President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for urgent, co-ordinated action across all three spheres of government to resolve South Africa’s deepening water crisis, warning that poor municipal performance is placing an increasing burden on ordinary citizens.

Delivering the opening address at an Extended Presidential Co-ordinating Council (PCC) meeting in Boksburg on Thursday, the president placed the country’s water and sanitation challenges at the centre of government’s priorities, outlining reforms already underway while calling for stronger accountability, improved financial management and technical capacity at local level.

The high-level meeting, held at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre, brought together national, provincial and local government leadership in what Ramaphosa described as a ‘historic get-together’ aimed at strengthening co-ordination and delivering concrete solutions.

“This is the first time that the PCC holds an extended meeting that brings together all the mayors and municipal managers of our local government tier of government. You are all participating in a historic get-together,” he said.

Water service decline despite progress

Ramaphosa said the deterioration of water services across municipalities has become one of the most immediate and widespread challenges facing the country, despite significant gains since the advent of democracy.

The meeting takes place as South Africa observes Freedom Month, which marks the country’s transition from the apartheid regime to a free, democratic country. It is in commemoration of the first democratic elections on April 27, 1994.

“There is no doubt that over the three decades of democracy, we have made great progress in extending access to water,” Ramaphosa said, noting that over 82% of households had access to piped water by 2022, up from 61% in 1996.

However, he warned that reliability has worsened.

“The percentage of households that experienced water interruptions lasting more than two days at a time increased from 24% in 2012 to 34% in 2024,” the president said.

He attributed the crisis to a combination of ageing infrastructure, illegal connections, weak maintenance, poor revenue collection and institutional instability, adding that metros are losing vast amounts of water before it can even be billed.

“Our eight metropolitan municipalities are collectively losing an average of 34% of all water purchased before it can be billed. Some metros are approaching 50%,” he said.

Reforms and structural interventions underway

The president pointed to ongoing reforms under Operation Vulindlela and confirmed that government has already begun implementing structural interventions in the water sector.

These include the establishment of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency, improvements in water-use licensing, and the reinstatement of key monitoring reports to track municipal performance.

He also highlighted the Metro Trading Services Reform programme aimed at restoring financial sustainability and unlocking investment in municipal services.

In response to the crisis, Ramaphosa reiterated the establishment of the National Water Crisis Committee announced earlier this year during the State of the Nation Address, which will oversee the implementation of a National Water Action Plan.

“As we did to great effect in overcoming load-shedding, the Water Crisis Committee will oversee the implementation of a National Water Action Plan,” he said.

5 principles to guide response

Ramaphosa outlined five key principles to guide government’s response, stressing the need for urgency and discipline in execution.

“First, accountability must be restored. Every institution represented here must be clear about its role, obligations and timelines. The people of South Africa are entitled to know who is responsible if commitments are not met.

“Second, the financial integrity of water services must be protected. Revenue generated from water services must be ring-fenced to support the operation, maintenance, upgrading and long-term sustainability of those services,” he said.

The president warned that if infrastructure is allowed to deteriorate while revenues are diverted to other functions, the water crisis will only deepen.

“Third, technical and professional capability must be strengthened. Municipal water and sanitation systems require qualified engineers, plant operators, project managers, technicians and financial experts. Without the right people in the right posts, even the best plans will remain unimplemented. Fourth, there must be consequence management,” the president said.

He emphasised that where there is underperformance, it must be corrected, and where there is persistent failure, there must be swift intervention.

“There must be no space for corruption, criminality or sabotage,” he said.

Lastly, the president emphasised that co-operative governance must be made practical.

“We are three spheres of government, but we are one state serving one people. We need to be aligned around a shared purpose and disciplined execution,” Ramaphosa said.

Broader municipal challenges

Beyond the water crisis, Ramaphosa acknowledged broader systemic weaknesses in municipalities, including limited revenue bases, skills shortages and governance instability.

“This results in poor service delivery. Water and electricity disruptions are common. Roads and other infrastructure are not maintained. It is ordinary South Africans who bear the costs of this. Our task in this meeting is not to repeat the catalogue of shortcomings and weaknesses in local government, but to focus on the solutions,” the president said.

He added that the forthcoming White Paper on Local Government will be critical in ‘reimagining’ how municipalities function, while efforts to cut red tape and professionalise the public service are essential to unlock economic growth.

“Bureaucratic delays are driving investment away and shutting out the very entrepreneurs we need to grow our local economies,” he said.

Ramaphosa emphasised that while plans and structures are in place, success will depend on political commitment and co-operation across all spheres of government.

“The water crisis puts that mandate to the test. The National Water Crisis Committee provides the means of coordination. The National Water Action Plan provides the roadmap. What this meeting must provide is the political commitment across all three spheres to make both of them work,” he said.

The president concluded with a call for decisive action.

“The country is looking to us to secure an uninterrupted supply of water to all citizens, businesses and institutions, now and into the future. We have the means to do this. Let us demonstrate that we have the will,” the president said. – SAnews.gov.za 

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