Sameera Casmod | sameerac@radioislam.co.za
18 October 2024 | 11:45 SAST
3-minute read

Synopsis

• Rand Water last week warned of looming Day Zero in Gauteng if municipalities do not take decisive action.
• Johannesburg residents are extremely frustrated at ongoing water cuts, with many taking part in protests to demand access to running water.
• At the root of the problem lies corruption, mismanagement, poor maintenance of infrastructure, a growing demand for water due to a steady increase in Gauteng’s population, insufficient water storage and a water use culture that does not focus on saving water.

The water crisis in Gauteng has reached monumental levels, with Rand Water having issued a warning that water supply can come to a halt if municipalities do not act fast.

Many parts of the province experience water cuts on a regular basis which has led to protest action in various communities. The latest demonstration on Wednesday 16 October saw residents of Coronationville setting fires and stopping traffic.

In his analysis on this week’s ASRI Report, Mohammad Cajee outlined the root causes of the water crisis, the first of which is mismanagement and corruption.

“The extraction of public funds into the hands of politicians through tender corruption… ultimately results in less money being available for water infrastructure maintenance and management,” Cajee explained.

The second problem is the poor maintenance of Gauteng’s water infrastructure for over more than a decade, with municipalities now in a “reactive maintenance mode”, attending only to major leaks, bursts and other problems.

“There isn’t a situation of proactive maintenance taking place across these municipalities. Rand Water estimates that about 33% of Joburg’s water- supplied by Rand Water- goes to waste through leaks in the system,” Cajee said.

The growth in the size of Gauteng’s population, which accounts for 25% of South Africa’s citizenry, has contributed to an increased demand for water, placing strain on an already compromised system in the country’s smallest province.

Gauteng’s water is supplied primarily from the Vaal River system and is supplemented by the Lesotho Highlands Water Project and the Umgeni pump storage scheme. This, Cajee explains, is where the fourth problem lies: the delay in implementing Phase 2 of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project due, once again, to mismanagement and poor planning.

Another problem that contributes to the water crisis is the shortage of water storage in Gauteng.

“The reservoirs in these areas, which is called the Commando System, have basically run to full capacity,” Cajee said, adding that the current number of reservoirs are unable to meet water demands, even when at full capacity.

The ASRI organisation is calling on citizens to recognise South Africa as a water-scarce country and is urging residents to reduce water usage. This can be done by following level 1 water restrictions and using grey water to irrigate gardens and flush toilets.

“We have to think about our own water use and how much water we use everyday as individuals in terms of drawing on the system for our lifestyle benefits,” Cajee said.

As a strategy to avert Day Zero, Rand Water has recommended prioritising the repair and maintenance of Gauteng’s deteriorating water infrastructure, particularly the leaks in the system that accounts for over 30% of water loss.

“Culture change takes a long time. Building of water storage into the system takes a long time. But immediately what the cities can do is start dealing with their own maintenance of infrastructure backlog, which would save 30% of Joburg’s water,” Cajee stated.

Cajee emphasises that protest action from communities across the province seem to have little effect on municipal responses and advises that new strategies are needed to hold municipalities accountable.

A potential alternative involves increased efforts from civil society organisations including the formation of a “water crisis coalition” to apply pressure on section 79 committees which oversee municipal operations. These committees have the power to summon executives and demand accountability, yet the lack of decisive action has left many frustrated.

Cajee also discussed the recent request by the DA for compel Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to release 177 forensic investigation reports. DA’s Solly Msimanga alleges that Lesufi is protecting corrupt officials benefiting from lucrative provincial tenders. Lesufi has denied the accusations, challenging the DA to present evidence.

The allegations of corruption strike a chord with many, as tender fraud has long plagued South Africa’s public sector. Past scandals, including the awarding of inappropriate tenders within the health department, highlight the extent of the problem.

Experts argue that corruption remains entrenched, despite improvements in electricity and the general economic outlook under the GNU.

“I think there’s absolute truth in the part that there’s corrupt politicians benefiting from tenders in the province. If these reports exist, then the courts will definitely give some instruction to release at least some of them,” Cajee said.

If the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) applications succeed, the release of the forensic reports could reveal the depth of corruption in the province.

Listen to the ASRI Report on Sabaahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.