LISTEN | Ramaphosa says government has means to fix water crisis but must show will

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the government has the means to resolve its deepening water crisis but needs to demonstrate the will to act.

Speaking at the Extended Presidential Co-ordinating Council meeting in Ekurhuleni, Ramaphosa acknowledged that water service disruptions have increased, despite progress made in expanding access to piped water over the past three decades.

The meeting is meant to connect policy, implementation and delivery and ensure it lives up to the ideals of the constitution. It is the first to bring together all mayors and municipal managers in local government. It was attended by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, ministers, deputy ministers, premiers and MECs, as well as mayors and municipal managers.

“We all know where the challenges are … It is ordinary South Africans who bear the costs of these failures,” Ramaphosa said, referring to service delivery.

The meeting focused largely on the water crisis.

“We have made great progress in extending access to water… However, many communities experience problems with the reliability and quality of these services,” he said.

He cited figures showing that the proportion of households experiencing water interruptions lasting longer than two days has risen from 24% in 2012 to 34% in 2024.

The government has faced mounting pressure from communities to urgently address the crisis as it has worsened.

Ramaphosa said government had the means to address the crisis but needed a firm commitment to implementation.

“We have the means, in my view, to do this [to secure an uninterrupted water supply to all]. So let us demonstrate that we also have the will to do this,” he told the three spheres of government.

“We must live up to the expectations of our people.”

He said that as the country moves towards an election (announced as November 4) the council must practise pillars of good performance.

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