‘Empty promises’: Joburg residents face worsening water crisis ahead of G20 Summit

Water woes persist in townships and informal settlements

As Johannesburg braces for the G20 Summit, many residents are struggling to access clean water, highlighting a crisis that has been brewing for years. Coronationville, Westbury, Zandspruit, and other informal settlements bear the brunt of the shortages, with aging infrastructure, illegal connections, and high non-payment rates compounding the problem.

Joseph Makhanda, a resident of Coronationville, expressed his frustration bluntly: “We’ve been struggling with water shortages for over seven years. They know about the problem but are doing nothing. We can’t do basic things because there’s no water.”

City’s promises fall short

Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero has acknowledged past failures to restore water in affected areas. Following a September 11 outage, the city promised supply would return within seven daysa deadline that came and went unmet. A new intervention was announced for 22 September, but residents remain sceptical.

Margret Samuels, 35, said protests seem to be the only way to get attention. “Almost all residents have to protest before anything happens. After a day’s work, it’s hard to come home and find no waterit makes daily life so difficult,” she said.

Emergency measures and infrastructure challenges

Jo’burg Water has deployed 21 tankers for emergency relief in Coronationville, Westbury, and Newclare, targeting critical institutions such as hospitals, clinics, schools, and police headquarters. Spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said the root causes include high demand, leaky infrastructure, illegal connections, and non-payment.

“Jo’burg Water recognised the need to rehabilitate the Commando System over ten years ago, but funding delays stalled progress. We are now investing R800 million on this priority infrastructure project,” Shabalala said, noting work on the New Crosby Bulk Infrastructure project, Brixton Reservoir, and Hurst Hill 1 and 2 reservoirs.

Yet residents argue the aid is insufficient. “Taps run dry during the day. We wake up at night to get water, but it’s unsafe because crime is high. Water tankers don’t come every day, and sometimes we don’t get water,” said Kagiso Machaka from Zandspruit.

Activists warn of a long-term crisis

A coalition including the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, OUTA, WaterCan, and Defend Our Democracy has called for urgent action. Dr Ferrial Adam of WaterCan warned that the G20 Summit will not solve the long-term problem. “They might manage water trucks for the event, but most residents will still face shortages for the summer. Completing infrastructure projects like Brixton reservoir and Hurst Hill is crucial,” she said.

Adam also criticised Mayor Morero’s repeated shifting deadlines. “He keeps making empty promises. Citizens would respect honesty about the scale of the problem and a realistic timeframe,” she added.

Residents left in limbo

While Jo’burg Water assures that supply to summit venues will remain stable, communities outside these areas continue to bear the brunt. For many, fetching water from distant points or waiting for sporadic tankers has become a daily struggle. The city’s promises offer little comfort to residents who have faced years of neglect, leaving trust in local authorities at a historic low.

{Source: IOL}

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