Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Water scarcity is no longer a future risk. It is already reshaping how businesses operate, invest and grow in South Africa.
With water demand in Gauteng at record levels and ageing infrastructure under strain, water has become a material constraint on business continuity, supply chains and long-term competitiveness. For many companies, water security is now as critical as energy security.
In this episode of No Ordinary Wednesday, recorded after an Investec and Proparco water-resilience event, Jeremy Maggs is joined by Dr Sean Phillips, Director-General of the Department of Water and Sanitation; Helen Hulett, water-security advisor; and Melanie Humphries, Head of Sustainable Solutions at Investec.
Together, they discuss how water risk is moving from the margins of ESG into core business strategy, and what practical resilience looks like for South African companies navigating a water-stressed economy.
Key podcast moments:
01:55 - Why Gauteng’s water demand is reaching critical levels
02:57 – Why government is calling for a 40% reduction in water use
04:20 – How municipalities can fund infrastructure amid high non-revenue water
07:44 – How business understanding of water risk has evolved
09:07 – How South African businesses are responding to water risk
10:50 – What Gauteng’s realistic interim water plan looks like
14:21 – What data companies need to invest smartly in water resilience
15:44 – How companies can understand where their water comes from
16:38 – How businesses should think about the return on resilience investment
17:20 – What water solutions businesses are pursuing and where gaps remain
19:16 – How Investec supports technical partnerships on water resilience
19:59 – Where private sector involvement adds the most value
22:38 – What CEOs should stop and start doing about water risk
23:42 – What government needs most from business in the next five years
24:31 – Closing reflections on partnership and opportunity
Read more on investec.com/now
Hosted by seasoned broadcaster, Jeremy Maggs, the No Ordinary Wednesday podcast unpacks the latest economic, business, and political news in South Africa, with an all-star cast of investment and wealth managers, economists and financial planners from Investec. Listen in every second Wednesday for an in-depth look at what's moving markets, shaping the economy, and changing the game for your wallet and your business. Investec Focus Radio SA (investec.com/en_za/focus/investec-focus-radio-podcasts.html)
Water scarcity is no longer a future risk. It is already reshaping how businesses operate, invest and grow in South Africa.
With water demand in Gauteng at record levels and ageing infrastructure under strain, water has become a material constraint on business continuity, supply chains and long-term competitiveness. For many companies, water security is now as critical as energy security.
In this episode of No Ordinary Wednesday, recorded after an Investec and Proparco water-resilience event, Jeremy Maggs is joined by Dr Sean Phillips, Director-General of the Department of Water and Sanitation; Helen Hulett, water-security advisor; and Melanie Humphries, Head of Sustainable Solutions at Investec.
Together, they discuss how water risk is moving from the margins of ESG into core business strategy, and what practical resilience looks like for South African companies navigating a water-stressed economy.
Key podcast moments:
01:55 - Why Gauteng’s water demand is reaching critical levels
02:57 – Why government is calling for a 40% reduction in water use
04:20 – How municipalities can fund infrastructure amid high non-revenue water
07:44 – How business understanding of water risk has evolved
09:07 – How South African businesses are responding to water risk
10:50 – What Gauteng’s realistic interim water plan looks like
14:21 – What data companies need to invest smartly in water resilience
15:44 – How companies can understand where their water comes from
16:38 – How businesses should think about the return on resilience investment
17:20 – What water solutions businesses are pursuing and where gaps remain
19:16 – How Investec supports technical partnerships on water resilience
19:59 – Where private sector involvement adds the most value
22:38 – What CEOs should stop and start doing about water risk
23:42 – What government needs most from business in the next five years
24:31 – Closing reflections on partnership and opportunity
Read more on investec.com/now
Hosted by seasoned broadcaster, Jeremy Maggs, the No Ordinary Wednesday podcast unpacks the latest economic, business, and political news in South Africa, with an all-star cast of investment and wealth managers, economists and financial planners from Investec. Listen in every second Wednesday for an in-depth look at what's moving markets, shaping the economy, and changing the game for your wallet and your business. Investec Focus Radio SA (investec.com/en_za/focus/investec-focus-radio-podcasts.html)
