Not many local residents are likely to agree with the recent findings by the Public Protector South Africa that the Vhembe District Municipality is doing enough to address water shortages in Louis Trichardt’s Wards 8 and 9.
According to the Public Protector (PP), although ageing infrastructure remains a major challenge, the VDM has implemented the necessary interventions to deal with the crisis.
The complaint followed several months during which residents, particularly in Louis Trichardt, experienced severe water shortages. On 16 January this year, the leader of the Democratic Alliance in Limpopo, Ms Lindy Wilson, lodged a complaint with the Limpopo office of the PP.
The complaint
Wilson’s complaint centred on ongoing water shortages in Louis Trichardt’s Newtown area. She alleged that since January 2025, the Mowkop Reservoir, which supplies the area, had been in a state of disrepair, leaving residents with a persistent lack of water and no remedial action from the VDM.
She further claimed that the water valve at the intersection of Buffel and Tshirululuni streets had been faulty since October 2024, leaving residents without water for more than five months. According to Wilson, the valve at the intersection of Leeu and Tshirululuni streets had also never functioned properly, with residents of Flamboyant Street receiving water on only two occasions over the past three years.
Wilson added that she conducted an oversight visit to the Mowkop Reservoir on 4 February 2025. During the visit, she observed large volumes of water flowing through nearby streets. She alleged that VDM employees had opened a valve to drain the reservoir, resulting in the loss of millions of litres of potable water without any apparent contingency measures to preserve the supply.
Amid the ongoing shortages, Wilson stated that repeated requests for the daily provision of water tankers went unanswered, forcing residents to rely on private assistance for their basic water needs. She further argued that the VDM had failed to communicate adequately with residents regarding water interruptions and that the municipality’s actions constituted a prima facie violation of Sections 24 and 27 of the Constitution.
The investigation findings
The PP’s investigation formally began on 28 January 2026, when a notice was served on VDM municipal manager Mr ZN Kutama.
In its response, submitted on 24 March 2026, the VDM acknowledged the seriousness of the water crisis but maintained that it had implemented “reasonable legislative and operational measures” to ensure access to water, including infrastructure upgrades and borehole refurbishments.
The municipality attributed the ongoing problems to ageing infrastructure and capacity constraints rather than maladministration. Regarding allegations of water loss at the Mowkop Reservoir, the VDM denied negligence, stating that the release of water had been technically justified and carried out under controlled conditions for maintenance and structural safety reasons.
While acknowledging communication gaps and intermittent supply disruptions, the municipality argued that this did not amount to a complete collapse in service delivery, as water tankers had been deployed where operationally feasible despite fleet shortages and distance constraints.
To address the crisis, the VDM submitted a time-bound action plan that includes:
* Repairing critical valves at the Buffel/Tshirululuni and Leeu/Tshirululuni intersections by May 2026;
* Stabilising operations at the Mowkop Reservoir by April 2026;
* Introducing weekly communication updates;
* Refurbishing the Makhado Park boreholes by August 2026;
* Replacing priority reticulation components and installing pressure management systems by September 2026; and
* Completing the Nandoni bulk pipeline integration and upgrading the Nandoni water treatment works by June 2028.
The municipality also committed itself to monthly technical progress reports and quarterly performance reviews to monitor the interventions.
Procedural review and final resolution
On 10 April 2026, the PP issued a discretionary notice informing Wilson of its intention to close the investigation based on the VDM’s commitments. Although she was given an opportunity to make further representations, no response was received.
The PP said it expects a more consistent water supply once leaks on the Nandoni pipeline are repaired, although the full implementation of all planned projects is only expected to be completed by 2028.
The office of the PP said it would continue monitoring the implementation of the municipality’s action plan to ensure that the VDM fulfils its commitments to residents.