Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, revealed a comprehensive R134 billion budget plan in July 2024 which aims to safeguard South Africa’s water security.

Yet, municipal debt to water boards, now at R22.4 billion, is casting a long shadow over these efforts.

Leon Basson, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation, emphasised the gravity of the situation during the parliamentary debate.

“This debt threatens the very sustainability of our water sector,” Basson warned, pointing to municipalities in the North West, Free State, and Eastern Cape that collectively owe over R11 billion.

The inability of these municipalities to manage their debt is not just a financial issue — it undermines critical infrastructure projects, including the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, designed to deliver water to the Gauteng region.

Matjhabeng Municipality, for instance, has seen its debt grow by R2 billion in just two years, now standing at R6.9 billion.

Maquassi Hills and Thabazimbi have also failed to honour repayment agreements, with debt increases of 32% and 61%, respectively.

Adding to these woes is the mishandling of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG), a critical source of funding for local water infrastructure.

An eye-watering R60 billion earmarked for upgrading infrastructure is being returned to National Treasury due to mismanagement and under performance.

“Municipalities are failing to plan effectively and appoint service providers on time, leading to significant delays,” Basson explained.

Majodina has acknowledged these challenges but stressed the need for continued investment in water conservation, alternative sources such as desalination, and improved infrastructure.

She has also expressed optimism about private sector involvement in plugging the funding gap.

“The private sector could be pivotal in helping us address these challenges,” she said in an earlier statement.

However, this optimism is not universally shared.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rejected the department’s budget, with MP Rebecca Mohlala accusing the portfolio committee of rushing the process.

“Parliamentary oversight was undermined,” she asserted.

The Umkhonto Wesizwe Party’s Thembinkosi Mjadu was even more critical, lamenting the government’s failure to provide water, especially in rural areas.

He called for a return to former president Jacob Zuma’s War on Leaks initiative, which had been designed to fix the country’s ageing water infrastructure.

Despite these criticisms, the need for decisive action is clear.

With water boards on shaky financial ground and municipalities struggling to manage resources effectively, South Africa’s water security is hanging in the balance.

The stakes, as Majodina herself has emphasised, could not be higher.

“This is about ensuring that water does not become a constraint on economic growth and social development.”

As the country looks ahead, the path to resolving these complex challenges will require not just political will but also coordinated efforts across government, the private sector, and local communities.

Whether that alignment can be achieved remains to be seen, but the time to act is now.

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