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President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed what residents experience every day: eThekwini’s water system has failed.

According to the President, more than 44% of eThekwini households experience water outages lasting two days or longer—the highest proportion among South Africa’s major metros.

This is an extraordinary admission from the leader of the party that has governed eThekwini for decades.

The ANC cannot present itself as the solution to a crisis it created through years of neglected infrastructure, failed planning and weak management.

Today, eThekwini has approximately 13,000 active leaks and loses an estimated 21 billion litres of treated water every month. Communities are left waiting for tankers while clean water runs into streets and rivers.

Now, days before the election, the President promises another plan and another government intervention.

Residents have heard these promises before. What they need are repaired pipes, reliable water and officials who are held accountable for meeting public targets.

The DA’s Water Recovery Plan is ready. We will ring-fence water revenue, rebuild and repair infrastructure, recruit the necessary technical skills and publish measurable targets so residents can track delivery.

The crisis is no longer disputed. The President himself has confirmed its scale.

The DA is the only party to have presented an evidence-based, costed water recovery plan. Our city cannot endure another 5 years of failed experiments, and ongoing audits.

On 4 November, voters have the opportunity to vote for a party that can end this crisis.

Stop the chaos. Start service delivery. Vote DA.

Issued by DA eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen