As Johannesburg prepares to host the G20 summit with nearly R1-billion in spending, thousands of residents face daily struggles without clean water. The city's mayor has ignored calls for action amid surging debts and service disruptions. Activists demand transparency and immediate fixes to avert a humanitarian crisis.
Johannesburg is rolling out the red carpet for G20 leaders under the theme of ‘Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability’, yet local residents highlight a stark irony: many lack basic access to water. The government is allocating close to R1-billion for the summit in Sandton, while informal settlements and suburbs alike deal with dry taps.
Executive Mayor Dada Morero has not responded to questions sent to his office nearly a month ago, including two weeks before the 1 November 2025 Joburg Water Protest outside council chambers. Thousands protested peacefully, demanding ring-fenced water funding. Johannesburg Water's debt has surged past R1-billion, from R666-million owed to 203 contractors in September to R1-billion by late October, including R851-million to Rand Water. In Rand West Municipality, water supplies were shut down due to a R1.4-billion debt to Rand Water.
WaterCAN, a coalition for water justice, reports critically low supplies, unfilled community tanks, and collapsed delivery in recent weeks, as unpaid contractors halt services. Impacts include pensioners unable to flush toilets in apartments, parents buying bottled water for children, and businesses like hair salons and restaurants unable to operate. Informal settlements such as Nana’s Farm, Pumla Mqashe, and Jacksonville face health risks from poor sanitation.
The city's response has included glossy PR videos, but activists dismiss them as inadequate. With the G20 summit approaching—less than a week from the article's publication on 18 November 2025—focus remains on cleaning streets and security rather than water issues. WaterCAN calls for nine demands, including full financial transparency, urgent debt payments, service restoration, and an independent investigation into mismanagement.
Dr Ferrial Adam, WaterCAN's executive director, argues that revenues from water services must be ring-fenced to prevent diversions to other projects. The crisis, she warns, will define the 2026 mayoral race and ongoing discourse. Residents urge reporting leaks via Joburg Water's channels to mitigate immediate hardships.