Glimmer of hope for SA

Corrupt tenders, mafias and vandalism, cause breakdown at municipalities.

- Ciaran Ryan

South Africa's water problem has the makings of a national catastrophe unless urgent action is taken. Two privately-run water concessions, one in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the other in Mpumalanga, offer a glimmer of hope for the country if struggling municipalities can be persuaded to relinquish control of water and waste management systems.

Here's the problem: nearly half the water supplied across the country earns no revenue because of leaks, broken or absent meters, illegal connections and billing problems. The number of municipalities piping poor quality water has steadily increased, reaching 46% in 2022, with many parts of the country going without water for days or weeks at a time.

That's not counting the vandalism to public infrastructure that has allowed private water mafias to take over supplies in many municipalities via water tankers.

This regression to pre-industrial standards is most evident in smaller municipalities where national government appears to have virtually no control.