The tragic death of Mr Celani Zungu in Ward 96 in Adams Mission, uMbumbulu, within the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality jurisdiction, is deeply distressing.

In penning this piece, I do not seek to exploit the grief. Rather, I seek to shine a spotlight on what I have observed in the water tankering system.

I extend my condolences to his family and I call for a swift investigation into the matter to ensure that justice prevails. The grief, suffering and trauma experienced by everyone due to Mr Zunguâs tragic passing is never to be exploited for any ends.

Section 27 of the Constitution recognises access to sufficient water as a fundamental human right, thus enjoining the government to provide sustainable, reliable and functional water services.

However, due to several factors, including population growth and natural disasters, such as droughts, municipalities are forced to rely on water tankering for water provisioning.

Emergency measure

In its design, water tankering was envisaged as a short-term and stopgap mechanism to be used in instances of emergencies. Regrettably, due to other factors such as systemic infrastructure neglect, which leads to regular infrastructure failures, water tankering has become a permanent feature of water service delivery in several municipalities.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), an institution I am part of, has been highly critical of water tankering. The SAHRC has flagged serious malpractices regarding the water tankering system, which has been subjected to manipulation and commercialisation.

We have also found that in certain instances, community members with connections and money receive regular water tanker delivery and supply at the expense of others. We have also found that long-term dependence on outsourced water tankering also places considerable pressure on already constrained municipal budgets, often reducing funds available for infrastructure rehabilitation.

The levels of manipulation and commercialisation of the water tankering system are shocking. In 2025, when I visited Mpumalanga, I engaged with a community which alleged that due to a lack of water in their taps, they had to buy water from private water vendors who charged, on average, R350 to supply 1,500 litres.

The community also alleged that some of the water sold by these private water vendors was municipal water. It was further alleged that these private water vendors sourced the water from the nearest water package plant. To verify these allegations, I decided to visit this water package plant, which is owned by the municipality.

âWater mafiasâ

During my visit, I witnessed a concerning phenomenon of water theft. From my observations and interactions with the responsible official, it came to light that private water vendors had been allowed unbridled and unfettered access to the water package plant, where they would draw water at no cost and then sell the water to households.

I was shocked to learn that this arrangement had been facilitated after these private water vendors had threatened to damage bulk water pipelines if they were not allowed access to the water package plant. These are not genuine people running a business; these are water mafias who have commercialised water, which is a human right and a public good.

Such practices do more than deny communities reliable access to water. They undermine public confidence in local government, erode trust in public institutions and reinforce perceptions that corruption has become entrenched in municipal service delivery.

The water mafia syndicate is not isolated to the area I visited; it is widespread. As I have previously written, my interactions with various municipalities have revealed that the phenomenon of water mafia is endemic and rife in all parts of South Africa. In a policy brief, we outlined how water mafias have embedded themselves in the water value chain, sacrificing access to water at the altar of personal economic gain.

Serious malpractices

We have made several recommendations aimed at addressing the serious malpractices in the water tankering system.

For instance, to foster accountability, we have recommended the instilling of proper record management when water tankers deliver water to communities.

We have also recommended that municipalities should consider buying their own water tankers as opposed to outsourcing this service. Municipalities should also harness technological innovations such as real-time surveillance systems and tracking applications to monitor the conduct and movement of water tankers.

Importantly, we have recommended that municipalities should move towards implementing permanent solutions to water service provision, utilising water tankers only in instances of emergency.

The Hungarian biochemist and Nobel Laureate Albert Szent-Györgyi once stated that âwater is lifeâs matter and matrix mother and medium. There is no life without waterâ.

Reforms

This tragic incident is a reminder that water is not a privilege, but is a fundamental human right without which no one can survive. Municipalities across the country should urgently institute reforms in the water tankering system and deal with the corruption and malfeasance that permeate the water tankering system.

National and provincial government departments should continue to exercise oversight over municipalities and ensure that municipalities invest in permanent water provision services.

It is now time to put into action and practice the National Water Action Plan, which is anchored on five pillars, including fostering municipal service delivery reforms and tackling rampant corruption and criminality in the water sector.

The reforms required are neither radical nor unattainable. With decisive political leadership, accountable municipal administration and effective oversight by national and provincial government, South Africa can restore water tankering to its intended role as an emergency intervention rather than a substitute for functioning water infrastructure.

There is certainly no human dignity when the daily lived reality of households and communities is to depend on water provided by means of tankering. Water should flow from the taps of households, not from the back of a water tanker. DM