The DA on Tuesday reiterated its demand for the immediate publication of the National Water Crisis Action Plan and its current implementation status, in whatever form it may exist, following a refusal by Parliament to debate the matter.

This escalation comes after the National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza denied a written request from the opposition party for an urgent Parliamentary debate regarding South Africa’s escalating drinking water supply crisis.

The DA’s push for an urgent debate stems from a commitment made in March by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Parliament, where he promised that a comprehensive water action plan would be ready by the end of March 2026. However, months later, no such plan has been made public.

The party stated that it cannot and will not accept a reality where millions of citizens continue to live with dry taps, dirty water flow, and long-term supply breakdowns affecting both homes and businesses across the country.

“Despite the DA’s information, which we got from the Presidency, showing that there is currently no Water Action Plan, the Speaker of the National Assembly has rejected our request for an urgent debate," said DA spokesperson on Water and Sanitation Stephen Moore. "The DA is of the opinion that the issue qualifies for such a debate because the President made a specific promise in Parliament, and Parliament must seek answers.”

Moore explained that the opposition is not looking for vague promises, but a clear, dated programme setting out explicit responsibilities, funding models, targets, and strict deadlines.

“Water is a constitutional right, not a communications exercise," Moore stressed. "The President’s lack of action shows the ANC’s attitude to water supply in South Africa. South Africans were promised a Water Crisis Plan to end dry taps in March, by the President. Continuous DA action has exposed that there is no ready plan to end their suffering.”

Moore further noted that holding the executive accountable is Parliament's foremost duty, yet the Speaker's decision suggests a preference for keeping South Africans waiting for answers rather than allowing Parliament to find them through open debate.

Compounding the issue, the President has reportedly failed to respond to a formal written question on the matter.

In response to the stonewalling, Moore announced that the opposition will be taking the matter a step further. "We will be pursuing the President's false promise to have a ready plan by March in the Executive Undertakings Committee, where the truth will come to the fore," Moore said.

The DA warned it won’t hesitate to haul the President before this committee to answer for his unfulfilled parliamentary commitments.