SAHRC demands accountability from 19 institutions to fix Gauteng's self-inflicted water crisis

Eight findings from the 171-page SAHRC Inquiry Report on water and sanitation service delivery in Gauteng, released 3 November 2026 — with implementation deadlines of 1 to 12 months

1.5bn

litres of water lost every day
to leaks across Gauteng

R777m

potentially spent on water tankers
in Johannesburg in 2024/25 alone

state and sector institutions
named across 8 binding findings

The inquiry was held over three days — 19 to 21 May 2026 — following persistent community complaints. Eight of nine WSAs appeared before the panel; Rand West City defied its subpoena and submitted only written information after hearings. The SAHRC has stated it will pursue litigation where recommendations are not implemented.

Deadlines: 1 month 3 months 6 months 12 months

Finding 1
UIFW Expenditure & Accountability
All 9 WSAs must investigate and address all unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure under MFMA Section 32 — recovering lost monies and instituting disciplinary or criminal proceedings. AGSA is to monitor compliance and submit a consolidated report to the SAHRC.
Target: All 9 Gauteng WSAs · Auditor-General (AGSA)

          WSAs report to AGSA: 3 months
          AGSA to SAHRC: 6 months
        

Finding 2
Financial Recovery Plans for Distressed Municipalities
Three severely financially distressed municipalities must approach National Treasury's Municipal Financial Recovery Service for financial assessments and mandatory recovery plans focused on revenue collection, expenditure control, and debt relief or restructuring under MFMA sections 153–155. Merafong owes Rand Water R1.5bn; Emfuleni had a R0 water capital budget for two consecutive years.
Target: Rand West City · Merafong City · Emfuleni · National Treasury MFRS

          Approach MFRS: 1 month
          MFRS progress report: 6 months
        

Finding 3

Filling Critical Technical Vacancies

Municipalities must identify all critical technical vacancies — engineers, scientists, process controllers, and artisans — and report whether positions are unfunded or vacant due to recruitment challenges. DWS and Gauteng CoGTA must provide targeted technical support or secondments without creating indefinite external dependency.

Target: Rand West · Emfuleni · Mogale City · Merafong · Tshwane · Ekurhuleni · DWS · Gauteng CoGTA

Vacancy report: 3 months

Finding 4

Water Tanker Regulation Framework

Institutions must jointly formulate standards and guidelines for operating water tankers and static communal tanks — covering water quality testing, fair pricing benchmarks, and anti-corruption controls. Temporary arrangements must include explicit transition plans to permanent reticulated pipe networks, except where physical constraints like dolomite make piping unfeasible.

Target: DWS (lead) · Gauteng CoGTA · City of Johannesburg · City of Tshwane · City of Ekurhuleni

Joint framework report: 6 months

Finding 5

Wastewater Treatment Works Recovery Programme

DWS must shift from ad-hoc responses to a province-wide, risk-prioritised recovery programme for failing wastewater treatment works, based on health risks and downstream impact. CSIR is to be engaged for independent scientific expertise and fit-for-purpose treatment solutions.

Target: Department of Water and Sanitation · CSIR · Affected WSAs

Priority list: 3 months Implementation plans: 6 months Progress report: 12 months

Finding 6

Environmental Rehabilitation of Rivers & Dams

DFFE and DWS must jointly develop a prioritised rehabilitation programme for rivers, wetlands, and dams — including Hartbeespoort Dam and the Vaal and Crocodile catchments — degraded by raw sewage spillages. Civil society organisations and private sector partners must be engaged.

Target: Dept of Forestry, Fisheries & Environment · DWS · Relevant wastewater operators

Programme initiation: 3 months Programme plan: 6 months Progress: 12 months

Finding 7

Protecting Infrastructure from Theft & Vandalism

WSAs and Rand Water must identify high-risk hotspots and recurring targets of vandalism and theft, sharing intelligence with SAPS. SAPS must integrate water infrastructure into its specialised Essential Infrastructure Task Teams for intelligence-led policing and preventative operations.

Target: All Gauteng WSAs · Rand Water · South African Police Service (SAPS)

Implementation reports: 3 months

Finding 8

Bulk Supply Resilience & Reservoir Buffer Assessment

Rand Water must conduct a targeted vulnerability assessment of its bulk system — covering power failure risks, single failure points, maintenance needs, and backup power. Each municipality must evaluate local reservoir storage capacity. DWS must assess whether updated national guidelines on minimum reservoir storage buffers are required. A February 2026 failure at Rand Water's Palmiet and Zuikerbosch pump stations highlighted systemic vulnerability.

Target: Rand Water · DWS · All supplied Gauteng WSAs

All parties report: 3 months

Gauteng's water crisis stems from infrastructure failure — the DWS confirmed that sufficient water resources exist. But Emfuleni ran a R0 water and sanitation capital budget for two consecutive years, Rand West City lost 58% of its water yet defied a subpoena, and the SAHRC has warned it will pursue litigation if all eight findings go unimplemented.