The persistent water shortage in parts of Johannesburg has left students and private accommodation providers struggling to cope, with residents describing weeks of disruption, rising costs and uncertainty about when relief will come.

Diedeliff Gertenbach, who owns three student accommodation properties—two in Westdene and one in Richmond — said the crisis has severely affected both his tenants and his business. Many students moved into their residences at the end of January, and instead of settling into university life, they were met with empty taps.

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“The moment they arrive here, there’s no water,” Gertenbach said. “It creates a negative start for students. We want to provide a clean, safe and quiet environment where they can focus on their studies, but this situation makes that very difficult.”

He explained that the lack of water has social, emotional and academic consequences for students while placing financial strain on accommodation providers. Attempts to supply water through tanks have proven unsustainable, with costs escalating rapidly as tanks run dry within a day.

@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: UJ student, Jonathan Kivido shows how the water crisis has affected his daily life. Video: Waydon Jacobs #Northcliff #UJ ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

“You start spending thousands of rand every few days, and no business can survive that,” he said.

Gertenbach said the biggest challenge has been the absence of clear communication from authorities. He called for transparent explanations and reliable schedules for water relief, arguing that students need certainty about when and where water will be available.

At his Westdene properties, water ran out at different times, with some residences without supply for up to two weeks. Students were forced to move between properties to shower or collect water, but even those temporary solutions have since collapsed.

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University of Johannesburg student Thobile Magagula, a second-year Bachelor of Arts student, said the crisis has disrupted her daily routine.

“We can’t cook, so we have to buy takeout, which is expensive,” she said. “We had to go to a friend’s place to shower and get water just so we could go to class.”

Magagula said the situation affects attendance, finances and basic living conditions. Returning home is not an option, as the journey takes about six hours and is too costly.

Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabala stated that they are aware of the ongoing water supply challenges that are affecting areas supplied from the Hursthill 2 reservoir. “Further to previous communications, JW confirms that investigations into the ongoing water supply challenges affecting the Hursthill 2 reservoir are continuing.”

Shabalala added that technical teams are now back on site and have resumed full troubleshooting, focusing on monitoring pressure and flow, checking for airlocks, and assessing the network to identify possible supply constraints.

“Some areas experienced partial restoration of water during recent interventions, showing slight improvement, and the utility says it will keep evaluating the system and implement further corrective actions until supply is stabilised.”

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