Client or partnering organisation:
- Bureau for Economic Research (BER).
- Towards Inclusive Economic Development (SA-TIED)/ UNU-WIDER – United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research
Overview and impact:
This research serves as a foundational component of the work in the water sector, informing Operation Vulindlela, the joint initiative between the Presidency and National Treasury tasked with driving urgent structural transformation across South Africa. By providing the evidence base for presentations used by the Presidency and presented at the SA-TIED Phase II conference in 2026, this project has moved to the centre of the national debate on water security. It offers a clear, actionable roadmap for leveraging private sector participation to fix failing infrastructure, making it a critical tool for the state’s efforts to reform the water sector and unlock long-term economic growth.
Co-authored by Robert Botha, founder of Tregathen Consulting, the study provides a rigorous qualitative analysis of South Africa’s two most prominent long-term water concessions: Siza Water in iLembe and Silulumanzi in Mbombela. By extracting key operational lessons from these success stories, the research demonstrates how private-sector expertise can dramatically reduce non-revenue water losses and improve service reliability. The project advocates for a balanced, hybrid model that combines the efficiency gains of private operators with the state’s essential role in funding infrastructure for low-income communities, providing a blueprint for modernising municipal water services nationwide.
Download Reports/Products:
Private-sector participation in water: Selected South African case studies
Tapping into Efficiency: Private Sector Participation in Water
Selected Print and Online Media Coverage of the project:
Business Day- Opinion Piece: A private sector answer to SA’s water woes
Robert Botha (Tregathen Consulting) and Claire Bisseker from the BER explore the roadmap for private sector participation in the water sector, as detailed in the research report. The piece unpacks how the evidence-based models identified in the report—specifically municipal water concessions—can provide the investment and technical expertise needed to end the cycle of infrastructure decay and service delivery failures. Read Article
News24 – Opinion Piece: SA private water projects work – but firms can’t fix crisis alone
In this opinion piece for News24, we outline the core findings of the research report on South African water concessions. The article argues that while private sector projects in municipalities like Mbombela and iLembe have proven remarkably successful, the private sector cannot solve the water crisis in isolation. It highlights the report’s conclusion: scaling these successes requires a robust regulatory framework and a committed public-sector partner to ensure long-term water security.
