The Democratic Alliance has written to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, requesting an urgent debate of national importance on the water crisis across the country.

Although the water crisis has been ongoing for years in some places, it has now become critical with Rand Water's notice of 12 October that "Rand Water would like to alert communities, particularly Gauteng, that water storage could soon be depleted if municipalities do not implement our recommendations. It is essential to act now to prevent the impending disaster".

This issue is not limited only to the 17 million inhabitants of Gauteng and has now reached crisis point.

It is important that Parliament oversees the interventions of the national Water Task Team, led by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, as well as the interventions of the national departments of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, and Water and Sanitation since there does not seem to be any urgency in acting on the part of the Gauteng provincial government.

This will coincide with the parliamentary portfolio committee's interaction with Rand Water this week. The DA has also submitted a written question to the Deputy President on the crisis, which he is expected to answer in the House on 31 October.