Africa Secures $10 Billion for Water Projects, but the Thirst Isn’t Over

A breakthrough, but only a third of what’s needed

Africa walked away from the African Union Water Investment Summit with a $10 billion win for the continent’s water future. South Africa’s Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, hailed the pledge as a victory for the inaugural summit, but admitted the amount falls short of the US$30 billion African leaders had hoped for.

The three-day event, hosted in Cape Town, brought together nearly 1,700 delegates, including water ministers, heads of state, and global funders. Together, they identified 80 priority projects across 38 countries, from rural borehole programmes to major sanitation infrastructure, that attracted investment commitments ranging between US$10 and $12 billion.

From promises to pipelines

Majodina struck a hopeful tone, insisting that “more will follow” and urging governments to cut through red tape that scares off investors.

“We have showcased a pipeline of bankable water and sanitation projects,” she said, hinting that the continent’s untapped opportunities could lure additional funding in the months ahead.

Yet the gap remains vast. At today’s exchange rate, Africa still needs about R528 billion to secure sustainable water access — a figure that underscores just how far the continent must go.

South Africa’s own water crisis

While Majodina celebrated the continental pledge, she stopped short of confirming how much of that money will flow back home. This omission stung for South Africans, who know first-hand how deep the crisis runs.

Johannesburg alone has previously said it needs R37 billion just to catch up on its water infrastructure backlog. Meanwhile, national municipal debt to water boards ballooned to R25 billion earlier this year, crippling service delivery.

The situation is worsened by a brain drain in engineering. In the 1990s, municipalities employed over 80% of the engineers needed to keep water systems running. Today, that figure has collapsed to just 6.4%.

And it shows. Last year, the Auditor General reported that more than 70% of regional bulk water projects were delayed, with cost overruns of nearly R9.4 billion. “If root causes for poor project management are not corrected,” the AG warned, “future projects may suffer the same fate.”

A deeper story: water and dignity

For ordinary South Africans, the debate about billions in investment isn’t just about numbers, it’s about daily dignity. Communities from Hammanskraal to Makhanda have marched for years over water shortages, contaminated taps, and failing infrastructure. On social media, many welcomed the $10 billion pledge, but skepticism ran high. “We’ve seen money promised before. Will this time be different?” asked one Johannesburg resident on X.

The Cape Town summit has at least opened the door: a rare moment where Africa’s water crisis was put on the world’s investment agenda. The challenge now is ensuring that those billions don’t get lost in bureaucracy, corruption, or endless project delays.

Because for a continent where droughts, failing pipes, and climate change collide daily, the stakes are higher than funding targets. They’re about securing something far more basic, the right to water itself.

{Source: The Citizen}

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