... strong, capacitated and functional CMAs are indispensable for sustainable water governance in a water-scarce country such as South Africa. As climate variability intensifies and competing demands on water resources increase, effective catchment management will become even more important. The future of South Africa's water security depends not only on infrastructure expansion, but also on integrated resource management, pollution control, groundwater ...

... Earlier in May, South Africa marked 30 years since adopting a Constitution that redefined the relationship between the state and its people. In the water sector, this is evident in expanded access to water and sanitation, and in recognising water as a fundamental right. In 1994, water access reflected apartheid's deep inequalities. Millions of black South Africans, especially in rural ...

... The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, has announced the establishment of a national Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum as part of intensified efforts to combat crime, corruption and sabotage within South Africa's water sector. Presenting the department's Budget Vote in Parliament on Friday, Majodina identified water mafias - organised criminal networks engaged in crime, corruption and sabotage of water ...

... R12.3bn allocated to 70 bulk water projects and 341 municipal water services initiatives across South Africa. Government intensifies intervention in 107 underperforming municipalities following worsening Blue Drop and Green Drop assessment results. Municipal debt to water boards surpasses R27bn as authorities tighten enforcement measures against non-paying municipalities. South Africa's Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has allocated R12.3bn in infrastructure ...

... from 98.6% to 95.5%. The decrease reflects continued water transfers and operational releases associated with the transfer scheme. Despite the more noticeable reduction, the reservoir remains at a strong storage level capable of sustaining ongoing transfers into South Africa. The dam continues operating efficiently within a managed supply framework balancing inflows, transfers, and long-term storage sustainability. Similarly, the Mohale Dam ...

... of burst pipes and water leaks has become a recurring problem in several parts of Durban. The eThekwini Municipality has previously acknowledged that it faces a non-revenue water rate of about 54%, largely due to leaks, theft and unmetered water usage. The municipality has also previously been identified by the Department of Water and Sanitation as one of South Africa's ...

... outskirts of Giyani, Limpopo, the residents of Mahlathi and Guwala villages are no strangers to trekking long distances, sometimes for hours, just to collect water. In 2024, in the build-up to the election, Daily Maverick visited the area to speak to residents about their concerns ahead of what became one of South Africa's most contested polls. Access to water was ...

... provide progress reports on interventions undertaken to address persistent water supply challenges affecting communities. The engagement forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen accountability, improve intergovernmental coordination, and ensure that residents have access to reliable and sustainable water services, as envisaged in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Municipalities are expected to outline measures implemented to improve the ...

... operators identify faults faster while reducing false alarms. South Africa's Department of Electricity and Energy Deputy Director General, Thabo Kekana, highlighted the country's milestone of 365 days without loadshedding. The conversation also turned to long-term energy security through grid expansion, storage, new generation capacity and affordable supply. In the water sector, Western Cape Province Head of Department of Water and ...

... these outages result in reservoirs battling to recover and some communities experiencing dry taps," said Mkhize. In January, Msunduzi Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla told the Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) that the City had applied for R3,2 billion in funding from Infrastructure South Africa to overhaul its ageing water and sanitation systems, while submitting business plans aimed at reducing ...

... from 98.6% to 95.5%. The decrease reflects continued water transfers and operational releases associated with the transfer scheme. Despite the more noticeable reduction, the reservoir remains at a strong storage level capable of sustaining ongoing transfers into South Africa. The dam continues operating efficiently within a managed supply framework balancing inflows, transfers, and long-term storage sustainability. Similarly, the Mohale Dam ...

... shed in a single quarter, causing the national unemployment rate to climb to 32.7%. He believes South Africa's unemployment crisis is not inevitable but a direct result of outdated ideological blockages and political choices. He is urging the Government of National Unity to accelerate ongoing reforms in energy, logistics, water, and other infrastructure with far greater urgency. He said while ...

... we celebrate these milestones, we are also reminded of the power and responsibility that every citizen carries. Ladies and gentlemen, South Africa will soon hold local government elections. These elections are important because municipalities are responsible for delivering many of the services that affect our daily lives, including water, sanitation, roads, electricity, housing, and local development. I therefore urge every ...

... power and water. The good ground conditions have modern, systematic support that includes anchors and shotcreting to prepare for mechanised mining. The new Qala Shallows gold mine is not only a milestone for West Wits Mining but also for South Africa's mining industry, the South African economy, and the communities that will share in the opportunities created here, Minerals Council ...

... Treasury's Metro Trading Services Reform programme under Operation Vulindlela - the effort to ring-fence revenues for electricity, water and sanitation so that money paid for those services is spent on those services. The CTCRA agrees, unreservedly, that ring-fencing trading services is sound policy. South Africa has every reason to want municipalities to spend water and sanitation revenues on water and ...

... of 50,000 jobs for Joburg's youth over the next five years. His speech also claimed that 96% of city residents receive sanitation services. The same speech put the city's water main failure rate at 1,552 per 100km, the highest of any metro in South Africa, and acknowledged an infrastructure backlog of more than R220 billion. In Slovoville, about five kilometres ...

... of burst pipes and water leaks has become a recurring problem in several parts of Durban. The eThekwini Municipality has previously acknowledged that it faces a non-revenue water rate of about 54%, largely due to leaks, theft and unmetered water usage. The municipality has also previously been identified by the Department of Water and Sanitation as one of South Africa's ...

... Partnerships support biodiversity protection The forestry sector also pointed to collaborative conservation initiatives involving industry, conservation organisations and communities. Sappi's Rare, Threatened and Endangered Species Programme was highlighted as one example of partnership-driven conservation aimed at protecting vulnerable species and ecosystems. Another initiative includes the WWF South Africa and Sappi water stewardship partnership focused on the uMkhomazi catchment, part of ...

... and devastating consequences for human rights. Billions of rands that should be directed towards healthcare, water, and housing are instead lost through mismanagement of funds, inflated contracts and outright theft. While millions of people in South Africa live in absolute poverty and do not have access to basic services, brave individuals and movements continue to fight for human rights and ...

... to clean water on the continent, and this figure was much higher if it was access to clean, safe and controllable water resources. "We need to learn to plan together," he said. The AUDA-NEPAD event marked the start of a year-long continent-wide commemoration of the development agency. The celebration comes after 25 years since President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa ...