Johannesburg is facing a severe water crisis, sparking outrage from residents and civil society. Years of alleged mismanagement and neglect have left the city’s infrastructure in a dire state. This has led to prolonged water shortages in many suburbs.
The crisis has now escalated with revelations that R4 billion, intended for Johannesburg Water, was diverted to other municipal expenses. This has prompted calls for the mayor’s resignation and urgent intervention.
The city’s water and sanitation infrastructure is deteriorating rapidly. Johannesburg Water faces an infrastructure renewal backlog of R27 billion. Almost half of the water supplied by bulk supplier Rand Water is lost before it reaches consumers. This is due to leaks, pipe bursts, and illegal connections. The situation has become a human rights issue, affecting homes, schools, and hospitals.
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Calls for action and accountability
A coalition of civil society organisations, including the Water Forum and WaterCAN, is planning a protest on 1 November. They will march to the Johannesburg City Council building in Braamfontein where they will demand that the city ring-fence funds for the water crisis.
They also want Johannesburg Water to receive its full budget. Furthermore, they are calling for the immediate return of the diverted R4 billion. They demand transparency on infrastructure projects, including timelines for reservoir upgrades.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has submitted a PAIA application to investigate the missing funds. The party wants to see bank account balances and cash management policies. This is to determine the true financial state of Johannesburg Water.
The ongoing water crisis has put immense pressure on Mayor Dada Morero. He has been criticised by a parliamentary committee for the city’s handling of the funds. The committee was not satisfied with his explanation that the city pools all its revenue.
While the city grapples with this financial and infrastructural turmoil, residents continue to suffer. Some areas have been without a consistent water supply for weeks. This forces people to queue for water tankers daily. The long-term neglect of the city’s assets means that even with enough bulk water supply from Rand Water, the local distribution network is failing.
Image: the Brixton water tower. [Credit: Tasneem Bulbulia/Creamer Media]
