The development of a high-level national turnaround plan for water security has taken centre stage at the National Water and Sanitation Indaba, currently underway at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng. The two-day summit underscores government’s ongoing commitment to tackling South Africa’s water security challenges and ensuring reliable, sustainable water and sanitation services for all citizens, according to a release by the South African Government News Agency.
Convened by the South African government, the Indaba brings together key stakeholders including the Presidential Water Task Team, water boards, Water Services Authorities (WSAs), the business sector, and thought leaders in the water space. With South Africa classified as a water-scarce country — receiving rainfall far below the global average and increasingly impacted by climate change — the Department of Water and Sanitation said the event marks a pivotal moment in efforts to secure the country’s long-term water future.
“Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement during his State of the Nation Address that water has been elevated as a top priority of government, the outcomes of the indaba will reaffirm government’s unwavering commitment to overcoming sectoral challenges and fostering collaboration across all levels of society,” the department stated.
Delivering the keynote address, President Ramaphosa echoed this urgency: “What is needed is an urgent and high-level national turnaround plan on water security that is firstly aligned to the Government of National Unity’s Medium-Term Development Plan 2025 to 2029, and secondly, that harnesses the momentum of the reforms in the sector.”
He highlighted progress under Operation Vulindlela, including improved water quality monitoring, streamlined licensing, and the introduction of the Raw Water Pricing Strategy to boost transparency and investor confidence.
Ramaphosa also announced major structural reforms: “Through the Water Services Amendment Bill the country will introduce a licensing system for water service providers and remove licenses where providers do not meet the standards for quality drinking water.”
He added that by next year, government hopes to finalise the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency — “one of the most significant reforms coming to the sector to date.” The new agency, he said, “will bring strategic alignment, consistency and accountability to the various institutional arrangements for water stewardship that have to date proven to be less than ideal.”
The President concluded with a call for action and cooperation: “This Indaba must not become an exercise of problem-diagnosing: the challenges are well-known. What is needed is course correction – and a comprehensive plan that will expand access to water and sanitation services, improve the quality of water and sanitation infrastructure, and bring stability and good governance to all the entities involved in South Africa’s water stewardship.”
