By Loxion News Staff Reporter
02 October 2025
The Emfuleni Local Municipality is facing yet another crisis after it was revealed that the municipality lost 16.4 million kilolitres of clean water in the 2024/2025 financial year — a loss valued at over R880 million. Shockingly, this comes despite Emfuleni spending R57 million on 11 service providers tasked with repairing water leaks.
The leaks, caused by ageing infrastructure and neglect, continue to drain municipal resources while leaving residents without reliable access to water and sanitation.
This information was made public by Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Jacob Mamabolo, in a written reply to a question tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) by the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Human Rights at Risk
According to Kingsol Chabalala MPL, DA Emfuleni North Constituency Head, the DA has already referred the matter to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), arguing that the municipality is violating residents’ constitutional right to water and sanitation.
“It is scandalous that Emfuleni claims to have spent millions repairing leaks while continuing to lose massive volumes of clean water daily,” Chabalala said. “The reality is that the money is not being used effectively, leaving residents to pay the price for failed governance.”
A Pattern of Mismanagement
The water crisis adds to a worrying pattern of financial recklessness. Reports show that Emfuleni:
- Returned R636 million in Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) funds over the past five years, money that was desperately needed for water, sanitation, and road upgrades.
- Wasted R561 million on unnecessary overtime between 2019/2020 and 2023/2024, with no improvement in service delivery.
These figures raise serious concerns about corruption, mismanagement, and poor leadership within the municipality.
Calls for Intervention
The DA has called on Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and MEC Mamabolo to urgently intervene, accusing them of failing to provide meaningful oversight.
“Emfuleni is collapsing not because of a lack of funds, but because of poor governance,” the DA stressed. “Residents deserve accountability, not excuses.”
The DA argues that a DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government would ensure stricter financial oversight, greater efficiency in municipal spending, and better service delivery for residents.
In the meantime, the party has vowed to continue monitoring the SAHRC investigation, which it hopes will bring justice and improved living conditions for residents of Emfuleni.
