uMngeni-uThukela Water is a state-owned entity (SOE) and water board. It is one of Africa’s most successful organisations involved in water management and is the largest supplier of bulk potable water in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The organisation was established in 1974, to provide water services – water supply and sanitation services – to other water services institutions in its service area.
Effectively from the 1st of July 2023, the organisation operates under its current name ‘uMngeni-uThukela Water’ after the incorporation of Mhlathuze Water into Umgeni Water.
The entity provides water and related services to other water services institutions and other customers in its gazetted service area of the Province of KwaZulu-Natal.
uMngeni-uThukela Water operates in accordance with the Water Services Act (Act 108 of 1997) and the Public Finance Management Act (Act 1 of 1999), amongst others, and is categorised as a National Government Business Enterprise.
uMngeni-uThukela Water reports directly to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), through the Board (Accounting Authority) and through its functionaries, the Chairperson of the Board and the Chief Executive. The Minister of Water and Sanitation is the Executive Authority for Water Boards.
Vision
The vision of uMngeni-uThukela Water is to be a leader in sustainable water services in the developing world.
uMngeni-uThukela Water strives to be an effectively run, public-oriented and socially accountable water utility, which has its heart and mind, focused on the provision of bulk water services.
uMngeni-uThukela Water will achieve leadership based on its performance and the sustainable value they co-create with their customers and stakeholders and continue to leave a positive legacy in the communities, region and country.
Mission
The mission of uMngeni-uThukela is to create value for its customers by providing water services at the right quality and quantity, within acceptable levels of reliability and affordability to support sustainable economic development in KwaZulu-Natal.
uMngeni-uThukela’s business is the provision of water and related services and providing specialist support in the provision of water for all. This includes providing all water and related services to its customers, supporting municipalities and contributing to water knowledge that will lead to sustainability from source-to-source.
Strategic Intent
uMngeni-uThukela Water’s strategic intent is to be a key partner that enables government to deliver effective and efficient water and related services in a financially sustainable manner.
uMngeni-uThukela Water intends to be recognised as a strategic and sustainable partner of government, co-creating value through providing water and related services as a catalyst for community development.
Benevolent Intent
uMngeni-uThukela Water’s benevolent intent is to provide water and related services by enhancing sustainable economic development to improve human dignity and quality of life.
uMngeni-uThukela Water intends to be recognised as a transformational organization that is accountable to the society. Through this people-centred approach uMngeni-uThukela Water will leverage its resources to ensure the restoration of dignity for all.
Water and related services will be provided for both health and economic benefits, which contribute to addressing poverty, underdevelopment, and inequality.
Supply Area and Customers
KwaZulu-Natal is the gazetted supply area of uMngeni-uThukela Water, which straddles a total geographical area of 94,361 km² and is home to 12.42 million people and 2.9 million households.
KwaZulu-Natal comprises one Metropolitan Municipality, 10 District Municipalities and 43 Local Municipalities. A total of 14 of these municipalities are Water Services Authorities (direct retail customers) as defined in the Water Services Act.
uMngeni-uThukela Water’s customers are spread across more than 41% of KwaZulu-Natal’s geographical area and home to more than 74% households (Statistics South Africa, 2022).
In the reporting period, uMngeni-uThukela Water derived revenues from the following customers:
- eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality
- iLembe District Municipality
- Ugu District Municipality
- Harry Gwala District Municipality
- uMgungundlovu District Municipality
- Msunduzi Local Municipality
- City of uMhlathuze Local Municipality
- SIZA Water
Within the King Cetshwayo District Municipality, in the Port City of Richards Bay, the organisation continued to supply water to industries such as Mondi Paper, Richards Bay Minerals (RBM), Hulamin, Mpact, Foskor, Tronox, South 32, Richards Bay Titanium and Wilmar.
uMngeni-uThukela Water’s infrastructure assets in support of its bulk water services business comprises:
- Approximately nine hundred and eight one (981) km of pipelines and fifty-three (53) km of tunnels
- Fourteen (14) impoundments
- Fifty-three (53) water treatment works
- One (1) effluent pump station
- Twenty-three (23) wastewater treatment works
Overseeing Department/Entity
Office Bearers/Management
Chairperson
- Adv Vusi Khuzwayo
Deputy Chairperson
- Ms Nothando Nonkululeko Mkhize
Board Members
- Mr Timothy Cornish
- Adv Lavandran Nanda Gopaul
- Ms Diana Hoorzuk
- Ms Senamile Masango
- Ms Sylvia Mhlongo
- Mr Sibusiso Mkhize
- Mr Kwazikwenkosi Mshengu
- Mr Sipho Mtolo
- Ms Hlengiwe Mvubu
- Mr Khanyisani Shandu
Chief Executive Officer
- Mr Sandile Mkize
Chief Financial Officer
- Mr Thami Mkhwanazi
Chief Operations Officer
- Mr Sanele Mazibuko
Senior Management
- Mr Nkosi Cele (Executive: Infrastructure Development)
- Ms Ntsapokazi Deppa (Executive: Scientific Services)
- Mr Sandile B Dube (Executive: Special Projects)
- Mr Sbusiso Madonsela (Group Chief: Governance and Compliance Officer)
- Mr Phokela Maponya (Executive: Operations)
- Ms Simangele Mbatha (Company Secretary)
- Ms Moketenyane Moleko (Acting: Chief Shared Services)
Communications Officers
- Mr Shami Harichunder (Manager: Corporate Stakeholder)
Contact Details
The contact details of uMngeni-uThukela Water are listed in the table below.
| Physical Address: | 310 Burger Street, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 |
| Postal Address: | P.O. Box 9, Pietermaritzburg, 3200, KwaZulu-Natal |
| Telephone: | 033 341 1111 / 0800 331 820 |
| Fax: | 033 341 1167 |
| Email: | info@umgeni.co.za |
| Website: | www.umngeni-uthukela.co.za |
