruption remains a festering wound. Over the past five years, the Department investigated 446 misconduct allegations, with 326 substantiated. Cases have been referred to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI – alias Hawks) and the SA Police Service (SAPS), but convictions remain elusive. The SIU's ongoing probes reveal even darker rot: R4.7bn squandered on the 'War on Leaks' programme, which deployed untrained youth to fix municipal leaks — a function outside the DWS's mandate. Another R17.9 million was paid to a consulting firm with 'no evidence of work performed', while 'water tanker mafias' sabotage infrastructure to profit from emergency contracts. The hearing turned incendiary when MK Party MP Khethukuthula Madlala confronted the DWS over its inertia. 'If the government waits for formal complaints while people are being shot, we've failed,' he said. Minister Majodina conceded the grim reality: communities are too terrified to report extortion and vandalism, fearing violent retaliation. 'We share the frustration, but our hands are tied,' she admitted, highlighting the limitations of a system that requires sworn affidavits to act against criminal networks. The Auditor-General's findings further eroded confidence. The DWS has received three consecutive unqualified audits with 'material misstatements', while 37 procurement deviations, including a water-saving campaign that ballooned to R4.4bn, double its budget, exposed glaring financial controls. The Water Trading Entity (WTE) is owed R18bn, with debtors now taking 573 days to pay, up from 451 days last year. The collapse of water boards emerged as a national security threat. While Rand Water and Umngeni were praised as 'world-class', entities like Amatola and Magalies are buckling under municipal debt and governance chaos. Vaal Central's potential failure would paralyse the Free State and Northern Cape. Court battles rage as defiant municipalities — some owing billions, 'take the DWS to court after receiving debt letters'. The DA's Peter Atkinson delivered a warning: 'At R12bn a year, it will take 40 years to fix water infrastructure.' The DWS's own estimates confirm R400bn is needed just for the worst-performing municipalities, excluding metros. While the Department touted public-private partnerships as a solution, Deputy Minister Mahlobo acknowledged a brutal truth: 'Investors won't touch bankrupt municipalities.' The EFF's Veronica Mente's closing remarks cut to the heart of the crisis. 'Thirty years into democracy, flushing a toilet is still a luxury,' she said, demanding that the DWS take over municipal water functions. 'This isn't just failure — it's betrayal.' As the hearing adjourned, Scopa Chairperson Sizwe Zibi fired a parting shot: 'It's still your problem to solve. I'm sorry.' With the committee vowing to recall the DWS for a deeper probe into water boards, South Africa's water catastrophe has reached a breaking point — and millions are left waiting for a government that cannot, or will not, act. Get the real story on the go: Follow the Sunday Independent on WhatsApp.
IOL News
17 hours ago
- IOL News
Joburg council under fire for questionable acting appointments and secondments
The City of Johannesburg council has been warned against approving the extension of several acting appointments, including that of temporary City Manager Tshepo Makola. Image: Nhlanhla Phillips / Independent Newspapers The City of Johannesburg has been warned against extending several acting appointments in senior positions. It has also asked Gauteng Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Jacob Mamabolo, to second top officials to act. This week, the ANC-led Government of Local Unity tabled in council a report on the progress made in filling senior manager positions, the current recruitment of senior manager positions, vacant senior manager positions, and current acting arrangements. In acting City Manager Tshepo Makola's position, council was due to permit Mayor Dada Morero to request in writing that Mamabolo second a suitable candidate, on such conditions as prescribed, and/or to request the extension of his current acting appointment to act in the advertised position of city manager until such time a suitable person has been appointed. There are also positions of managers directly accountable to the city manager that the council wanted to authorise Makola or his delegate to request Mamabolo to second a suitable candidate, on such conditions as prescribed, and/or to appoint any internal suitable divisional senior manager to act in the advertised position of a manager directly accountable to the city manager, until such time a suitable person has been appointed. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The positions, all in acting capacities, include Group Head of Communication and Marketing Candice Molefe, Executive Head: Social Development Dr Tinashe Mushayanyama, Head of the Public Safety Department Andries Mucavele, Chief Operations Officer, Helen Botes, Executive Head: Human Settlements Oupa Nkoane, and Executive Head Office of the City Manager Siyabonga Nodu. In Mushayanyama and Molefe's acting appointments, the city sought Mamabolo's agreement to extend the acting period by three months, or until such time a suitable person has been appointed. According to the municipality, legislation concerning a vacant city manager position appears to authorise requesting a secondment from Mamabolo only after the initial six-month acting period has lapsed, but does not allow a request for a waiver, or to appoint an acting city manager from its current directly accountable managers. 'In respect of managers directly accountable to the municipal (city) manager, the legislation is silent and does not instruct for a request for secondment, meaning the municipality may appoint another person to act as a manager directly accountable to the city manager,' noted the City of Joburg. The municipality also indicated that a 2022 circular on the implementation of the Municipal Systems Amendment Act seems to suggest that after the lapse of six months, the municipal council must request for secondment. However, the DA has warned against the 'troubling' move, stating that the council, or any other official within the city, lacks the legal authority to appoint a different person to act in a vacant position after the expiry of another person's three-month acting period. 'Yet it appears that that is precisely what has occurred within the city. Council does not have the power to 'approve' or 'ratify' expired acting roles, including acting roles that have surpassed three months,' the DA cautioned on Wednesday, through its lawyers, Minde Schapiro & Smith Inc. The party said Makola requested Mamabolo to extend the acting periods that have already expired when he (Mamabolo) has no such power. Makola disclosed no 'special circumstances' or 'good cause' warranting an extension of the acting appointments, according to the DA.
