Tulbagh, Western Cape – Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina has issued a stern warning against the vandalism of water infrastructure by so-called “water mafias,” stating that law enforcement will crack down on those who sabotage pipelines to profit from water tanker contracts.
The minister delivered the message during the official launch of the R113 million bulk water system in Tulbagh, a drought-prone community in the Western Cape. The project, a public-private partnership, will supply over 1.2 million cubic meters of water to approximately 10,000 households.
Majodina explained that while the region has abundant water from mountain snowmelt, storage has been a longstanding challenge. “There was not so much a scarcity of water, but rather a problem of storing it,” she said. After identifying a suitable site in 2007, authorities purchased a farm and constructed a dam with a capacity of 125,000 cubic meters as part of a multi-phase project.
The new system aims to alleviate water shortages that have delayed housing projects and strained the rapidly growing community. However, Majodina raised concerns over increasing vandalism of water infrastructure, allegedly by groups seeking to force municipalities to rely on private water tankers.
“We have agreed with the president that we will clamp down on these water mafias who deliberately vandalize infrastructure,” she declared. She urged communities to remain vigilant, stating that municipalities cannot monitor every area alone.
To combat the issue, Majodina said municipalities are being encouraged to procure their own water tankers, reducing opportunities for sabotage. Following the launch, she met with local residents, stressing that protecting the new infrastructure is now their shared responsibility.
The Tulbagh project marks a critical step in securing water access for the region, but its success hinges on safeguarding the system from those who seek to undermine it.
