During the South African Water Institute Biennial Conference and Exhibition 2026, Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina delivered a welcoming address, highlighting the country's water crisis. She emphasized the critical need for infrastructure improvement and maintenance, while also calling for public-private partnerships to finance water supply projects.
Over two thousand specialists gathered at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) for the three-day event organized by the Water Institute of South Africa (WISA). The conference is held under the slogan 'Rethinking Amanzi – Securing Our Future.' The program began with a welcome from WISA Organizing Committee Chairman Ian Palmer, followed by a presentation from WISA CEO Dr. Lester Goldman, and an official opening by Majodina.
The conference also included the newly appointed Deputy Minister Dr. Jack Bloom, as well as Dr. Shaun Phillips, Director-General of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). The technical sessions comprise over 80 sessions dedicated to issues such as microplastics, groundwater sustainability, and aquifer recharge management, including the Cape Flats aquifer, climate resilience, droughts, floods, and alternative water supply services.
Pemmy Majodina noted the timeliness of the conference, given that the United Nations declared 2026 the Year of Water, and President Cyril Ramaphosa has spoken about the water crisis in South Africa. The Minister stressed that overcoming the current crisis requires joint efforts and investment. She stated that delegates must collectively explore new technologies and methodologies to enhance climate resilience and infrastructure reliability.
Majodina emphasized that sustainable water resource management requires an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together hydrologists, economists, planners, ecologists, and social scientists. She asserted that water is everyone's business and demands partnership. The Minister added that ensuring water security will require not only additional infrastructure but also new governance models, financing mechanisms, technologies, and, most importantly, renewed commitment to collective action.
According to Majodina, South Africa's biggest infrastructure challenge is maintaining existing infrastructure. She mentioned the South African National Water Resources Agency (SANWRIA), which creates a platform for planning, financing, and maintaining core water assets. The Minister reported that they hope to secure clear commitments to rectify the situation by the end of the conference. She also noted that despite having sufficient raw water volume and main water supply, the problem lies in reticulation and distribution, which is the cause of the tap water shortage crisis.
Addressing this issue requires at least 400 million rand, but municipalities and the national government do not possess these funds. Therefore, authorities are appealing to the private sector with the call to 'Invest in Water.' Furthermore, an agreement was reached in the Water Crisis Committee to allocate a specific percentage of funds for targeted use, and work is currently underway with the National Treasury to ensure this reservation.
The quality and reliability of municipal services in South Africa are declining for many citizens. Reasons for this include aging infrastructure, insufficient maintenance levels, financial strain, and management issues that are outpacing population growth.
A gap has widened between municipalities that manage effectively and those facing constant difficulties. This results in many rural communities, informal settlements, and small towns experiencing unreliable water supply, deteriorating sanitation, and limited waste collection, according to independent consultant Dianne Davis.
Dianne Davis notes that South Africa's municipal services reflect both progress and increasing strain. She emphasizes that since 2015, millions of households have gained access to electricity, plumbing, and improved sanitation thanks to ongoing investments in vital infrastructure. However, for many citizens, the quality and reliability of these services are falling due to a combination of aging systems, inadequate maintenance, financial problems, and administrative complexities that cannot keep pace with population growth.
According to Davis, rising municipal tariffs increase the burden on households. Many families are forced to pay twice: once through municipal fees and service payments, and a second time for private alternatives such as solar panels, water tanks, boreholes, and security systems.
The independent consultant believes that South Africa's problem is no longer just about expanding access, but about restoring stable service delivery. This requires competent leadership, preventative maintenance, transparent financial management, and increased accountability. She adds that with the right reforms, the country possesses the necessary technical knowledge, institutional foundations, and examples of local success to create municipalities that provide reliable, affordable, and sustainable services to every household.
According to Old Mutual Alternative Investments, the water supply issue in South Africa is simultaneously a revenue efficiency and infrastructure problem. The manager of private alternative investments argues that every lost liter reduces the municipal income needed to maintain the network from which the leaks originate. This leads to pipe weakening, reduced revenue, delayed repairs, and accelerated wear and tear.
The company points out that practical and measurable opportunities exist for investors here. It lists solutions such as smart metering, leak detection, pipe replacement, pressure management, and performance-based models that can help municipalities reduce losses and improve service delivery. In the water sector, some of the most attractive investment opportunities may lie in improving the efficiency of existing systems.
Meanwhile, Christo Owen van der Reyde, an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics and Management Sciences at the University of the Free State, notes that the construction sector, long a cornerstone of capital investment in South Africa, is undergoing a profound structural transformation.
He cites data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) showing that the industry's contribution to GDP has fallen from 4.2% in 2008 to approximately 2.3%. Total output has decreased from 156 billion rand in 2016 to less than 100 billion rand. Van der Reyde also notes a geographical shift in activity: Gauteng's share of construction revenue has dropped from 39% in 2020 to 35%, while the Western Cape's share has risen to 24%, reflecting a change in regional investment dynamics.
In the expert's view, South Africa's construction sector is in a difficult situation: declining investment suppresses production capacity, criminal activity on sites deters capital, and job fragmentation limits household consumer spending. To change this trajectory, decisive steps are needed: eradicating extortion on construction sites, expanding public-private partnerships (PPPs) to mitigate risks in large projects, and supporting the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to ensure long-term economic sustainability.
The international conference WISA 2026 will take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from July 22 to 24, 2026. The event will bring together delegates from the water sector under the theme 'Rethinking Amanzi – Securing Our Future.'
