The eThekwini Municipality has ended the outsourcing of its water tanker services as it moves to strengthen its internal capacity and improve its response to water supply challenges.
The municipality said it had invested approximately R345 million since last year to procure water tankers and bring the service in-house.
It currently has an operational fleet of 318 water tankers, with a further 43 tankers expected to be procured before the end of the year. This will increase the municipal fleet to 361 tankers.
According to the municipality, the expanded fleet will strengthen its ability to respond to water supply challenges, particularly in communities where water infrastructure remains limited.
eThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba said water tankers remained an interim measure while the City worked towards ensuring residents had reliable access to water through household taps.
“Water tankers are serving as an interim measure for communities experiencing water shortages while the City continues to upgrade infrastructure and augment water supply across eThekwini,” Xaba said.
He said the decision to bring the service in-house followed concerns about the amount being spent on outsourcing water tanker services.
“After realising that the Municipality was spending significant amounts of money outsourcing this service, we decided to procure our own fleet and employ additional drivers to ensure that the service operates efficiently,” he said.
Xaba added that the move had also helped the municipality address alleged wrongdoing linked to the outsourcing of the service, including allegations that water infrastructure had been tampered with.
The mayor said the expanded tanker fleet would further strengthen the municipality’s ability to deliver essential services and reduce response times, allowing assistance to reach affected residents more quickly.
The municipality said it was also implementing infrastructure projects aimed at improving and stabilising water supply, particularly in rural areas.
While these projects are under way, water tankers will continue to provide clean drinking water to communities experiencing shortages.
The municipality said it remained committed to strengthening its internal capacity, improving service delivery and investing in long-term solutions to address water supply challenges across eThekwini.
