The government has been requested to utilise the legislative and policy machinery at its disposal to tackle water mafias and acts of water sabotage, as this is becoming increasingly serious. 

This is according to a policy brief released by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to tackle water mafias and the systemic sabotage of essential water infrastructure. 

The policy brief aims to serve as a clarion call to the law enforcement agencies and other state actors across all levels to use various legislative and policy instruments to root out systemic sabotage of water infrastructure.

The policy brief stated that criminal activities targeting water infrastructure can create social unrest and destabilise peace and threaten national security, and added that these activities must be prosecuted and accompanied by appropriate penalties that will deter similar actions in the future.

The SAHRC said the document has already been forwarded to the Presidency, the Minister of Police, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), as well as the Office of the Chief Justice to take note of the recommendations.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Mthunzi Mhaga, confirmed that the NDPP received the document and would consider its contents.

Police Minister’s spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi also confirmed receipt of the document, saying the email was received yesterday (Wednesday). 

“The minister is still to be taken through the document,” she said.

Department of Water and Sanitation spokesperson Sanku Tsunke requested that questions be sent via email, but he did not respond at the time of publication.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, declined calls and did not respond to the questions, while the Office of the Chief Justice did not respond.

The SAHRC said it has observed that the system of water tankering has been the subject of manipulation and commercialisation.

Municipalities utilise private water tankers as an emergency measure to provide water to residents experiencing water interruptions.

However, this has been exploited by organised criminal networks known as water tanker mafias.

“The inability of Water Services Authorities (WSAs) to provide an adequate water supply for various reasons has led to the emergence of water tankers and water mafias. These are organised syndicates who deliberately sabotage water infrastructure, particularly at a municipal level, with the sole objective of profit-making,” said the SAHRC. 

The commission said this modus operandi of water tanker mafias varies. 

In certain instances, it involves the direct vandalisation of water pumps or water valves, with the objective of a self-created water supply crisis.

Alternatively, they provide organised crime networks with information about planned infrastructure repairs, enabling the mafias to sabotage them within days of repair.

It is also alleged that these so-called water mafias are at times in cahoots with municipal officials.

It has been reported that the nature and extent of crime that targets water infrastructure vary from severe vandalism, corruption, and procurement irregularities to violent attacks on municipal officials. 

In some instances, municipal officials are held hostage, tortured, and others are murdered.

Between 2022 and 2023, eight water service employees were murdered in eThekwini, and 15 municipal officials and security personnel at the Utrecht Water Treatment Plant were held at gunpoint and tortured in a copper cable heist in January 2024.

Later in October 2024, 10 attackers held four security guards at gunpoint at the Temba Wastewater Treatment Plant in Tshwane. The attackers vandalised the plant and stole cellphones and firearms of the security guards.

The commission said the Cabinet member responsible for policing should add activities targeting water services infrastructure to the policing priorities and needs in the Draft National Policing Policy (October 2023), adding that the draft should be finalised and adopted.

The SAPS has also been requested to deploy sufficient resources to help water services authorities safeguard and protect water services infrastructure.

The policy also added that the government institutions responsible for gathering criminal intelligence should take measures to improve criminal intelligence of activities targeting water services infrastructure and share any knowledge gained with the Hawks, the NPA, and other relevant stakeholders.

It said the Chief Justice should consider allocating sufficient courtrooms and presiding officers to hear any prosecutions of activities involving activities that target water services infrastructure.

It added that the office must prioritise matters involving activities that target water service infrastructure to ensure that they will enjoy preference where resources are limited.

“The NPA must take the necessary internal steps that will make the prosecution of activities targeting water infrastructure a priority by collaborating with other key stakeholders such as the Hawks, the criminal intelligence division of the SAPS, and the Water Services Authorities.

“It should mobilise an adequate number of trained and experienced prosecutors, and ensure that prosecutions of these crimes will enjoy a higher priority,” said the SAHRC, adding that where resources are limited, crimes involving activities that target water services infrastructure enjoy preference.

manyane.manyane@inl.co.za

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