Zille pledges private sector partnership to fix Johannesburg’s water crisis

Democratic Alliance (DA) mayoral candidate for Johannesburg Helen Zille has pledged to involve the private sector to help government repair the city’s crumbling water infrastructure if she’s elected mayor.

Speaking to party supporters at the Johannesburg City Hall on Sunday, Zille announced that addressing the water crisis would be her top priority.

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The city has admitted that it does not have enough funds to quickly overhaul the entire water network.

But Zille said she has a solution ready.

“We will ringfence the revenue that residents pay for essential services so that the money is used to fix and maintain those services. We will partner with the private sector to invest in infrastructure to keep this city running. 

“Money collected for water must fix water. Money collected for electricity must fix electricity. Not fund the ANC’s [African National Congress] friends, and families, and blue lights.”