Joburg water crisis: Residents endure almost two weeks of no water ahead of 2026 LGE

Johannesburg’s water infrastructure problems leave families without water, forcing many to rely on scarce and unreliable tankers.

Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers

With taps running dry for more than 10 days in parts of Johannesburg, thousands of residents are struggling to secure water for basic household needs, ahead of the November 4 Local Government Elections (LGE).

For families in affected communities, the water shortage has become more than an inconvenience.

Cooking, cleaning and maintaining basic sanitation have become daily struggles, leaving residents questioning how long they must endure life without a reliable water supply.

In Ivory Park, Fana Mabalane's household went seven days without water, turning an essential part of everyday life into a constant battle.

“This is extremely unbearable. There has been no water since last week. What are we supposed to do now? Imagine our sanitation system, especially with no water. This is wrong,” Mabalane said.

Another resident, who asked not to be identified, questioned the state of municipal services just days before voters head to the polls.

“We are only days away from the local government elections, but this is what we get from the very same people we are supposed to vote for. I am really disappointed. We can’t live like this,” the resident said.

The resident said the water crisis was unfolding alongside other service delivery problems, including uncollected rubbish, sewage flowing through parts of the township and deteriorating roads.

The growing frustration comes as Johannesburg Water battles to stabilise a supply network under severe pressure.

The entity has been throttling supplies at 12 reservoirs to help struggling systems recover from high demand.

It announced an overnight improvement in some affected areas following intensified technical interventions, but warned that residents should not expect an immediate return to normal supply.

“Restoration is currently in progress across impacted parts of the Sandton, Midrand, Randburg/Roodepoort, Commando, Central and Soweto systems,” Johannesburg Water said.

The utility said supplies would be restored gradually to avoid overwhelming the network and draining reservoirs and water towers.

Technical teams are monitoring affected systems, while engagements with stakeholders continue.

Executive Mayor Dada Morero is expected to brief the media at 2pm on the crisis.