Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
09 February 2026

Protesters gathered outside Joburg Water on Sunday, 8 February, urging authorities to declare Johannesburg’s water crisis a national disaster. (Photo: Water Crisis Committee)

Johannesburg’s escalating water crisis has left many residents without running water for more than a week, while others continue using water for non-essential purposes such as filling swimming pools.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Ravin Singh from the Joburg Water Crisis Committee said declaring the situation a national disaster would not deliver immediate relief, but could force stronger coordination between government spheres.

“You won’t see immediate results. This is a long-term fix,” Singh said, adding that water supply problems are being felt across the country, with communities facing “water cut-offs, throttling, and a whole range of problems.”

Singh explained that Johannesburg’s water challenges have been decades in the making, largely due to rapid population growth and underinvestment in infrastructure. “In 1996, the city had about 2.6 million people. Today… anywhere between 5.5 million to 6 million,” he said, noting that the city has effectively doubled in size within 30 years.

While service delivery has expanded, Singh said infrastructure planning has not kept pace with demand. “When we talk about today’s water crisis, we’re also talking about decades of underinvestment,” he said.

Singh believes a national disaster declaration could reduce political blame-shifting. “National government is no more blaming local government and local government is no more blaming national government. We start to work together and confront this problem together,” he said.

However, Singh stressed that residents must also play a role by reducing consumption. He said Johannesburg residents use between 250 and 300 litres per person per day, far above global averages. “Globally the average is closer to 170 litres per day. London… 140. Berlin… 120,” he said.

At the same time, he acknowledged public frustration, especially as the city reportedly loses up to 56% of its water to leaks. “There’s no point increasing supply… when you have 56% leak. It’s like pouring water into a sieve,” Singh said.

While water tankers remain the main emergency response, Singh said they are not a sustainable solution. “We stand opposed to water tankers as a long-term solution,” he said, adding that residents often rely on them during extended outages.

He also warned that inequality is deepening the crisis. Poorer households cannot afford JoJo tanks, while those with storage often capture water first, leaving high-lying areas without supply. “It’s like the survival of the fittest,” Singh said.

Singh said the completion of the Lesotho Highlands Phase 2 project, expected by 2028 or 2029, may improve supply but will not solve Johannesburg’s crisis unless leaks are fixed and water restrictions are introduced through proper consultation.

“We have to change our relationship with water,” he said.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Habib Bobat and Ravin Singh.