It seems hard to imagine but for more than a decade, the residents of Hammanskraal, Tshwane, lived without access to clean, safe drinking water.
This long-standing neglect caused immense suffering, with households forced to rely on expensive water deliveries and businesses struggling to survive.
The crisis reached a tragic peak earlier in 2024 when a cholera outbreak claimed at least 30 lives, underscoring the devastating health and economic consequences of government inaction.
Despite repeated promises from previous administrations, including assurances from President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2023, meaningful action to resolve the crisis remained elusive.
It wasn’t until the City of Tshwane elected its fourth mayor in three years, ActionSA’s Dr Nasiphi Moya, that the tide did not take long to begin to turn.
Moya made it clear from the onset that she would be a mayor for all Tshwane residents and that she would be seen more in worker’s boots than in high heels. Thus far, she has lived to that promise.
Reminiscent of Herman Mashaba’s very effective three-year stint as mayor of Johannesburg, then under the DA, Dr Moya worked with Mashaba to usher in a new era of governance-focused presence on the ground, service delivery, and accountability to the residents.
Transformative Leadership: The Role of Herman Mashaba and Dr. Nasiphi Moya
Mashaba, a seasoned leader with a proven track record as the former mayor of Johannesburg, brought to ActionSA his business acumen, pragmatism, and unwavering commitment to authentic service delivery. During his tenure in Johannesburg, Mashaba tackled complex challenges such as urban decay and inadequate service delivery, earning a reputation for getting results.
Mashaba’s leadership style and vision for good governance laid the foundation for ActionSA’s approach in Tshwane. Dr Nasiphi Moya, elected as mayor on October 9, 2023, continues to exemplify these principles.
A dynamic and determined leader, Moya hit the ground running with a focus on resolving Hammanskraal’s water crisis which, understandably, had been a top priority for ActionSA.
Her administration works closely with experts, community leaders, and water authorities to implement sustainable solutions. Intent on delivering the promises made by her party, she leads a multi-party coalition comprising ActionSA, EFF, and ANC councillors, and has combined strategic leadership with grassroots engagement, ensuring that resources are efficiently allocated and bureaucratic delays minimised.
Rapid Turnaround: Clean Water for Hammanskraal
In less than three months under Moya’s leadership, Hammanskraal’s taps have begun to run again. This achievement, after years of neglect, highlights the transformative power of focused and accountable governance. Key elements of the turnaround include:
Infrastructure Rehabilitation: Decaying water systems were repaired or replaced, ensuring a sustainable supply of clean water.
Collaborative Problem-Solving: Moya’s administration works together with engineers, contractors, and community stakeholders to fast-track solutions.
Transparent Communication: Regular updates and open dialogue restored trust between the government and the people of Hammanskraal.
Decade-Long Challenges Overcome
The resolution of the water crisis marked a turning point for Hammanskraal, a community of approximately 21 000 residents, and numerous small businesses in the area. For years, they had faced:
Health Crises: Cholera and other waterborne diseases devastated families and overwhelmed healthcare facilities.
Economic Hardships: Businesses struggled to operate without reliable water, stalling growth and job creation.
Daily Struggles: Households spent significant portions of their income on alternative water sources, deepening inequality and poverty.
Moya’s swift action brought immediate relief to the community, restoring not just water but hope for a better future.
A Blueprint for Effective Governance
The Hammanskraal water crisis is a story of despair transformed into hope, thanks to the decisive leadership of Mashaba and Moya, working together with supportive coalition partners. Mashaba’s strategic vision and Moya’s dynamic execution demonstrated that even the most entrenched issues can be resolved with the right leadership.
Their combined efforts have not only delivered clean water to Hammanskraal but also restored dignity and trust in the government for its residents. As Hammanskraal embarks on a new chapter, this success serves as a powerful blueprint for communities across South Africa seeking accountability, action, and tangible results.
A Bright Future Ahead
Under ActionSA’s leadership, Hammanskraal has become a symbol of what can be achieved through commitment and collaboration. While the scars of the crisis remain, the restored water supply marks the beginning of a brighter future for the community — proof that with the right leadership, no challenge is insurmountable.
The road ahead will be long, of course, especially given the relatively short history of coalition governance in South Africa and the reality that South Africans will have their next Local Government Elections around mid-2016.
If – and that is a big “if” – political parties lose focus and turn all their attention to either retaining power or gaining more power at all costs – as has been the case for some of them in the past – instability might return.
Residents of various local municipalities around the country do not need more unstable governance at the local level, as they end up being the ones to pay a huge price as local government programs get suspended, even entirely scrapped, to suit partisan agendas of the new incumbents, irrespective of whether such programmes benefit the residents.
As observers, we should hope that Moya keeps her eyes on the ball of service delivery and generates only positive earned media coverage, unlike many of her sorry counterparts around South Africa.
The much-abused residents of the Tshwane Metro deserve the kind of stability she has begun to bring into governance, as well as the assurance that her leadership doesn’t become too politicised and impact badly on the stable coalition government she leads.
If she carried on as she has started, history books will be kind to her and her model will serve as a template for others around the country, irrespective of where they’re based or which party they represent.
Tshepo Matseba is the Managing Director at Reputation 1st Group and Strategic Partner at Ebony+Ivory Integrated Communication Agency. He is also Non-Executive Director at the Institute of People Management.