South Africa is widely described as a water-scarce country. This phrase appears so frequently in policy discussions, academic literature, and public discourse that it has become accepted as almost unquestionable truth. The country has relatively low average rainfall, and large parts of the interior are semi-arid, while climate change is intensifying drought cycles and rainfall variability.
Yet this characterization, while broadly accurate, deserves closer scrutiny. South Africa indeed faces a severe shortage of freshwater, but it is also a country with a coastline of approximately 3,500 km, bordered by both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In this context, a more profound question emerges: is water scarcity a fixed natural condition or is it partly the result of a failure to fully exploit the resources available to us? The answer points to rapid strategic expansion of seawater desalination.
Desalination, the process of extracting salt and minerals from seawater to produce potable water, has undergone profound technological change over the past three decades. What was once considered extremely expensive and energy-intensive has become a core component of water security strategies around the world.
Countries with far fewer natural advantages than South Africa have already adopted desalination as a cornerstone of water security. Historically dependent on imported water, Singapore has built a diverse system combining desalination, wastewater recycling and stormwater harvesting. Australia invested heavily in desalination to protect the water supplies of cities such as Perth, Sydney and Melbourne during the millennium drought. These countries demonstrate that water scarcity can be managed through technological innovation and strategic infrastructure investment.
South Africa also has similar opportunities. About 40% of the country's population lives in the coastal provinces. Major urban and economic centers such as Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, eThekwini and the rapidly growing coastal corridors of the Western and Eastern Cape are already experiencing increasing pressure on traditional surface-water systems. Population growth, urbanization, climate variability and aging water infrastructure are placing pressure on water resources.
Climate-resilient, drought-resistant
The 2018 “Day Zero” crisis in Cape Town provided a stark example of how vulnerable urban water systems can be when rainfall-dependent sources are pushed to their limits. This episode showed how fragile traditional water supply systems can be in a changing climate.
Unlike rain-dependent dams and rivers, desalination provides a climate-resilient and drought-resistant supply. The sea does not dry up during drought cycles. By integrating desalination into long-term national water planning, South Africa can create a strategic buffer against future water shocks.
Importantly, desalination should not be viewed as a silver bullet. Water security requires a diverse portfolio of solutions. Maintenance of infrastructure, reduction of non-revenue water losses, re-use of waste water, groundwater development and better watershed management should all remain central pillars of the national policy.
South Africa already has examples of how unconventional water sources can strengthen national supplies. The Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority's work in treating acid mine drainage demonstrates how a major environmental liability can be turned into a valuable water resource. In many ways, the treatment of acid mine drainage is conceptually similar to desalination as both involve advanced processes that remove harmful minerals and contaminants to convert unusable water into a potable supply. This experience shows that South Africa is already implementing such technologies on a limited scale, and the next logical step is to expand these capabilities to include seawater.
Through advanced treatment plants in the country's mining basins, polluted mine water is purified and returned to the water system, contributing significant amounts to the urban supply. This experience shows that innovation and infrastructure investment can transform previously unusable water into a reliable supplementary source. The lesson is clear: when technology, governance and investment are aligned, water challenges can be turned into opportunities.
case strengthened
Climate research further underlines the need to diversify water sources. Studies supported by the Water Research Commission show that the cyclical patterns of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation produce uneven rainfall across South Africa, with some areas experiencing drought while others receive above average rainfall. Coastal cities such as George and Plettenberg Bay may experience El Niño-type drought conditions, while inland provinces such as Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng may simultaneously experience wet La Niña conditions. This uneven climate reality strengthens the case for developing desalination capacity on the coastlines of KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, the Western Cape and the Northern Cape.
Encouragingly, South Africa already has significant research capacity in desalination technologies. Universities and research institutions have been actively exploring desalination and alternative water sources for years. The Water Research Commission has funded extensive work in this area. Stellenbosch University has also participated in innovative pilot projects exploring the integration of renewable energy and desalination. In 2018, researchers partnered with Hesséqua Municipality to establish South Africa's first solar powered desalination plant In the coastal town of Witsand.
More broadly, as part of South Africa's long-term water innovation strategy, national research initiatives are increasingly focusing on alternative water sources, including desalination. The government's Water Research, Development and Innovation Roadmap clearly identifies desalination, water reuse and improved groundwater utilization as key pathways to strengthening water security in a climate-disrupted future.
The new research centers are also expanding the country's scientific capacity in water innovation. Partnerships between universities and the Water Research Commission, such as the establishment of the Arid Zone Water Research Center at Sol Plaatje University, are helping to develop new technologies and policy solutions for water-stressed environments. These developments show that South Africa is not starting from scratch. The necessary scientific expertise, engineering capacity and institutional framework to scale up desalination already exist in the country.
compelling cases
One of the major concerns often raised about desalination is cost, particularly the energy required to power reverse-osmosis systems. However, technological improvements and the rapid growth of renewable energy are changing this equation. Solar and wind power, both abundant along South Africa's coastline, can significantly reduce operating costs while reducing the carbon footprint of desalination plants.
In addition, water infrastructure can also support energy flexibility. Integrating hydropower into dams, pipelines, and large-scale water treatment systems can reduce dependence on the national electricity grid and reduce operating costs. As desalination facilities expand, combining them with renewable energy and hydropower generation can make them more economically sustainable in the long term.
This presents a particularly attractive opportunity for South Africa, where coastal areas such as the Western Cape and Northern Cape have some of the best solar and wind resources in the world. By aligning desalination infrastructure with the expansion of renewable energy, the country can create a new generation of climate-resilient water systems.
The economic case is equally compelling. Water security is the basis of virtually every dimension of national development. Reliable water supplies support agriculture, industry, tourism, mining, energy production and urban development. Conversely, water scarcity imposes serious economic costs, constraining investment and undermining social stability. In this sense, desalination is not just a water project. It is also a strategic economic investment.
The long-term costs of water insecurity – lost economic output, infrastructure damage, emergency interventions and declining investor confidence – may far exceed the capital needed to build resilient water infrastructure. History shows that nations that prosper are those that turn natural obstacles into strategic advantages.
Given the scale of investment required, South Africa should also pursue continental and international partnerships in desalination technology, financing and knowledge exchange. Institutions such as the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, which is currently being integrated into the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency, could be mandated to coordinate this program at a national level, replicating the successful model already used in the management of acid mine drainage treatment projects.
Instead of asking whether we have enough water, we should ask a more ambitious question: How boldly are we willing to invest in securing it?
Government, industry, researchers and investors should work together to accelerate desalination feasibility studies, develop coastal pilot projects and integrate desalination into long-term national water planning. Universities and engineering institutions should expand research into energy-efficient desalination technologies tailored to South African conditions. Financial institutions and development partners should recognize water infrastructure as a critical investment in economic sustainability.
As South Africans, we must expand our imagination. We may be a water-scarce country, but our coastline extends for thousands of kilometers. The oceans that surround us are vast and enduring. With foresight, innovation and investment they can become the cornerstone of South Africa's water security. DM
Ramateu Monyokolo is Chairman of the Rand Water Board and the Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions of South Africa.