Delmas water crisis is man-made while VKLM’s over half a billion debt mounts

Delmas– About five surrounding communities — Botleng, Sundra, Eloff, Rietkol, and Delpark — have had to endure weeks of unreliable water supply, standing in early-morning queues with buckets and containers while their taps remain dry.

While the Victor Khanye Local Municipality (VKLM) continues, without fail, to collect water rates in the ranges of R900-R1,000, it fails to service its own water debt.

The municipality is grappling with failing water infrastructure, inequitable distribution systems, and growing public frustration. Despite repeated requests for comment and formal questions sent regarding water shortages, council meeting minutes, and financial documents, the VKLM has largely remained silent, leaving residents, small business owners grappling with the crisis on their own.

For ordinary families, life without water is a daily struggle. In Eloff, resident Elize Swanepoel said, “It’s hard to stay without water for days, even weeks. When my JoJo tank is empty, I struggle to get water from the tanker. It’s a constant challenge.”

It also appears that VKLM is facing criticisms on social media. One Facebook user lamented: “In spite of our timely monthly payments, we are repeatedly denied access to this vital service and our children’s education suffers because they do not have clean clothes. The water often comes back only when we are not home and disappears again by the time we return.”

Life without water

Local enterprises have been severely impacted. At Megalo Car Wash in Ward 2, owners Mbongiseni Ngubane and Jabulani Mahlangu reported going three weeks without water, forcing them to hire a bakkie to fetch water from the Delmas Fire Department.

“We are losing a lot of money because when there is enough water, we wash many cars. But without water, it’s very little. Hiring a bakkie is costly and unsustainable,” said Ngubane.

Over the weekend of 7-9 November 2025, the hospital reportedly operated without water, creating a hygienic and health crisis for both patients and staff. Toilets could not flush, patients were unable to bathe and the lack of sanitation forced some patients to relieve themselves in unsafe conditions, further worsening the hospital environment.

About two weeks ago, on 10 November 2025, Samuel Bernice Hospital staff engaged in a march regarding persistent water shortages affecting patient care. Despite the recurrence of the crisis, municipal officials again failed to engage meaningfully with the workers. When the hospital workers arrived at the municipal offices to raise their concerns, security guards were instructed to lock the gates, preventing any direct communication.

Only after the march took place did the municipality dispatch four water trucks to the hospital, a temporary measure that did little to address the long-standing structural problems that triggered both this year’s and last year’s demonstrations.

Patients arriving for care were directly impacted by the protest. Xoli Mabena, who came early in the morning, said he could not receive assistance as nurses were away.

Patient John Mofokeng added that the water shortage continues to delay access to care, affecting the hospital’s ability to serve the community effectively.

The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) issued a communique on 14 October 2025 expressing concern over the persistent water shortages at public health facilities, urging the municipality to provide consistent water supply to ensure patient safety and maintain hygienic conditions.

The situation underscores the urgent need for the municipality to ensure reliable water supply at public health facilities to maintain safe and hygienic conditions for patients and staff.

Rand Water points to municipal failures

Rand Water confirmed that VKLM owes R515,399,368.91 in outstanding bulk water payments accumulated over more than five years, earning the municipality the designation of a “habitual defaulter.”

Critically, Rand Water clarified that it has not restricted supply, indicating that shortages result from internal municipal mismanagement rather than external supply constraints.

Despite a repayment plan signed in August 2025, it remains unclear whether meaningful payments have been made. Rand Water reported repeated escalations to provincial and national authorities without resolution.

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA) confirmed that VKLM rehabilitated boreholes capable of producing 3 million litres per day (ML/d), but the municipality still requires approximately 10 ML/d to adequately supply all residents.

CoGHSTA noted that VKLM’s water treatment plant is “not optimally functional,” limiting the municipality’s ability to process borehole water and maintain adequate pressure across the network.

Shortages disproportionately affect outlying communities, while Delmas town receives relatively uninterrupted supply.

The department highlighted significant water losses estimated at over 40% due to aging infrastructure, vandalism, illegal connections and poor maintenance. Large volumes of treated water never reach paying customers, further exacerbating shortages and operational costs.

VKLM’s flawed water distribution system

VKLM’s water system demonstrates structural inequality. CoGHSTA confirmed that Delmas town receives direct supply from Rand Water, while Botleng, Eloff, Sundra, and Rietkol rely on secondary pipelines, boreholes and the underperforming treatment plant.

“Town areas have reliable supply because the water supply from Rand Water mostly supplies the town,” CoGHSTA explained. Residents describe the disparity as “infrastructure apartheid,” leaving peripheral communities with chronic shortages and a sense of neglect.

Despite some of the highest water and rates charges in the district, VKLM remains unable to pay bulk water suppliers, maintain infrastructure, or distribute services equitably.

Highveld Chronicle submitted formal questions to VKLM regarding water shortages, council meeting minutes, and financial records. Repeated follow-ups received no response, raising serious concerns about transparency and governance.

During the Taking the Legislature to the People (TLP) session on 11 November 2025, Executive Mayor Vusi Buda, addressed the crisis. He stated that VKLM requires 26,3 ML/d to adequately supply all communities, but currently produces 3.5 ML/d from boreholes and can purchase only 7,7 ML/d from Rand Water due to debt constraints. This leaves a daily shortfall exceeding 15 ML/d.

Mayor Buda emphasised that if all residents paid their municipal accounts, VKLM could afford 19,7 ML/d from Rand Water, significantly improving supply. He encouraged residents genuinely unable to pay to register on the municipality’s Indigent List for social support. While this explains the shortfall, it also underscores VKLM’s reliance on payments and raises questions about long-term planning and infrastructure management.

Political pressure mounts

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for urgent intervention. In a statement on 09 October 2025, DA Caucus Leader Diane Bath criticised VKLM’s mismanagement. “The municipality’s failure to service its R500 million debt with Rand Water continues to affect supply in Delmas, Sundra, Eloff, and Rietkol. Residents are subjected to dry taps and forced to seek alternative water sources at a heightened cost.”

The party has urged provincial authorities to place VKLM under administration, citing years of negligence that directly contributed to current shortages.

The Delmas water crisis is neither accidental nor caused by external supply constraints. It is a man-made disaster arising from financial mismanagement, crumbling infrastructure, governance failures, and unequal distribution prioritising some communities over others.