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The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the decision to invite Rand Water before the Parliamentary Committee on Water and Sanitation on Tuesday, 22 October 2024, to account for the ongoing water crisis in the Rand Water supply area.

This crisis has left millions of South Africans at risk, with many households in critical areas such as Brixton in Johannesburg and Govan Mbeki in Mpumalanga suffering from inconsistent and inadequate water supply for weeks. Rand Water’s Wildebeest Reservoir, which services Govan Mbeki, has been unable to maintain sufficient levels to ensure uninterrupted water distribution, leaving parts of Mpumalanga without water completely or partially. The question remains: How many other areas will follow if immediate action is not taken?

The DA will demand full transparency from Rand Water regarding the current state of its infrastructure. This includes the functionality of reservoirs, pump stations, and water treatment works, all of which are critical to managing and distributing the bulk water supply across the province. Rand Water must provide information on the functionality of these key systems, especially as the demand continues to grow, from the increasing numbers of leaks in municipalities, as well as a growing population in Gauteng.

For too long, Rand Water has resisted consistent oversight of their facilities, hindering public representatives’ ability to provide effective checks and balances. This lack of cooperation must come to an end. The DA will call for permission for regular oversight visits to ensure that reservoirs and pump stations are properly maintained and that capacity-building measures are implemented where necessary.

Additionally, Rand Water must clarify the steps it has taken to work with local municipalities to prevent this crisis from escalating. Too many municipalities have neglected their water infrastructure, allowing water leaks and massive non-revenue water losses to persist unchecked. While Rand Water bears some responsibility for supply issues, local municipalities must be held primarily accountable for not maintaining their systems. The public deserves to know what engagements Rand Water has undertaken with the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, to mitigate these challenges before the situation spirals further out of control.

The DA is deeply concerned that the continued lack of transparency and inefficiency on the part of both Rand Water and various municipalities is exacerbating the water crisis, putting the livelihoods of millions of South Africans at risk. We demand swift, decisive action to resolve this crisis before more communities are left without access to this basic human right.

Issued by Stephen Moore MP - DA Deputy Spokesperson on Water and Sanitation