SA Human Rights Commission calls for submissions on Gauteng water crisis

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is urging people to make written submissions on water issues in Gauteng.

It says Gauteng is “experiencing a sustained and deepening water crisis characterised by persistent shortages, intermittent supply, infrastructure failures, ageing and poorly maintained systems, contamination risks, governance failures and inadequate emergency response mechanisms”.

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In a statement this week, the commission’s Gauteng office announced that it will be hosting an inquiry into the provision of sufficient, safe, acceptable and affordable water.

The public has until 30 April 2026 to send contributions before the commission holds formal inquiry hearings from 19 to 21 May. The commission said it had been inundated with complaints.

Rather than continuing to respond to individual cases, the SAHRC decided to launch a formal investigation into the scale and persistence of these failures.

It noted the crisis has had a disproportionate impact on poor and vulnerable communities, informal settlements and vital institutions such as schools and health facilities.

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The investigation was also prompted by the emergence of “water tanker mafias” due to prolonged outages and the lack of functional municipal tankers, leading to the profiteering and commodification of water.

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The March 2026 Gauteng Water Dashboard reveals a system under pressure from high demand, critically low reservoir storage, and significant water losses.

Non-revenue water remains high, with losses reaching 49% in Johannesburg, 44% in Tshwane and 31% in Ekurhuleni, alongside tens of thousands of reported leaks.

Earlier this year, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina referred directly to the “Gauteng water crisis” and authorised an additional 200 million cubic metres of water for abstraction until June 2026 while municipalities implement controlled throttling and load shifting to stabilise the system.

Majodina blamed water challenges on municipal infrastructure failures and overconsumption.

Civic organisation WaterCAN has welcomed the SAHRC inquiry.

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Executive director Ferrial Adam has urged residents and affected communities to make submissions so that the full extent of the crisis, and its impact on people’s daily lives, is properly placed on record.

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“We also believe the inquiry’s findings must carry real weight with binding outcomes and meaningful consequences for those responsible. WaterCAN will be making its own submission to the inquiry.”

Tarryn Johnston, water activist and director of environmental services firm Living Wisdom Strategic Solutions, said the inquiry is long overdue.

“Gauteng’s water crisis is not escalating. It has already crossed into systemic failure,” she said.

© 2026 GroundUp. This article was first published here.

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