Overview
- The president announced a National Water Crisis Committee, which he will chair, to coordinate an elevated response modeled on the approach used to end load shedding.
- Water and COGTA ministers were ordered back to Johannesburg during SONA to intervene in worsening outages and protests, with Ramaphosa citing systemic failures and years of neglected maintenance.
- Government pledged more than R156 billion over three years for water and sanitation infrastructure, including new dams and upgrades to secure long‑term supply.
- Accountability measures include tabling the Water Services Amendment Bill to enforce performance and allow licence withdrawals, plus tighter monitoring of municipal water revenues and support for concessions and private‑sector partnerships.
- Ramaphosa confirmed SANDF deployments to assist police against gang violence in the Western Cape and illegal mining in parts of Gauteng, while Madlanga Commission referrals are being fast‑tracked as coalition partners back the plan but press for implementation.