Democratic Alliance (DA) Tshwane mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink has called on Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi to launch an urgent forensic investigation into R777 million spent on water tankers by the ANC-ActionSA-led City of Tshwane during the 2024/25 financial year.

The DA picketed outside the Gauteng premier’s office on Tuesday to protest against what it calls a water tanker mafia, submitting a formal request to Lesufi for an investigation under Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act.

Brink said the request followed alleged procurement irregularities, payments to politically connected companies and concerns about the misuse of emergency water tanker contracts.

“Our submission identifies several transactions that demand immediate investigation, including R95 million reportedly paid to Nomakhuwa Trading and Projects, despite questions about whether the company had sufficient water tankers to deliver the contracted services; R125 million paid to M RAMS Enterprise; and R31.7 million paid to companies linked to ANC deputy mayor Eugene Modise and ANC regional treasurer Rhulani James Shelenge, despite allegations that these companies did not own verifiable water tankers,” Brink said.

The DA has also called for the immediate preservation of all records relating to the contracts, including tender documents, bid evaluation reports, purchase orders, invoices, delivery notes, trip sheets, GPS and telematics data, and financial and procurement records.

“These records are important, given what happened before the DA-led government was removed from office,” Brink said.

He said the DA cancelled a water tanker tender in June 2024 because of alleged procurement irregularities and refused to pay operators who demanded payment without valid purchase orders.

Brink said the ANC, with the support of ActionSA, subsequently removed the DA-led administration, after which the city, under Mayor Nasiphi Moya, paid water tanker invoices the previous administration had refused to settle.

He said the records needed to be preserved and subjected to forensic scrutiny to establish who authorised the payments, whether the services were delivered and who benefited from the contracts.

“We cannot allow evidence to be buried or destroyed,” he said.

“The full extent of the R777 million water tanker scandal must be exposed, and anyone found responsible for corruption must be held accountable.”

Brink said the city’s water infrastructure continued to deteriorate, with Tshwane reportedly losing between R1.35 billion and R1.7 billion worth of water annually.

He said the city’s dashboard recorded average water losses of 42.6% over a 12-month period.

“In parts of Soshanguve, Ga-Rankuwa and Mabopane, approximately half of the water supplied is being lost,” he said.

“This creates a dangerous situation in which failing infrastructure drives demand for emergency water tankers, while the money needed to repair that infrastructure is consumed by expensive contracts.”

Brink argued that the deterioration of the water system increased reliance on emergency tanker services, making the alleged misuse of these contracts particularly concerning.

He called for a full forensic investigation into the contracts, the preservation of procurement and payment records, verification that the services were delivered and accountability for anyone found to have benefited unlawfully.

Brink also called on Lesufi to explain what action the provincial government would take, saying the DA had requested a formal response within 30 days.

“If elected to govern Tshwane, in accordance with our 2026 manifesto, I will ring-fence water revenue and reinvest it directly into replacing ageing pipes, fixing leaks and upgrading water infrastructure,” he said.

Brink said repairing the water network and reducing losses would help the city provide reliable basic services, enabling businesses to invest, grow and create jobs.

“Tshwane needs water in taps, not tankers,” he said, adding that the allegations surrounding the R777 million expenditure must be investigated and anyone found responsible for corruption held accountable.

Gauteng provincial government spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga dismissed the DA’s protest, saying the party should approach law enforcement agencies with its allegations.

“The DA has come to the wrong address for their protest and they know it. This is the worst form of political point scoring,” Mhlanga said.

He said the DA should submit its evidence to the relevant authorities for investigation.

“There are many bodies whose mandate includes probing the kinds of allegations they have made, especially when it involves public funds,” he said.

INSIDE METROS

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