A weeks-long investigation into water tanker procurement and service delivery in Mpumalanga's Nkangala District reveals what happens when a temporary emergency measure becomes a long-term means of supplying water.

In Mpumalanga's Nkangala District, the Lynnville office water depot in Emalahleni and the Vezubuhle Gundry Water supply in Thembisile Hani are meant to supply communities with piped water. But recurring drought, ageing infrastructure and water sources that have failed to meet demand have left many communities dependent on erratic tanker deliveries originally intended only as an emergency measure.

This investigation found that Nkangala municipalities have become locked into a costly tanker system that has evolved from an emergency response into a long-term substitute for functioning infrastructure.

In parts of Emalahleni and Thembisile Hani municipalities, residents describe years of unreliable tanker deliveries, empty JoJo tanks and long periods without running water, despite millions of rands spent on emergency water provision.

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Municipal records show that Emalahleni Local Municipality spent about R46-million on water tanker services in a single year, while neighbouring Thembisile Hani spent more than R21-million over four financial years.

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