SAFTU is seriously concerned about allegations of irregularities in Johannesburg Water’s 263-
million water tender. Reports by Amabhungane highlighted worrying allegations in awarding
a water tanker tender to two unknown companies, Nutinox and Builtpro Construction.
The investigation flags questions about the municipality’s lack of operational capacity,
questionable address claims, potential collusion and fronting, and overlooked reflags. If true,
these allegations suggest violations of the Public Finance Management Act(PFMA),
undermine public trust and could result in substantial financial losses.
Numerous areas around Johannesburg have experienced increased water shortages since
late last year. Johannesburg Water has attributed these water cut-offs to:
Ageing infrastructure: Inadequate maintenance of the city’s infrastructure over
decades has led to leaks and pipe bursts, disrupting the water supply.
Load shedding: scheduled power outages have adversely affected the operation of
water pumps and treatment facilities, resulting in inconsistent water supply
Overconsumption: excessive water usage by residents is a contributing factor, leading
to the implementation of daily restrictions to manage demand and facilitate
maintenance work
Maintenance projects: planned upgrades have necessitated temporary water supply
interruptions to improve long-term service reliability
While these explanations may be valid, they do not fully account for the severity and
widespread nature of the water crisis experienced by the city’s residents. This raises the
question: Could this crisis be an engineered ruse and a conspiracy against the public to
facilitate the elites’ profiteering?
The erosion of state capacity favouring the private sector through tenders has proven
inefficient and incentivised corruption. Water, the very source of life, is now the source of
profit at the expense of the city’s residents.
SAFTU has written to the Public Protector’s office to request an investigation into these
allegations. We will only be satisfied once all the facts are revealed and the perpetrators are
prosecuted if corruption exists.
