Cosmo City residents march over Johannesburg water crisis
Carrying a memorandum to Mayor Dada Morero, Cosmo City residents demanded urgent action on water shortages, disconnections, and corruption, warning that their communities cannot function.
Cosmo City residents took their frustrations to the streets of Braamfontein, handing over a memorandum demanding urgent intervention in Johannesburg’s deepening water crisis. The march, which ended outside the office of Johannesburg Mayor Sello Enoch Dada Morero, highlighted the daily struggles faced by households, schools, and businesses left without reliable access to clean water.
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With placards in hand and chants echoing through the city, the marchers made their intentions clear: They were not there for show. “We are not here for fun,” read one of the slogans repeated throughout the protest.
Their memorandum of demands calls for an immediate halt to water disconnections, which they say has brought parts of their community to a standstill. Parents and teachers described how frequent outages and cut-offs have disrupted schools, forcing children to learn in unhygienic conditions.
The protest also shone a spotlight on broader governance failures. Residents accused the City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg Water of ignoring their concerns, while corruption worsens service delivery.
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Among those lending support was Build One South Africa’s Gauteng provincial leader Tsepo Mhlongo, who marched alongside residents. “We are here with the people, for the people. We say no to corrupt leadership. We need ethical leaders. We are drawing the line, today and now.”
Mhlongo reminded officials that water is not a privilege, but a constitutional right. “It’s a mandate that we must get free basic water.” He urged the city to prioritise communities that are most affected by shortages.
Johannesburg has battled water supply challenges for months, with reservoirs running dry, ageing infrastructure failing, and residents growing increasingly impatient. In Cosmo City, residents say they have lost trust in promises of improvement, and believe only sustained pressure will force leaders to act.
Cosmo City residents have given the mayor 14 working days to respond to their demands, as the city’s water crisis deepens.
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