Frustration boiled over on Wednesday as residents of Melville and Westdene took to the streets to protest ongoing water shortages, accusing the City of Johannesburg of failing to provide consistent access to a basic service.
Community members say taps have run dry for more than 20 days, disrupting daily life and forcing families to rely on bottled water and temporary supply measures. Many argue that the current outage is not an isolated incident, but part of a pattern of frequent and prolonged disruptions.
Residents claim that leaking and burst pipes are often left unattended for days or even weeks, worsening the situation and delaying the restoration of supply. They also expressed anger at what they describe as poor communication from the municipality.
According to protesters, the City regularly issues notices blaming “strained systems” and high consumption, rather than addressing what they believe are infrastructure failures and maintenance backlogs.
“We’re not asking for anything extra — just water,” one resident said during the demonstration. “It’s a basic human right.”
Beyond the water crisis, residents say they are increasingly frustrated at paying high municipal rates for services they say are unreliable or unavailable.
The City of Johannesburg has yet to provide a detailed timeline for when supply will be fully restored, as communities continue to demand urgent intervention and lasting solutions.