Water restrictions kick in for Joburg

JOHANNESBURG - Thursday night marks the beginning of an indefinite water reduction phase for Joburg residents as the city works to restore reservoir levels. 

From 9pm to 4am, water pressure for millions of homes will be sharply reduced, a decision made by the metro and Water Minister Pemmy Majodina this week. 

The move is about addressing several issues including Gauteng's daily water consumption, which is 60% above the global average.

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But some residents argue the city and Joburg Water are to blame.

In Riverlea, south of Johannesburg, water pipelines are as old as the suburb itself, dating back to its establishment in the 1960s. 

Home to about 24,000 people, residents say they’ve watched their infrastructure crumble. 

Cedric Ortell, a long-time resident, describes seeing clean water pipelines bursting, a problem he said has gone unattended for years.

One leak, he noted, had been spilling water for three years without any response. 

Residents said they're paying the price for what they call sheer incompetence by the city and Joburg Water.