Durban’s water crisis has spiralled out of control and the city, with a R55bn budget, has no money allocated to tackle the situation. While the carnage is often blamed on the April floods, civil society and other stakeholders claim that years of poor infrastructure management has worsened the situation. 

City bosses paint a bleak picture and speak of a growing population that was not included in their plans. Ednick Msweli, head of water and sanitation in eThekwini, estimates that replacement of the bulk water infrastructure would cost close to R10bn. “Replacement of sewerage infrastructure, aged and not properly maintained, would cost about R4.5bn,” he said...

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