Taps have been running dry in Robertsham Photo Pexels
Robertsham – Residents of Robertsham gathered outside Johannesburg Water in Southdale to make their voices heard. Some residents have been without water for 13 days while others have not had water for at least a month. Residents feel that councillors, Rand Water and Johannesburg Water have turned a deaf ear to their calls.
The problem started in October last year when Robertsham was dealing with a water problem. Now the problem has escalated to a point where residents can no longer sit back, explained Mahmoud Ally, a Robertsham Community Member.
“A lot of other houses in the area, probably around 15 to 20 streets, don’t receive any water at all … We do not have any water. We were promised water when we met with councillors. We were promised water yesterday afternoon. There was a trickle of water and then it was shut off again.”
Difficulties Robertsham residents are facing because of the water problems
Residents like 66 year-old Muhammed Iqbal Ismail have only had water twice in the last month. Frustrated by the lack of communication and desperate for water, he joined the protests outside Johannesburg Water.
“I haven’t got any demands. I just want water. That is all I want. It’s my basic human right to have running water in my taps. I can’t carry a 50 litre drum. I am 66. I’ve got to carry a 50 litre drum to fill the toilet, to fill the bath so my wife can bathe. My wife tried to pick up a drum and she hurt her groin. Now she is walking with crutches.”
With Ramadan coming up, residents are concerned about how they will manage to perform wudu (ablution), pray and fast with their taps running dry. While Councillor Rashieda Landis, Ward 55, said water tankers are available, Iqbal and other residents have said they haven’t seen a water taker in the area for over a month.
Talks between councillors and residents over the water problem
Residents feel as if councillors have ignored them over their concerns. They have not been informed by the councillors or Johannesburg Water about what the problem is, explained Ally. The lack of communication is what pushed residents to stage this protest.
“We get a lot of excuses about what might be the problem. From the pump to the reservoir to broken pipes and loadshedding. It’s a whole lot of excuses that simply do not make sense to the residents of Robertsham.”
However, this isn’t the message coming from the councillors. According to Councillor Stuart Marais, Ward 54, he is also experiencing the same problems and he has been communicating with them. The problem is with the information he is getting from the water utility.
“They told us it is because of the input from Rand Water. The problem is we give them (residents) answers and eventually it doesn’t materialise. The people then say we are lying to them. The mere fact is we are not getting enough water and it does run out. The fact that they don’t have water for so long means there is a valve or something that is closed and is one of the problems.”
Landis shares the same beliefs as Marais. She has placed the blame solely at the feet of Rand Water who “never came to the party”.
“Rand Water never picked up the phone once. Not even the CEO picked up the phone once to give me answers as to why the problem at Vereniging purification system was so bad. What is the problem? We can’t give the residents answers because we don’t know. They are not telling us the truth.”
Fixing the issues at hand
Ally has called on residents to continue to peacefully protest until their voices are heard and the issues are dealt with. Landis wants the issues to be resolved as soon as possible but that can only happen if Rand Water comes “on board” and addresses the issues that residents have.
“I don’t see anything different happening because Johannesburg Water doesn’t have the answers. Rand Water needs to come on board. The mayor was in my ward on Sunday and didn’t have the decency to phone me and tell me they are going to be at the towers so I could address the problems with them.”
To hear more from Mahmoud Ally about the water situation and how it is impacting residents, listen to the podcast here:
