Water mafias, systemic neglect and corruption are turning off SA’s taps

South Africa’s water crisis is a reflection of broader governance failures

06 July 2025 - 00:00 By Anja du Plessis

In a country where access to water is a constitutional right, many South Africans find themselves at the mercy of dry taps, leaking and bursting pipes, and failing infrastructure. Behind these localised water crises lies a story of deliberate sabotage, entrenched corruption and systemic neglect...

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