The FW de Klerk Foundation is concerned by the recent disclosure that an estimated R400 billion is required to repair and upgrade ageing water infrastructure across 107 of South Africa’s 144 water services authorities. Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina disclosed the figure in a parliamentary reply addressing recurring municipal water failures. The estimate illustrates the scale of the infrastructure challenge facing local government.

This is fundamentally a constitutional issue. Section 27 of the Constitution guarantees everyone the right of access to sufficient water and requires the State to take reasonable measures, within available resources, towards the progressive realisation of that right. Section 152 further requires local government to provide services sustainably and promote a safe and healthy environment.

The scale of the problem requires more than acknowledgement of the backlog. Government’s National Water Action Plan seeks to address municipal water failures through infrastructure investment, institutional reform, stronger accountability and improved service delivery. These commitments must translate into measurable improvements for communities experiencing repeated interruptions, ageing infrastructure and poor water quality.

Government has allocated R13,7 billion in infrastructure grants this financial year, with approximately 80% directed towards the worst-performing municipalities. This will support 70 bulk infrastructure projects and 341 water services projects. However, these interventions must be accompanied by transparent reporting that allows residents to see whether expenditure is producing reliable services.

Conditions differ between municipalities and a single national deadline for restoring reliable water supply may not be realistic. But, this cannot mean the absence of municipality-specific deadlines, measurable milestones and clear responsibility. Residents should know what is being repaired, how it is funded, who is responsible and when improvement is expected.

The ongoing parliamentary process concerning the Water Services Amendment Bill of 2025 also presents an opportunity to strengthen accountability for unreliable services, inadequate infrastructure management, declining water quality and weak enforcement.

The Foundation calls on the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and affected municipalities to publish clear recovery plans for the 107 affected water services authorities. These should identify priority projects, funding, responsible authorities, measurable milestones and expected completion dates.

Parliament should monitor these plans, scrutinise infrastructure funding and ensure that current reforms strengthen accountability in practice.

South Africans should not have to guess when, how or by whom their most basic water services will be restored. The R400 billion challenge demands transparent plans, clear responsibility and measurable results.

END.

Issued by Ismail Joosub on behalf of the FW de Klerk Foundation
Johannesburg