Overview
- The SAHRC is inviting written submissions on Gauteng’s water failures by 30 April 2026, with public hearings set for 19–21 May 2026 in Johannesburg.
- The inquiry will examine shortages, broken and aging pipes, weak maintenance, contamination risks, and poor governance as potential human rights violations that hit informal settlements, schools, and clinics hardest.
- Official dashboard data from March 2026 show severe strain on the system with critically low reservoir levels and huge losses of ‘non‑revenue water’ at 49% in Johannesburg, 44% in Tshwane, and 31% in Ekurhuleni.
- Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina approved an extra 200 million cubic metres of water for abstraction through June 2026 as municipalities use controlled throttling and load shifting to stabilise supply.
- The commission flagged the rise of ‘water tanker mafias’ exploiting outages, while civic group WaterCAN welcomed the inquiry and urged residents to submit evidence that could lead to binding consequences for failures.