PRETORIA, Gauteng — The ongoing debate over Tshwane water tanker spending has intensified following allegations of massive financial mismanagement, though current municipal leadership strongly disputes the reported figures. Tshwane Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya has publicly pushed back against claims that the city spent nearly R800 million on water tankers in a single year, attributing the bulk of the expenditure to the tenure of former mayor Cilliers Brink.
Allegations of a “Water Tanker Mafia”
The controversy was sparked by DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink, who recently led a picket outside the Premier’s office. Brink alleged a 455% increase in water tanker expenditure, claiming that many invoices were paid without evidence that water was actually delivered.
During his address, Brink named specific companies and payouts, alleging that R95 million was paid to Normakua Trading and Projects, R125 million to M Rams Enterprises, and R31.7 million to companies linked to ANC deputy mayor Eugene Modise and ANC regional treasurer Rani James Shelenge. Brink described the situation as a “water tanker mafia” operating at the taxpayers’ expense and demanded a full-blown investigation in terms of Section 106 of the Municipal Systems Act to uncover the individuals behind these companies.
Mayor Moya Disputes the R800 Million Figure
In response, Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya categorically denied the allegations, providing context to the R777 million figure cited by the opposition. Moya explained that the figure originated from a leaked screenshot and was not an accurate reflection of the city’s actual expenditure.
Moya clarified the financial timeline, noting that R4.5 million was spent on water tankers during the 2023/2024 financial year while Brink was still in charge. During the nine months under Moya’s administration, the city spent over R300 million. However, Moya broke down this amount, explaining that R179 million was an approved upliftment authorized by the city manager and the DA MMC, while R98 million was spent in the first quarter before Moya took office.
According to Moya, the largest portion of the total expenditure occurred under Brink’s leadership. To support this, Moya referenced a July 2024 article by an independent journalist at a national news outlet, in which Brink himself confirmed having spent R450 million on water tankers during his tenure.
SIU Investigation and Operational Reforms
Addressing the allegations of corruption involving his deputy, Mayor Moya stated there is no evidence linking Deputy Mayor Eugene Mudise to the companies in question. However, to ensure transparency, the city has contracted the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the entire water tanker value chain.
Beyond the investigation, Moya highlighted significant operational reforms aimed at reducing reliance on private contractors. The city has purchased its own water tankers and hired direct employees to deliver services in areas like Bronkhorstspruit and Hammanskraal. These measures successfully reduced monthly tanker spending to R8 million by March, and further down to just R2.9 million between July and September, with tankers now only deployed for emergencies.
Moya criticized Brink’s tactics, describing the former mayor as “manipulative” and accusing him of acting as a “vulture-like opposition” that relies on unconfirmed, leaked information to scandalize the current administration.
Addressing the Broader Water Crisis and Infrastructure Decay
The conversation also shifted to the broader municipal water crisis, prompted by an opinion piece from Dr. Sha Phillips, Director General in the national water and sanitation department. Dr. Phillips argued that the crisis is not driven by a funding shortage, but rather a failure to ring-fence water revenue for water services, with funds often diverted to other municipal functions.
Mayor Moya agreed with the National Treasury’s push for ring-fencing revenue but emphasized that the city is also battling severe infrastructure decay and criminality. She cited a specific example in Mamelodi, where a hijacked reservoir left residents without water for eight years, necessitating the deployment of 19 water tankers daily at a massive cost to the city. The administration has since rescued and repaired the reservoir.
Moya pointed out that capital investment in the city’s infrastructure dropped by 50% between 2019 and Brink’s tenure, falling from over R4 billion to R2.1 billion. Under the current administration, the capital budget has been increased to R2.8 billion.
To ensure long-term sustainability, Moya noted that the city is actively converting operational budgets into capital investments and has developed a 10-year master plan to address the growing population’s demand for water, roads, housing, and electricity infrastructure.
