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Joburg Water’s failure to pay contractors on time has left thousands in informal settlements without water again, repeating last month’s service disruptions.
Fairfax Media via Getty Images via Getty Images
- Joburg Water’s failure to pay contractors on time has left thousands in informal settlements without water again, repeating last month’s service disruptions.
- The disruption affects access to clean water and sanitation in these areas, sparking serious concerns about residents’ dignity and human rights.
- With Joburg Water’s debt climbing to R690 million, calls are growing for clear restoration timelines and solutions to prevent these recurring crises.
Joburg Water has again failed to pay tanker contractors on time, and thousands of residents in Joburg’s informal settlements are once again without water.
The same situation arose last month, when contractors left the job because of non-payment.
Late on Tuesday afternoon, Joburg Water sent out a message saying they were looking into the situation to “ensure remedy”.
“The provision of water supply services (tankers) has been disrupted in informal settlements. The appointed service provider has suspended service,” the JW statement read.
A Phumlamqashi [near Lenasia] community activist, who did not want to be named, confirmed the lack of water tankers in the area.
“The trucks are not moving. There’s no water in Region G. It looks like the truck drivers were not paid, so we are back to square one again. It’s now a monthly thing.”
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Nathi Nkosi from Nana’s Farm, also near Lenasia, said he has been out trying to find a solution to the lack of water.
“We are in the same situation of no water again, and I don’t know for how long this time,” he said.
Councillor for the area, Jakes Karolia from the Al Jama-ah political party, said the lack of water tankers is also affecting the condition of portable toilets in the settlements, as there is no water to clean them.
Dr Ferrial Adam, WaterCAN director, said she is deeply concerned about yet another disruption of water supply to informal settlements in the city following the withdrawal of services by a contractor.
This is not an isolated incident. For several months, Joburg Water has struggled to pay contractors consistently, resulting in delays to infrastructure work and interruptions to essential water delivery.
“No water in informal settlements is not an inconvenience. It is a crisis. It strips families of dignity and forces them to pay for what government should provide. This failure is a direct breach of human rights,” Adam said.
Adam says the impact of Joburg Water’s escalating debt – standing at R690 million at the end of November – is now visible in the lived reality of residents.
“The result is the same every time: no payments, suspended work, and a worsening crisis for residents already facing chronic water cuts,” she said.
She said WaterCAN is calling for Joburg Water and the City of Johannesburg to provide clear timelines for restoration, a reason for the recurring payment failures and a concrete plan to prevent ongoing service breakdowns.
