Water Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (WSACF) - a decisive step in safeguarding our water resources

“When corruption infiltrates the water sector, it does not simply distort procurement processes or inflate invoices. It dries up taps, delays infrastructure, contaminates rivers and erodes public trust. In a water-scarce country such as South Africa, corruption is not a victimless crime. It is a direct assault on human dignity and development. Every rand lost to corruption is a rand not spent on fixing leaks, expanding supply schemes or protecting our freshwater ecosystems”. – (The Minister of DWS, Pemmy Majodina)

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) have launched the WSACF as an arm in the fight against corruption in the water sector.The WSACF is a strategic intervention aimed at developing tailored solutions to address corruption risks in the water sector. By adopting a risk-based approach, the forum will focus on investigation, prevention, and enforcement to safeguard South Africa’s water resources, which are essential for sustainable development.

The WSACF also aligns itself with the goals of the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, which focuses on water security and sustainable development. It also supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of clean water and sanitation for everyone.

This initiative aligns with what the NACS terms as the whole-of-society approach, which seeks to enhance and mobilise the inclusive participation of the public sector, private sector, civil society, and academia to prevent and combat corruption.

Key Objectives of the WSACF

• Support anti-corruption initiatives in the water sector.

• Foster collaboration among stakeholders to combat corruption effectively.

• Coordinate law enforcement efforts to enhance investigative capacity.

• Ensure tangible outcomes, including prosecutions, civil recoveries, and administrative actions.

• Implement prevention measures to mitigate fraud and corruption risks.

• Promote accountability within anti-corruption agencies through multi stakeholder oversight.

  
  

A Whole-of-Society Approach to Corruption Prevention

The WSACF embodies the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 vision of a corruption-free South Africa while supporting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, which ensures access to clean water and sanitation for all. The forum brings together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including:

• Law Enforcement Agencies

• Chapter 9 Institutions

• Civil Society Organisations & Water Activists

• Private Sector Representatives

• Public Sector (Government Departments, Municipalities)

• Regulators

• Traditional & Religious Leaders

• Organised Labour

• Water Conservation & Environmental Groups

  
  

This collaborative model strengthens accountability, closes gaps, and implements measurable and actionable prevention plans. Importantly, the forum will also hold anti-corruption agencies

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