South Africa’s richest city collapsing in front of everyone’s eyes, and residents are taking action
Johannesburg residents, civil society groups, and community organisations have united to demand urgent action to end a “human rights and economic emergency.”
On Saturday, 1 November 2025, Johannesburg residents and businesses will gather outside the Johannesburg Council Chambers in a peaceful protest.
This protest is focused on the worsening water crisis, which has affected households and businesses across the city.
“We are fed up. We waited too long while our taps ran dry. This is not just about water. It’s about respect, accountability, and the right to live with dignity,” the coalition said.
The group said that the people of Johannesburg had had enough of excuses and failed promises by the municipality.
“After years of smaller protests, residents are now uniting across the city to demand that the government act decisively to fix Johannesburg’s failing water system,” it said.
It has written a formal letter to the City of Johannesburg’s Executive Mayor Dada Morero, outlining eight key demands.
These demands include ring-fencing of water funds, transparency on the missing R4 billion from Joburg Water, and reforms to the water board.
The group wants the water board to include civil society, business, and government representatives for oversight.
The protest on Saturday will feature testimonies from residents, civic leaders, and experts, and an open call for the Mayor’s direct response.
The group emphasised that their campaign seeks partnership, not confrontation, to resolve the city’s problems.
It urged the City of Johannesburg, the Gauteng Provincial Government, and the Department of Water and Sanitation to work with communities.
They believe this collaboration will help to restore accountability, stability, and safe water for all.
Depending on the city’s response, the coalition said it will embark on an escalation campaign or forge a meaningful working relationship with the city.
Electricity infrastructure and roads collapsing and crime out of control
It is not only the City of Johannesburg’s water infrastructure which is collapsing. The electricity network and roads are also falling apart.
Many residents have highlighted problems with deteriorating service levels and dysfunctional and corrupt management.
Johannesburg’s problems are not new. They have reached such concerning levels that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had to step in earlier this year.
In March 2025, Ramaphosa warned officials in Johannesburg to resolve the problems dogging the city ahead of the G20 summit.
“The environment that one observed in Johannesburg was not a pleasing environment. I say this so that we can improve immensely,” said Ramaphosa.
In May 2025, Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero unveiled a high-impact implementation task force, dubbed the “bomb squad,” to address the city’s problems.
The team, headed by ANC veteran Snuki Zikalala, consists of seasoned public servants brought in to rescue the metro from its current state of decline.
Morero explained that the bomb squad’s main objective was to oversee and ensure the effective implementation of the city’s service delivery plans.
Despite Ramaphosa’s demands, Lesufi’s assurances, and Morero’s interventions, the city continues to battle all its old foes.
RISE Mzansi National Chairperson, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, said the decay of Johannesburg is the direct result of uncaring and negligent politicians.
“Service delivery cannot be switched on only when foreign dignitaries visit. It must be the daily reality for ratepayers and residents who keep this city afloat,” she said.
The DA Spokesperson on Water and Sanitation, Stephen Moore, claimed that Morero has no plan to resolve Johannesburg’s water crisis.
“After failing on his promise to restore water, Morero’s presentation before the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation proves he is unfit to be mayor,” Moore said.
“Morero had no answer to the R4 billion defunded from Joburg Water, bringing maintenance projects to a halt, causing the current crisis.”
“Toby Chance, DA Spokesperson on Trade, Industry, and Competition, stated that industrial parks in Johannesburg have become job killers, rather than job creators.
The Gauteng government and City of Johannesburg are slowly killing the businesses that operate there, rather than making it easier for them to grow and create jobs,” he said.
Photos of Johannesburg’s water problems
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