Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

18 February 2025

3 minute read

Joburg Mayor Dada Morero has been warned by the DA not to trivialise the current water crisis in the city. According to the DA’s Belinda Kaiser, the water crisis in the city of Johannesburg is a human rights violation because the “provision and access to water is a basic human right”.

Belinda further stated that the city is not sticking to their commitments, and these problems could have been avoided with proper maintenance. While every municipality is required to provide water, when issues beyond their control arise, alternative measures should be put in place. However, the city has not indicated to residents that they will provide alternative measures.

The mayor’s response to suggestions for the provision of water, something he has control over, were pushed aside. One of the issues the DA have addressed around the water crisis is to provide the mayor with a proposal to provide an adequate budget to deal with the maintenance backlog. They have also suggested that capable, professional people should come on board to guide the entity job of water and fix what needs to be fixed, like the water reservoir leaks. The final solution of alternative water supply did not work out as there were no proper logistical plans put in place.

The company who was given the water tender also fell through. Belinda says that had the city of Joburg given “heed to some of these warnings,” this “entirely man-made” crisis could have been avoidable and been remedied from the outset.

While the city of Joburg has a by-law to fix leaks timeously, the DA feels that National Government should step in and make enquiries around the water crisis as this will give impetus to it – it will not just be the “opposition making noise”. Belinda concluded that to avert the water crisis, we need to be “finding solutions together”.

Listen to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat on Sabahul Muslim.