When Service Delivery Runs Dry: Gift of the Givers and Water Provision in the Makana Municipality

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) can play a role in public service delivery in contexts where the state is unable to provide services reliably. This article details an attempt by an NGO to deliver services in collaboration with local government: the case of the NGO Gift of the Givers and its role in water provision during the 2019 water crisis in the Makana Municipality, South Africa. We highlight some problems that arose with this partnership, leading us to suggest caution regarding the possibility of NGOs effectively providing water-related services. We conclude that NGOs may be well suited to providing short-term relief but are less well-equipped for the provision of longer-term water services. We also highlight some of the ways in which politics and public relations concerns can interfere with NGOs’ ability to deliver services like water. Finally, the article underlines the importance of clarity and transparency in collaborations between NGOs and the state.