Johannesburg, a city already grappling with water scarcity issues, has been dealt another blow as it faces a second critical infrastructure power failure in less than a week. This latest outage has severely impacted the Rand Water Eikenhof pumping station's ability to pump water into the city, exacerbating an already critical situation.

The recent power failure comes on the heels of a meeting between the Mayor and representatives from Rand Water and Joburg Water to address water shortages across the city. Despite attempts to allocate blame to residents, it's evident that the underlying issues are systemic. Joburg Water's own reports indicate significant losses due to non-revenue water, with a considerable portion attributed to infrastructure leaks.

The lack of water also has a dire economic impact as many businesses have to close their doors during dry spells for health and safety reasons. The longer this problems persist, the more jobs can be lost.

Now, with water infrastructure failing due to neglect, and power outages becoming increasingly frequent, Rand Water faces a crisis reminiscent of Eskom's challenges. The Mayor and Rand Water’s failure to heed warnings from the DA, and subsequent lack of preparation, has left the city vulnerable. Urgent pleas for contingency plans, particularly to ensure water access for essential services like schools, hospitals, and elderly care facilities, have gone unheeded.

As Johannesburg grapples with yet another water crisis, it remains uncertain whether Joburg Water has the resources to sustain the city through prolonged water shortages. Transparency and communication regarding the situation have been lacking, with little information shared with councillors or the public.

In response, DA councillors are demanding an immediate meeting with Joburg Water to assess available resources and their distribution across the city. Furthermore, we call upon the Mayor to demonstrate leadership during this critical time and provide much-needed reassurance to residents who are bearing the brunt of this crisis.

 

Issued by Cllr Nicole van Dyk - DA Shadow MMC for Water, Power and Environment