Residents of Phumla Mqashi informal settlement near Lenasia South took to the streets on Monday, December 2, 2024, burning tyres and causing needless chaos on the Golden Highway and near the Grasmere Toll Gates, marking yet another experience for the people who had to commute to work and were either stuck in their homes or late for work.
Residents demanded that Johannesburg Water (JW) restore their water, which had been cut off because of unauthorised connections. Although the City of Johannesburg Housing and Human Settlement recognises this informal settlement, it has not yet been proclaimed, which regrettably means that the water they have connected to is unlawful.
John Tsotetsi, a community leader in the area, shared with this publication that he, along with a group of residents, marched to the Lenasia South Civic Centre to hand over a memorandum to the Johannesburg Water team, urging them to restore water access to the community and engage with Joburg Water for the installation of communal taps.
Additionally, they are seeking further discussions on the installation of communal taps to serve approximately 17,000 shacks in the informal settlement.
This comes after he described how the current JoJo water tankings are not hygienic, which puts the locals in grave danger. Additionally, he says that dirt and rats are dumped into these water tanks, which can be lethal.
"We need Johannesburg Water to collaborate with us in order to find a long-term solution to assist our people, and if that doesn't work out, we will consider going to court to provide a community mandate that has been obtained," Tsotetsi stated.
He clarified that, as leaders, they do not endorse roadblocks or any other educational initiatives, but they do counsel members to refrain from them. He also stated that he was not aware of the protest activity that occurred.
Nombuso Shabalala, Johannesburg Water's spokesperson, provided an update regarding the Lenasia High-Level Reservoir, noting a significant improvement in its water levels after successful operational adjustments. These changes have optimized water distribution in the area and led to increased reservoir performance. However, Shabalala emphasized that Johannesburg Water will not connect the illegal water supply at the Phumla Mqashi informal settlement in Lenasia South, following a disconnection operation on November 12.
This intervention marks progress in reducing non-revenue water (NRW), which represents water supplied but not billed to customers. The water utility has been addressing this ongoing issue through various water demand management projects aimed at reducing physical losses and improving billing and revenue collection.
Shabalala highlighted that both the Lenasia High-Level and Hospital Hill reservoirs had previously struggled to reach optimal water levels, but they have now surpassed a key milestone, exceeding a capacity of 6.80 meters in recent readings. This improvement is attributed to the disconnection of illegal connections, which has contributed to the increase in water levels.
In response to the needs of the community, Johannesburg Water has deployed 36 water tankers, with plans to deploy an additional nine, totaling 45 tankers. The utility continues to collaborate with local ward councillors and community leaders to ensure water supply through stationary and roaming trucks.
Shabalala reaffirmed Johannesburg Water's commitment to meeting the growing water demand, improving service delivery across the city, and implementing equitable restrictions across all areas, including informal settlements and high-consuming bulk meters. The utility will continue monitoring and adjusting its operations to support these efforts.
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