Helen Zille warns neglected infrastructure driving Johannesburg water crisis

The City of Johannesburg has been hit hard by another water crisis, with residents in Midrand having none for over a week.  

While Joburg Water said it has increased efforts to restore supply, Democratic Alliance candidate for mayor Helen Zille explained that the water crisis is complex and requires a comprehensive approach to address it.

RELATED: Joburg Water ramps up efforts to restore supply in Midrand after eight-day crisis

She noted that the City’s water infrastructure has been neglected and left unattended for decades, with water treatment plants being prone to faults that trigger domino effects of water shortages across the city. 

“In Selby, there are factories that have been without water for about 20 weeks now; they have a water truck that comes, and a lot of money in Joburg gets allocated to the water trucks. They have one of the oldest water systems in Joburg.” 

Zille explained that the City’s budget process often allocated funds for water, but the money gets ‘swept out’ into a general account, leaving Joburg Water underfunded. 

She proposed ring-fencing a large part of the water budget to prioritise maintenance and infrastructure repairs.

“There are 22 critically endangered water systems in Johannesburg that are literally on their last legs because they haven’t been maintained in so long, and those pipes are going to have to be replaced,” she said. 

RELATED: 'Most systems within Midrand still struggling': Joburg Water

To listen to Zille in conversation with 702’s Bongani Bingwa, use the audio player below: