Protecting South Africa’s water infrastructure: a call to action

WATER is life and central to the socioeconomic development of society.

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South Africa is a water-scarce country, which calls for the wise and sparing use of the available water, and the protection of water infrastructure from theft and vandalism to prevent unnecessary leaks and losses to ensure that everyone has access to this source of life.

Access to water is a basic human right but it is violated by irresponsible people through criminal activities, which usually leave communities high and dry.

These criminal acts also result in water resource pollution. The main challenge we are currently experiencing as a country is infrastructure theft and vandalism.

Theft, vandalism and destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure are basically social and economic sabotage and have serious negative consequences for communities and the environment.

These crimes pose a serious threat to the provision of reliable water and sanitation services; therefore, all forms of infrastructure vandalism must be discouraged and stopped at all costs.