The ANC-led Nelson Mandela Bay coalition government has once again failed the city’s residents, steering them straight into the jaws of yet another water crisis and the very real threat of Day Zero. Despite this, the current administration faces no consequences for massively overdrawing its water allocation from the Churchill and Impofu dams.
According to Department of Water and Sanitation restrictions, Nelson Mandela Bay is only allowed to extract 60 megalitres per day from the Impofu and Churchill dams, but extraction over the December festive period went as high as 110 megalitres per day.
I have now written to the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, to request that the bulk water competency for the Kromme line (Churchill and Impofu dams) be removed from the municipality, and awarded to a more competent authority, such as the Gamtoos Irrigation Board.
The municipality is clearly not up to the task of managing water provision and infrastructure, with nearly half of its water being lost through leaks (currently at more than 6000), ageing pipes, and crumbling infrastructure.
The city has also failed to make effective use of water augmentation projects, such as the boreholes sunk at six wellfields including St George’s Park, Coega Kop and Bushy Park. These six wellfields, constructed at a cost of more than an estimated R700 million, were supposed to yield 27 megalitres of potable water per day. Instead, due to municipal incompetence, vandalism and theft, the boreholes were supplying only 10.1 megalitres per day in November 2025.
Today, I was joined by DA NMB Caucus Leader, Cllr Rano Kayser, and DA NMB Spokesperson for Infrastructure and Engineering, Cllr Dries van der Westhuizen, for an oversight inspection at the St George’s Park Wellfield. This R46 million project was designed to deliver 2.1 megalitres of potable water per day but currently delivers zero water following vandalism in August 2024. While boreholes are an appealing story, the reality is that there is little point in seeking new water while more than half of our existing supply is being lost.
A DA majority government will ensure water security by:
• Implementing a comprehensive Water Services Master Plan to identify infrastructure that must be repaired or replaced.
• Ensuring that every household, business and Municipal depot / office block has a functional water meter to accurately measure usage and losses.
• Filling all vacant water engineer, plumber, and artisan posts with qualified personnel.
• Investing in modern leak detection and water loss technology to reduce Non-Revenue Water.
• Interrogating municipal borehole plans to assess cost-effectiveness and delivery timelines.
A responsible DA majority government will plan instead of reacting to crises. Without credible medium- to long-term water security measures in place, the metro will become increasingly unattractive to investors, placing the economy at risk. Water security is a prerequisite for the development and the stability needed to get NMB working again.