Water Crisis Deepens in Johannesburg Amidst System Failures

Johannesburg continues to grapple with worsening water shortages, leaving large parts of the city without supply for weeks. Frustrations are mounting as residents face inconsistent communication from city officials and water authorities.

The crisis escalated further on Thursday when the High Court in Johannesburg was forced to shut its doors due to the ongoing water outages. The Office of the Chief Justice confirmed that the temporary closure was necessary, with alternative arrangements being made for scheduled court cases.

In response, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, arguing that the City of Johannesburg must be held accountable for failing to guarantee water access. The party is also calling on the Gauteng government to declare the crisis a disaster, which would enable urgent intervention to assist affected communities.

Bulk water supplier Rand Water has issued an urgent warning about rising consumption levels, cautioning that the system is on the verge of collapse. According to Rand Water, despite supplying at full capacity, reservoir levels are depleting rapidly, particularly in Johannesburg and Tshwane.

Also Read: DA Calls for Urgent Action as Joburg and Ekurhuleni Water Crisis Worsens

The company highlighted that water demand spiked immediately after maintenance was completed in mid-December, suggesting that ongoing infrastructure issues are worsening the crisis. The strain is compounded by interlinked water systems, meaning shortages in one area impact supply elsewhere.

Adding to the chaos, power failures at the Emfuleni substation have disrupted operations at Rand Water’s Vereeniging treatment plant. The facility, which depends on municipal electricity supply, experienced multiple outages this week, leading to further depletion of key reservoirs.

As a result, areas supplied by the VVS system (Vereeniging, Vanderbijlpark, Sasolburg) and parts of Johannesburg, including Yeoville, Benoni, and Eikenhof, suffered extended water outages.

WaterCAN, a nonprofit organization monitoring water issues, criticized the handling of the crisis, stating that Joburg’s water system is failing due to years of neglect. Executive Manager Ferrial Adam dismissed government claims that high demand was to blame, instead pointing to leaks, aging infrastructure, and mismanagement as the root causes.

Residents have also voiced frustration over lack of clear updates from Johannesburg Water. While some information has been shared on social media, it is often too generic to be useful, leaving many unsure about which infrastructure serves their area or when tankers will be available.

WaterCAN has called for the creation of a real-time online dashboard to provide transparent updates on reservoir levels, system failures, and water supply schedules.

Since November 2024, Johannesburg Water has implemented supply reductions, but some areas have experienced severe shortages for months. The lack of transparency has led to growing public outrage, with residents demanding answers about why certain neighborhoods suffer more than others and whether the crisis stems from poor management rather than just high demand.

As the crisis deepens, Mayor Dada Morero is set to inspect key reservoirs across the city, but without immediate intervention, Johannesburg’s water crisis is poised to spiral further out of control.

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