Pemmy Majodina has been appointed Water and Sanitation Minister, replacing Senzo Mchunu, who has been named as Police Minister, as South Africa’s seventh administration is formed.

David Mahlobo retains his position as Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, while Isaac Seitlholo replaces Judith Tshabalala, who moved to Deputy Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources.

This emerged a month after the country’s May 29 elections, which ultimately led to the formation of a Government of National Unity comprising 11 parties, and two weeks after the re-election of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Majodina enters the Ministry just as Mchunu - who was appointed in August 2021 when Ramaphosa separated the Ministry of Human Settlements from the Ministry of Water and Sanitation to enable a dedicated focus - was showing strong signs of tackling the years-long deterioration of South Africa’s water sector, which is fast becoming one of the biggest challenges facing the country.

Over the years, South Africa has experienced a myriad of well-documented and longstanding challenges, including underinvestment and a lack of funding for maintenance and new infrastructure development; delayed projects; inefficient use of water resources; leaks and wasted water; dysfunctional water and wastewater treatment plants; municipal underperformance; pollution and deteriorating ecosystems; illegal water use and abstractions; low water tariffs and growing municipal debt; increasing industrialisation; and increasing demand.

To mitigate some of these challenges, the former Water and Sanitation Minister led the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) through many changes, including the resuscitation of the Blue, Green and No Drop reports, the establishment of the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency and Water Partnership Office, and key amendments to the National Water Act and Water Services Act Amendment Bills, besides others.

“Mchunu's performance has been exceptional, marked by significant achievements in water management and governance,” said WaterCAN executive manager Ferrial Adam.

Along with the publication of the Green, Blue and No Drop reports and conducting sessions with municipalities to demand action – underscoring the importance of accountability – Mchunu amended crucial policies to ensure a more robust legal framework.

“His engagement with civil society and hands-on approach during crises demonstrated his commitment to transparency and responsiveness. Mchunu held water entities accountable, resulting in criminal charges against more than 14 municipalities. He appointed a professional top management team, revitalising the department after a decade of corruption and capture, and restored its functionality and integrity,” Adam continued.

Majodina is expected to continue these efforts.

“Majodina must continue the work that Mchunu started, actively engaging with civil society and leveraging the expertise and experience within her team to build on these successes.”

AfriForum added that the newly appointed Minister had a “huge task” ahead of her, with the DWS at a tipping point that requires strong leadership and continuity to tackle pressing issues effectively.

The civil rights organisation, which said it was ready to work with Majodina to resolve critical issues regarding South Africa’s water and sanitation sector, believed that addressing the water crisis required swift and decisive action from all stakeholders involved and urged the new Minister to prioritise continuity in leadership and policy implementation, focus on municipal infrastructure and collaborative efforts for sustainable solutions.

“Abrupt changes or a complete overhaul of current projects such as the Blue, Green and No Drop could be detrimental. It is crucial to build on existing frameworks and ensure a seamless transition that fosters stability and progress,” said AfriForum environmental affairs manager Lambert de Klerk.

He pointed out that Majodina’s appointment came at a time when municipal infrastructure was in a dire state and where urgent intervention was needed to prevent further deterioration.

“Many municipalities are struggling with outdated and failing water and sanitation systems. Addressing these infrastructural issues must be a top priority to improve service delivery.”

Further, engaging with various stakeholders, including community organisations like AfriForum will be essential in developing and implementing sustainable solutions for water and sanitation, he said, concluding that AfriForum’s specialists, engineers and companies are ready and available to address the pressing water challenges currently facing South Africa.