Major milestones have been reached in establishing the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency (SANWRIA), with the operationalisation of the new State-owned water agency steadily progressing.

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) announced recently that the new agency’s board of directors has been approved by Cabinet, while the official registration of its name is now under way.

This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assent to the SANWRIA SOC Limited Amendment Act No 6 of 2026, which was published in the Government Gazette on May 14.

Following an open and transparent recruitment process, Cabinet approved Ramateu Monyokolo as SANWRIA chairperson and Precious Sibiya as deputy chairperson. They will be supported by board members Barbara Schreiner; Simphiwe Khondlo; Gregory White; Nicholas Rabie; and Mankone Ntsaba.

The newly appointed board will oversee the next phase of the agency’s establishment, including the recruitment of a CEO and the conclusion of a shareholders’ compact with Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina to ensure alignment with government’s strategic priorities.

The registration and incorporation of SANWRIA with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission is also under way.

In addition, the agency’s listing as a Schedule 2 public entity under the Public Finance Management Act will take effect automatically through the Amendment Act recently assented to by the President.

These developments mark a significant step in strengthening South Africa’s capacity to finance, develop, operate and maintain national water resource infrastructure, while driving long-term investment aimed at improving the country’s water security.

SANWRIA will consolidate infrastructure- related functions currently spread across the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Water Trading Entity and the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) into a single institution, thereby improving coordination, strengthening governance, modernising asset management and creating a more efficient and financially sustainable national infrastructure agency.

To expand South Africa’s ability to invest in water infrastructure while reducing dependence on additional government guarantees, amid mounting fiscal pressures, the new agency has also been designed to support a more innovative and sustainable approach for large-scale projects such as dams, bulk water supply systems, transfer schemes and related infrastructure.

SANWRIA, built on the successful financing model of the TCTA, will leverage infrastructure assets and associated revenue streams to raise finance for strategic projects, attracting commercial and development funding from both local and international markets.

The agency’s core responsibilities will include developing new national water infrastructure, operating and maintaining existing infrastructure, managing dams and transfer schemes, raising finance for strategic water projects, overseeing key national water assets, improving long-term water security, and ensuring the reliability and sustainability of South Africa’s water infrastructure for future generations.

Water security is increasingly linked to economic growth, industrial development, public health and social stability, the DWS said, noting that South Africa’s future resilience will depend on reliable infrastructure and the ability to invest ahead of demand.

“The establishment of SANWRIA comes at a critical moment for South Africa. Government remains committed to ensuring SANWRIA is established in a way that protects operational continuity, strengthens governance and delivers lasting value for the country.”