Ramaphosa Unveils Overhaul to Fix South Africa’s Water Crisis

South Africa faces severe water scarcity, deteriorating quality, and collapsing municipal infrastructure.

Public frustration has mounted alongside serious health risks, highlighted by a fatal cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal after residents turned to untreated water sources. Experts estimate that addressing these systemic failures requires R400 billion to R900 billion.

In response, President Cyril Ramaphosa has outlined an overhaul aimed at long-term structural reform. “We must acknowledge that in too many municipalities, government has not succeeded with the maintenance of infrastructure, to manage water services properly and to respond with sufficient urgency,” Ramaphosa said in a letter to the nation published on Monday, 20 July.

To tackle the emergency, the government is committing R156 billion over three years. Immediate relief will be delivered through the National Water Access Acceleration Programme, expanding decentralised options like boreholes and treatment units. Strategic coordination will fall to the National Water Crisis Committee and the newly formed state-owned entity, the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency, which will manage bulk projects.

Furthermore, the National Treasury is intervening to ensure water revenue is reinvested directly into local systems. Enforcement will also tighten through the Water Services Amendment Bill, allowing criminal charges and personal legal liability for negligent municipal managers.

Image Credit: Source