Cape town: Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo has called for stronger and more responsive regulation across Africa, warning that mounting environmental and economic pressures are straining the continent's water systems. Mahlobo was speaking at the 4th Africa Water Supply and Sanitation Regulators' Conference currently underway at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
According to South African Government News Agency, Mahlobo delivered the opening address on Tuesday, emphasizing the increasing strain placed on the continent's water systems by climate change, population growth, and ageing infrastructure. He highlighted that effective regulation is now 'indispensable' for ensuring water security, economic development, and public health.
The three-day conference, running from 19 - 21 May 2026, has gathered policymakers, regulators, and development partners from across Africa, convened by the Eastern and Southern Africa Water and Sanitation Regulators Association (ESAWAS). Under the theme 'Regulatory Requirements to Accelerate and Sustain Sector Progress', the conference aims to address the enablers necessary for regulators to enhance access, quality, and sustainability of services, while fostering confidence for increased investment.
Mahlobo noted that the key question for the continent is not the necessity of water regulation, but whether existing systems are capable, transformative, developmental, and resilient enough to tackle 21st-century challenges. These challenges include intensifying climate change, rapid urbanisation, population growth, deteriorating infrastructure, and increasing competition over limited water resources.
He stressed that regulation must evolve beyond administrative compliance to become 'an instrument of justice, sustainability, accountability, and inclusive development'. In South Africa, access to water is a fundamental human right under Section 27 of the Constitution, obligating the State to take reasonable measures to progressively realise this right, further reinforced by the National Water Act of 1998 and the Water Services Act of 1997.
Mahlobo highlighted the principle of 'water justice', aiming to ensure equitable access across geography, race, income, and class. He stated that regulation must balance economic sustainability with social equity, ensuring rural communities and historically disadvantaged populations enjoy the same opportunities as affluent urban centres.
The Deputy Minister argued that society cannot claim developmental progress when millions face unreliable water supply, unsafe sanitation, and infrastructure collapse. South Africa, being a water-scarce country, faces increasing pressure on its limited resources, with demand rising due to urbanisation, industrialisation, and the imperative to expand access to underserved communities.
Mahlobo emphasized the necessity of effective regulation to allocate water equitably, monitor performance, enforce compliance, protect consumers, and create conditions for long-term infrastructure investment. He noted that regulation also fosters public trust by ensuring water institutions are transparent, accountable, and capable of consistent service delivery.
Across Africa, persistent challenges such as ageing infrastructure, limited financing, and climate vulnerability present opportunities to modernise infrastructure, adopt new technologies, and strengthen regional cooperation. Mahlobo concluded that achieving sustainable water and sanitation systems is crucial for fulfilling Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and meaningful industrial development, asserting that 'Water is development'.