Looming water crisis warning for Gauteng and Cape Town due to population growth

A NEW report from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has revealed that Gauteng and the Western Cape are likely to experience more water scarcity due to growing populations - driven by significant in-migration.

- MANYANE MANYANE

The 2024 National State of Water report stated that Gauteng, as the country’s economic hub, is the leading centre for both international and domestic migrants, while the Western Cape is the second major immigration attraction centre.

Gauteng has a population of about 16 million while the Western Cape is home to 7.6 million residents.

The report detailed that Gauteng is projected to reach 20 million residents by 2050, while the Western Cape is expected to reach 8.5 million, a growth not matched by an adequate increase in dam storage capacity.

For years, some parts of the country have been experiencing water outages due to a combination of climate change-induced droughts, aging and under-maintained infrastructure, population growth and poor management, leading to frequent and prolonged disruptions, particularly in the Johannesburg area, forcing municipalities to implement water shedding, water throttling and water rationing.

Residents across Johannesburg and its surrounding areas, including Coronationville, Westbury, Newlands, Ivory Park and Kokosi, took to the streets recently following prolonged water cuts, which left many residents without water supply for weeks.

The protests have led to road closures, confrontations with police and demands for government intervention to address the long-running water crisis.

In the Western Cape, a community at Gate 7 informal settlement near Wingfield Navy base in Cape Town, also embarked on a protest over service delivery, including water and electricity this week.