National Water Action Plan a practical solution to restore water supply reliability
Official source
Source domain: sanews.gov.za
Collected on 27 July 2026
Always confirm details on the official source before acting.
What this means
What this document offers
Read out of this document by Govermate's AI, in its own words. Each one quotes the line it came from — confirm on the official source before acting.
Government intervention where municipalities are failing, unwilling or unable to provide acceptable water services
Where a municipality is failing, unwilling or unable to provide an acceptable service, government will intervene in accordance with the Constitution and the law to provide the required services to people.
- Who it is for
- people in municipalities that are failing, unwilling or unable to provide acceptable services
- How to act on it
- No application process is described; the article states government will intervene where municipalities cannot provide acceptable services.
Show the line this came from
“Where a municipality is failing, unwilling or unable to provide an acceptable service, government will intervene in accordance with the Constitution and the law to provide the required services to our people,” the President explained.
Ring-fencing water revenues via the Metropolitan Trading Services Reform Programme (Metro Trading)
The plan includes mechanisms to ring-fence water revenues through the Metropolitan Trading Services Reform Programme so that money collected for water and sanitation remains within the water utility and is reinvested in infrastructure, maintenance and improved operations, with additional funding and result-based contractor payments.
- Who it is for
- South Africa’s metropolitan municipalities and their water utilities
- How to act on it
- No application process is described; the article states metropolitan municipalities are supported and incentivised through the Metro Trading programme.
Show the line this came from
Through the Metro Trading programme, South Africa’s metropolitan municipalities are supported and incentivised to ringfence revenue derived from the provision of water services.
National Water Action Plan implementation (running water delivery focus)
Government says it is implementing the National Water Action Plan to restore water supply reliability and ensure delivery of running water for all South Africans, regardless of location, by targeting municipal root causes and reforms.
- Who it is for
- citizens of South Africa and municipalities facing persistent water supply challenges
- How to act on it
- No application process is described; the article states government will implement the plan and intervene where municipalities cannot provide acceptable services.
Show the line this came from
President Cyril Ramaphosa has assured citizens that government is focused on the implementation of the National Water Action Plan to ensure the delivery of running water for all South Africans, regardless of their location.
Facts
Places
Mpumalanga, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape
Reference
FOR 65 000 UNSERVED HOUSEHOLDS
Amounts
R 24 000 000 000, R 1 300 000 000, R 2 000 000 000
Parties
Water Services Amendment Bill before Parliament to separate municipality
Key Takeaways
- President Cyril Ramaphosa assures implementation of the National Water Action Plan
- WATERCOM (National Water Crisis Committee) to meet regularly to oversee, track progress, and hold departments/public entities accountable
- Five intervention areas to address root causes of persistent municipal water supply challenges
- Water Services Amendment Bill before Parliament to separate municipality authority role from operator role and enable operating licences based on capability
- Government will intervene where municipalities are failing/unwilling/unable to provide acceptable services
- Ring-fencing water revenues via the Metropolitan Trading Services Reform Programme; reinvestment in water utility operations and infrastructure
- National grants invest R24 billion a year in municipal water and sanitation; ~800 projects underway
- 71 rural borehole projects completed (Mpumalanga, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape) reaching ~30 000 households
- Planned boreholes: 80–100 this year and 500 over next two years to reach ~250 000 households
- uMkhanyakude District Municipality (KwaZulu-Natal): R1.3 billion grant-funded projects for 130 000+ households
- Thembisile Hani Local Municipality (Mpumalanga): R2 billion project for 65 000 unserved households
- Emfuleni: Rand Water partnership to create Vaal Corporation Water Utility
- Six Catchment Management Agencies established to protect/manage major water systems
- Legal action taken against dozens of municipalities for violating the National Water Act
- President Cyril Ramaphosa
- WATERCOM (National Water Crisis Committee)
- Parliament
- Water Services Amendment Bill
- Metropolitan Trading Services Reform Programme
- Metropolitan municipalities
- Municipalities (struggling municipalities; failing/unwilling/unable municipalities)
- Water boards
- Grant recipients / worst-performing municipalities
- Catchment Management Agencies (six)
- uMkhanyakude District Municipality
- Thembisile Hani Local Municipality
- Emfuleni
- Rand Water
- Vaal Corporation Water Utility
- Mpumalanga
Dates
Opening Date
27 July 2026