Reliable Water Supply in Emakhazeni Is a Right, Not a Favour for Residents

Residents of Emakhazeni Local Municipality, particularly in Ward 8, continue to endure recurring water interruptions, with households and businesses sometimes going days without a reliable water supply.

Water is not a favour. It is a basic necessity and a constitutional right. The Constitution, in Section 27(1)(b), recognises everyone’s right to have access to sufficient water, while Section 10 protects the right to dignity.

Emakhazeni is governed by the African National Congress. As the governing party, the ANC must take responsibility for ensuring that basic services are delivered, infrastructure is maintained and urgent problems are resolved.

The DA and EFF, as opposition parties represented in council, must use their oversight responsibilities to hold the ANC accountable.

WHY CAN’T A SIMPLE WATER PUMP BE FIXED URGENTLY?

Residents deserve answers. Why are critical spare parts not readily available? Why must a community wait days for a pump supplying water to be repaired or replaced? We also question whether the municipality has effective emergency procurement and maintenance systems. Procurement processes must comply with the Supply Chain Management Regulations. However, they must not result in communities being left without essential services for unnecessarily long periods.

Businesses are also suffering. When there is no water, businesses lose customers, income and operating time.

ActionSA calls on the municipality to urgently restore reliable water supply, maintain critical infrastructure, communicate openly with affected communities and provide clear answers about the causes of these recurring failures.

The people of Emakhazeni should not have to beg for basic services. Water is not a privilege. Neither is it a favour to residents. Access to water is a right that is enriched in our Constitution.

The people of Emakhazeni will have an opportunity to make their voices heard at the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections where ActionSA will make history with the support of residents.

ActionSA Herman Mashaba (President) Before politics, he founded Black Like Me in 1985, a household hair-care brand in South Africa. Served as the Executive Mayor of Johannesburg (2016–2019) under a DA-led coalition. Resigned from both the Mayoralty and the DA in 2019, citing a lack of support for pro-poor service delivery and policy differences, leading directly to the birth of ActionSA.