Joburg residents face third day of dry taps as water outages spark growing public outrage
Mapaballo Borotho
- Johannesburg residents have gone three days with little to no water due to a re-burst in key pipelines.
- Johannesburg Water says it is working to restore supply while monitoring affected systems across multiple suburbs.
- Growing frustration has prompted civil society groups to plan a mass protest outside the City Council chambers on 1 November.
Johannesburg residents have been battling low water pressure or no water at all in several suburbs for the past three consecutive days.
In a statement released on Thursday, 16 October 2025, Johannesburg Water confirmed that the latest supply disruptions are due to a re-burst in pipelines that had previously been repaired.
The utility said teams are attending to the issue, resulting in water isolation across affected areas, including Rosebank, Houghton, Parktown, Illovo, and nearby suburbs.
In a follow-up statement received by Kaya News on Friday, Johannesburg Water said it is monitoring all affected systems.
“Johannesburg Water’s Sandton systems are constrained but supplying fairly to adequately. We are implementing interventions to assist recovery, including throttling or closing outlets overnight,” the utility said.
Meanwhile, frustration over the City’s worsening water crisis is mounting.
Activists, residents, and civil society groups are planning a mass water protest outside the City Council chambers on 1 November 2025, organised by the Joburg Water Forum and supported by organisations such as Abahlali Base Zola, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, the Climate Justice Coalition, and Defend Our Democracy.
The planned protest follows recent demonstrations in Westbury and Coronationville, where residents also demanded lasting solutions to Johannesburg’s continuous water supply interruptions.
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