Against the backdrop of water supply infrastructure, service provision, and long-term water security remaining priorities in South Africa's national agenda, the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA) is organizing a three-day conference that will attract over 2000 specialists.
The conference follows President Cyril Ramaphosa's launch of several water supply programs and announcements of new commitments in water infrastructure, jointly with Vice President Paul Mashatile. Ramaphosa pledged R156 billion for water supply and sanitation infrastructure over the next three years. He also warned that municipalities and officials who fail to properly manage water services could face legal consequences, as the government intensifies efforts to combat the escalating water crisis in South Africa.
Ramaphosa noted that these investments are part of a broader strategy aimed at increasing water accessibility in underserved communities and addressing water insecurity. The conference program will begin on Wednesday, July 22, with an opening address by Ian Palmer, Chairman of the WISA Organizing Committee, followed by a presentation from Dr. Lester Goldman, CEO of WISA, and an official opening by Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina.
Deputy Ministers David Makhubo and Dr. Jack Bloom, as well as Dr. Shaun Phillips, CEO of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), will also be present. A keynote speech will be delivered by the President of the Federation of African Engineering Organizations (FAEO), Refilwe Buthelezi (Pr. Eng), who will call on water resource experts to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution in water use, focusing on rethinking governance, technology, and investment in Africa's water future.
The technical program includes over 80 sessions across specialized tracks, workshops, and high-level meetings. Topics under discussion cover microplastics, groundwater sustainability and managed aquifer recharge, including the Cape Flats aquifer, as well as climate resilience, droughts, floods, alternative water supply services, and water infrastructure upgrades.
Furthermore, the conference has scheduled a high-level panel discussion on water sector financing, meetings with the Department of Water and Sanitation, consultative sessions related to the UN Water Conference in 2026, and sessions from the Commission for Water Research, focused on South Africa's agenda for water research and innovation.
Goldman emphasized that the water sector challenges in South Africa cannot be solved by one organization alone. He stated that as pressure on water resources grows, collaboration between different disciplines and institutions becomes critically important. WISA 2026 provides a valuable opportunity for the sector to exchange experiences, showcase innovations, and find practical ways to improve water security and service delivery. Goldman added that the necessary knowledge, innovation, and commitment to improving South Africa's water future already exist within the sector, and the collective task is to accelerate the implementation of good ideas to achieve tangible results.
Ian Palmer noted that in these complex times, countries are restructuring, and international cooperation organizations are losing legitimacy amid climate instability. There is economic, social, and political uncertainty at the national level, which affects the capacity of key state institutions in the water sector, including local authorities. In Palmer's view, water professionals need to act, and holding meetings to present new ideas and discuss sector challenges is necessary. He concluded that WISA 2026 serves as an important platform for such interactions, being a flagship event for the South African water community and international water resource specialists interested in the region.
The Mayor of Tshavna, Nasifi Moya, publicly apologized to the residents of Hammanskraal for delays in providing them with clean and drinking water during her visit to the Ruival treatment plant and the Klipdrift water purification facility.
Residents of Hammanskraal in the town of Tshavna expressed strong support for the recently launched National Water Access Acceleration Program. This initiative, overseen by President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina, was presented on Saturday as part of events commemorating Mandela Day.
The program includes the installation of 67 boreholes and the commissioning of the Klipdrift Water Treatment Plant to improve water supply in this settlement, which has faced persistent water problems in recent years. Residents of Hammanskraal have long complained about water quality, a problem exacerbated by a fatal cholera outbreak in 2023 that claimed dozens of lives. The goal of the new program is to provide practical, sustainable, and appropriate solutions for ensuring water access in rural and historically underserved communities.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Ramaphosa stated that this program will help resolve the long-standing water crisis in the region. He emphasized: 'We have elevated water to the highest priority in our state system. We have created a committee, and this is one of the committees I am working on with all stakeholders. Having done this work, I am pleased to hear that we are now moving to connect water to the taps and homes of our people.'
Last year, the Mayor of Tshavna, Dr. Nasifi Moya, noted that this project, implemented by Magalies Water and funded by the Department of Water and Sanitation, represents a major intervention aimed at ending the long-term water insecurity in Hammanskraal and neighboring areas.
On Sunday, King Bongani Ramontja, speaking on behalf of Soil of Africa, cautiously welcomed the initiative as a genuine intervention that will provide clean water to the residents of Hammanskraal. However, he added: 'Nevertheless, we refuse to applaud what should have been provided decades ago. Access to clean water is not a privilege granted by the government; it is a fundamental human right guaranteed to every citizen. The tragedy of Hammanskraal is a painful reminder of institutional failure.'
King Ramontja reported that due to the water crisis, families were forced to bury their loved ones. Simultaneously, communities endured contaminated water for years, and generations were forced to live without dignity until decisive action was taken. He concluded: 'It should not have required loss of life for people's cries to be heard. Drilling boreholes cannot erase more than three decades of neglect. It exposes a deeper reality: that township communities and the lives of Black South Africans are too often treated as secondary issues, only remembered when public pressure or elections demand attention.'
During the launch, Pemmy Majodina stated that the government's action plan for providing water to rural areas is yielding results. She noted: 'The water resource action plan established by President Cyril Ramaphosa was declared a crisis. We called on all our structures to join us and adjusted our budget to serve underserved communities.'
