R90 billion needed to fix water infrastructure backlogs, Minister tells BOSA

8 November 2024

In a response to a written parliamentary question by BOSA Deputy Leader, Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster MP, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina MP, revealed that the department needed R89.9 billion to address the infrastructure backlog that is hampering access to clean water for all South Africans.

“These are projections for capital requirements to address the water infrastructure backlogs over the next 10 years which include, refurbishment and renewal of ageing infrastructure; upgrades to serve increases in service levels and sustain effective service delivery; as well as new infrastructure for growing human settlements and new economic nodes.” Said Minister Majodina.
In addition, the Minister revealed that the department has spent R53.8 billion over the past five financial years towards water services infrastructure development. That said, the department unspent R5.1 billion over the same period.]

There have been attempts by the Minister to pass the blame for South Africa’s water supply crisis from her department onto municipalities. In a press briefing in August, the Minister said that people:
“[d]o not seem to appreciate that the provision of water services is the responsibility of municipalities not the national Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). It would be a priority for us to correct this misunderstanding, and to encourage communities and leaders to hold their municipalities accountable.”

Municipalities cannot supply water where there is broken or absent infrastructure. Moreover, when municipalities are failing to supply water, the Minister’s hands are not tied. The Water Services Act makes it possible that where municipalities are struggling to distribute water, they can hand over distribution authority to NPOs and private service providers to perform that function.

Citizens should not be surprised that we have an imminent water crisis in South Africa. It has been hiding in plain sight and is the outcome of a government either indifferent to the impact of the lack of reliable water supply to its citizens or lacking the political will to do something about it.

BOSA will continue to work with communities to ensure that every South African has access to clean water. This is a basic constitutional right that no government should deny.

Issued by Roger Solomons, BOSA Acting Spokesperson, 8 November 2024