Pipe Bursts, Vandalism, and Inaction: How Rand Water Deepened Joburg’s Water Crisis

Residents left dry, clinics dysfunctional, and communities outraged as Joburg’s water woes deepen

Johannesburg’s long-standing water problems just went from bad to worse. What was supposed to be routine maintenance by Rand Water turned into a cascading failure that left vast parts of the city without water and it’s not just taps that are dry. Public clinics, homes, and even sanitation infrastructure have been pushed to the brink.

A day after Rand Water concluded maintenance at the Zwartkopjes Booster Pumping Station, two major pipes on the C11 pipeline burst, sending jets of water visible for kilometres. The culprit? A devastating combo of vandalised air valves and a rushed system recharge.

“We’ve gone from maintenance to mayhem,” said Dr Ferrial Adam of WaterCAN. “That Rand Water update is outrageous. They’ve caused problems and are now washing their hands of it. Yeoville and Berea only got water back yesterday. Many areas never recovered.”

Burst Pipes and Vandalism Blamed

Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo confirmed that while recharging the pipeline, both air valves blew off due to internal pressure. The valves, already compromised by vandalism during the downtime, triggered the dramatic water surge. The affected Forest Hill system is still recovering.

“The area where the pipe burst passes through informal settlements,” Maroo said, “and unfortunately these are zones where infrastructure vandalism is common.”

Rand Water has appealed once again to communities not to tamper with highly pressurised pipelines, warning that the damage could lead to injuries, service interruptions, and even fatalities.

Malvern Clinic: Six Weeks Without Water

But while the pipes are now fixed, the consequences are still being felt, nowhere more alarmingly than at Malvern Clinic in eastern Johannesburg. The facility has gone six weeks without running water, forcing nurses and patients into desperate workarounds.

“The clinic serves 5,000 patients a month and yet has no piped water,” said DA Gauteng shadow MEC for health Jack Bloom. “They have a tank, but water must be collected with buckets and it’s not safe to drink. There’s a real infection risk.”

Patients needing to use the toilet, including those with diarrhoea are told to go home or visit a nearby petrol station or fast-food outlet. Even basic tests like urine samples can’t be done.

“This is not just an inconvenience. It’s a public health hazard,” Bloom said.

Calls for Urgent Intervention

Bloom has now written to Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko calling for urgent intervention. He said a basic fix, such as placing the existing tank on a concrete base and connecting it to the internal plumbing with a pump, would cost very little and could restore running water to the clinic within days.

He also confirmed that DA councillor Neuren Pietersen will lodge an inspection request with the City of Johannesburg’s Section 79 health oversight committee.

“It is appalling that the council has not acted to ensure a proper water supply and fix the poor infrastructure and safety issues,” Bloom said.

The Bigger Picture: Failing Infrastructure and Delayed Recovery

The Joburg water crisis is no longer a matter of “wait until it’s fixed.” Residents in places like Yeoville, Berea, and Malvern have become used to long, dry spells and no explanation. The latest chaos has only confirmed what many already feared: the city’s water infrastructure is fragile, mismanaged, and too easily disrupted by criminal acts or poor planning.

Meanwhile, health facilities, homes, and small businesses are bearing the brunt of these failures. Trust in both Rand Water and Joburg Water continues to erode as finger-pointing replaces accountability.

Rand Water’s maintenance has left Johannesburg with burst pipes, broken trust, and a deepening water crisis. With essential services like Malvern Clinic grinding to a halt, it’s no longer just a matter of infrastructure, it’s a growing public health emergency.

{Source: The Citizen}

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