Pressure mounts on Joburg Water amid ongoing supply disruptions

Pressure mounts on Joburg Water amid ongoing supply disruptions Estelle.Bronkhorst Tue, 11/03/2026 - 10:00

JOHANNESBURG - Residents are demanding answers from Joburg Water as ongoing supply disruptions leave communities struggling with dry taps.

The People's Water Forum has taken its demands to the utility's offices, calling for equal access to water and accountability over unreliable supply.

Meanwhile, frustrated residents say they are tired of paying for a service they are not receiving.

**READ: **High water consumption blamed for reservoir shortage in Joburg

After days of dry taps in several parts of the city, the People's Water Forum took its grievances to Joburg Water's offices.

Civil society organisations say residents can no longer be expected to live without reliable access to water.

With local government elections around the corner, some groups say service delivery, particularly access to water, must be a priority.

**READ: **Joburg Crisis Alliance threatens legal action over ongoing water crisis

Midrand and North Riding are among the areas affected by ongoing water supply problems.

Residents in Midrand say poor communication from Joburg Water has added to their frustration.

In North Riding, water shortages are compounded by another service delivery problem -- uncollected rubbish.

The frustration is growing, with some residents warning that communities are reaching a breaking point.

**READ: **Parktown residents take to the streets over prolonged water outages

Small businesses are also feeling the impact, with some struggling to operate without a consistent water supply.

Joburg Mayor Dada Morero says improvements in system capacity have resulted in a gradual recovery in some of the affected areas.

But for many residents still struggling with dry taps, that recovery has yet to translate into reliable water supply.

• eNCA's Pule Letshwiti-Jones reports.