Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Corruption in the water sector: Those responsible must be brought to justice

Soundbite: Lambert de Klerk (English)

Soundbite: Lambert de Klerk (Afrikaans)

The civil rights organisation AfriForum is calling on the Special Investigation Unit (SUI), the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to disclose information regarding corruption, procurement fraud and other financial offences at the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). This follows the shocking revelations presented to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) by the SUI, Hawks and the NPA on 18 June 2025. These presentations exposed the disturbing extent of corruption plaguing the DWS and many municipalities across South Africa.

According to the Hawks, DWS is currently involved in eight active cases involving corruption, procurement fraud and breaches of financial laws, only one of which has so far gone to court. Six of these cases, amounting to more than R737 million in alleged losses, are still under investigation. An additional case amounting to R33 million has been lodged with the NPA but has not yet been prosecuted. In total, these cases represent a potential loss to the state of more than R771 million.

What is most concerning, however, is the lack of transparency around these cases. SCOPA records do not identify the specific projects, contractors or officials involved in the DWS investigations – despite the significant value of these cases. It appears that there may be efforts to protect high-ranking officials.

Furthermore, the situation at the municipal level is even worse: 35 municipalities are implicated in corruption, with cases worth R437 billion already submitted to the NPA, and R349 billion still under investigation.

AfriForum condemns this gross violation of public trust. Billions earmarked for water infrastructure, service delivery and drought resilience are being looted while millions of South Africans have to endure dry taps and water shedding. The few attempts at asset forfeiture that are underway are met with fierce opposition, often from former officials who now live in luxury estates built with stolen money.

“In a country grappling with a water crisis, it is shameful that the very funds set aside to secure this vital resource are being stolen with impunity. These are not victimless crimes – these are crimes against every person who relies on clean, accessible water to survive,” says Lambert de Klerk, AfriForum’s Manager for Environmental Affairs.

AfriForum requests, among other things, the following:

The disclosure of full information of all DWS corruption cases, including names, projects and regions;
Immediate prosecution of implicated officials, without political interference; and
Fast-tracking of all asset forfeiture proceedings.

“The billions lost to corruption could have been used to upgrade South Africa’s water infrastructure and drastically improve the quality of life of communities, especially in rural areas. Instead, communities are now left with leaky pipes, dry taps and growing distrust in government. Water is a constitutional right. It is time to confront the corruption that is polluting our public institutions and holding our country hostage. AfriForum will continue to put pressure, investigate and demand action, because the people of South Africa deserve clean water and honest government practices,” concludes De Klerk.