FITTING THOUGHT
2026: THE YEAR OF CONNECTION
Given the purpose of this directory being rooted in the provision of the opportunity for you to connect with suppliers, manufacturers and plumbers, it is only fitting that we focus on how 2026 will provide opportunities for connection within the plumbing community.
At its core, plumbing is about connection: of pipes, of systems, and most importantly, of people. It is no secret that South Africa faces many challenges, so much so that it is easy to overlook the opportunities these challenges present. So, let’ s connect them – for some of the industry’ s largest challenges, opportunities are simply lying in-waiting.
Infrastructure – connecting the old to the green
Challenge: South Africa’ s water infrastructure is severely strained – ageing systems, inadequate maintenance, and increasing demand driven by urbanisation, population growth and severe climate events – such as droughts and floods – all partake in this strain( CDH). The deterioration of this infrastructure has led to poor water quality, intermittent supply and heightened vulnerability in some regions – for example, Cape Town and Gqeberha recently came close to“ Day Zero”, when dam levels reached extremely low levels, requiring the implementation of strict water rationing( CDH). Much of the country’ s municipal water and sewage infrastructure is old or poorly maintained, with leaks and bursts occurring often, going so far as to lead to 30 – 40 % water loss in some metros. Not to mention that which should not be named – loadshedding – causing disruptions in energy-dependant systems like geysers.
Opportunities: Countless opportunities are available to combat the infrastructure and energy systems that plague the country.
• Green and smart plumbing: greywater recycling, low-flow systems and solar geysers.
• New technology, such as smart leak detectors and IoT monitoring, can efficiently and cost-effectively catch the small issues before they become large.
• Rainwater harvesting and alternative supply systems are emerging for water-scarcity issues.
Connecting the skills shortage to available resources
Challenge: It is no secret that there is a skills shortage in South Africa amongst plumbers. In a previous online article, we uncovered that a significant portion of plumbing work in South Africa is performed by unqualified or informal practitioners, with estimates placing them at over 50 – 80 % of the workforce. These unqualified plumbers are undermining professional standards and threatening public safety – on top of taking business away from qualified plumbers due to cheaper rates of work.
Opportunities: Multiple systems and bodies are in place to ensure relevant training and standards are taught to plumbers. The opportunity lies in raising awareness of these bodies and systems to the informal sectors, where most unqualified plumbers work and come from:
• The ARPL( Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning) system helps informally trained practitioners gain formal qualifications.
• Plumbing Skills Training Programmes created through TVET colleges offer fast-track entry, with strong completion rates and are gender inclusive.
• Regulations like the National Building Regulations, Water Services Act, SANS standards, and OHS Act must be taught.
• Organisations such as IOPSA and PIRB play vital roles in training, certification, and setting industry benchmarks.
Connecting South Africa to the global supply chains
Challenge: Imported materials dominate the market, and disruptions in import – such as loadshedding and port delays – make supply volatile. And for our exports, Trump’ s 30 % tariff imposed on the country’ s exports certainly aren’ t helping.
Opportunities: The opportunity in this challenge lies purely with South Africa – localising manufacturing. By manufacturing plumbing components within South Africa, the heavy reliance on imports is reduced, leaving the plumbing industry less reliant on the volatile global supply chain. Further, BRICS’ dedollarisation efforts may combat Trump’ s tariffs for South Africa – although this remains to be proven( Carnegie).
Megan O’ Connor
References
1. Water infrastructure in South Africa: The promise and limitations of the new South African Water Resources Infrastructure Agency- Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr
2. The Difficult Realities of the BRICS’ Dedollarization Efforts— and the Renminbi’ s Role | Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
www. plumbingafrica. co. za Plumbing Africa DIRECTORY 2026 3