JOHANNESBURG - Communities are at the mercy of water tanker mafia syndicates who deliberately destroy water infrastructure.
It is a problem that has grabbed the attention of the highest office in the land and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s condemnation.
He says as a result of these criminal acts, desperate communities find themselves queuing for hours to access this basic necessity.
"There is no dignity in our people standing on the streets, desperate for water, while someone makes a fortune off their suffering. It must stop," - Ramaphosa.
File: Water tankers supplying water to residents. eNCA
The President addressed the Water and Sanitation Indaba at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand on Thursday. He told delegates that water mafias are business owners who send henchmen to vandalise infrastructure and make sure there are failures by the local authorities to deliver water.
This leaves them in pole position to provide supply.
Ramphosa said the criminal syndicates are turning the water crisis into a lucrative business by cutting off municipal water supply to create demand for their own services.
Meanwhile, South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Deputy President Xola Pakathi, said theft and vandalism at an organised crime level have severely impacted municipal finances.
He said these mafias undermine their construction projects and the ability to complete infrastructure projects.
"The reality is that municipalities this is what they are grappling with," - Pakathi.
The President has also noted the high rate of water losses, slow infrastructure investment, lack of operation and maintenance, climate change and many other contributing factors.
While the country’ water resources remain in the balance, at least 75% of surface water has been captured.
The Department of Water and Sanitation is now accelerating programmes on water mix use, such as ground-water, desalination and waste-water reclamation and recycling.
- By Zandile Khumalo