The report analyzes South Africa’s worsening water crisis, which is driven both by natural water scarcity and by deep-rooted structural challenges. South Africa is among the driest countries in the world, while climate change, population growth, and urbanization are further increasing pressure on limited water resources. At the same time, aging infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, corruption, and weak government management significantly aggravate the situation.
Nearly half of the treated drinking water is lost due to leaks, pipe bursts, faulty metering systems, and illegal extraction. Many municipalities fail to comply with legal requirements for water management, and criminal networks so-called “tanker mafias” exploit the crisis by engaging in sabotage and selling water at inflated prices.
The government has declared water supply a national priority and announced major investments. However, it will take years to address the structural deficiencies. The crisis also has political implications, as access to water is a constitutional right and the population is increasingly demanding accountability.
