UMnyango Wezamanzi Nokuhlanzeka waseNingizimu Afrika uqinisekisile ukuthi izwe lidinga ukusebenzisa imali engaphezu kwezigidigidi ezingama-R90 minyaka yonke eminyakeni eyishumi ezayo ukulungisa nokuthuthukisa ingqalasizinda yamanzi ekhona, njengoba ukugcinwa kwayo sekufinyelele ku-R400 billion komasipala abathinteke kakhulu. Imininingwane yomnyango ikhombisa ukuthi imindeni engaphezu kwezigidi eziyi-1.1 ayikakwazi ukuthola amanzi ahlanzekile, kuyilapho cishe ingxenye yawo wonke amanzi kamasipala elahleka ngaphambi kokufinyelela kubathengi ngenxa yokuvuza, amamitha angasebenzi kahle, noma ukuxhumeka okungekho emthethweni.

Izinga Lokubhidlika Kwengqalasizinda Nesevisi

Imibiko yoMnyango ye-No Drop ka-2022 kanye no-2023 ithole ukuthi i-47% yamanzi kamasipala manje isilahlekile ngenxa yalokho okubizwa ngokuthi 'amanzi angenayo imali', okubangelwa amapayipi avuzayo, amamitha angathembekile noma alahlekile, ukuxhumeka okungekho emthethweni, kanye nezinhlelo zokukhokha ezingezinhle. UMnyango ukhomba omasipala abayi-105 njengabenza kahle 'ababucayi' noma 'ababi' ekuhlolweni kwawo kwakamuva kwe-Blue, Green, kanye ne-No Drop, lapho ingqalasizinda eyisisekelo kanye nezindinganiso zekhwalithi yamanzi kungahlangatshezwana njalo.

Ekhuluma ngoFebhuwari 2026, uNgqongqoshe Wezamanzi Nokuhlanzeka uPemmy Majodina wathi, “Njengoba sipompa amanzi, ingqalasizinda ibolile. Amanzi ayavuza futhi amanzi ahlanziwe, okumele afinyelele emakhaya, ageleza emigwaqweni.” UMongameli uCyril Ramaphosa naye wavuma ngesikhathi ekhuluma kazwelonke ngoJulayi 2026 ukuthi uhulumeni wehlulekile ukugcina izinsizakalo zamanzi, ethi, “Eziningi kakhulu izifundazwe, uhulumeni akaphumelelanga ekugcinweni kwengqalasizinda, ukuphatha izinsizakalo zamanzi ngendlela efanele kanye nokuphendula ngokushesha okwanele. Izingxenye zezwe lethu zibhekene nokuntuleka kwamanzi okubi kakhulu kanye nekhwalithi yamanzi ewohlokayo.”

Imiphumela Yezezimali, Yezenhlalo, Neyezepolitiki

I-South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) ixwayise ngokuthi ukwehluleka ukubhekana nohlelo lwamanzi oluwohlokayo kuzoba nemiphumela ebanzi kwezomnotho nakwezempilo, lapho imiphakathi ibhekene nokuntuleka okungapheli kanye nekhwalithi yamanzi ewohlokayo. Isidingo samanzi siyaqhubeka nokukhula ngenxa yokucindezeleka kwabantu, kuyilapho ukuguquka kwesimo sezulu kuletha kokubili isomiso kanye nezikhukhula, okwenza kube nzima kakhulu izinhlelo ezingenazo izinsiza ezanele.

Naphezu kokuqashelwa okukhulu kwale nkinga, ochwepheshe be-SAICE kanye nomkhakha wamanzi bathi ukungenelela kukahulumeni kuze kube manje akwanele ukulingana nokutshalwa kwezimali kwaminyaka yonke okudingekayo ukuze kulungiswe amashumi eminyaka okungabikho kokunakekelwa kahle. Abaqapheli baphawula ukuthi omasipala abathinteka kakhulu bavame ukungabi namandla noma izinsiza zokwenza okuthile, okwandisa amathuba okuba kube nokuphazamiseka kwesikhathi esizayo kanye nokwanda kokungalingani uma ukulethwa kwezinsizakalo kungathuthuki.

UMnyango ungaphansi kwengcindezi yokukhipha uhlelo oluningiliziwe ekupheleni konyaka oluzobhekana nokungenelela okuphuthumayo kwengqalasizinda kanye nokunikeza izibuyekezo ngekhwalithi kanye nokuvama kokuhlinzekwa kwamanzi ezingeni likamasipala.