Gauteng Municipalities Face Tough Questions Over Water Crisis at Human Rights Hearings

Lesedi Local Municipality Manager Sibusiso Dlamini addressed concerns regarding inconsistent water supply and limited access to piped water systems in some communities.

Three municipalities in South Africa's Gauteng province appeared before the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) this week to respond to growing concerns over water supply disruptions, deteriorating infrastructure and ongoing service delivery failures affecting thousands of residents.

Representatives from Merafong City Local Municipality, Lesedi Local Municipality and Midvaal Local Municipality presented detailed updates on efforts being undertaken to address persistent water-related challenges during the SAHRC's hearings into Gauteng's worsening water crisis.

The hearings form part of a broader investigation launched by the commission to examine the impact of unreliable water supply, aging infrastructure and inadequate municipal services on communities across Gauteng, South Africa's economic hub.

The South African Human Rights Commission stated that the inquiry is being conducted under its constitutional mandate to protect and monitor human rights, including the right of citizens to access basic services such as clean and reliable water.

During the hearings, officials from the municipalities outlined the various structural, financial and environmental challenges contributing to water supply instability and infrastructure deterioration in their respective regions.

Merafong City Local Municipality's Acting Executive Manager for Energy, Ntokozo Gubevu, informed the commission that the municipality continues to struggle with several long-standing issues including aging infrastructure, insufficient staffing, non-payment for municipal services, outdated technology systems and recurring sinkholes caused by the area's dolomitic geological conditions.

Gubevu revealed that the municipality is expected to receive R30 million in support funding from South Africa's Department of Water and Sanitation to assist with infrastructure upgrades and emergency interventions aimed at stabilising water services.

He stated that all communities in the municipality currently have access to water supply and noted that conditions have improved significantly in recent months with operational support from Rand Water, one of the country's major water utility providers.

However, the municipality warned that sinkholes remain a major threat to infrastructure and public safety, particularly during rainy seasons when the unstable dolomitic ground becomes more vulnerable to collapse.

According to municipal officials, a dedicated task team chaired by the Director-General of the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has been established to coordinate interventions and long-term solutions related to sinkhole management in the region.

Gubevu disclosed that one of Merafong's largest reservoirs has already been damaged by sinkhole activity, forcing the municipality to prioritise rehabilitation funding discussions with the Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

Lesedi Local Municipality Manager Sibusiso Dlamini addressed concerns regarding inconsistent water supply and limited access to piped water systems in some communities.

Dlamini explained that although water supply is generally not fully interrupted, low water pressure remains a recurring issue that prevents reliable water flow to certain households and neighbourhoods.

He informed the commission that the municipality currently maintains a piped water supply coverage rate of approximately 99.1 percent.

To improve water reliability, Lesedi Municipality has initiated programmes to replace aging pipelines and install additional pumps to improve water pressure and flow in affected communities.

The municipality is also working in partnership with Rand Water to strengthen water infrastructure and improve overall service delivery.

Dlamini further revealed that Lesedi currently operates three municipal water tankers and spends nearly R400,000 annually on tanker-related services during periods of major water disruptions.

Midvaal Local Municipality Municipal Manager Phumudzo Magodi told the commission that large parts of the municipality are also located on dolomitic land, creating ongoing challenges associated with sinkhole formation and infrastructure instability.

Magodi said the municipality plans to conduct a comprehensive groundwater protocol study aimed at improving long-term water management strategies and supporting future infrastructure planning.

The municipality currently relies on water tankers to supply 47 informal settlements while simultaneously facing severe infrastructure maintenance backlogs.

According to Magodi, Midvaal is dealing with an estimated R1 billion backlog associated with reservoir infrastructure, ageing water systems and delayed maintenance requirements.

The hearings also highlighted broader concerns affecting Gauteng's water systems, including high levels of non-revenue water losses, billing inefficiencies and inadequate maintenance capacity.

Despite the challenges, all three municipalities reaffirmed their commitment to improving water infrastructure, stabilising service delivery and addressing community concerns related to access to clean and reliable water.

The SAHRC hearings are expected to continue as part of the commission's ongoing efforts to assess whether municipalities and government agencies are taking sufficient action to ensure residents' constitutional rights are protected.

Experts note that Gauteng's water challenges reflect broader infrastructure and governance pressures facing municipalities across South Africa, including rapid urbanisation, aging systems, financial strain, climate pressures and growing service delivery demands.

The inquiry is also expected to place increased pressure on local governments to accelerate infrastructure upgrades, improve accountability and strengthen long-term planning for sustainable water management.