"The country is looking to us to secure an uninterrupted supply of water to all citizens, businesses and institutions, now and into the future," President Cyril Ramaphosa declared, urging firm commitments, responsibilities, and timelines to reverse the current crisis.

With significant portions of South Africa experiencing severe, weeks-long water shortages and infrastructure collapse, the Presidency has moved water security to the top of the national agenda, labelling the situation a national emergency.

Ramaphosa emphasised that reversing the crisis requires moving beyond promises into immediate action.

Government has acknowledged that systemic mismanagement and a lack of maintenance at the municipal level have brought the country to a critical juncture.

Speaking at the extended President's Coordinating Council Meeting in Boksburg, on Thursday, Ramaphosa outlined a comprehensive strategy to fix water services by enforcing strict accountability, ensuring financial ring-fencing for maintenance, hiring qualified technical staff, punishing corruption, and fostering collaboration across all government levels.

He acknowledged that while South Africa has made significant strides in extending water access over three decades of democracy, the nation now faces a severe, multifaceted water crisis that requires immediate, coordinated action.

Although Census 2022 data showed that over 82% of households have access to piped water inside their house or yard, a major increase from 61% in 1996, the reliability and quality of these services have deteriorated significantly.

Ramaphosa acknowledged that the country’s local government sphere is facing a defining moment.

“... for too long, many municipalities have struggled to provide the basic services citizens deserve due to weak revenue bases, deep skills shortages, and a complex, fragmented system that overwhelms even the best-intentioned leaders. This has resulted in a widespread crisis, with crumbling infrastructure, chronic water and electricity disruptions, and under-maintained roads,” he said.

According to the 2024 general household survey, households experiencing water interruptions lasting more than two days increased from 24% in 2012 to 34% in 2024.

Ramaphosa noted that this was driven by ageing infrastructure, maintenance deficits, and institutional failures.

He pointed out that collectively, the eight metropolitan municipalities are losing an average of 34% of all water purchased before it can be billed, with some metros approaching 50% losses.

He added that municipal debt to water boards has tripled between 2018 and 2025, signalling a financial crisis in the sector, he said.

Government needs a range of actions addressing critical areas of failure, he added, noting that major reforms in the water sector are underway, under Operation Vulindlela since 2020.

“Among the water sector reforms completed are the passing of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency Act and the establishment of the remaining Catchment Management Agencies.

“The programme aims to reverse long-term service decline, improve financial sustainability, and unlock R108-billion in investment by enforcing clear performance targets,” he explained.

Ramaphosa said government has cleared the backlog of water-use license applications, with the turnaround time for processing new water-use license applications markedly improved.

“The Blue, Green and No Drop Reports have been reinstated to provide accurate information on the state of municipal water and sanitation services.

“In addition, National Treasury is implementing the Metro Trading Services Reform programme to overhaul electricity, water and waste services in the eight metropolitan municipalities,” he added.