South Africa will need an estimated R400 billion to address its deteriorating water and sanitation systems, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina told Parliament.
The Minister highlighted the scale of the nationwide maintenance backlog, noting that available funding is insufficient to meet the demand. For the 2025/26 financial year, only R26 billion has been allocated for water and sanitation services, including municipal grants.
Municipalities are expected to fund maintenance from revenue generated through water sales. However, ageing infrastructure, widespread leaks, and billing inefficiencies mean that much of the water supplied fails to generate income.
As a result, 73 percent of South Africa’s water authorities are now rated poor or in critical condition, underscoring the urgent need for investment and reform in the sector.
Majodina emphasized that without substantial funding and intervention, the country’s water systems will continue to deteriorate, threatening service delivery and public health.