Tshwane water tankers spending spark clash over mafia claims

Water tankers, budgets and the water mafia in Pretoria are under the spotlight again as the City of Tshwane mayor and the opposition party leader go head-to-head about who is to blame for the water woes in the capital.

WaterCAN expert Ferrial Adam said there were many issues with water tankers in Pretoria.

WaterCAN expert questions where DA was when water tanker spending occurred

“While Tshwane’s R777 million doesn’t make sense and the DA is trying to find out what the truth is, the other question is, where were they when this was happening?” said Adam.

On Tuesday, the DA picketed outside Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi’s office with a banner of City of Tshwane’s mayor Nasiphi Moya’s face on a water tanker to protest against the water mafia in Tshwane.

“We have submitted a formal request to the premier for an urgent forensic investigation, in terms of Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act, into the R777 million spent on water tankers by the ANC-ActionSA-led City of Tshwane during the 2024-25 financial year,” Tshwane DA leader Cilliers Brink said.

Brink demanded an immediate investigation into the R95 million reportedly paid to Nomakhuwa Trading and Projects, despite questions about whether the company had sufficient water tankers to deliver the contracted services, R125 million paid to M RAMS Enterprise and R31.7 million paid to companies linked to ANC deputy mayor Eugene Modise and ANC regional treasurer Rhulani James Shelenge, despite allegations that these companies did not own water tankers.

“The full extent of the R777 million water tanker scandal must be exposed,” said Brink.

Brink demands investigation into payments

“Meanwhile, the city’s water infrastructure continues to deteriorate. Tshwane is reportedly losing between R1.35 billion and R1.7 billion of water annually, with its own dashboard recording average water losses of 42.6% over 12 months.

“In parts of Soshanguve, Ga-Rankuwa and Mabopane, half of the water supplied is being lost. The problem is the spending. Tshwane, under Moya’s leadership, has lost control of payments. Any Tom, Dick and Harry with a water tanker submits an invoice and it gets paid.

“Tshwane never budgeted R777 million for water tankers in 2024- 25, but that was what was spent. We know that ANC office bearers, Lesufi’s comrades, benefit from these tankers,” ActionSA Tshwane caucus spokesperson Henriette Frohlich said when Brink was mayor, from 28 March 2023 until 26 September 2024, bulk water loss rose from 27% in March 2023 to 38% in May 2024.

“His inability to maintain water infrastructure birthed the scourge of water tankers.”