South Africa sends lawmakers to pan-African water crisis talks in July
Continental lawmakers gather to address water access and sanitation across Africa.
South Africa’s five-member parliamentary delegation departs this week for Midrand, where lawmakers from across the country’s political divide will sit together at the Pan-African Parliament’s First Ordinary Session of its Seventh Parliament, running July 27 to 31, 2026 at the institution’s headquarters.
Water. That is the word at the centre of everything this session will address. The African Union’s 2026 theme, “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,” sets the agenda for discussions that touch the daily lives of millions of people across the continent who lack reliable access to clean water and adequate sanitation.
Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, leads the South African group. She is joined by Mr Mdumiseni Ntuli, Chief Whip of the African National Congress; Mr Vuyani Pambo of the Economic Freedom Fighters; Ms Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala of uMkhonto we Sizwe; and Mr Mergan Chetty of the Democratic Alliance. The range of parties represented, from the ruling ANC to opposition benches, reflects a deliberate effort to present a unified national voice in a continental forum despite the sharp political differences that define domestic politics back home.
The opening ceremony on Monday, July 27, at 09:00 will draw senior national leadership. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the assembly alongside Ms Thoko Didiza, Speaker of the National Assembly. Mr Fateh Boutbig, President of the Pan-African Parliament, will also speak at the official opening.
Meanwhile, this session carries added significance as the first substantive gathering since the Pan-African Parliament elected its new bureau on April 30, 2026, an event that inaugurated the current parliamentary term and reaffirmed the institution’s mandate to advance democratic governance and continental integration under the long-term Agenda 2063 framework.
South Africans who want to follow proceedings have several options. Parliament TV broadcasts live on DSTV Channel 408. The Parliament of South Africa’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/ParliamentofRSA), Facebook page and Twitter account will all stream the session. Subscribing to the YouTube channel enables instant notifications when live feeds begin.
Media representatives seeking interviews with Ms Mtshweni-Tsipane should contact Masego Dlula at 081 715 9398 or [email protected]. General inquiries about the delegation or the session can be directed to Moloto Mothapo at the Parliament of South Africa.
Whether the session’s deliberations translate into concrete commitments on water access for communities across the continent remains the question that will outlast the five days of proceedings in Midrand.
Q&A
Who leads South Africa's delegation to the Pan-African Parliament session?
Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, leads the five-member South African parliamentary delegation.
What is the central theme of the Pan-African Parliament's 2026 session?
The African Union's 2026 theme is 'Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063,' addressing the daily lives of millions across the continent who lack reliable access to clean water and adequate sanitation.
When and where will the Pan-African Parliament session take place?
The First Ordinary Session of the Seventh Parliament will run July 27 to 31, 2026, at the Pan-African Parliament's headquarters in Midrand.
Which South African political parties are represented in the delegation?
The delegation includes representatives from the African National Congress (Mr Mdumiseni Ntuli), the Economic Freedom Fighters (Mr Vuyani Pambo), uMkhonto we Sizwe (Ms Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala), and the Democratic Alliance (Mr Mergan Chetty).