JOHANNESBURG - Decades of neglect and lack of maintenance of water infrastructure have left large parts of the country in a deepening crisis.
Communities face regular water outages, with little relief in sight.
The Water and Sanitation Department has painted a grim picture of the state of the country’s supply and access.
South Africa is one of the 30 most water-scarce countries in the world.
And the demand for the precious resource continues to increase as the population continues to grow.
Another factor compounding the crisis is climate change.
The department forecasts that this could result in more severe droughts in the future, as well as more frequent floods, which cause major damage to water and sanitation infrastructure.
In August 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the establishment of a state National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency, in response to this crisis.
He said at the time that the new legislation formed part of reforms that would increase investment in the maintenance and construction of water infrastructure and improved water quality.
This law was later followed by a National Water and Sanitation Indaba in March 2025 hosted by the Department of Water and Sanitation.
READ | Billions pledged but will the water crisis be resolved?
At that event, government again shared plans to deal with the worsening crisis.
Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Isaac Seitlholo admitted that the problem is urgent.
He says that while fixing the infrastructure is a big issue, other problems like vandalism, illegal use of water and even extortion cannot be ignored.
Fast forward five months later and the issue of water woes still persists.
In Johannesburg broken pipes, dry taps have been a new reality for many.
Frustration has now reached a boiling point in Westbury and Coronationville, as residents find themselves bracing for months without a stable water supply.
READ | Westbury taps dry for months
Joburg Water says repairs are under way at the Crosby pump station, expected to take three to four months, offering only short-term relief.
Full repairs are set to begin in November at the Hurst Hill reservoir, taking at least nine months to complete.
Speaking to eNCA , a 101 ward councillor says years of neglect are now beginning to catch up with Joburg.
"It has been years and years of not doing the right thing. There is a major problem with how administration is being run in the city," he said.
Johannesburg Water is undergoing a R3 billion upgrade of its Commando System. It’s hoped this will address long-standing water shortages caused by ageing infrastructure built in the early 1900’s.