Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance (DA) again calls for Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina to urgently task the Auditor General of South Africa (AGSA) to investigate critical financial and environmental concerns surrounding the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 2 (LHWP2).
Construction has again halted at LHWP2 due to a contractor polluting nearby rivers and the Katse Dam, contaminating crucial drinking water supplies with acidic wastewater. This irresponsible breach of environmental standards poses serious risks to the existing water supply, which millions of South Africans rely upon.
On 7 May, the DA formally wrote to Minister Majodina requesting that she urgently empowers the AGSA to oversee and investigate these escalating costs and environmental issues. No substantive response has followed.
This environmental crisis exacerbates existing financial mismanagement. The AG recently confirmed that project costs soared by R11 billion within a single year, primarily due to contractor delays. Initially budgeted at R8 billion in 2008 (around R19 billion adjusted for inflation), the latest cost estimates have surged to R53 billion.
It is critical to highlight that, as a multinational project situated in Lesotho, LHWP2 currently falls outside the AGSA’s jurisdiction. Without an explicit policy shift driven by Minister Majodina, AGSA remains unable to enforce oversight or investigate this vital infrastructure project adequately.
The DA emphasises that the financial and environmental integrity of LHWP2 is essential to secure affordable water supplies across Gauteng, the Free State, North West, and beyond. Municipalities already struggle with significant debts exceeding R28 billion owed to water boards. Further financial mismanagement and environmental setbacks could severely compromise water affordability and sustainability, intensifying local water crises.
We therefore urgently call on Minister Majodina to act decisively, by enabling the AGSA full oversight of LHWP2. Ensuring proper governance and accountability is paramount to safeguarding South Africa’s critical water infrastructure.
South Africans cannot afford ongoing silence and inaction. The DA demands immediate steps from Minister Majodina to ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability in managing this pivotal water resource project.
Regards
Stephen Moore MP
DA Deputy Spokesperson on Water & Sanitation