South Africa launches new forum to combat water sector corruption
Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina welcomes the launch of the WSACF.
Image: Supplied
South Africa has taken a major step in its battle against corruption with the official launch of the Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (WSACF).
The forum is a strategic initiative to address rising corruption risks in the country's water sector and is rooted in Pillar Six of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), which focuses on protecting vulnerable sectors through robust risk management and accountability measures.
Special Investigating Unit (SIU) spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said the establishment of the WSACF is a whole-of-society call to action to root out corruption in water management.
'This collaborative model strengthens accountability, closes gaps, and implements measurable and actionable prevention plans.' said Kganyago.
The forum brings together an unprecedented coalition of stakeholders from government departments, municipalities, civil society, regulators, traditional leaders, and the private sector, united by the common goal of ensuring clean, transparent water governance.
This initiative follows the findings of 14 Special Investigating Unit proclamations involving the Department of Water and Sanitation, with eight investigations concluded and five still active.
According to the SIU, these cases highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated anti-corruption response.
The WSACF is also a direct response to international and continental commitments. It aligns with the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group's Priority Three, the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030's goals on water security, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation.
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The forum was launched shortly after South Africa assumed the chairpersonship of the Association of Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Agencies from Ghana during a regional conference held in Cape Town. Adv. Andy Mothibi, Head of the SIU, now leads the association for the 2025–2026 term.
Minister of Water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina, welcomed the initiative, noting that it builds on the department's existing corruption prevention strategy.
'The WSACF strengthens the collective resolve to tackle graft decisively in the water sector,' she said.
The forum's key objectives include supporting sector-wide anti-corruption initiatives, improving investigative coordination, ensuring real outcomes such as prosecutions and recoveries, and promoting transparency within anti-corruption bodies themselves.
The WSACF also builds on the tested success of similar sector-based forums, including those focused on health, infrastructure, local government, and border management. Independent evaluations of these forums have highlighted their role in improving accountability and delivering real results.
The forum is now calling on water organisations, conservationists, academics, and community activists to join the movement.
'This is premised on the National Anti-Corruption Strategy, which envisages a whole-of-society approach,' said Kganyago.
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