Cape Town – Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has confirmed that Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina and Cogta Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa will miss the State of the Nation Address after being deployed to tackle Johannesburg’s ongoing water crisis.
The ministers have been working with local officials and inspecting reservoirs, as President Cyril Ramaphosa has prioritised resolving the issue and is expected to outline water reforms during Sona.
“The president has assigned the ministers of water and Sanitation and Cogta to urgently attend to the water crisis in Johannesburg. They won’t be attending Sona as a result,” said Magwenya.
“Water is certainly going to be one of the central features of the reforms the president will be announcing tonight, and he will be keeping a close eye on both the immediate and long-term interventions aimed at stabilising water supply.”
The crisis has affected residents across Johannesburg, with some reporting being without water for nearly a month, and even Ramaphosa’s Johannesburg residence reportedly impacted.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi also faced backlash after suggesting he sometimes showers at hotels during outages, later apologising.
Meanwhile, the DA plans to take the City of Johannesburg to court, arguing that failure to supply water violates residents’ basic rights.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
