It appears that very few municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal are able to provide residents with clean tap water without problems.
Be it in cities or rural areas, the situation is the same. This is due to various reasons.
In Mkhanyakude District Municipality it appears that only 3% of people can afford water. It means that 97% of water is supplied to people who do not pay for it.
In Thekwini City Council, R1.8 billion is lost annually in water purchased from Mngeni-Uthukela Water. This is due to known reasons and some are preventable. A major and frequently discussed cause is crumbling infrastructure. This means that a lot of water ends up in the soil due to leaking pipes.
In addition, another problem is caused by people illegally connecting water to the council pipes. There are also other reported problems that are common.
Water is life, which is proven by the fact that it is a right enshrined in the Constitution. However, the people of South Africa are forced to protest in order to get this basic thing of life.
Analysts say the lack of water was the main cause of 164 protests in KwaZulu-Natal between January 2025 and February 2026.
The national government has announced an investment of R10 billion in water in two years, and it is expected to be R55 billion in the next five years.
This was followed by the fact that there was a water conference last week which was coordinated by the provincial government and all the municipalities.
This is a commendable step. But we say that the leadership should stop hiding, it is time to tackle the water problem seriously. Actions have been taken against those who lost their jobs, it is clear to anyone that the era of corruption and negligence is over.