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Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu has called on water service authorities to implement water shifting as part of the interim plans to address the challenges that have left some communities without water in Gauteng.

Minister Mchunu engaged with community members from South Hill in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 26 September, following recent water supply challenges.

Some parts of Gauteng have experienced acute water interruptions recently due to different systematic issues.

Angry residents complained to the Minister that some have had no water for weeks and were receiving water bills with hiked prices.

Residents told the Minister that grievances are taken seriously only when they take to the streets. They added that there has been zero accountability from the government regarding not having their basic services delivered.

Responding to the aggrieved community members, Mchunu said decisions taken from the engagement are to be implemented as soon as possible.

“Water is an emotional and sensitive water. We must not subject people to emotional stress all the time,” said the Minister. 

“We receive it and are not worried about being held accountable. Hold us accountable because water is a sensitive and emotional subject. We are focused on resolving the problems,” Minister Mchunu added.

Minister Mchunu said five key outcomes came from the meeting namely, accountability, water shifting, poor infrastructure, reservoirs and water conservation.

On water shifting, Minister Mchunu said Rand Water has assured him that they will do load shifting from the line that is not too busy and redirect to Palmiet, until such that the system recovers and able to supply even high- lying areas that are the badly hit.

“We are going to water shift as an interim measure. Technicians will be monitoring the system 24/7 as we shift water from systems to systems,” Mchunu explained.

The Minister called on Rand Water to have a set timeline for when the extra 150 mega litres will be made available from Station 5A.

He also ordered that the City of Johannesburg begin the process of replacing old leaking pipes to stop the large volume of water being lost due to leaks.

At the engagement, the minister heard complaints of non-functioning reservoirs, to this he has asked that reservoirs be refurbished. 

“Water shifting is not a permanent solution, so we have to do something permanent to address this challenge. I support Joburg Water's initiative to have a temporary construct a temporary pump station to assist with the turnaround recovery of water shortages.

“Joburg Water will share implementation plans and time frames regarding the development of the sump at the South Hills tower,” he noted.

The minister concluded with a request to the residents to conserve water, “I know you will ask me, ‘What water?’ so I will not make this a request a loud one, however, when a steady supply of water does flow, I implore that everyone saves water. We are water scarce country and every drop counts.”

The Ministry of Water and Sanitation is in various parts of Gauteng today, Wednesday, 27 September, conducting site visits to other areas that have been affected by water outages.

Minister Mchunu will be in Tshwane, while Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Judith Tshabalala are visiting various places in Ekurhuleni.

Issued by the Department of Water & Sanitation