Mapaballo Borotho
- Johannesburg residents have staged protests over prolonged water outages, with some areas reporting no water for more than two weeks.
- A reported go-slow by Johannesburg Water employees has worsened the situation.
- The city has denied claims of a system failure, saying supply is under pressure but interventions are underway.
Residents in parts of Johannesburg have taken to the streets to protest against ongoing water cuts in the city, saying the situation can no longer be tolerated.
Taps have had little to no water in some areas, with some residents claiming they have been without water for more than two weeks.
Adding to the problem, Johannesburg Water employees reportedly embarked on a go-slow on Monday to voice their grievances, further complicating the city’s ability to supply sufficient water to residents.
Residents say they are prepared to air their grievances every morning until the water challenges are resolved.
“I am here to object very strongly that we have not had water for over three weeks now. It is very hard for everyone, but I realise it is harder when you have small children. Someone has to do something about it and they need to do it now,” said Parktown resident, 92-year-old Gilly Pirow.
It has been alleged that the city is facing a complete system failure, resulting in water no longer being supplied. The city has denied this, saying its systems are under pressure due to high demand, infrastructure constraints and ongoing supply challenges.
In a statement, the City of Johannesburg said it continues to receive and distribute water across the city.
“To intensify coordination and fast-track interventions, an Intergovernmental Water War Room has been established, bringing together the City of Johannesburg, Rand Water, the Gauteng Provincial Government and national stakeholders.
“This structure is actively monitoring the system in real time, coordinating technical responses, accelerating repairs, and implementing demand-management measures to stabilise supply and protect critical infrastructure,” the city said.
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