Johannesburg residents protest amid Gauteng water crisis
Scores of residents in Johannesburg took to the streets in protest against prolonged water outage in their areas.
On Wednesday, major roads in Westbury and Westdene were covered with burning tyres, debris, tree branches, and rocks. Residents braced the cold weather to demand City of Joburg’s water entity, Johannesburg Water, to restore water supply.
Jaden Van Wyk, a high school learner, said they are suffering as youth because no water means they don’t attend school.
“Not having water is not good for us, especially school-going children. In a few weeks’ time, we are going to write exams. I am worried because not accessing water means that we can’t go to school,” Van Wyk said.
Another resident, who did not share her name, held a placard written “Water is life, we have no water since March”.
The demonstrations by residents left hundreds of motorists and public transport commuters stranded at the intersection of Perth Road, Portland Avenue, and Harmony Street in Westbury and Westdene.
The traffic disruptions forced motorists to use alternative roads.
Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla said officers were deployed to the scene, and the situation was calm despite the road closures.
On Wednesday evening, Johannesburg Water said their teams would do configurations to the Crosby pump station as part of a bigger project meant to improve supply in the entire Commando System.
The entity said the planned work forms part of phase one of the configuration of the pump station. This will take place from October 17 at 6pm until October 18 at 2am.
“A valve will be installed at the pump station during the maintenance. This is part of two new infrastructure projects that will boost water storage capacity for the Commando System (which comprise the Brixton, Crosby, and Hursthill complexes), as well as improve supply to the feeder zones.
“These are the entity’s ongoing efforts to ensure consistent and long-term water supply through the upgrading of existing infrastructure, and the provision of new water infrastructure for additional capacity to support higher density settlements,” said the entity.
On Tuesday, disgruntled residents of Tembisa in Ekurhuleni protested over a lack of water as well.
Later that day, residents of Tsakane issued a communique stating their intentions to protest on Wednesday, however, due to heavy rains, the locals abandoned the plan.
“After the municipality heard about the protest, water was available in our taps after almost a decade, which I think is just a blinding thing because, after almost a decade even the mayor was informed but without any progress,” said one resident.
Asked how they managed to survive, the resident said water would flow out for a day or two.
On October 12, Rand Water issued a notice regarding the rising crisis of water supply in the municipalities in Gauteng, as a result of excessive withdrawals of bulk water by municipalities.
Rand Water revealed that water storage levels were critically low, and that supply could soon be depleted if the necessary measures were not put in place.
This week, the EFF demanded that Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa outline a concrete plan to avoid the water crisis in South Africa, particularly in municipalities in Gauteng.
“The EFF has in recent weeks raised multiple concerns with regards to water supply in South Africa, in particular as it relates to the mounting levels of debt owed by municipalities to Water Boards which threatens water infrastructure and supply.
“This debt owed by municipalities is largely due to poor rate collection from large corporations and the mining industry which utilise large supplies of water, but do not pay rates, leaving municipalities unable to pay water boards and placing citizens at risk,” said EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys.
“The general mismanagement of municipal finances and water-related issues in municipalities falls directly at the feet of the Minister of COGTA, who since assuming office has not been able to outline any plan to stabilise internal systems within municipal governance and resolve the debt and water challenges confronting the sphere of governance he presides over.”
The Star contacted COGTA Minister spokesperson Legadima Leso, however, he advised that we contact the Water and Sanitation Ministry.
“I think the Department of Water and Sanitation is best placed to respond,” said Leso.
Briefing the media in August this year, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina said to ensure that the availability of water does not become a constraint to investment and economic growth, and to ensure that there is sufficient water to meet the needs of population as mandated by the Constitution, they will be focusing on three key priorities over the term of this government.
“Along with COGTA, National Treasury and Human Settlement Department (DHS), Water and Sanitation will continue to support municipalities to improve their water and sanitation services in several ways. It will assist municipalities to improve their water services planning through the development of Five-Year Water and Sanitation Reliability Plans, Water and Sanitation Master Plans, and Water Services Development Plans.
“One of our immediate priorities will be to visit all the provinces to meet with Water Services Authorities, to review progress with existing improvement plans which are supported by the department, and to assist the municipalities to develop additional improvement plans where necessary,” Majodina said.
The Star
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