Opinion: ‘They jump for mainstream media but ignore us locals who speak for the people’

Journalist for the Fourways Review, Ditiro Masuku, writes:

Lonehill resident Thea Swann has been without water since February and is now surviving on daily donations from the church and her school.

Her frustration with Johannesburg Water runs deep, and rightfully so.

It started with a leak. A pipe burst underneath her property, out of sight. She had no way of knowing until her water bill suddenly soared. However, as soon as she discovered the problem, she took action. Swann called JW, logged a fault, and waited, but no one came. After days of silence, she took matters into her own hands and paid out of pocket to fix the leak herself.

Also read: Lonehill resident targeted in water scam after months without access

However, by then, the meter had continued to run. The leak had already driven her bill up to a staggering
R77 000, which she’s now expected to pay in full.

According to the water utility’s spokesperson, Nombuso Shabalala, it doesn’t matter whether Swann was aware of the leak or not. Because it happened on her property, the liability is hers.

If that wasn’t enough, Swann claimed that she became the target of individuals posing as JW officials, who contacted her using accurate personal details. Details she never gave out.

When Fourways Review asked Shabalala how these alleged fraudsters got her information, she didn’t address the question. Instead, she issued a generic response advising customers to report suspicious activity to their fraud department, completely ignoring the seriousness of this specific case and the apparent clear breach of privacy.

Also read: JW customers left to fend for themselves amid scam

Worse still, the utility took four full days to respond to the publication’s queries, only replying after the story had already gone to print.

Weeks later, after repeated follow-ups from both the publication and the City Ombudsman’s office, which apparently has also struggled to get answers on Swann’s behalf, JW remained unresponsive. That is, until the publication made it clear that this column would be published.

Only then did another spokesperson, Nolwazi Dhlamini, issue a statement, not to address Swann’s claims that bogus JW officials had contacted her, but to reiterate the city’s policy on private leaks.

“The Ombudsman’s office confirmed that a preliminary investigation was conducted by the Ombudsman’s office and JW, and they found that the issue was an internal leak. Therefore, the Ombudsman would not have contacted JW further because the investigation has been concluded,” said Dhlamini.

Also read: Sewage, potholes, streetlights burning 24/7 – where’s JW, JRA, and City Power?

“JW responded on 26 May 2025, and advised that the leak is on the property, and therefore it is the customer’s responsibility. The matter was not taken further. Therefore, the case was concluded from the Ombudsman’s office as there is nothing further to investigate,” she added.

Still, there was no explanation on how Swann’s private contact details were obtained by alleged impersonators. No investigation promised. No acknowledgement of the privacy violation. Just another deflection.
As a journalist working in the community, I made it clear to JW that I’m not here to simply fill space with stories or seek empty comments. We are not just after headlines; we’re looking for solutions. We represent people on the ground who are living through this. And we must hold those in power to account.

Yet in this case, there was no accountability. Just evasion.

Mainstream media? They get the red carpet, interviews on demand. But local journalists like us? We get ignored. We’re treated like we don’t matter, even though we’re the ones embedded in the very communities these utilities are supposed to serve.

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