SIU Probe into Department of Water and Sanitation Expanded to Include Drop the Block Project

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has been given the green light to broaden its probe into allegations of serious maladministration in the Department of Water and Sanitation, after President Cyril Ramaphosa signed a proclamation expanding the investigation from the “War on Leaks” programme to include the “Drop the Block” project.

This move, under Proclamation 287 of 2025, widens the scope of a probe that started in April 2024 with Proclamation 164, focusing on corruption and wasteful spending in key water initiatives. The SIU’s work, now covering the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), Sedibeng Water, and newly added Lepelle Northern Water, aims to uncover how public funds were mishandled in efforts meant to save water and create jobs. The time frame stretches from 1 January 2015 to 12 September 2025, including all suppliers and service providers linked to the projects. SIU spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed the details, saying, “The amendment also extends the time frame of the investigation, which will now start from 1 January 2015 and end on 12 September 2025.” He added that the probe targets “suppliers or service providers appointed by the department and the water utilities.”

South Africa’s water woes make this investigation timely. The country loses billions of litres yearly to leaks and poor management, hitting hard during droughts like the 2018 Cape Town crisis. These programmes were meant to fix that, but allegations of inflated costs and dodgy deals have raised eyebrows, especially under former minister Nomvula Mokonyane’s watch from 2014 to 2018.

The War on Leaks: A Job Scheme Gone Wrong?

Launched on 28 August 2015 by then-President Jacob Zuma at Dan Qeqe Stadium in Port Elizabeth, the “War on Leaks” aimed to train at least 15,000 young South Africans as plumbers, artisans, and water agents to cut water losses. At the time, municipalities and utilities lost about R7 billion annually to leaks—enough to fill millions of swimming pools. Zuma called it a “war” against waste, tying it to youth jobs and skills in a country where unemployment hovers around 33%.

Nomvula Mokonyane, newly appointed as Water and Sanitation Minister, oversaw the rollout. Rand Water was picked to run it over five years, starting with Phase 1 in the Eastern Cape and expanding nationwide. By 2017, Mokonyane launched Phase 2 at Glen Ridge Church in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, promising to professionalise leak repairs and save billions. The programme trained thousands, but whispers of trouble grew. Early SIU digs found the budget ballooned from R2.2 billion to R4 billion without clear reasons. Issues included irregular tenders, overpriced training, and ghost workers—young people signed up but never trained, or paid without showing up.

The initial probe zeroed in on Sedibeng Water in Gauteng, where contracts went to connected firms without proper checks. SIU head Andy Mothibi told Parliament in June 2025 that evidence pointed to “serious maladministration,” with funds meant for youth empowerment siphoned off. Now, with the expansion, Lepelle Northern Water in Limpopo joins the list. This utility, serving rural areas, has faced its own scandals, like delayed projects and water shortages in towns like Polokwane. The SIU will check if War on Leaks cash reached the ground or vanished into pockets.

Kganyago stressed the human cost: “These programmes were supposed to help communities save water and create jobs, but allegations of corruption mean ordinary people still go without.” If wrongdoing is proven, the SIU can refer cases to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and seek to recover losses through civil courts.

Drop the Block: Simple Savings or Another Misfire?

To build on War on Leaks, the DWS rolled out “Drop the Block” in 2018 amid the national drought scare. This low-tech campaign urged households to drop a green plastic brick-like device into toilet cisterns, cutting flush water by up to 3 litres per go—potentially saving over 100,000 litres per household yearly. It was part of broader conservation pushes, like the Clear Rivers Campaign, targeting everyday waste during Cape Town’s “Day Zero” threat, when dams hit critically low levels.

Mokonyane championed it as an easy win: eco-friendly, cheap, and community-driven. Volunteers handed out blocks door-to-door, with mascots and awareness drives in provinces like the Western Cape and Gauteng. The idea was simple—reduce non-revenue water (lost to leaks and overuse) by 10-15% in homes. But like its predecessor, questions swirl. The SIU now eyes how funds for distribution and training were spent. Were blocks bought at fair prices? Did they reach needy areas, or get stuck in warehouses? Insiders whisper of bulk deals to unvetted suppliers, echoing War on Leaks woes.

The probe’s addition of Drop the Block ties the two: both under Mokonyane’s era, both aimed at conservation, both now under fire for possible graft. Lepelle Northern Water’s inclusion is key— this board supplies water to Limpopo’s mining and farming heartland, where shortages hit hard. Past audits flagged irregular spending there, like over R500 million in questionable contracts since 2015.

Ramaphosa’s Proclamation: A Deeper Dive into Water Woes

President Ramaphosa’s signature on Proclamation 287, gazetted recently, hands the SIU more power to subpoena records, seize assets, and grill witnesses. It builds on the 2024 probe, which already uncovered red flags like unauthorised spending and biased tenders. Mothibi’s June 2025 briefing to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation highlighted how water sector corruption costs the economy R10-15 billion yearly, worsening inequality in poor areas without clean taps.

The expansion covers maladministration from 2015, when Zuma’s launch set big goals but little oversight followed. Under Mokonyane, the department grew, but scandals mounted— from VIP protection probes to water deals. The SIU can now chase leads across entities, potentially freezing bank accounts if fraud is found.

Kganyago noted the probe’s focus: “We are looking at every rand spent on these projects, from tenders to training.” Early findings from War on Leaks suggest up to R1 billion in irregular outlays, with service providers pocketing cash for subpar work. For Drop the Block, expect scrutiny on procurement—did officials favour cronies for block supplies?

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