Experts and government officials discuss municipal debt and the sustainability of South Africa’s water sector during an SAHRC webinar.
Experts and government officials agree that resolving South Africa’s water crisis requires a collective, ‘whole-of-society’ approach to address systemic governance and financial challenges.
These points emerged during a webinar organised by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), titled “Municipal debt to water boards: Exploring a human rights-centric approach”.
The South African water sector faces a systemic financial crisis driven by R28 billion in municipal debt, creating tension between the financial sustainability of water boards and the constitutional right of citizens to access sufficient water.
This instability is fueled by underfunding, municipal mismanagement, and infrastructure vandalism, while non-payment threatens the collapse of vital infrastructure and service providers.
