AI graphic traces South Africa's water crisis for election explainer

Makhosini Mgitywa@Makhosini

In September 2019, while serving as Head of Communication in the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, I wrote an op-ed for the Sunday Times warning that by 2024, demand for water would outstrip supply.
That warning was based on what experts were telling the Minister and senior departmental officials at the time.
Seven years later, the water crisis is likely to be one of the decisive issues in the November local government elections, particularly in eThekwini. The ANC could lose the most, given that the crisis deepened under its watch. The MKP, led by former President Jacob Zuma, could be among the biggest beneficiaries.
I asked my AI tool to create a graphic tracing key milestones in how we reached this point—and showing which presidents may deserve credit for progress, and which may bear responsibility for failures of oversight and leadership.
Ahead of the elections, I invited leaders from different parties to discuss the water crisis. Among those who accepted the invitation is the ANC’s Mike Mabuyakhulu. In this nine-minute video, he gives a brief history of the crisis and explains what his party says it is doing to address it.