Residents of Dan Tloome took to the streets yesterday, April 16, in protest over a long-standing water crisis.
Protesters expressed concern over health risks, particularly for children and the elderly, as access to clean water continues to decline. They are angry because for years they have been suffering from an unreliable supply and service delivery failures.

According to community members Tsholofelo Mathibedi and Mamello Makhanya, the area has experienced inconsistent water access for the past three years.

“The water is only made available sporadically, often flowing for just about an hour once a week,” Mathibedi said. This arrangement, they say, has made daily life extremely difficult.

“We can’t live like this anymore. We haven’t had water for close to two weeks now. The only way we are getting water now is from residents of neighbouring areas like Finsbury and Droogheuwel,” said Makhanya.

Also read: Mohlakeng residents give SAPS 7-day deadline after protest

Residents used debris and rocks to prevent cars from passing. Photo: Maverick GqobaTo mitigate the situation, the municipality has dispatched water tanker trucks to supply residents. However, the truck has allegedly not been seen in the area for the past week.

“To make matters worse, we have elderly people, pregnant women and people living with disabilities in our communities. How are they expected to carry buckets of water? Also, the queue for the water truck is incredibly long. You can start queuing for water in the morning and only receive water in the afternoon. This is due to the municipality only supplying one water truck to service the entire Dan Tloome community,” Mathibedi added.

Buti Molefe, who is disabled and uses a wheelchair, said he places a bucket between his legs and then has to travel a long distance from his house to where the truck is and back to collect water.

“This is extremely challenging for me, but because my household needs water, I need to find a way to get it done,” he said.

The lack of both running water and tanker deliveries has left households struggling to meet basic needs such as cooking, cleaning and sanitation.

Finsbury community activist Bokkie Pule, who was also present at the protest, said the core problem is the lack of infrastructure development, not only for water but also for electricity, particularly in new development houses and flats across Randfontein.

“The municipality is building these new developments with no concrete plans as to how water pumps and reservoirs will supply these new areas,” she said.

Residents are now calling on the municipality to urgently intervene and provide a permanent solution to the ongoing crisis. Many said temporary measures are no longer sufficient and are demanding accountability and clear communication from local authorities.

At the time of reporting, Rand West City Local Municipality had not issued an official response regarding the latest disruption in water tanker services. The Randfontein Herald also reached out to the ward councillor, who had not responded to calls at the time of publication.