In a country where access to water is a constitutional right, many South Africans find themselves at the mercy of dry taps, leaking and bursting pipes, and failing infrastructure. Behind these localised water crises lies a story of deliberate sabotage, entrenched corruption and systemic neglect.
In a recent report, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) paints a grim picture of how water mafias, vandalism and institutional failures have combined to erode both the country’s water systems and public trust in those managing it .
Though South Africa is a water-scarce country, today’s crises are not only environmental but also caused by human activity. Criminal sabotage of water infrastructure — through vandalism, theft, and deliberate damage — is driving profits for a select few, while leaving entire communities without access to basic water services.
The latest figures from 2024 reveal a decline in household access to water sources, with 77.1% of households covered — down from 80.4% in 2023. Of those that have access, many face prolonged disruptions.
In numerous communities, especially small towns and in rural areas, water availability remains sporadic due to widespread infrastructure failures, theft and inconsistent water tank deliveries. The data highlights the worsening state of water access and delivery across several provinces.
Many report water outages or interruptions lasting longer than two days. Some residents in the City of Johannesburg have gone without water for weeks, with poor communication regarding the location of stationary or roaming water tankers. For a nation with the infrastructure and resources to do better, this regression is deeply concerning.
Compounding the issue is high water demand and non-revenue water (NRW) — defined as treated water lost to leaks, illegal connections and poor revenue collection. Estimates suggest that 40—50% (or more) of water is lost before reaching consumers, a staggering inefficiency for a country already battling droughts, climate unpredictability and water scarcity.
The Presidential Water and Sanitation Indaba and the SAHRC report highlights a troubling trend — the deliberate destruction and manipulation of water infrastructure by criminal syndicates for disruption and profit. These water mafias exploit infrastructure failures for profit
In parts of Gauteng, syndicates are reportedly closing valves, damaging pipelines and disrupting pump stations — only to resell water through tankers at inflated prices. Residents are forced to pay these informal suppliers while municipal systems remain crippled by the very sabotage that created the demand.
Vulnerable, poor and rural communities bear the brunt of these disruptions, often going days or weeks without safe, potable water. Public health risks are rising, hygiene suffers and frustration mounts.
The effects can be deadly. In 2023 a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal led to at least 20 deaths, traced to contaminated and poorly-treated water. In a nation where water infrastructure is failing and there is poor municipal oversight, the chance of such outbreaks becomes more likely.
Broken pipes are seen as broken promises. Infrastructure can be repaired and legislation amended, but public trust is harder to restore
Economically, the water crisis undermines productivity, business continuity and investor confidence. When water is scarce or unpredictable, industry slows, agriculture suffers, and job security weakens. For a developing economy already facing various instabilities, the water crisis adds yet another layer of systemic risk.
The SAHRC report rightly identifies persistent dysfunction with 105 water service authorities, legally tasked with ensuring affordable, efficient and sustainable access to basic water and sanitation services. Yet many municipalities’ procurement processes remain vulnerable to manipulation and political interference. Maintenance budgets are often cut or diverted, and few face consequences for project failures.
Sabotage of water systems is an attack on public safety and human rights, but prosecutions remain low.
While the picture is bleak, it is not beyond repair. The SAHRC outlines several important recommendations that deserve swift and decisive implementation to protect the whole water value chain from threats. These include:
- That critical infrastructure be secured and monitored with real-time technology and community-based surveillance programmes;
- That the department of water & sanitation and the National Treasury, in collaboration with the department of co-operative governance & traditional affairs, ringfence revenue collected for water and sanitation services to ensure this is reinvested in infrastructure;
- Building the capacity of municipalities with skilled staff, regular audits and clear consequence management for poor performance;
- Protecting whistleblowers, and pursuing major cases through the Special Investigating Unit and the National Prosecuting Authority.
- Treating sabotage as organised crime, not petty vandalism, and strengthening inter-agency collaboration.
Civil society has a major role to play in the implementation of solutions and strategies. Continued public pressure, good quality investigative journalism, and legal activism are essential to hold officials and contractors accountable. Greater transparency is needed, especially when it comes to multimillion-rand water tanker tenders.
Communities must reduce their water use and become co-stewards of public infrastructure. Rebuilding this partnership, however, will be difficult in the face of growing mistrust, driven by frequent and prolonged water outages with little warning or explanation.
South Africa’s water crisis is a reflection of broader governance failures. Broken pipes are seen as broken promises. Infrastructure can be repaired and legislation amended, but public trust is harder to restore.
Safeguarding water systems safeguards the collective future. What is needed now is a decrease in water demand, and practical plans and solutions. Without these, taps will continue to run dry, broken pipes will become fountains and public faith will be further lost in the institutions meant to serve them.
• Associate Prof Du Plessis is a water management expert
For opinion and analysis consideration, e-mail Opinions@timeslive.co.za
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