Picture: Residents in Gauteng grappling with water/Generic
By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
16 February 2026- The Democratic Alliance (DA) said it cannot accept the communication from the Gauteng Provincial Government on Friday painting a picture of a water crisis under control. The DA said all indications are that, Gauteng has begun water-shifting, termed “load shifting” by Deputy President Paul Mashatile on Friday and borne out by resident feedback that it feels like areas are being “turned on and off”.
DA Spokesperson on Water & Sanitation and Member of Parliament (MP), Stephen Moore said if water-shifting is underway, the least that the Gauteng government can do is publish a schedule of this, so the residents can plan ahead for their taps to be cut dry. Moore said if supply will be shifted between areas to stabilise the system, residents must be treated with respect and provided with water-shifting schedules, not uncertainty.
“The DA does welcome the increased involvement of senior leaders in response to Gauteng’s worsening water crisis, including Mashatile, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina and Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, as well as COGTA Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa and Deputy Minister Dickson Masemola – but their involvement now needs to translate into answers and timelines for residents.
“Gauteng residents have endured days, and in some cases weeks, without water are not looking for more coordination announcements. They need concrete actions, clear timelines, and public transparency that allows communities, businesses, clinics and schools to plan,” he said.
Moore further said the Gauteng Provincial Government’s statement on Friday night lists the right heading: leak repairs, pump stations, reservoirs, pressure management, technical support, ring-fencing of grants, and budget reprioritisation, but it provides almost no detail about what has changed, what is funded, and what delivery will occur by when. He added that in a crisis, that is not good enough.
“The DA therefore calls for the Gauteng Province, Rand Water and the affected municipalities to publish, the crisis plan with the minimum details residents deserve. A daily, time-stamped system bulletin from Rand Water and each metro, including supply versus demand, key constraints, reservoir recovery position, and areas at risk.
“Water-shifting schedules or plans by zone, including how hospitals, clinics, schools and old-age facilities will be protected. Funding specifics, including which infrastructure grants are being ring-fenced, the exact Rand amounts being reprioritised, and which projects will be funded immediately.Operational outputs with deadlines, including added leak teams, PRVs and pressure zones commissioned, priority pipe-replacement hotspots, and measurable targets for 7, 30 and 90 days,” said Moore.
He said tanker deployment rules and tracking, including where, how many, rotation times, and a public escalation channel. Moore said they support any credible intervention that stabilises supply.
“But residents deserve more than plans in motion. Residents deserve published schedules, published budgets, and measurable delivery now,” he said.
The Guardian 