24 days without water

Residents of the Goud Rand Housing Development have been without water for the past 24 days (and counting).

According to Nhlanhla Bhembe, a frustrated resident, the community’s taps ran dry on October 28 without prior warning or communication from Johannesburg Water (JW), and they are still waiting for clarity.

Bhembe says they only started logging calls on Monday, November 20 after realising that the situation persists.

“We only started reporting the problem now because we wanted to give authorities from JW a reasonable time to come brief us.

“Water tanks have been deployed around, but they run out quickly because of the desperate need for water,” says Bhembe.

Bhembe says the past 24 days the water crisis has wreaked havoc in the daily lives of the residents, with some having to endure the pain of carrying heavy buckets to the third or fourth floor.

“We are now living in fear because we are not sure if the water deployed in water tanks is safe to drink,” he adds.

However, one resident, Bheki Sithole, took it upon himself and visited JW headquarters in Kliptown, only to be met with a vague response.

“They claimed they were not aware of the problem and promised to send inspectors,” said Sithole.

“But the question remains, if they are unaware, who is sending the water trucks?”

Bafana Hlongwane also spoke to the Roodepoort Record and highlighted the issue of non-functional toilets, forcing residents to find alternative water sources from areas like Braamfischer when the water tanks run dry.

For Tshepiso Lechuti, the shortage has made morning routines a nightmare, struggling to get ready for work and prepare children for school.

“Elderly people are also vulnerable during this time because they are forced to carry heavy buckets. We also haven’t done laundry in weeks,” she said.

The Roodepoort Record has sent a query to JW, and once received an update with be provided.