The DA in Johannesburg demands urgent action and transparent communication from local authorities regarding the prolonged water outage affecting large parts of the City. Residents have been grappling with this issue for the past five days, causing widespread frustration. We share this frustration and are deeply disappointed by the lack of clear and timely communication from Johannesburg Water and Rand Water, the city's water supplier.

The crisis began on June 8, 2023, when the Rand Water Eikenhof pumping station in Orlando experienced an unprecedented outage. Although the immediate causal issue was resolved the next day, a significant portion of Johannesburg remains without water. Currently, 16 major reservoirs across the city are critically low water levels or empty. Denying access to water, a fundamental human right protected by our constitution and Bill of Rights, is an affront to the dignity of all people of Johannesburg. Currently, almost a million Johannesburg residents are facing this indignity.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time Johannesburg and its residents have faced such hardships this year. In late January, a four-day water outage caused similar harm. Despite these recurring crises, the City and the province have failed to establish an emergency response plan to effectively address these situations.

In contrast, DA councillors have proactively engaged with Johannesburg Water and other authorities to seek answers for residents, schools, and hospitals. This diligence led to a constructive meeting between DA councillors and Johannesburg Water on June 10, 2023, where commitments were made to improve communication and provide residents with updates specific to their suburb.

The silence, however, from MMC Sekwaila, the Executive Mayor, and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on this pressing issue has been deafening. The DA in Johannesburg calls on them to prioritize oversight of the entities involved and actively work towards restoring the water supply. We are prepared to assist in achieving this for the people of Johannesburg.

A comprehensive emergency response plan, that includes regular and reliable communication to residents, must be drafted, published, and implemented to address and mitigate crises of this nature. Emergency generators should be made available at critical points like the Eikenhof pumping station, especially considering ongoing loadshedding and the increased risk of electrical failures compounding weaknesses in service systems.

The DA in Johannesburg pledges continued vigilance over Johannesburg Water, the Executive Mayor, and his government. We are committed to ensuring that the residents of our City, who are paying the price for these governance failures, are shown due respect.

 

Issued by Cllr Nicole van Dyk - DA Johannesburg Ward 99 Councillor