South Africa's water woes are not due to scarcity, but rather to deteriorating infrastructure, says an engineer.
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As South Africa grapples with escalating water outages, the driving force behind this crisis is not a lack of water resources but rather failing infrastructure, according to award-winning engineering professional and AvenirHoldings CEO Tshidi Mndzebele. Speaking at Infrastructure Africa in Cape Town this week, Mndzebele underscored an urgent need for engineering intervention to avoid an imminent collapse in service delivery.
The statistics are alarming. Recent national assessments have revealed that approximately 47% of treated water is lost before it reaches consumers - a staggering figure in contrast to the global average of about 30%. This loss stems primarily from leaks, ageing pipelines, illegal connections, and inadequate maintenance. “These shortages are not primarily caused by a lack of water,” Mndzebele stated. “South Africa treats substantial volumes of water successfully. The failure occurs within municipal distribution systems where infrastructure has exceeded its engineering lifespan.”
The financial ramifications of these infrastructure woes are similarly severe. Findings from the Auditor-General indicate that municipalities lost R14.89 billion worth of water within a single year, starkly highlighting the economic costs associated with infrastructure deterioration. Moreover, government estimates suggest that a staggering R400 billion is required to rehabilitate water and sanitation infrastructure nationwide. However, many water projects are encountering delays of several years due to planning and capacity challenges.
Mndzebele argued that the current crisis is a reflection of long-term underinvestment in lifecycle maintenance rather than a sudden system failure. “For decades, maintenance has been reactive instead of proactive. Engineering systems require continuous asset management. Without it, infrastructure inevitably fails,” she remarked. Alarmingly, water sector audits indicate that numerous wastewater treatment plants are operating below required standards, posing significant risks to public health and the environment while exacerbating pressures on already strained systems.
Tshidi Mndzebele is CEO of AvenirHoldings.
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According to Mndzebele, immediate stabilisation is possible through targeted engineering interventions rather than waiting for large-scale infrastructure developments. These solutions include:
“Before building new dams or pipelines, we must stop losing the water we already have,” Mndzebele said. “Reducing losses can significantly increase available supply in a short period.” AvenirHoldings advocates for enhanced collaboration between government, municipalities, and engineering professionals to professionalise infrastructure management and implement performance-based maintenance systems.
Mndzebele also highlighted the broader implications of water reliability, stating that it significantly affects economic activity, investor confidence, and community stability. “Water security is fundamentally an infrastructure issue - and infrastructure problems are solvable when engineering solutions are prioritised,” she concluded.
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