The Department of Water and Sanitation has called on eThekwini Municipality to strengthen its response and accelerate efforts to address persistent water and sanitation challenges affecting communities across the metro.
Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, Dr Jack Bloom, made the call during a two-day strategic oversight visit to the municipality from 20 to 21 August 2026, which placed water and sanitation service delivery, environmental protection and accountability under the spotlight.
During the visit, the Deputy Minister engaged directly with affected communities, municipal leadership, officials and other stakeholders to assess the challenges and identify practical interventions.
Bloom emphasised that persistent service delivery challenges require decisive action, stronger accountability and measurable results.
While acknowledging the scale and complexity of the challenges facing eThekwini, he stressed that these cannot be used as a reason for delays, particularly where communities continue to experience disruptions to basic water and sanitation services and failures in wastewater management pose risks to the environment and water resources.
“We need to see a stronger and more urgent response to the water and sanitation challenges facing communities in eThekwini. Where problems have been identified, there must be clear responsibility, decisive intervention and consistent follow-through,” Bloom said.
A key focus of the oversight programme was direct engagement with communities affected by water and sanitation challenges.
In Verulam, the Deputy Minister met with community members through the Verulam Water Crisis Committee, where residents raised concerns about water supply and service delivery challenges affecting households and communities.
Bloom also engaged with residents in Buffelsdraai, where he listened to their concerns and gained first-hand insight into the challenges experienced by the community.
The engagements enabled the Deputy Minister to hear directly from affected residents and ensure that their concerns were considered alongside information provided by municipal officials and findings from infrastructure inspections.
Management of wastewater infrastructure
The oversight programme also included inspections at the Phoenix Wastewater Treatment Works, the eZimbokodweni River in the Amanzimtoti Golf Club area, and the Southern Wastewater Treatment Works in Merebank.
The inspections focused on reported pollution and sewage spills, the condition and performance of wastewater infrastructure, environmental and water-quality impacts, contributing factors, and interventions required to address identified challenges.
The inspections highlighted the need to strengthen the operation, maintenance and management of wastewater infrastructure.
Bloom warned that pollution of rivers and other water resources cannot be normalised and requires urgent corrective action.
Particular attention was also given to compliance and enforcement, with the Deputy Minister committing to follow up with the department's Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement Unit on directives previously issued and action required to address cases of non-compliance.
He emphasised that oversight visits must go beyond identifying problems and should result in concrete action, accountability, and measurable improvements.
“An oversight visit must lead to action and where directives have been issued, we need to see implementation and appropriate enforcement where required,” Bloom said.
The two-day programme also included engagements with municipal leadership, officials, civic organisations and other stakeholders on governance, accountability, service delivery, and efforts to strengthen water security in eThekwini.
Bloom called for stronger cooperation between the department, eThekwini Municipality, water sector institutions and communities, emphasising that collaboration must be supported by clear responsibilities, measurable commitments and regular follow-up.
He said the visit reinforced the importance of responsive and accountable government, particularly in ensuring that communities have reliable access to water and sanitation services and that water resources are protected from pollution.
The Department of Water and Sanitation will continue to monitor progress on matters raised during the oversight visit and engage with eThekwini Municipality and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that identified challenges are addressed.
This will include efforts to strengthen water security, improve wastewater management, protect water resources and promote greater accountability in the delivery of water and sanitation services for all. – SAnews.gov.za
