Deputy President Mashatile Attributes South Africa's Water Crisis to Outdated Infrastructure and Systemic Failures

Mashatile Addresses National Water Crisis in NCOP

Deputy President Paul Mashatile recently addressed the critical water crisis facing South African municipalities, attributing widespread water leaks and deteriorating services primarily to outdated infrastructure. Speaking in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, Mashatile detailed a multifaceted approach to tackle the systemic issues plaguing the nation's water and sanitation services. He emphasized that while South Africa possesses significant water reserves, these resources are not effectively reaching communities due to a broken supply chain riddled with leaks, neglected maintenance, and flawed reticulation systems.

The Extent of Water Losses and Deterioration

Mashatile cited a report from the Department of Water and Sanitation, revealing a significant decline in municipal water delivery capacity. National water reliability has dropped to only 68%, and the quality of water in 60% of water supply systems is deteriorating. The Deputy President highlighted that non-revenue water losses, which include leaks, operational inefficiencies, and illegal connections, are alarmingly high, reaching between 40% and 50% in some areas. Nationally, approximately 40.8% of treated water is lost due to leaks alone. These losses translate to a staggering financial impact, with estimates suggesting an annual loss of R7.2 billion due to water leaks, and up to R12 billion annually from non-revenue water losses across the country. In Gauteng metros alone, approximately R5 billion is lost annually.

The crisis is exacerbated by ageing infrastructure, with some parts of Rand Water's distribution network, spanning over 3,300 kilometres, dating back to 1907. Furthermore, municipalities collectively owe water boards approximately R28 billion, hindering essential maintenance and upgrades.

Root Causes: Governance, Capacity, and Corruption

Beyond outdated infrastructure, Mashatile identified several other critical factors contributing to the crisis:

• Poor governance: A lack of effective leadership and oversight within municipalities.
• Lack of technical capacity: Insufficient skilled personnel to manage and maintain complex water systems.
• Inadequate infrastructure investments: A historical underfunding of necessary upgrades and repairs.
• Financial mismanagement: Misuse of funds intended for water services and a culture of non-payment for services.
• Corruption: Including the emergence of 'water mafias' who manipulate shortages for profit and the corruption associated with water tanker services.

Mashatile stated, 'This crisis stems from a combination of factors, including poor governance, lack of technical capacity, inadequate infrastructure investments, and financial mismanagement.'

Government's Multi-pronged Response

The government is implementing a range of interventions to address these challenges. Mashatile highlighted the efforts of the Water Task Team, established to intensify efforts at the municipal level and coordinate interventions. Key recommendations from the South Africa National Water and Sanitation Indaba, held in March 2025, included increased investments and ensuring the financial viability of the sector. A Water Partnership Office has been established at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) to facilitate private sector investment in municipal water projects.

Legislative measures, such as the Water Resources Infrastructure Agency Act, aim to centralise water infrastructure management and funding. Additionally, the National Water Safety Management Programme calls for an additional 15,000 skilled water professionals by 2030 to enhance municipal governance and service delivery. The Deputy President also urged increased community participation in protecting critical infrastructure and reporting suspicious activities and corruption within the water sector. National Treasury has cautioned municipalities against long-term reliance on water tankers, emphasizing their role as temporary emergency measures.