Note to Editors: Attached please find attached a soundbite in English here by Nico De Jager MPL.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng demands that Rand Water immediately launch an independent investigation into the cybersecurity breach that occurred on 3rd September 2026.
This data breach is worrying as Gauteng residents endure repeated water shortages. Serious questions remain about whether a cybersecurity breach at Rand Water has compromised the information systems essential to managing the province’s water infrastructure.
The DA will table questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Jacob Mamabolo, and seek accountability from the responsible authorities.
Rand Water must disclose the costs of recovering the lost information, the operational consequences, project delays, and a time-bound cybersecurity improvement plan.
Rand Water confirmed that a cyber-attack targeted its information systems. Subsequent reports indicated that hackers accessed servers, damaged systems, and forced the utility to activate its disaster recovery facility.
Even more concerning are allegations that Rand Water’s Geographic Information System (GIS), which maps critical pipelines and infrastructure, was disrupted. If correct, this raises serious questions about the entity’s ability to plan maintenance, approve infrastructure projects, manage assets, and make informed investment decisions.
Rand Water maintains that water treatment and bulk supply operations continued normally. However, operational continuity does not necessarily mean that infrastructure planning and management systems were unaffected.
Millions of residents and businesses depend on reliable water infrastructure. They deserve assurance that decisions affecting their water supply are based on accurate information.
The DA-led Gauteng Provincial Government is committed to safeguarding infrastructure and information at all costs. In the event of a data breach, a thorough investigation will be initiated to ascertain the causes. We will also identify measures to ensure that information remains protected.