SA Calls for Stronger Private Sector Role in Water Crisis: SWPN Pushes for Coordinated Business Action

As South Africa grapples with mounting water security challenges, the Strategic Water Partnership Network (SWPN) has called for a more coordinated and active role from the private sector, urging businesses to step beyond isolated efforts and contribute to systemic water and sanitation reforms.

Speaking during a national ministerial webinar, Professor Mike Muller of Wits University, representing the private sector, emphasised that while major industrial water users are already engaged, a much broader base of businesses must be mobilised to address the country's growing water crisis.

Water Security: A Shared Economic and Social Priority

Muller highlighted that reliable water services are not only critical for industrial operations but also for communities that businesses depend on, making water security a shared responsibility across sectors.

"It is very important for us to mobilise and organise the private sector more effectively," he said, stressing that fragmented efforts must evolve into structured, large-scale collaboration.

Focused Action Under Resource Constraints

Despite operating with limited resources, SWPN has identified priority areas from the 2025 Water and Sanitation Indaba resolutions, focusing on interventions where it can deliver tangible outcomes.

These include:

• Improving delivery and implementation models

• Strengthening technical and operational capacity

• Building partnerships for water-sensitive and resilient communities

While acknowledging the importance of investment and anti-corruption measures, Muller stressed that the network is prioritising practical, outcome-driven initiatives.

"We need to be focused to be effective," he noted.

Institutional Framework Emerging, But Gaps Remain

South Africa is gradually building its water governance architecture, including the establishment of catchment management agencies. However, Muller pointed out that many businesses remain unclear about how and where to engage within these structures.

He said SWPN's water stewardship programmes aim to bridge this gap, particularly for large companies operating across multiple regions, by providing guidance and facilitating participation.

Scaling Successful Urban Models to Smaller Municipalities

In the urban water services space, collaborative models are already showing results in metros such as:

• eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality

• Gauteng region

These partnerships have created platforms for improving water security through joint action between government and business.

However, Muller emphasised that the next challenge lies in extending these models to smaller municipalities, where capacity constraints are more severe.

"We need to find ways to extend that kind of support to other municipalities and levels of local government," he said.

Tackling Non-Revenue Water and Systemic Inefficiencies

SWPN has played a key role over the past decade in reducing non-revenue water—losses due to leaks, theft, and inefficiencies—which remains a major issue in South Africa's water system.

While progress has been made, Muller stressed the need to institutionalise these gains through:

• Long-term management reforms

• Improved maintenance systems

• Stronger governance frameworks

"We must ensure that the progress we make is embedded in broader systems," he said.

Community-Level Partnerships Key to Sustainable Solutions

Muller underscored the importance of localised, community-driven approaches, encouraging businesses to collaborate with:

• Municipal authorities

• Civil society organisations

• Local stakeholders

Such partnerships, he said, are essential for addressing context-specific water and sanitation challenges and ensuring sustainable outcomes.

Toward a Unified National Response

The SWPN's broader vision is to create a cohesive, multi-stakeholder response involving government, private sector, academia, and civil society.

"The core purpose of SWPN is to strengthen meaningful collaboration between the private sector and government," Muller said, highlighting the need for greater coordination and alignment of efforts.

Scaling Impact Through Collaboration

Looking ahead, SWPN aims to expand its network and deepen private sector engagement to achieve greater scale and impact.

Muller concluded that a more organised and collaborative business response could significantly enhance South Africa's ability to tackle its water challenges.

"We believe we can achieve more coherence and more impact through a more organised and collaborative private sector response," he said.

A Critical Moment for Water Reform

With climate variability, infrastructure challenges, and rising demand placing increasing pressure on water resources, South Africa stands at a critical juncture.

The call for stronger private sector participation reflects a growing recognition that water security is not solely a government responsibility, but a shared national priority requiring collective action.