Category: Service Delivery

South Africa turned the corner on load shedding — and now the same focused, can-do approach is being applied to water. President Cyril Ramaphosa has unveiled a National Water Action Plan to secure a reliable supply of quality water for every community, backed by new investment, practical reforms and dedicated implementation teams.

The plan was released on Thursday following a meeting of the National Water Crisis Committee (WATERCOM) at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. It sets out short, medium and long-term interventions to strengthen water supply for municipalities, communities and businesses across the country.

The Energy Turnaround Playbook, Applied to Water

President Ramaphosa drew a direct line between the plan and the country’s successful energy recovery.

“By acting boldly and decisively to improve the performance of Eskom and reform our energy system, we were able to end load shedding and achieve a secure and reliable energy supply. Now, we are applying the same approach to water,” the President said, describing the plan as a “clear, practical and focused approach” to achieving water security for all South Africans.

WATERCOM, which the President chairs, was established after the 2026 State of the Nation Address. It brings together government departments, public agencies and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), and will meet regularly to oversee implementation and hold departments and agencies accountable for delivery.

What the Plan Delivers

Key measures in the National Water Action Plan include:

• Increased investment in bulk water and distribution infrastructure, including through private-sector participation
• Legal and regulatory reforms to improve municipal water services
• Ring-fencing of water revenues, so money collected for water is reinvested in maintaining and upgrading water infrastructure
• Mobilising resources, technical expertise and new partnerships to stabilise water systems, restore services and expand access
• Dedicated teams appointed to drive implementation and accelerate results

The ring-fencing reform is particularly significant. It ensures that every rand paid for water services goes back into pipes, pumps, treatment works and the skilled people who keep them running — creating a virtuous cycle of investment and reliability.

Built on Consultation, Focused on Delivery

According to the Presidency, the plan was developed through extensive consultations across all three spheres of government and with key stakeholders. WATERCOM will now work hand-in-hand with municipalities to bring in resources, technical expertise and new partnerships, with clearer accountability for how water systems are managed and financed.

For households and businesses, the message is one of confidence: the same national resolve that restored a secure, reliable energy supply is now flowing into water. With a practical plan on the table, dedicated teams in place and the President personally chairing the oversight committee, South Africa has set itself firmly on the path to water security for all.

Reporting based on information from SAnews.gov.za.

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Ordinary South Africans are getting a bigger door into the justice system: from 1 August 2026, the monetary jurisdiction of the country’s Small Claims Courts rises from R20 000 to R30 000 – the first increase in seven years, and a practical boost for access to justice.

Small Claims Courts offer a simple, affordable and efficient way for citizens to resolve civil disputes without needing to hire a lawyer. Raising the ceiling by 50% means far more everyday disputes can now be settled quickly and cheaply in what the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development calls “the people’s court”.

Justice that does not depend on your wallet

Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Andries Nel said the reform strengthens government’s constitutional commitment to equality before the law, ensuring access to legal recourse depends on the merits of a dispute, not a citizen’s financial standing.

“By increasing the monetary jurisdiction to R30 000, we are enabling more South Africans to enforce their rights without having to embark on costly and time-consuming litigation,” Nel said.

He added that the measure forms part of a broader programme to build a people-centred justice system that is accessible, affordable, efficient and responsive – and noted its symbolism in the year South Africa marks the 30th anniversary of its Constitution.

“Small Claims Courts demonstrate that justice does not have to be expensive or complicated to be effective. They ensure that ordinary people can resolve everyday disputes fairly, speedily and with dignity,” he said.

The people’s court, by the numbers

The reach of the system is remarkable. South Africa has 418 Small Claims Courts, and over the past financial year some 36 000 cases with a combined value of R257 million were registered. In the first quarter of the current financial year alone, 8 825 cases have been registered, with total claims of R64 million.

The courts hear a wide range of everyday civil matters, including:

• Unpaid loans and personal debt recovery.
• Consumer claims over faulty products or incomplete contractor work.
• Vehicle-related disputes, such as damage from poor repairs or minor accidents.
• Claims relating to goods, delivery of property and credit agreements.

How to use it – and what comes next

Anyone wishing to lodge a claim can approach the Clerk of the nearest Small Claims Court, situated at a Magistrates’ Court, for help completing and serving the necessary documents. Matters are presided over by Commissioners – practising attorneys, advocates, legal academics, Legal Aid South Africa attorneys and magistrates – who give their services pro bono in the public interest.

And the good news may not stop here: the department says further incremental increases to the limit will be considered in the near future, according to the announcement reported by SAnews.

