Frustrated community members staged a protest at the corner of Apollo Road and Northumberland Avenue to demand action after their taps ran dry on November 3.

Standing along the roadside, residents held up posters with messages of desperation and frustration, hoping to draw attention to the hardship they have endured.

Read more: Johannesburg Water fails to show for water crisis meeting in Blairgowrie

With no water supply, the community has been left struggling with the daily challenges of living without a basic necessity.

Cry of desperation

Resident Craig Ayre said they have been abandoned by the city and someone needs to repair the water infrastructure.

“If they don’t, we are all, every last one of us in the city, in big trouble. They need to start delivering, because it can’t carry on like this.”

He added the protest is not political. “It’s a cry out of desperation. We have an enormous amount of desperate people here.

Elderly people, disabled people and we’ve got an orphanage here. They are all struggling. We’re just up the road from Zandspruit. I don’t know how the informal settlements are going to survive this. It’s absolutely terrible.”

Despite their frustration, residents found encouragement from passing motorists. Cars travelling along the busy intersection hooted in support.

Tower neglected

Ayre said they are hoping to get action from Joburg Water. “This is not just standing on the side of the road to waves and make a noise. Someone needs to wake up.”

He said the Honeydew Tower has been neglected and they are not getting the support they need.

“We are the worst-performing tower. All the areas around us have water, but no one from the city wants to tell us what’s going on there. Our water is either being diverted, or they are not fixing the inflow properly. And it’s affecting a lot of people. A lot of people.”

Joburg Water was contacted for comment, but none was received by the time of publication.

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