Phumulamqashi residents question motive for water cut-off

On Thursday, community leaders and the councillors' committee met with the City of Johannesburg’s Environmental and Infrastructure Department.

The meeting came after Tuesday's cut-off operation by Joburg Water, which triggered violent protests in Lenasia South. 

Several stores were looted, parts of the Golden Highway barricaded, and a case of public violence opened at the Lenasia South police station after Johannesburg metro police officers were attacked by the angry crowd.

Community leader Thabo Mabekenyane told Jacaranda FM News that during the meeting, the department apologised for their “untimely” cut-off.

“They initiated the operation thinking that we are a lawless community. Little did they know that we were in communication with Joburg Water’s Ennerdale depot to remove the illegal connection,” Mabekenyane said. 

Johannesburg Water announced last week that it would embark on an aggressive operation to curb non-revenue water losses amid the constrained water supply in the metro.

This comes as Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina announced on Monday that water throttling would be implemented in the metro between 9 pm and 4 am from Thursday.

“We reached a conclusion that the department would supply the community with water tankers,” Mabekenyane said.

Meanwhile, Ward Councillor Puseletso Nzimanda explained that water tankers and communal taps are financed by taxpayers, and the City of Johannesburg currently does not have the funds for these provisions.

“Our next meeting with the community will be with the Department of Housing because it is the custodian of all informal settlements,” Nzimande said.  

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