Joburg’s water system is leaking, literally and institutionally. A mere 11km of its 12,000km pipe network is under repair, while 40% of supply is lost to leaks. For Ferrial Adam, executive director of WaterCAN, the crisis is not just about broken pipes but broken trust.
“The crumbling infrastructure indicates years of neglect at the city level, from governance failures to funding shortfalls,” Adam says. “This shows a city trapped in crisis management, patching bursts as they happen. In a water-scarce country, this level of neglect is unacceptable; residents are bearing the brunt of political and managerial failure.”
WaterCAN is a network of scientists who work for clean, safe and sustainable water.
Water governance expert Anja du Plessis agrees that Joburg’s failures go beyond technical breakdowns. She warns that climate change is reshaping water availability patterns in urban Gauteng, compounding the crisis.
“The predicted climate change impacts for the province include higher temperatures and increasing water use and demands, as well as more extreme weather events such as floods and droughts,” she says. “But before we plan for future shocks, we need to do the basics right: fix neglected infrastructure and increase water storage to meet current and future demands.”
Water quality specialist Carin Bosman says poor disinfection practices and ageing pipes are already creating health hazards, with carcinogenic byproducts detected in the water. She says that without a citywide water safety plan and independent regulation, residents are “flying blind”.
Joburg Water’s data reveals about 40 leaking reservoir sites, yet repair budgets cover only a few. Water-throttling has become routine. Adam says repair projects were meant to begin in July but have stalled.
“These delays are not technical; they’re financial,” she says. “Joburg Water can’t pay contractors because the city keeps sweeping funds from its accounts.”
Du Plessis says Joburg’s vulnerability to upstream shortages and mismanagement is acute. “Any change in the system, whether higher demand or empty reservoirs, has a huge impact locally. The Lesotho Highlands Phase 2 should provide a buffer once complete, but until then Joburg remains exposed.”
Long term, we must stop flushing good-quality water down the toilet
— Ferrial Adam, executive director of WaterCAN
In some areas, among them Ivory Park, Westbury and Ennerdale, taps have been dry for nearly three months, leading to residents protesting. WaterCAN’s data shows residents queuing at tankers or buying from informal vendors at inflated prices.
“These communities, already shaped by apartheid-era neglect, are once again carrying the heaviest burden,” Adam says.
Joburg mayor Dada Morero has promised swift fixes, but Adam says delivery, not rhetoric, is what matters.
“While the mayor has been visible since the protests, his engagements remain defensive rather than solutions-driven,” she says.
Du Plessis says structural reform is essential. “Joburg Water needs to become its own entity. Right now, the city determines its budget, and without ring-fencing of water and sanitation revenue, funds are diverted elsewhere.”
Bosman calls for regulatory independence. “We need a water regulator that is separate from political structures.”
WaterCAN’s network has revealed suffering and resilience. In Claremont, a group of women mapped their own water infrastructure after a decade of inconsistent supply.
“They were told their problems were due to geography, being a high-lying area,” says Adam. “But after walking valve to valve, it was clear the issue was infrastructure.”
WaterCAN is equipping communities with testing kits to monitor water quality.
“Citizen-science activism is how we build our network of water warriors,” Adam says. “Testing is the first step towards water justice, equitable access, governance and sustainability.”
Adam outlines a recovery road map: immediate stabilisation, medium-term upgrades and long-term climate resilience. “Joburg Water’s plans are solid, but they need the budget to execute,” she says. “Long term, we must stop flushing good-quality water down the toilet. All new developments must include recycling and reuse systems. Climate resilience isn’t optional; it’s urgent.”
Du Plessis points to global models such as China’s “sponge cities” and Denmark’s rainwater harvesting programmes, but warns that local political inertia is the real barrier. “We have South African solutions and technology,” she says. “But misappropriation of funds, dysfunctional municipalities and lack of political will are blocking implementation.”
As backlash grows over the Lesotho Highlands pipeline and its displacements, Adam calls for deeper collaboration between civil society, media and grassroots monitors.
“WaterCAN’s data exposes the real impacts on people’s lives. Independent media can amplify these stories and hold leaders accountable,” she says. “This is how we build a genuine water democracy, one where residents drive the agenda and make our democracy real through active participation.
“Everyone must continue to be the eyes and ears on the ground. Report leaks, illegal activity and dumping. We’re not just thirsty; we’re tired. And unless leaders act, Joburg’s people will no longer wait quietly.”
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