In the Report, the Commission finds that Gauteng’s water challenges cannot be attributed simply to a shortage of water. Sufficient water resources are presently available to meet demand. However, the main challenges arise from interconnected failures across the water-services value chain, including ageing infrastructure, high water losses, inadequate maintenance, insufficient storage and pumping capacity, electricity interruptions, wastewater treatment failures, technical skills shortages and financial constraints.

The Report emphasises that responsibility must be assessed across the water-services value chain. Municipalities, bulk-water providers, electricity providers and national and provincial departments must exercise their respective mandates. Effective accountability requires responsibility to be identified at the point where the relevant failure, decision or omission occurred.
The Report also identifies the emergence of what the Commission describes as a “road-based water distribution network” in parts of Gauteng. Road-based water distribution network refers to the recurring delivery of potable water by vehicle, either directly to communities or to static communal tanks, as part of the municipality's ongoing system for providing access to water. The Commission finds that in some communities, road-based delivery has become a recurring component of ordinary water provision. The Report calls for this reality to be recognised but cautions against its normalisation or the entrenchment of an inferior permanent level of service. Municipalities should progressively plan for conventional water-services infrastructure where reasonably feasible.

The Report makes eight overarching recommendations identifying the institutions responsible for addressing the systemic failures. Among these, the Commission recommends the development of a prioritised programme for the recovery of failing and at-risk wastewater treatment systems, based on the severity and urgency of the risks posed to human health, water resources and downstream users. The Commission also recommends that Gauteng municipalities, Rand Water and other water services providers work with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to protect water and sanitation infrastructure against theft, vandalism and deliberate damage. This includes identifying vulnerable infrastructure and high-risk areas, sharing relevant information with SAPS, and implementing appropriate security measures.

The Commission further recommends measures to strengthen the resilience of Gauteng's bulk-water supply system, including the identification of critical vulnerabilities, improved preventative and predictive maintenance, appropriate redundancy and municipal assessment of whether reservoir storage provides an adequate buffer against foreseeable bulk-water interruptions.
In addition, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) and the three metropolitan municipalities are called upon to consider developing guidelines for the safe, reliable, accessible and cost-effective operation of road-based water distribution networks while ensuring progressive movement towards sustainable longer-term services.

The Commission will monitor the implementation of the recommendations in the Report and will communicate publicly on progress made in the implementation of the recommendations.
The Commission calls on all municipalities to move beyond identifying problems and coordinating responses towards implementing measures that result in safer, more reliable and sustainable water and sanitation services for the people of Gauteng.

The full Report is available here

ENDS

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