DA slams Magalies Water over Rustenburg water crisis

Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English by Luan Snyders

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Rustenburg expresses deep concern over the continued failure of Magalies Water to effectively manage and transparently communicate during the ongoing water supply crisis affecting Rustenburg and surrounding communities.

The DA is particularly concerned by:

• The absence of clear and consistent progress reports since the initial notice;
• The failure to provide a realistic timeline for restoring water supply;
• Poor coordination between Magalies Water, Rand Water and affected municipalities;
• An over-reliance on water tankers as a crisis response, without transparent reporting on deployment, coverage, and equitable distribution.

Magalies Water issued its first water interruption notice on 3 January 2026, citing a burst outlet pipe that caused flooding at the High-Lift Pump Station. However, residents received a second notice on 5 January 2026 containing virtually identical messaging, offering no meaningful update on repair progress, no confirmed restoration timelines, and no indication of accountability for the failure.

This absence of leadership and transparency has left residents to suffer unnecessarily. Communities continue to endure prolonged water outages while receiving generic and repetitive communication instead of factual, time-bound updates that allow households and businesses to plan accordingly.

While water tankers may offer short-term relief, they are not a substitute for competent infrastructure management, decisive leadership, and transparent communication. Residents deserve honest updates on what work has been completed, what challenges remain, and when normal water supply can reasonably be expected to resume.

The Democratic Alliance calls on Magalies Water to immediately:

1. Issue daily public progress updates containing verifiable technical information;
2. Provide a clear, realistic, and publicly communicated restoration timeline;
3. Clarify whether this failure poses further risks to bulk water supply stability in the region;
4. Ensure proper coordination with municipalities to guarantee fair, monitored, and transparent distribution of water tankers.

Water is a basic service and a constitutional right. Rustenburg residents should not be left in the dark while critical bulk infrastructure failures persist and accountability remains absent.

The DA will continue to exercise strict oversight and will pursue formal accountability measures should Magalies Water’s lack of transparency, coordination and leadership continue.