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South Africa is accelerating its drive to build a digital-first Department of Home Affairs, with expanded access to identity services, a growing electronic travel authorisation system and a wave of reforms designed to cut red tape and position the department as an engine of economic growth.

Speaking at the Xpatweb Annual Global Mobility Conference this week, Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber said the department has moved beyond planning and is now squarely focused on implementation – turning Home Affairs into an economic enabler that supports investment, tourism, critical skills and growth.

More than 422 000 applications through bank branches

At the heart of the transformation is the Home Affairs @ home reform programme, which uses technology to decentralise access to government services so that people no longer need to travel to a Home Affairs office for routine documents.

A partnership with the banking sector now allows South Africans to apply for Smart ID Cards at participating bank branches without paperwork or appointments. According to Schreiber, an impressive 422 119 applications have already been processed through the partnership in just over four months.

The number of locations where citizens can obtain replacement Smart IDs has leapt from 214 Home Affairs offices to 541 sites, and more than 750 bank branches are expected to offer the services by the end of the year. Remarkably, the Minister said this expansion has been achieved without additional staff, budget or cost to taxpayers.

What is coming next

The good news does not stop there. By the end of the year, the department expects that:

• Passports and first-time Smart ID applications for adults and minors will become available at participating bank branches;
• Citizens will have the option of having their IDs and passports delivered by courier straight to their homes;
• The expansion of Smart ID services will pave the way for phasing out the old green identity document, strengthening protection against fraud and identity theft.

Cutting red tape for skills and investment

Schreiber also announced the expansion of the department’s Trusted Employer Scheme, which streamlines visa processes for employers. The scheme has been broadened to include major infrastructure projects, companies establishing headquarters in South Africa and the financial services sector, with reduced red tape and greater digitalisation making participation easier than ever. Interested companies have until 4 September to apply.

Together with the growing electronic travel authorisation system, the reforms aim to make it simpler for tourists, investors and skilled professionals to choose South Africa – while giving citizens dignified, convenient access to the documents that unlock daily life.

For millions of South Africans, the queue at dawn outside a Home Affairs office is fast becoming a memory. In its place: a quick visit to the local bank, a courier at the door, and a government service that comes to you. That is service delivery worth celebrating. The full story is available from SAnews.

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Across the Western Cape’s mountain passes and farming valleys, repair crews are hard at work reconnecting communities – and the province’s roads are steadily coming back to life. Premier Alan Winde has assured residents and farmers that a temporary crossing at the Smalblaar Bridge near Rawsonville will be in place before the end of the year, one of several encouraging milestones in the province’s sweeping road restoration programme.

The Premier saw the progress first-hand during a two-day oversight visit to the Central Karoo and Cape Winelands districts on 16 and 17 July 2026, meeting infrastructure teams and farming communities along the way.

Restoring a Lifeline for Rawsonville

The Smalblaar Bridge is a vital transport link for farms, residents and businesses in the Rawsonville area. While its permanent restoration is expected to take more than 12 months, the interim crossing will restore access much sooner – welcome news for the local farming community, who met with the Premier to discuss the reconstruction plans.

“These bridges and passes enable businesses to thrive and residents to access opportunities,” Winde said. “I understand their importance and am focused on ensuring we get safe solutions in place as quickly as possible.”

Progress in the Passes

There is momentum in the Karoo too. The Swartberg Pass, closed after severe weather earlier this year, reopened in June following emergency repairs – and Department of Infrastructure officials briefed the Premier at the Teeberg Lookout Point on the restoration work still under way.

At Meiringspoort, the spectacular route linking De Rust and Klaarstroom through 20 river crossings, restoration teams have already begun work from the De Rust side. A temporary route is expected to be completed by December 2026, operating under access controls while the full rebuild continues.

Winde urged road users to support the effort by following road signs and heeding warnings, noting that heavy vehicles such as semi-trailers and trucks should use alternative routes via Laingsburg or Willowmore rather than the Swartberg Pass, which was never designed for them.

Teams in Every District

The Premier reserved special praise for the men and women doing the work on the ground, with restoration teams active in just about every district of the province.

“The Western Cape road network connects communities, businesses and families, driving growth and jobs in every town and city,” he said. “There are people on site across the province restoring roads and other public infrastructure. Thank you for the hard work. We have a long way to go still, but we are moving in the right direction.”

With regular progress briefings scheduled and further oversight visits planned, the province is keeping its foot on the accelerator. For the farmers of Rawsonville, the towns of the Klein and Groot Karoo and every traveller who loves these iconic passes, each reopened route is a road back to opportunity.

