A burst pipe does not end at the side of the road. Failing water and sanitation infrastructure has consequences that run through communities, rivers and, eventually, into the ocean.
Daily Maverick investigative journalist Pieter-Louis Myburgh speaks to Sean Phillips, director-general of the Department of Water and Sanitation; Ferrial Adam, executive director of WaterCAN; water and sanitation consultant Neil Macleod; and Gregg Oelofse, coastal and environmental manager at the City of Cape Town, about ageing infrastructure, sewage pollution and what needs to change to protect South Africa’s water resources.
On 11 September 2026, Daily Maverick hosted the sixth edition of The Gathering at the CTICC in Cape Town. Under the theme Going for Broke: Cities Edition, the day brought together journalists, public officials, researchers, political figures, business leaders and civic actors to examine the state of South Africa’s cities ahead of the 2026 local government elections — what is failing, what is working and what it will take to make local government deliver.
The Gathering 2026 was held in partnership with Ninety One.
