Political parties have lambasted municipalities in South Africa's economic and financial hub, Gauteng, for not taking the province’s potential day zero — when taps run dry — seriously.
Gauteng’s 11 municipalities are experiencing an ongoing water crisis with supply already intermittent in large parts of the province. Crumbling water infrastructure, dry weather conditions, illegal water connection, leaks and burst pipes and high levels of nonrevenue water — water treated and pumped but lost or unaccounted for before it reaches a customer — worsen the situation.
The Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane metros are on level 1 water restrictions, which prohibit residents from watering gardens, washing cars and filling swimming pools during peak hours.
The business sector has said the water supply crisis buffeting the three metros was another example of the breakdown of service delivery as the government struggles to maintain infrastructure crucial to economic growth.
DA water and sanitation deputy spokesperson Stephen Moore said on Wednesday the party was concerned that Gauteng’s potential day zero was not being taken seriously by municipalities.
This week as schools reopen, businesses resume full operations and residents return to Gauteng, water consumption will continue to rise and shortages will again be on the horizon.
— Stephen Moore
DA water and sanitation deputy spokesperson
“Cooler weather, consistent rainfall and reduced water demand over the holiday period may have spared Gauteng from water shortages in December, but by mid-January water consumption is back up to record levels,” Moore said.
“This week as schools reopen, businesses resume full operations and residents return to Gauteng, water consumption will continue to rise and shortages will again be on the horizon.”
He said the looming crisis was not the fault of paying consumers, “but the fault and result of failing municipalities that continue to lose about half of their clean water to nonrevenue water losses. Until this is corrected, clean water being lost in such high quantities will signal a day zero for Gauteng”.
The amount of water consumption from bulk water supplier Rand Water last week amounted to 3,502ML. “It is unacceptable that Johannesburg loses about 575ML of water weekly, down the drain to leaks and faults.
“The City of Ekurhuleni also recorded its highest weekly water consumption in more than a year, potentially setting a new record, while Tshwane, though experiencing lower usage, is seeing demand steadily increase,” Moore said.
There was a need for investment to maintain water systems, address leaks and modernise and expand capacity, he said. Transparent and effective oversight of water boards and municipalities was essential.
“The mismanagement of water resources, particularly by municipalities, has compounded the crisis and must be addressed with urgency. We have seen no-one in Gauteng — no political leaders or officials — being held to account for the looming crisis.”
Rise Mzansi’s National Assembly caucus whip Makashule Gana said the government had no idea of the potential cost to the economy if Gauteng reached day zero.
“This staggering admission was made by the minister of trade, industry and competition Parks Tau in a written response to a Rise Mzansi parliamentary question. In his words, the minister stated ‘the department does not have an official forecast on the day zero scenario for the economy in Gauteng’.”
It was estimated that Gauteng businesses could lose about R3bn a day if they were to shut down due to water cuts.
“It goes without saying the ongoing water crisis, where water supply is already intermittent in large parts of Gauteng, has an economic and life-threatening impact, which cripples businesses and halts many functions at healthcare facilities, but unlike rolling blackouts, which can be mitigated by back-up interventions, there is no back-up for dry taps,” Gana said.
“The Gauteng economy is too important to collapse as a result of a day zero scenario and negligence on the part of the government. Gauteng accounts for more than 16-million residents, 33% of the country’s GDP and about 7% of the continent’s economy.”
The cabinet announced plans in June 2023 to spend almost R80bn to deal with water infrastructure challenges, which opposition parties said had resulted in “water-shedding”.
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