FITTING THOUGHT 1
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National Water Crisis Committee
During the State of the Nation Address on 12 February 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of a National Water Crisis Committee that will be chaired by himself.
Much like the National Energy Crisis Committee, which was created to generate a focused national response to loadshedding, the National Water Crisis Committee( NWCC) is being formed to elevate the government’ s response to the country’ s water crisis.
The official news article – www. SAnews. gov. za 1 The committee, President Ramaphosa said, will ensure swift, co-ordinated action to address persistent water supply disruptions affecting communities across the country.
Municipalities in parts of Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni have faced repeated supply interruptions linked to ageing infrastructure, poor maintenance, power failures at pumping stations and growing demand.
“ We have all seen the pain that our people have been expressing through demonstrations in various parts of Gauteng. These protests have been fuelled by frustrations over inadequate and unreliable access to basic services such as water,” Ramaphosa said.
Other provinces have also battled prolonged water shortages, with some communities relying on water tankers for extended periods due to dysfunctional treatment plants and failing municipal systems.
Ramaphosa acknowledged that the crisis is rooted in systemic weaknesses at municipal level.“ Poor planning and inadequate maintenance of water systems by many municipalities are the main cause of the problems we are going through now and are the reason that taps often run dry.
“ There is no silver bullet to address this challenge, which has its roots in systemic failures and many years of neglecting infrastructure,” the President said.
He added that the real challenge lies not in the availability of water, but in getting water to people’ s taps.
Ramaphosa said the NWCC will ensure that action is taken swiftly to address these challenges and strengthen co-ordination across all spheres of government.
“ This structure will bring together all existing efforts into a single coordinating body. It will deploy technical experts and resources from national government to municipalities facing water challenges. It will ensure that action is taken swiftly and effectively to address the problem,” he said.
In a strong warning to non-performing municipalities, the President indicated that government will move to lay criminal charges against municipal managers who violate provisions of the Water Services Act.
“ To address the challenges effectively, we will not hesitate to use the powers enshrined in the Constitution and in the Water Services Act to intervene in municipalities where necessary. We will hold to account those who neglect their responsibility to supply water to our people,” he said.
Government has already laid criminal charges against 56 municipalities that have failed to meet their obligations.
“ We will now move to lay charges against municipal managers in their personal capacity for violating the National Water Act,” he said.
“ The critical problem is that in many metros, cities and towns, water revenue is being used for other purposes and very little is invested in upgrading and maintaining water infrastructure,” the President said.
The country’ s water infrastructure has come under increasing strain in recent years, with experts warning that billions of rands are needed for maintenance, upgrades and new bulk supply projects.
The President emphasised that reliable access to water is a basic right and central to economic development, public health and human dignity, committing significant investment to the sector.
“ We have committed more than R156-billion in public funding for water and sanitation infrastructure alone over the next three years,” he said.
So, what do you think? Could this be the start of the much-needed enforcement in the water sector in South Africa? PA
Megan
References:
1. President Ramaphosa to Chair National Water Crisis Committee | SAnews
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May 2026 Volume 32 I Number 03 www. plumbingafrica. co. za