Durban’s water crisis is not inevitable

eThekwini has everything it needs to solve its water crisis. The only missing ingredient is the political will.

Across eThekwini, 13 000 water leaks are active at any one time; clean, drinking water is flowing into roads, fields and down drains. This is why more than 65% of our municipal water is being lost.

It is, of course, lucrative for the water tanker mafia, who profit dearly off the dry misfortune of millions of residents.

Earlier this week, Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina told Parliament that she knew the water tanker mafia was causing the leaks – they were actively sabotaging pipes and pumps.

You would expect arrests and for crime intelligence, state security and NatJoints to get involved. You would expect action. But the tankers are cashing in by the thousands without anyone stopping them.

eThekwini, is not simply a place I know. It is home. It is where my childhood memories were made, where I learnt who I am and where so many of the moments that shaped my life took place.

I have also been fortunate to spend most of my working life serving and working in this city. That is why I am the DA’s candidate for mayor of eThekwini.

Across our city, thousands of people wake up each morning with a simple but frustrating question: Will there be water when I turn on the tap today?

Last week, I travelled to Cape Town after the announcement of our Water Recovery Plan for eThekwini.

I wanted to see for myself what is possible when a city treats water security as a priority and to understand what lessons we can bring home to eThekwini. Our residents deserve more than promises.

I saw a city led by an administration that has its sights set on the future.

Dedicated response systems allow faults to be located, assigned and repaired, while data helps officials identify which parts of the network require replacement.

I also saw an administration confronting illegal connections and protecting the revenue generated from water so that it can be reinvested in infrastructure.

These are not revolutionary ideas.They are the fundamentals of a municipality that works for all and that plans, maintains its assets and holds people responsible for delivering results.

And we do not have to look far to see what has gone wrong in eThekwini.

In April 2023, the city introduced a water turnaround strategy when water losses were reportedly at 58%.

Today, they exceed 65%.

Somewhere along the way, the plan seems to have been lost. Perhaps in one of the thousands of leaks still running across our city?

A turnaround plan under which performance continues to deteriorate cannot credibly be called a turnaround.

When targets are missed, residents deserve to know who was responsible, what corrective action was taken and why senior officials continue to escape consequences. In this regard, our mayor has failed.

That is why I have called for the immediate suspension of eThekwini’s head of water and sanitation. He presided over this mess and should be held accountable.

It is time for the residents of eThekwini to take a stand for the political will to turn our fortunes around.

• Hoosen is the DA’s mayoral candidate for eThekwini.