Specialised Committees: A Strategic Approach to South Africa’s Challenges
South Africa has faced significant challenges in recent years, particularly in the energy and water sectors. Just a few years ago, power outages were a daily reality, with some communities experiencing up to eight hours of load shedding each day. This had a profound impact on both businesses and households, disrupting economic activity and eroding public confidence in the government’s ability to manage critical infrastructure.
The turning point came in 2022 with the establishment of the National Energy Crisis Committee (NECOM). This initiative was a direct response to the growing national emergency, as the country grappled with some of the most severe power cuts in its history. NECOM was created with a clear mandate: to fix Eskom, reduce load shedding, and expand new sources of power.
The committee brought together high-level officials from across government, Eskom, the business sector, and social partners. Their goal was to stabilise the grid and unlock new energy investments. These efforts culminated in what became known as the Energy Action Plan (EAP), a comprehensive strategy that outlined the steps needed to restore and enhance South Africa’s energy infrastructure.
The results of these efforts are now evident. In March 2026, South Africa recorded 300 consecutive days without load shedding. The Energy Availability Factor is consistently above 65%, and on some occasions, it has exceeded 70%. These improvements are not accidental but the result of targeted, specialised work, including:
- Improved operational stability
- More efficient power station performance
- A coordinated push for wind, solar, gas, and battery storage solutions
This success underscores an important truth: when the nation focuses its attention, expertise, and resources on a single, clearly defined problem, meaningful progress becomes possible. The experience in energy reform demonstrates what specialised committees can achieve when they are empowered to act with urgency and accountability.
Expanding Success to Other Sectors
The model of specialised committees has proven effective in other areas as well. In 2023, the National Logistics Crisis Committee was established to address challenges in the freight logistics system. Key achievements include:
- Improved public-private partnerships
- A notable increase in slots on 41 routes across six corridors for eleven private train operators
- A 75% reduction in vessel anchorage times at Durban Port
- The introduction of private operators at Durban Pier 2
These changes are expected to unlock R200 billion in investment by 2030.
Similar models are also yielding positive results under the District Development Model in the Presidential eThekwini Working Group. This intergovernmental and cross-societal initiative aims to bring the city back to its former glory. President Cyril Ramaphosa highlighted this progress during his State of the Nation Address, noting that the lessons learned from the eThekwini Working Group will be applied to other municipalities requiring assistance.
Tackling the Water Crisis
Building on these successful models, President Ramaphosa announced the establishment of a National Water Crisis Committee. This urgent intervention is aimed at addressing South Africa’s escalating water challenges, which include repeated and prolonged water outages. These outages are attributed to ageing infrastructure, weak municipal management, underinvestment, and illegal connections to water pipelines.
The new committee is mandated to address immediate water supply disruptions through a nationally coordinated response. Over R156 billion has been allocated for water and sanitation infrastructure over the next three years. An additional R54 billion has been set aside for metros to reform their water, sanitation, and electricity services. This will ensure that revenue collected for water is reinvested into fixing damaged pipes, upgrading reservoirs, and maintaining pumping stations.
More recently, the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, announced that R27.7 billion has been allocated over the medium term for a performance-linked reform of metro trading services in electricity, water, and sanitation. This initiative aims to rectify maintenance backlogs and ultimately fix water supply issues.
Strengthening Accountability
To ensure that these investments and reforms translate into real improvements on the ground, accountability is being strengthened in municipalities across the country. Government has already laid criminal charges against 56 municipalities for failing to meet statutory obligations. It will also pursue charges against Municipal Managers who have violated the National Water Act.
Water outages are not simply operational interruptions; they reflect underlying governance and system challenges. Government is addressing these through strengthened coordination, improved public communication, increased awareness on water conservation, and decisive action against illegal connections and losses.
A Path Forward
As we look ahead to the next phase of renewal, specialised committees will play an even greater role in securing a sustainable future for our nation. Whether in energy, water, local government, or other priority areas, these structures provide the focus, expertise, and discipline necessary to resolve long-standing challenges.
With strengthened oversight, targeted investment, and a renewed commitment to service delivery, the government remains firmly committed to delivering the stable energy supply, reliable water services, and effective local governance that our people deserve.
The work of renewal is already underway, and we can expect positive outcomes. As we have seen in the transformation of the energy sector, when we mobilise the full capability of the state toward a clearly defined goal, progress is not only possible, it is inevitable.
