UDM BCMM on the Metro’s collapsing water and sanitation infrastructure
Statement by Anele Skoti, United Democratic Movement Councillor and Whip in Buffalo City Metropolitan Council
The United Democratic Movement (UDM) in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) is gravely alarmed by the recent revelations that only four of the Metro’s fifteen wastewater treatment plants are fully operational, with the rest either vandalised, unlicensed, or out of service.
The disclosure by the municipal manager that more than R10 billion will be needed over the next six years to rescue the metro’s failing water and sanitation systems confirms what residents have known and lived with for years: decades of neglect, poor maintenance, and mismanagement have pushed the metro into a full-blown crisis.
The UDM in the BCMM will not ignore the devastating reality confronting communities. Raw sewage running through streets and homes, foul odours in the air, and persistent health risks have become an everyday experience in many neighbourhoods. This is not only a humanitarian and environmental disaster but also a direct violation of the constitutional right to access clean water and a healthy environment.
The UDM in the BCMM notes the municipal manager’s proposal to seek private sector investment and public-private partnerships (PPPs). While innovative financing models must be considered, PPPs must not become a back door to privatisation or a mechanism for elites to enrich themselves while residents continue to suffer. Any partnership must be transparent, carefully structured, and rooted in protecting water and sanitation as a public good accessible to all.
The truth is that Buffalo City cannot solve this crisis on its own. National and provincial government must intervene decisively with financial, technical, and security support. Without this, the city risks further collapse, with dire consequences for residents, businesses, and future investment.
The UDM in the BCMM calls for:
• An immediate emergency plan to repair and secure wastewater treatment plants and sewage pump stations.
• The ringfencing of infrastructure budgets to ensure that money allocated is spent only on water and sanitation.
• Clear accountability for the decades of mismanagement and neglect that led to this collapse.
• Transparent and inclusive public engagement on any proposed PPP arrangements.
Buffalo City deserves better than this steady decline into dysfunction. The UDM in the BCMM will continue to hold the municipality and national government accountable until residents enjoy safe, reliable, and dignified water and sanitation services.
