Cape town: Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has moved to assure that government is at work to resolve the water crisis currently experienced in parts of the country. Ntshavheni was speaking during the Debate of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) held in Cape Town on Tuesday afternoon.

According to South African Government News Agency, the water challenges reached a crescendo last week when residents in Johannesburg protested, with some maintaining to have been without water for at least three weeks. Minister Ntshavheni emphasized that efforts are already underway, with the Operation Vulindlela team and the Department of Water and Sanitation conducting assessments towards a water action plan, expected to be ready by mid-March 2026. Additionally, a call for technical capacity is part of mobilizing resources and expertise to support crisis-hit municipalities.

The current draft Water Action Plan aims to address the immediate crisis, drive reforms in the water sector, and unlock investments in municipal infrastructure. During the SONA last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the formation of the National Water Crisis Committee, modeled after the successful National Energy Crisis Committee, to tackle the water challenges faced by citizens.

The new structure will consolidate all existing efforts into a single coordinating body, deploying technical experts and resources from the national government to municipalities in need. Minister Ntshavheni highlighted that the government will use constitutional powers and the Water Services Act to intervene in municipalities as necessary to ensure swift and effective action.