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Rural KwaZulu-Natal had double reason to celebrate this Mandela Day weekend as Deputy President Paul Mashatile unveiled the Babanango Community Water Supply Scheme and the Msinga Borehole Water Supply Intervention, bringing clean, reliable water to communities that have waited years for it.

The launches took place on Saturday, 18 July 2026, at the start of the Mandela Day Water Services Project and Acceleration Programme for unserved communities, SAnews reported. The Deputy President was accompanied by Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo.

Engineering Dignity in Babanango

The Babanango Water Supply Scheme is a substantial piece of rural infrastructure. It combines protected spring water sources, a borehole backup system, a water treatment plant, reservoirs, pipelines and distribution infrastructure to supply up to 500 000 litres of treated water a day to surrounding communities.

“Water is a fundamental human right enshrined in our Constitution. When a community has no access to clean and reliable water, it is denied more than a basic service; it is denied dignity, opportunity and the full enjoyment of its constitutional rights,” Deputy President Mashatile said.

Through the scheme, he said, government is declaring that access to water “cannot be a privilege enjoyed by some; but must be a reality for all”.

“We are saying that no community is too remote, too small or too poor to be affected by development. We bring hope where there has been doubt, dignity where there has been struggle, and opportunity where there have been obstacles,” he said.

27 Projects Across the Province

The Babanango and Msinga schemes were the centrepiece of a much wider effort. As part of the Mandela Day programme, government also symbolically launched and handed over 27 decentralised water supply interventions across KwaZulu-Natal.

The Deputy President said the projects demonstrate the value of cooperation between national, provincial and local government, traditional leaders and communities under the District Development Model, which coordinates planning across all spheres of government to speed up service delivery.

The rollout forms part of the National Water Access Acceleration Programme, which is expanding access to safe and reliable water for unserved and underserved communities through borehole development, spring protection, rainwater harvesting and the rehabilitation of existing water schemes, supported by the Water Services Infrastructure Grant.

“These interventions are helping us to reach communities more quickly while building long-term resilience and sustainability,” Mashatile said.

Honouring Madiba Through Action

Falling on Nelson Mandela International Day, the launch was framed as a practical tribute to Madiba’s legacy — improving lives through concrete action rather than words alone.

The Deputy President urged residents to take ownership of their new infrastructure so that it serves generations to come. “The sustainability of projects such as this one depends on community ownership and active participation. We must protect this infrastructure so that future generations can continue to benefit from these important investments,” he said.

For the families of Babanango and Msinga, the message of the day was simple and life-changing: clean water is no longer a distant hope, but a tap within reach.

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For the rural community of Mbimbini in northern KwaZulu-Natal, crossing a river will soon no longer be a daily gamble. Public Works and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala will on Monday hand over two completed Welisizwe bridges in the Ulundi Local Municipality, the latest milestone in one of government’s most practical rural infrastructure programmes.

The two bridges are located at Mbimbini, a rural settlement and traditional authority area within the Ulundi Local Municipality, SAnews reports.

A R3.3 Billion Promise Being Kept

The Welisizwe Rural Bridges Programme was announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the 2023 State of the Nation Address, when government set aside R3.3 billion to roll out bridges across six provinces. The aim is simple and life-changing: to connect rural communities safely to schools, clinics, shops and work opportunities that rivers and streams have long cut off, especially in the rainy season.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the programme set a target of 51 bridges. To date, 41 have been completed, while a further 14 are currently under construction, keeping the province firmly on track.

More Than Steel and Concrete

Each Welisizwe bridge is a small structure with an outsized impact. For schoolchildren, it means no more missed classes when the water rises. For families, it means ambulances, delivery vehicles and taxis can reach the doorstep. For local economies, it means goods and people can move safely all year round.

The handover ceremony at Mbimbini will bring together several arms of the state. Joining Deputy Minister Zikalala will be Defence and Military Veterans Deputy Minister Richard Mkhungo, whose department’s engineers have been central to the programme’s delivery, along with Ulundi Local Municipality Speaker Senzosenkosi Buthelezi and other dignitaries.

The involvement of the Department of Defence and Military Veterans alongside Public Works reflects the programme’s distinctive delivery model, in which state capacity is pooled to get bridges built quickly and cost-effectively in terrain that private contractors often find difficult to reach.

Rural Infrastructure That Reaches People

The Welisizwe programme has become a standout example of what focused, well-targeted public investment can achieve in rural South Africa. Rather than waiting for large-scale projects that can take a decade to materialise, the programme delivers compact steel bridges where they are needed most, one river crossing at a time.

