The Joburg Crisis Alliance (JCA) led a united protest at the Metro Centre, drawing attention to Johannesburg’s severe water crisis and the city’s failure to properly manage its water infrastructure and finances.

Residents from all parts of Johannesburg gathered outside the Metro Centre to demand answers and urgent action. The protest, organised by the JCA, WaterCAN, and other partners, became a powerful symbol of unity.

Communities of different races, classes, and neighbourhoods shared one clear message: access to water is a basic right, not a privilege.

Johannesburg’s crisis did not happen overnight. Years of poor governance, underfunded infrastructure, mismanaged entities, and weak accountability have left the city struggling to provide essential services.

The protest showed that people are no longer willing to wait for political parties to ‘fix it later,’ and active citizenship is now essential.

Among those attending were the ward councillors from Johannesburg South.

They joined the protest to represent the communities most affected by ongoing water shortages in their areas. Many parts of the south have faced weeks of dry taps, unreliable water supply and limited communication from the city.

The councillors said they were there not only as leaders, but as residents who experience the same struggles as their communities. They called on the city to take urgent steps to ensure consistent water delivery and to repair ageing infrastructure that continues to fail local households and businesses.

Before the protest, the JCA and its partner organisations, including WaterCAN, JoburgCAN, CADE, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, and others, sent a formal letter of demand to the executive mayor.

Their key demands include:

• Protecting and ring-fencing funds for water and sanitation

• Reviewing the Joburg Water account and budget decisions

• Implementing the city’s water turnaround strategy

• Investigating tanker tender contracts

• Working openly with civil society to find sustainable solutions

• Ensuring fair access to piped water for all communities

Mayor Dada Morero attended the protest and accepted the demands, acknowledging that civil society has the duty to hold government accountable. He described the demonstration as a “revolutionary act”.

The JCA has made it clear that this is only the beginning. The JCA will now monitor water availability community by community, check conditions on the ground, and follow up on the City’s promises. Any future meetings with the City must include clear timelines, budget allocations and transparent reporting.

If meaningful progress is not made, the accountability campaign will intensify in 2026 – until every tap runs, the struggle continues.