Parliament, Friday, 19 September 2025 – The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation is perturbed by the lackadaisical attitude of the City of Johannesburg’s executive mayor toward resolving the water shortage challenges facing the city. The committee held a meeting with the City, Johannesburg Water, Rand Water and the Department of Water and Sanitation.
“It is disturbing that the municipality seems not to be sure about the intervention mechanisms needed, nor are they able to provide tangible timelines, especially on the funding of the capital expenditure for Johannesburg Water,” said Mr Leon Basson, the Chairperson of the committee. “It is unacceptable that Joburg Water has an infrastructure upgrading and renewal of approximately R26.61 billion, which is likely to increase due to the inadequate funding in the coming years.”
The committee raised concerns that the municipality was unable to account for the alleged R4 billion redirected from Joburg Water, which would have enabled Joburg Water to invest in much-needed infrastructure for water reticulation. While the committee noted the assurance that the City is working with National Treasury to implement Trading Services Reforms for Metropolitan Municipalities, it was categorical that funding for Joburg Water should be ring-fenced to ensure adequate resources for the infrastructure maintenance.
The committee was also concerned that the municipality is unable to pay contractors employed to undertake critical infrastructure projects. “The information that the municipality enters into contractual agreements with contractors for infrastructure development projects, then decides if and when they can pay those contractors for rendered services, is unacceptable. This is the reason many contractors abandon sites without completing critical work that will ensure access to water for residents of the city,” Mr Basson said.
The City must, as a matter of urgency, ensure that adequate funding is redirected to Joburg Water to ensure that the entity has an adequate capex budget. “The capacitation of Joburg Water is not only necessary, it is urgent. The City of Johannesburg must correct course and ensure that Joburg Water is capacitated to deliver on its mandate,” Mr Basson emphasised.
It is also concerning that the City of Johannesburg Water has a non-revenue water rate of about 44.8%, which contributes to the reduced ability to derive adequate revenue to fund the infrastructure development for the city.
Meanwhile, the committee noted the assurance that the City is investing in water trucks to deliver water to residents experiencing shortages. This intervention is necessary to stop the growing scourge of water mafias and their intention to corruptly extract resources from municipalities.
The committee agreed with the department that Joburg Water has a credible plan to turn the challenge around but emphasised that adequate funding is required for the plan to be effective.
The committee resolved that it will urgently invite the National Treasury to gain an understanding of the Trading Services Reforms and implementation timelines. Also, the committee will invite the Office of the Auditor-General for an analysis of the alleged R4 billion redirected from Joburg Water.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON WATER AND SANITATION, MR LEON BASSON
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