Communities across the Eastern Cape are bearing the brunt of a catastrophic water crisis that exposes municipalities’ systemic failure to fulfil their constitutional mandate.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has repeatedly warned that the Eastern Cape was heading toward a water crisis of this magnitude. During last year’s Small Towns Tour, we cautioned that without decisive intervention, access to water would deteriorate into a humanitarian catastrophe.
Today, that warning has tragically become a reality.
In Komani the situation grows more dire by the day. Residents have been left without water for weeks, devastating local businesses and families. In Makana, families have repeatedly endured weeks without access to water, forcing schools to close and university students to leave town as essential services ground to a halt. In Cradock, elderly residents queue for hours for water from tankers that frequently fail to arrive.
In the Alfred Nzo District, many villages have residents forced to rely on contaminated wells and rivers, sharing these water sources with animals. Although some areas have had water infrastructure installed, taps often run dry.
In Buffalo City, the Auditor-General’s 2023/2024 audit report flagged severe water and sanitation infrastructure failures. Only three of the metro’s 15 wastewater treatment works are functional, while others are described as collapsed or operating without necessary licences.
These are not isolated incidents, but symptoms of a more profound crisis born of neglect, incompetence, and a complete lack of urgency from those responsible for delivering services.
Section 27(1)(b) of the South African Constitution guarantees the right of all citizens to sufficient water, and Section 27(2) requires the state to take reasonable measures to progressively realise this right. However, the “progressive realisation” principle is not a shield for inaction. At the very least, municipalities must maintain existing infrastructure and services while working to improve access.
Instead, we are witnessing regression. Towns that once had reliable water supplies now face regular shortages. Municipalities have failed to maintain basic infrastructure, with leaking pipes, broken pumps, and failing reservoirs becoming the norm. This is a clear violation of their constitutional obligations.
We call on Premier Oscar Mabuyane to take immediate action by conducting a transparent audit of all water infrastructure across the province, deploying skilled engineers to stabilise critical areas, and launching a provincial Water Infrastructure Rehabilitation Programme.
These crises are man-made, and only decisive action can reverse this humanitarian disaster.
The Premier’s Office must lead by example and provide a roadmap for supporting municipalities in addressing this crisis. Every day of inaction leaves more families struggling to meet basic needs and businesses unable to operate.
The DA will not stand by while municipalities violate their constitutional obligations. We will continue to fight for urgent provincial action and hold the Premier accountable for every day these crises go unresolved.