The Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has raised fresh concerns over the province’s deepening water crisis after revealing that municipalities spent as much as R264 million on outsourced water tanker services over the past three years, even as communities continue grappling with recurring outages, collapsing infrastructure and deteriorating water quality.
The warning by Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Infrastructure Development, Jacob Mamabolo, comes as the South African Human Rights Commission prepares to launch a formal inquiry into Gauteng’s worsening water challenges, including recurring supply interruptions and poor water quality affecting residents across the province.
Municipal managers from across Gauteng are expected to appear before the commission during a two-day hearing in Braamfontein on Tuesday, May 19 as pressure intensifies over failing municipal infrastructure, growing maintenance backlogs and escalating dependence on temporary emergency water interventions.
Mamabolo said while water tanker services remained necessary in communities experiencing shortages and within informal settlements, municipalities needed to urgently reduce their reliance on outsourced contractors and invest in building and maintaining their own tanker fleets.
“We are encouraged by the investments some municipalities are already making towards procuring their own portable water tankers. While this is a welcome development, we believe more resources must be directed towards expanding these capacities, as outsourced tanker services continue to drive significant expenditure,” said Mamabolo.
The revelations are likely to fuel growing scrutiny over municipal governance, infrastructure planning and public spending as residents across Gauteng continue enduring dry taps, water shedding, inconsistent supply and worsening service delivery failures.
The crisis is particularly severe in Johannesburg, where the city faces a staggering R32.5 billion backlog in water infrastructure upgrades. Reports indicate that 22% of the metro’s water assets are already classified as being in poor or very poor condition, raising fears over the long-term sustainability of the city’s water network.
In Tshwane, a recent council report warned that the metro urgently requires R29 billion for critical upgrades to its ageing water and sanitation infrastructure. The metro has already spent R621 million on outsourced water tanker services during the 2024/25 financial year alone.
Despite billions allocated nationally for water projects, municipalities across Gauteng continue facing mounting criticism over ageing infrastructure, poor maintenance, delayed upgrades and recurring service interruptions affecting residents and businesses.
The provincial government has defended its response to the crisis, crediting collaboration between national, provincial and local government for preventing a total collapse of Gauteng’s water system.
Mamabolo said Gauteng CoGTA continued engaging municipalities to strengthen interventions aimed at stabilising water supply and improving service delivery across the province.
Through the Local Government Turnaround Strategy, the provincial government is working with municipalities and national departments to improve governance, infrastructure management and service delivery outcomes.
The MEC’s remarks also come amid increasing public anger over allegations of wasteful expenditure and poor planning within municipalities despite rising infrastructure spending and continued dependence on emergency water measures.
Mamabolo said Gauteng’s provincial government and all 11 municipalities would soon brief residents on ongoing service delivery and infrastructure interventions across the province.
“On Sunday, 24 May 2026, the province, together with all 11 municipalities, will provide the public with updates on progress made across various areas, including governance, financial management, infrastructure development, and ongoing efforts to improve service delivery across the province,” he added.
The Star