How the Water Mafia is Undermining North West and Rustenburg’s Business Growth

How the Water Mafia Threatens Rustenburg Businesses in South Africa

South Africa’s water crisis has grown for many years. In addition, drought, climate change, broken infrastructure, and weak leadership all add to the problem. As a result, the system can no longer meet the needs of people or businesses. But now, the Water Mafia is Undermining North West and Rustenburg’s Business Growth!

Meanwhile, a new danger has appeared. Criminal groups—called the water mafia—exploit these gaps for profit. They stop projects, threaten contractors, and turn basic services into money-making schemes.

Consequently, their actions make the crisis worse. Communities pay more, projects take longer, and businesses in towns like Rustenburg face greater risks every day.

But now, an even greater threat has emerged: criminal Mafia syndicates exploiting these weaknesses and turning essential water delivery into a source of extortion.

Across South Africa, water mafias now control multimillion-rand supply contracts. At first, tanker services were meant to provide short-term relief for water-stressed communities. However, these temporary solutions have turned into long-term rackets. Today, contractors, municipalities, and even ordinary residents face constant intimidation. Criminal groups demand payments just to keep basic services running, and those who resist often see projects delayed or shut down.

The mafia impact is devastating:

The minister has called the water mafias “beyond count” in the province, describing how they secure contracts through bribery, sabotage, and even by contaminating water supplies to ensure future tenders.

Experts, including the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), argue that these crimes amount to acts of terrorism.

Mafias deliberately sabotage essential services, and in doing so, they attack more than infrastructure.

Instead, they strike at the very survival of communities that depend on clean water every day.

This is especially dangerous in a country already ranked among the 25 most water-stressed nations worldwide. If syndicates control access to water, they control life itself.

This danger grows even sharper in South Africa, already ranked among the 25 most water-stressed nations in the world. When syndicates seize control of water access, they also seize control of daily life itself.

What This Means for Rustenburg Businesses

For businesses in and around Rustenburg, the ripple effects are clear:

At RPS Security, we have seen how syndicates exploit weak points to intimidate communities and businesses.

Security is no longer about just protecting property—it’s about safeguarding livelihoods against organised crime networks.

How to Respond

While government and political parties debate long-term solutions, businesses cannot afford to sit back. Proactive measures include:

• Securing infrastructure such as pump stations, tanks, and borehole sites.
• Partnering with professional security providers who understand both the risks and the local landscape.
• Strengthening community reporting channels to ensure that crimes are not ignored.

In our previous blog post The Hidden Threat to Business Development, we unpacked how criminal activity impacts economic growth. The rise of water mafias is a perfect example of this threat in action—directly stalling development in Rustenburg and the wider North West Province.

Final Word

The water crisis is not just about drought or infrastructure—it’s about security. As long as mafias control access to essential resources, businesses and communities remain vulnerable.

To learn more about protecting your business and community, read our latest blogs and visit our website at www.rpssecurity.net.

Original Article posted in BUSINESS TECH by GOVERNMENT Malcolm Libera on 27 Sep 2025