The choice of Mbimbini also matters. Traditional authority areas like this one are often the last to see infrastructure spending, and the sight of two completed bridges being formally handed to the community sends a clear signal that the programme is reaching the places it was designed for, not just the easy wins near main roads.

With 41 bridges already carrying foot and vehicle traffic across KwaZulu-Natal and more on the way, Monday’s handover at Mbimbini is another quiet but meaningful step towards a province where no community is left stranded on the wrong side of the river.

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Hammanskraal’s long wait for safe tap water is ending. President Cyril Ramaphosa officially commissions the Klipdrift 50-megalitre-per-day Package Water Treatment Plant as part of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Mandela Day programme — a milestone moment for a community that has campaigned for clean water for years.

The fully operational facility will pump an additional 50 megalitres of treated, potable water per day into the City of Tshwane’s distribution network, benefiting an estimated 47,550 households — about 180,679 residents — in Hammanskraal and surrounding communities.

From crisis to comeback

The Klipdrift plant forms part of the Hammanskraal Emergency Water Supply Intervention, implemented by Magalies Water under the direction of the Department of Water and Sanitation after the water quality crisis of 2023. The department says the project demonstrates government’s rapid response to that emergency, an effective partnership between the department, Magalies Water and the City of Tshwane, and the successful deployment of innovative package water treatment technology at scale.

The build was also a local jobs engine: construction generated 169 employment opportunities, including permanent, skilled and local labour positions, while 18 small, medium and micro enterprises participated in the implementation. Sixty local community members benefited directly through project employment initiatives.

Boreholes for schools and villages

Alongside the big plant, President Ramaphosa and Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina are handing over a cluster of decentralised groundwater supply schemes in Hammanskraal, delivered through the Rand Water Foundation. The borehole-based systems are located at Kekana Community Hall, Botlhokwa bja Bana, Suurman Ridge Unit 5, Mashemong Section 5 and Lepheng Village.

Each scheme includes a production borehole, elevated storage tanks, communal water collection points and treatment systems designed to meet the minimum drinking water quality requirements of South African National Standard (SANS) 241. Together they are expected to improve access to safe drinking water for more than 1,400 households and learners in the area.

Part of a national wave

The Gauteng handovers form part of the national launch of 67 decentralised groundwater supply schemes across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape in celebration of Mandela Day, under the National Water Access Acceleration Programme. The programme targets more than 2,600 unserved settlements nationwide, with more than R200 million allocated to its first phase and further phases planned for October 2026 and April 2027, the department said via SAnews.

For Hammanskraal, the message is simple and sweet: the taps are flowing again, and this time the infrastructure behind them is built to last.

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South Africa marks Mandela Day 2026 with one of the most practical gifts a government can give: clean, safe drinking water. On Saturday, 18 July, the Department of Water and Sanitation launches 67 decentralised water supply projects across Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, bringing reliable taps and standpipes to communities that have waited far too long for them.

The projects form the first phase of the department’s National Water Access Acceleration Programme, a national drive to fast-track water services to more than 2,600 unserved settlements across the country. President Cyril Ramaphosa, Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina and Minister in the Presidency Maropene Ramokgopa are leading handover ceremonies in the three provinces.

Springs, boreholes and 42 kilometres of pipeline in KwaZulu-Natal

In KwaZulu-Natal, Deputy President Mashatile and Deputy Minister David Mahlobo are officially handing over 27 decentralised water supply schemes, headlined by the Babanango Community Water Supply Scheme and the Msinga Borehole Water Supply Intervention in the uMzinyathi District.

The Babanango project is a small marvel of engineering: protected natural springs, a borehole backup system and a 0.5-megalitre-per-day package water treatment plant, connected to approximately 42 kilometres of pipelines, reservoirs and communal standpipes. It delivers treated drinking water to communities including Ngwebeni, Enkanini, Nkonjane, Nhlengile and Nkangala, and created jobs and skills development opportunities during construction.

The Msinga intervention links nine borehole-based schemes serving remote rural communities, replacing unsafe water sources and the long daily walks many residents once made to collect water. Together, the two KwaZulu-Natal flagship projects are expected to improve water security for more than 8,000 residents.

Eastern Cape village project finished ahead of schedule

In the Eastern Cape, Minister Ramokgopa launches the Mncwasa Water Supply Scheme in the OR Tambo District. The R4.4 million project upgraded an existing groundwater system, rehabilitated pumping infrastructure, laid nearly seven kilometres of new reticulation pipelines and added communal standpipes for approximately 510 residents of Mncwasa and Mbhozisa villages.

