Fed-up residents of Melville, Johannesburg, took to the streets on Wednesday to protest against ongoing water shortages, calling on the City of Johannesburg to urgently address the crisis.
Residents gathered along 4th Avenue, carrying placards with messages including “Heads must roll!” as frustration grows over weeks of unreliable water supply.
Ferial Adams, founder of WaterCAN (Water Community Action Network), said residents were increasingly angry, with little hope of the situation improving in the near future.
“There is no real hope of the system stabilising any time soon. The people hit by shortages are guaranteed no water. That is what we’ve been told… that this is just going to happen, and we must expect it. I don’t think that’s good enough anymore,” Adams said.
With parts of Johannesburg and Pretoria experiencing a heatwave, Adams warned that the water interruptions were worsening conditions for affected households.
She said residents were also frustrated by explanations that high demand was contributing to the shortages, particularly when many households were already struggling to access water.
“People are saying, ‘We have no water, how can that be?’” she said.
Adams acknowledged that there were challenges within the water utility but warned that placing the blame on residents could further fuel public anger and lead to road blockages and protests.
She said the crisis was also taking a significant emotional and financial toll on households and businesses, particularly vulnerable residents and those unable to afford alternative water supplies.
Adams said elderly residents were experiencing ongoing stress, with some contacting her for help because they did not know how to cope with the shortages.
She added that low-income households were particularly disadvantaged, as many could not afford to buy water, while small businesses were struggling to operate without a reliable supply.
Adams said relying on backup water supplies should not be considered a reasonable expectation for residents and businesses already affected by the crisis.
“Having a backup is not a good excuse. It’s not good enough anymore. We can’t expect people to put backup measures in place,” she said.