By Lungile Ntimba
The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation in South Africa has expressed serious concerns about the country’s progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which focuses on water and sanitation for all by 2030.
The committee specifically cited weaknesses in water service authorities and the failure to maintain and operate infrastructure as major obstacles.
Chairperson of the committee, Leon Basson, said the country continued to face challenges due to weaknesses in water service authorities and the failure to maintain and operate water and sanitation infrastructure.
“The diagnosis has always been clear; what is needed is a focused programme of action to change course and improve the quality of water for South Africans,” said Basson.
“While the National Water and Sanitation Indaba 2025 has made commendable resolutions, the inability of municipalities to correct course will render the recommendations futile.”
ommittee has raised serious concerns about the ongoing pollution of rivers and streams, accusing municipalities of failing to maintain and operate critical water infrastructure.
It stressed the urgent need to strengthen local government capacity to manage water systems effectively, warning that increasing contamination is driving up the cost of water treatment.
While acknowledging the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) role in policy formulation, the committee noted that achieving SDG 6 also relies heavily on the active involvement of other departments, particularly COGTA.
“It is important that the resolution taken at the Water and Sanitation Indaba—calling for DWS and COGTA to engage National Treasury to review water and sanitation conditional grants with a view to addressing maintenance challenges—is implemented without delay,” said committee chairperson, Robert Basson.
The committee also underscored the importance of partnerships between water services authorities, service providers, and the private sector, with support from the Water Partnerships Office within DWS.
It noted that current fiscal constraints mean the national budget is insufficient to meet infrastructure demands across the water value chain.
In addition, the committee reiterated the need to top-slice the equitable share allocation to manage municipal debt owed to water boards. This, it said, would help stabilise cash flow across the entire water services network.
While acknowledging progress in expanding access to water and sanitation, the committee expressed concern over the quality and reliability of these services.
It emphasised the need for government departments to make full use of data from Statistics South Africa to improve infrastructure planning and development.
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