Key Takeaways
- President Cyril Ramaphosa urged municipalities to translate national progress on load‑shedding and logistics into tangible local service delivery that businesses and residents can feel.
- He warned that the water crisis is worsening, with more frequent interruptions and metros losing up to 50 % of purchased water before it can be billed.
- Structural reforms at the local level—cutting red tape, appointing officials on merit, and professionalising the public service—are essential to attract investment and expand the tax base.
- Continuous, lifelong training and upskilling of municipal workers are needed to build capable local governments.
- A coordinated response across national, provincial, and municipal spheres is required to diagnose and solve water and sanitation challenges.
- While access to piped water has risen from 61 % in 1990 to over 82 % in 2022, reliability has deteriorated, with interruptions lasting more than two days increasing from 24 % (2012) to 34 % (2024).
- Economic growth and job creation depend on effective municipal performance, not solely on policymaking at the Union Buildings.
Setting the Scene: President Ramaphosa’s Address at the PCC
President Cyril Ramaphosa opened the Extended President’s Coordinating Council (PCC) meeting at the Birchwood Hotel in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, on Wednesday, 30 April 2026. This gathering marked the first time the PCC had convened at this level since the President announced water‑crisis interventions in his February State of the Nation Address. Attendees included mayors, premiers, and senior officials from across the country. The President used the platform to stress that national achievements in easing load‑shedding and improving logistics must now be felt at the grassroots, with municipalities acting as the frontline of delivery.
Municipalities as Frontline Delivery Agents
Ramaphosa emphasized that municipalities must ensure that industrial parks receive reliable power, township streets are adequately lit, and businesses can operate with confidence. He argued that when local services function smoothly, the tax base and rate base expand, creating a virtuous cycle of revenue generation and reinvestment. By contrast, frequent outages, poor lighting, and unreliable water supply erode business confidence and deter both domestic and foreign investment. The President’s message was clear: the quality of municipal services directly influences the country’s economic prospects.
Cutting Red Tape to Unlock Investment
A major barrier to local economic vitality, according to the President, is bureaucratic red tape. He warned that unnecessary delays in permitting, licensing, and approval processes drive investment away and shut out entrepreneurs who are essential for job creation and local economic dynamism. Ramaphosa called for decisive action to streamline procedures, eliminate redundant requirements, and create a more business‑friendly environment at the municipal level. Such reforms, he said, would not only attract new investment but also help existing enterprises expand, thereby increasing municipal revenues.
Professionalising the Local Public Service
Turning to governance, Ramaphosa stressed the need to professionalise the public service at the local level. He asserted that appointments must be made on merit, not on political popularity or party affiliation. Merit‑based hiring, he argued, would improve efficiency, reduce corruption, and restore public trust in municipal institutions. Furthermore, he urged municipalities to invest in the continuous training and upskilling of their employees, describing this development as a lifelong process that equips workers to meet evolving service delivery challenges.
The Deepening Water Crisis: Statistics and Causes
The President devoted a significant portion of his address to the worsening water crisis. He noted that water interruptions are becoming more frequent and longer lasting, with the proportion of households experiencing interruptions exceeding two days rising from 24 % in 2012 to 34 % in 2024. The root causes, he said, include ageing infrastructure, illegal connections, poor maintenance, and institutional instability. Moreover, South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities collectively lose an average of 34 % of all water purchased before it can be billed, with some metros approaching a staggering 50 % non‑revenue water loss. Municipal debts to water boards have tripled between 2018 and 2025, underscoring the financial strain caused by these losses.
Historical Progress vs. Current Reliability Gaps
Ramaphosa contrasted the current situation with the progress made over the past three decades of democracy. According to the 2022 census, more than 82 % of households now have access to piped water inside their homes or yards, up from just 61 % in 1990. Despite this expansion in access, the reliability and quality of service have deteriorated. The increase in prolonged interruptions signals that while more people are connected to the network, the system’s ability to deliver water consistently has weakened. This disconnect between access and reliability demands urgent attention to infrastructure rehabilitation, maintenance regimes, and demand‑management strategies.
Need for Coordinated, Multi‑Sphere Response
Addressing the water crisis, the President called for a coordinated response across all three spheres of government—national, provincial, and municipal. He urged the PCC to move beyond diagnostics to develop concrete solutions that address the identified failure points: infrastructure renewal, curbing illegal connections, improving maintenance practices, and stabilising municipal institutions. Ramaphosa highlighted that the crisis did not emerge overnight and will not be resolved by a single intervention; instead, a comprehensive suite of actions targeting each area of failure is required. He expressed confidence that, with collective effort, the challenges can be overcome.
Conclusion: Municipal Effectiveness as Engine of Growth
In closing, Ramaphosa reminded the mayors that economic growth resides at the local level, not solely at the Union Buildings. He reiterated that municipalities must be effective drivers of growth and development, particularly economic growth, by ensuring reliable services, cutting red tape, professionalising staff, and investing in skills. The President’s appeal was a call to action: when municipalities perform well, businesses thrive, tax bases expand, and the nation moves closer to its goals of job creation, inclusive growth, and improved quality of life for all South Africans.