Build One South Africa (Bosa) deputy president Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster has sharply criticized the announcement by Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, regarding the indefinite water supply cuts set to begin in Johannesburg on Thursday, November 14. Hlazo-Webster described the decision as a “water-shedding gift” from the Government of National Unity (GNU), highlighting the government’s failure to address the underlying water crisis effectively.
Majodina’s announcement outlined that Johannesburg residents would face level one water throttling, with supply reductions expected to continue until December. The restrictions aim to manage the ongoing water supply issues in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), which are exacerbated by population growth, illegal connections, aging infrastructure, poor maintenance, and extensive leaks.
Despite acknowledging that there is no drought in Gauteng, Majodina pointed to the lack of proper maintenance and the impact of illegal connections as key factors contributing to the crisis. She stated, “Gauteng has no drought, (but), yes we are in a crisis, a crisis that is caused by lack of maintenance on water infrastructure, illegal connections.”
During the announcement, Majodina emphasized that if residents adhered to the level one water restrictions, the situation could improve. However, the government’s track record on infrastructure maintenance and accountability has come under intense scrutiny, with experts warning that the crisis will only worsen without urgent investment and reforms.
In Parliament, Hlazo-Webster compared the water supply cuts to the ongoing energy crisis, calling them the “water-shedding gift” of the current administration. She pointed out that, just as South Africans have endured load shedding under the previous government, water shortages and supply interruptions have now become a reality for many communities.
“Johannesburg now joins scores of communities and towns across South Africa who have faced intermittent water supply,” Hlazo-Webster remarked. “If load shedding was the gift from the previous administration, water shedding is the gift from this administration.”
She stressed the importance of addressing the root causes of the water crisis, including inadequate infrastructure investment and the lack of accountability. Hlazo-Webster criticized the continued “blame-game” between the national department and municipalities, arguing that both levels of government were failing to take responsibility.
Hlazo-Webster highlighted alarming statistics regarding the state of South Africa’s water infrastructure. She referenced comments made by Majodina earlier this year, where the minister acknowledged that R90 billion is needed to address existing infrastructure backlogs, yet only a fraction of the planned projects have been completed. According to Hlazo-Webster, out of 5,453 planned water projects, only 747 (about 13%) had been completed. Similarly, the eradication of the bucket sanitation system, which had a target of 12,000 units, saw only 696 completed by the previous year (less than 6%).
Furthermore, Hlazo-Webster pointed to the lack of progress on dam rehabilitation, where only one out of nine planned dam projects has been completed—just 11% of the target.
Hlazo-Webster called on Minister Majodina to take responsibility for the state of the nation’s water infrastructure rather than deflecting blame onto municipalities. While Majodina had previously argued that water provision is the responsibility of local governments, Hlazo-Webster pointed out that the Water Services Act allows for the transfer of distribution authority to non-profits or private service providers when municipalities fail to meet their obligations.
“How can municipalities be expected to supply water if the infrastructure remains broken or simply does not exist?” Hlazo-Webster asked. “And when municipalities are unable to supply water, the minister’s hands are not tied.”
She concluded by accusing the government of either being indifferent to the devastating impact of unreliable water supply on its citizens or lacking the political will to make meaningful change. Hlazo-Webster urged Majodina to acknowledge the failures in water service delivery and take concrete action to fix the country’s water infrastructure.
