Billions of rands have been spent on unfinished water supply projects across South Africa, remaining incomplete years after their deadlines. Poor contractor performance is the main cause of these delays in nearly every case. Provinces like KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo suffer most from planning failures and funding issues.
A data visualisation reveals the extent of delays in South Africa's water infrastructure projects, where billions have been invested but many remain unfinished long past their original timelines. The analysis maps the worst-affected areas, detailing expenditures and underlying causes.
Poor performance by contractors and implementing agents emerges as the primary reason for delays, cited in almost all instances across provinces. In KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo, planning failures, irregularities, and funding constraints have prolonged projects for years. Community unrest, site intimidation, and vandalism frequently disrupt progress in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, and North West, often damaging completed work.
Gauteng faces mainly technical and procurement challenges, while the Western Cape's key desalination project is hampered by funding shortages and contractual disputes, distinct from broader planning issues elsewhere. These setbacks highlight systemic problems in water delivery, affecting residents who continue to experience shortages.
Images underscore the human impact: on 30 July 2024, residents queued for water in Swazi township, Daveyton; protests against shortages occurred in Westbury on 11 September 2025; and water tanks delivered supplies to Hammanskraal residents. The report, published on 26 October 2025 by Maverick Citizen, calls attention to these persistent failures in public infrastructure.