State of the City: Can Mayor Morero Quench Joburg’s Growing Water Crisis?

As Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero prepares to deliver his 2025 State of the City Address, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With communities grappling with water shortages, electricity outages, vandalism, and service delivery failures, residents are thirsty — not just for water, but for answers.

The city’s growing frustration is reaching a tipping point. From neglected infrastructure to rising cable theft and collapsing public institutions, Johannesburg is in desperate need of a turnaround. Morero’s speech on Wednesday is expected to set the tone for how the city will navigate its mounting challenges.

Water Woes and Community Anger

Among the most urgent issues plaguing Johannesburg is its frequent and prolonged water outages. In March, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) handed over a formal memorandum of demands to Johannesburg Water, insisting on urgent action to restore reliable water access. They warned that the situation is approaching “a humanitarian crisis.”

Experts agree. Professor Theo Neethling, a political analyst at the University of the Free State, said the city needs “a multifaceted approach ranging from improved service delivery to repairing infrastructure and many more.” Without broad and serious intervention, recovery could remain out of reach.

Mayor Morero is expected to announce a new water management strategy to reduce losses and improve the city’s supply systems. Whether this plan will be bold enough remains to be seen.

Electricity Outages and Crime

Another dark cloud over Johannesburg is the persistent crime and vandalism threatening essential services. Just this month, a fire beneath the M1 South bridge — suspected to be the result of cable theft — plunged parts of the CBD into darkness.

“There has been a disturbing trend around the vandalism of transformers, causing prolonged recurring outages in areas,” said City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena. The mayor will be under pressure to explain how his administration plans to protect vital infrastructure from criminal syndicates.

President Ramaphosa’s Concerns and National Involvement

Nearly a year into Morero’s term, President Cyril Ramaphosa voiced his disappointment during a visit to the city, pointing to the closure of key cultural and public facilities, including the Johannesburg Library, the Art Gallery, and the Metro Centre.

In response, the Presidency has initiated the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group, which is collaborating with the City and the Gauteng province to accelerate urban recovery.

Their focus areas include:

• Strengthening city governance and finances

• Revitalising service delivery and infrastructure

• Addressing water and sanitation issues

• Improving electricity reliability

• Upgrading inner-city hubs and townships

• Restoring public cultural institutions

• Enhancing law enforcement and urban security

As residents await the mayor’s speech, expectations are high. For many, this is not just a political address — it’s a moment of reckoning for a city on the brink.

Will Morero deliver a compelling and practical plan that goes beyond rhetoric? Or will Johannesburg continue to spiral under the weight of its problems?

The State of the City Address could either mark the beginning of real recovery — or signal more empty promises in a city that can no longer afford them.

{Source: The Citizen}

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