The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) will not hesitate to act and will intensify its collaboration with law enforcement agencies and all levels of government to ensure that those behind the sabotage of water infrastructure are identified and prosecuted.

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo on Tuesday reaffirmed government’s firm and uncompromising commitment to tackling the growing challenges of water infrastructure sabotage and the criminal activities of the so-called “water mafias”.

He said that destruction, vandalism and extortion within the water sector were acts of economic sabotage that continued to undermine service delivery, obstruct South Africa’s developmental goals and violate the constitutional right to water.

“We will not tolerate the deliberate sabotage of our water infrastructure,” he told attendees of a South African Human Rights Commission-hosted webinar, themed ‘Sabotage of essential water infrastructure and water mafias: What can be done?’

He highlighted how criminal syndicates, often colluding with unscrupulous individuals, were deliberately disrupting water supply networks, damaging pump stations, pipelines and valves, and then profiting from that by selling water through tankers at inflated prices.

“These activities not only cripple infrastructure but also endanger public health, inflate municipal budgets through recurring repair costs and degrade the dignity of affected communities.”

The criminal operations have become widespread and coordinated, with the theft of critical components like pipes, cables and meters leading to water outages across the country.

Urgent, coordinated and forceful action is required.

“These criminal acts are an attack on our constitutional democracy and our commitment to human rights. There will be no hesitation in acting against those responsible. We are closing the space for criminals to operate and we will pursue them relentlessly, through law enforcement, community mobilisation and with the full weight of State institutions,” Mahlobo warned.

Community engagement is important to protect infrastructure, and citizens are urged to report suspicious activities and support public education efforts aimed at raising awareness about the implications of vandalism and theft.

He also called for a culture of whistleblowing, encouraging individuals with knowledge of criminal networks or corruption in the sector to come forward, adding that their role was vital in rooting out entrenched criminality.

“All acts of theft, vandalism or extortion should be reported without delay to local law enforcement or municipal security authorities.”

Communities are also being urged to embrace innovation, as municipalities start deploying technology such as surveillance systems, remote sensors and smart infrastructure to detect and prevent sabotage.

All South Africans, particularly civil society, organised labour, water activists, conservation groups and traditional leaders, need to unite against the sabotage of national infrastructure.

Access to water was a fundamental human right and must never be held hostage by criminals, he continued.

“Water is life, and no criminal syndicate will be allowed to hijack the public’s right to it. We are acting decisively, and we urge every South African to be part of the solution. We must defend this resource together. Through strong partnerships, community vigilance and courageous whistleblowing, we will protect our water and secure our future,” he concluded.