Best of all, the department confirmed the project was completed ahead of schedule — proof that well-run local infrastructure delivery is alive and well.

125,000 people better off, with more phases to come

More than R200 million has been allocated to Phase One of the programme, which combines borehole drilling, groundwater development, spring protection, rainwater harvesting and the rehabilitation of existing infrastructure. Altogether, the 67 groundwater interventions are expected to benefit an estimated 125,986 people across the three provinces.

And this is only the beginning: further implementation phases are planned for October 2026 and April 2027, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation via SAnews. For thousands of families, Mandela Day 2026 will be remembered as the day clean water finally arrived — a fitting tribute to Madiba’s call to serve.

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For the residents of Daggakraal in Mpumalanga, government services are coming to them – no long taxi rides, no queues in faraway towns. Minister of Social Development Dina Pule leads an Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme (ICROP) at the Daggakraal 3 Sports Ground on Friday, bringing a full basket of government and social services directly to the community.

The outreach, in the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality, forms part of Mandela Month activities and takes place a day before International Nelson Mandela Day on 18 July, observed this year under the theme “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity,” SAnews reports.

Services under one roof

ICROP is one of the South African Social Security Agency’s flagship service delivery initiatives, designed to improve access to essential services by bringing them closer to communities. According to the Department of Social Development, the model cuts travel costs, reduces waiting times and puts a wide variety of services in one place.

Residents can expect help with, among others:

• Social grant applications and enquiries;
• Employment and career guidance;
• Information on bursaries, student funding and learnerships;
• Entrepreneurship and small business (SMME) support;
• Social work services and referrals, including support for vulnerable residents;
• Registration and support services for civil society organisations.

Twenty years of SASSA

The Daggakraal event carries extra meaning this year: it forms part of SASSA’s 20th anniversary celebrations, marking two decades of providing social assistance and advancing social protection for millions of South Africans.

“The engagement presents an opportunity not only to celebrate this important milestone but also to reaffirm government’s commitment to bringing services closer to the people and strengthening service delivery,” the department said.

In keeping with Mandela Month, the programme focuses on poverty alleviation, skills development, entrepreneurship, support for small businesses, the inclusion of persons with disabilities and programmes promoting social cohesion.

Listening first, then delivering

Pule will be joined by Mpumalanga MEC for Social Development Nompumelelo Hlophe, along with municipal and traditional leaders. Before the main programme, the delegation visits local community development initiatives and holds a community engagement session where residents can raise the issues that matter to them – followed by on-site delivery of services by participating departments and stakeholder organisations.

It is service delivery the way communities like it best: close to home, joined-up and personal – exactly the spirit Mandela Day asks of all of us.

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There were smiles and celebrations in the North West this week as families in Ventersdorp received the keys to brand-new homes and beneficiaries in Maquassi Hills were handed the title deeds that make them property owners at last.

Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane, accompanied by North West MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs Gaoage Molapisi and local mayors, handed over the houses during a two-day visit to the province focused on housing delivery and engaging communities on human settlements programmes.

2 500 new homes on the way

The Ventersdorp handover forms part of a housing project expected to deliver 2 500 units by October 2026 – a development that will transform the lives of thousands of residents.

“We promised people that we will finish the houses on time, and we should keep that promise,” Simelane said, underlining government’s commitment to delivering for communities.

Title Deeds Fridays turn tenants into owners

In the Maquassi Hills Local Municipality, the delegation handed over title deeds to beneficiaries under the Title Deeds Fridays campaign – a drive to give homeowners the legal proof of ownership that unlocks real economic power.

The North West government aims to transfer 2 450 title deeds to qualifying beneficiaries during the 2026/27 financial year.

Simelane said the transfer of title deeds remains essential to restoring dignity, providing security of tenure and promoting economic inclusion. A title deed means a family’s home can be passed to their children, used as security, and stands as a permanent asset – turning a house into generational wealth.

Funding lined up to accelerate delivery

MEC Molapisi said funding allocated to the province through the Human Settlements Development Grant and the Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership Grant will be used to accelerate housing delivery and improve living conditions for communities in need across the province.

Simelane added that government remains committed to directing resources towards the programmes with the greatest social impact – and for the new homeowners of Ventersdorp and Maquassi Hills, that impact is already a lived reality: a front door of their own, and a piece of paper that says this is mine.

The handovers were reported by SAnews.gov.za.

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