Minister admits failures, but blames water tanker mafia

WATER and Sanitation Minister, Pemmy Majodina, has confirmed that millions in taxpayer funds have been paid to contractors for water infrastructure projects that remain incomplete — leaving communities without access to clean and reliable water.

- KAMOGELO MOICHELA

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the ANC’s special National Executive Committee meeting in Boksburg on Saturday, Majodina acknowledged widespread project failures and mismanagement at municipal levels, where many water projects were contracted.

“There are projects that are incomplete... we have intervened and reclaimed those funds,” she said. “We are now sending implementing agents to complete these infrastructure systems.”

In an example, she cited a water treatment plant originally budgeted at R13 million, which now requires R24m to complete due to delays and cost escalations.

South Africa is currently facing one of its most severe water crises in decades.