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Human Rights Commission links Gauteng water tankers to corruption

Published

The South African Human Rights Commission says Gauteng has enough water to meet demand, and blames systemic failures in management and distribution. It urged municipalities to stop spending on water tankers and fix ageing infrastructure instead.

The commission released findings from its inquiry into water and sanitation services in Gauteng on Monday. It named ageing infrastructure, high water losses, poor maintenance and too little storage and pumping capacity as causes. Commissioner Henk Boshoff said having plans in place is not enough.

Boshoff said municipal employees and tanker service providers benefit from continued tanker procurement. He also said some officials and providers sabotage infrastructure to create openings for tanker contracts. Metropolitan municipalities spend hundreds of millions of rands a year on tankering, he said.

The report says the City of Tshwane spent R47m on tankering in 2021/2022, R777m in 2024/2025 and R326m in 2025/2026. It also says Tshwane loses R1.7bn worth of water each year. Johannesburg loses 44.8% of its water, worth R2.82bn.

The commission recommended that municipalities find critical weaknesses and make sure reservoirs can withstand disruptions. It urged the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the three metros to draw up guidelines for reliable tanker services. Boshoff said the commission will keep monitoring municipalities and hold them accountable.

Key facts

Who
Henk Boschoff (SAHRC chairperson); South African Human Rights Commission (commission that released the report); City of Tshwane (municipality whose tankering spend is cited); Ekurhuleni municipality (municipality with water supply problems)
What
The SAHRC released its report on water and sanitation service delivery in Gauteng, following a provincial inquiry held in May 2026. The report says the City of Tshwane spent R47m on water tankering in 2021/2022, R777m in 2024/2025 and R326m in 2025/2026, and chairperson Henk Boschoff urged municipalities to stop spending on tankers.
When
2 November 2026
Where
Gauteng, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni
Status
Reported

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