Crisis Management: Redirecting Focus to Bolster Municipal Water Services in South Africa

As South Africa grapples with a severe water crisis, the spotlight sharpens on the precarious state of municipal water management. Civil rights organization AfriForum has cautioned against the hasty formation of a new state entity, the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA), asserting that the current priority should be to resolve the critical dysfunction within local municipalities—a step they deem crucial for safeguarding the nation's water security.

A closer examination reveals the depth of this crisis: South African water boards, pivotal in the wholesale supply of water, staggers under a colossal debt exceeding R22.36 billion owed by municipalities. This alarming statistic was highlighted in a recent parliamentary committee session, exposing a debt so crippling that the potential insolvency of multiple water boards may be mere months away.

Marais de Vaal, AfriForum’s Advisor for Environmental Affairs, underscores the real possibility of a cascade effect—from bankrupt water boards right down to the dry taps of the citizenry. These concerns are echoed by the Auditor-General’s recent report, which paints a bleak picture of financial mismanagement and dismal revenue collection at the municipal level.

The operational efficiency of municipalities also flags major issues, with more than 40% of the nation's clean drinking water wasted through leakages in the distribution networks. Decades of neglect in maintenance of this infrastructure is a tell-tale sign of the deterioration that threatens the stability of South Africa's water supply.

AfriForum is a proponent of a multifaceted approach to this crisis, encouraging a collaborative framework involving government, communities, and private sectors. This coalition aims to reinforce the water supply chain across all fronts. Notably, AfriForum is actively seeking partnerships with private entities to oversee municipal rate collections, ensuring that the revenues generated are directed to water boards—a move aimed at safeguarding funds from possible misappropriation by unstable municipal entities.

Ultimately, the association's standpoint is clear: creating another state agency will not address the root of the issue. Instead, immediate action towards enhancing the administrative capacity and financial stewardship of municipalities will provide a more sustainable solution to South Africa's pressing water concerns.