Government steps up fight against water sabotage and ‘water mafias’
Deputy Minister of the department of water and sanitation David Mahlobo has reaffirmed government’s commitment to tackling water infrastructure sabotage and the so‑called “water mafias” undermining access to water.
Speaking at a South African Human Rights Commission webinar on 29 July, he outlined how syndicates damage pipelines, valves and pump stations, then profit by selling water at inflated prices. This, he said, is economic sabotage that burdens municipalities, endangers public health and strips communities of their dignity.
Mahlobo says, the department of Water and Sanitation is stepping up action, working with law enforcement to target those behind the crimes while urging communities to report vandalism, theft and corruption.
The department says plans include rolling out technology like surveillance systems and sensors, implementing resolutions from the 2025 National Water and Sanitation Indaba, and driving public awareness campaigns. Government has called on civil society, labour, activists and traditional leaders to help protect infrastructure, stressing that access to water is a constitutional right that must not be held hostage by criminals.
