Johannesburg’s water crisis: A threat to South Africa’s global image ahead of the G20 Summit

Persistent issues with water supply, urban decay, and infrastructure failures in the City of Johannesburg, despite a large budget, reveal a failure to prioritise essential infrastructure maintenance and service delivery over other expenditures.

They also suggest a lack of effective oversight and accountability among municipal officials and political leaders, an expert said.

The city has been marred by service delivery protests, especially regarding water supply issues.

Professor Natasja Holtzhausen, from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Pretoria, stated that continued service delivery failures, often expressed through protests, foster growing distrust between citizens and the government, which contributes to increased social instability and complicates governance efforts.

The City of Johannesburg, which has the largest budget on the African continent, is set to host the G20 Summit in November, and questions have been raised about its readiness for this global event. 

The G20 comprises 19 countries, and its members include the world’s major economies, representing 85% of global Gross Domestic Product, over 75% of international trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

Holtzhausen said that while the G20 aims to promote economic cooperation, the high-risk environment characterised by visible urban decay and inadequate infrastructure could deter potential investors from seeing South Africa, particularly Johannesburg, as a viable investment opportunity.

“Issues such as widespread water outages, urban decay, and failing infrastructure will be evident to international delegates, media, and observers. These problems could create a negative image of a dysfunctional state and city, potentially undermining South Africa’s reputation on the global stage. 

“In summary, hosting the G20 Summit under these circumstances transforms a domestic service delivery crisis into an international embarrassment, directly challenging the perception of South Africa as a capable and well-governed nation. The visible struggles in Johannesburg will serve as a stark reminder to the world of the governance issues facing the country,” Holtzhausen said.

She highlighted that these challenges are systemic, involving financial mismanagement, political instability, and a breakdown in the operational efficiency of key municipal entities.

Holtzhausen stated that these challenges raise concerns about the government’s effectiveness, leadership capabilities, administrative capacity, and the overall welfare of citizens, particularly in Gauteng. 

“Furthermore, the ongoing water crisis raises health and security concerns. Numerous service delivery protests may create feelings of insecurity among delegates and could even disrupt the summit. Negative publicity could further damage South Africa’s standing as a host for international events and a desirable business destination. This situation also affects the economy and investor confidence,” she stated. 

Dr Ferrial Adam, executive manager of a non-governmental organisation, Water Community Action Network (WaterCAN), said they are deeply concerned about the glaring contradiction between the City of Johannesburg’s international ambitions and its domestic realities. 

“It seems that the city has put funds into ‘cleaning’ up Sandton for the G20. It is also an area that has not had as many issues. We are not against the G20 Summit, but the real question that should be asked, with our city falling apart, should we be hosting such an event? Should we not spend that money to fix the city? It shows the complete disregard that politicians have for the residents of the city,” Adam said.

“The City of Johannesburg is grappling with a severe water crisis, urban decay, and infrastructure collapse that has left millions of residents without reliable access to water. We would like to know the full breakdown of G20-related spending, including infrastructure upgrades, hospitality, and security. Transparency is essential to ensure that public funds are not diverted from urgent service delivery needs.”

Adam added that losses from leaks, illegal connections, and billing failures have rendered a large portion of treated water effectively wasted; estimates point to very high levels of non-revenue water across the system. 

“The root causes are deferred maintenance, ageing pipes, weak leak detection, and poor customer account systems. The city’s current budgetary approach prioritises short-term cash fixes over asset renewal; until funding is ring-fenced and spending is refocused, the infrastructure will continue to collapse,” she said.

In the short term, Adam said, the city must stop the transfer of funds from Johannesburg Water and ensure that projects identified for 2025/26 have the funds in the bank, not just on paper. 

“WaterCAN calls on the city to: Ring-fence water infrastructure funding and publish spending audits. Prioritise repairs to reservoirs, bulk lines, and pump stations. End reliance on emergency water tankers and provide consistent, safe water access. Engage civil society and affected communities in transparent planning and decision-making,” she said.

WaterCAN continues to drive accountability through evidence-based reporting, exposing maladministration, and building coalitions with residents’ associations, faith groups, and NGOs, she said. 

In Claremont, for instance, we worked with residents and engineers to uncover that their water shortages were due to closed valves rather than geography, a problem the city could have resolved far earlier.

This kind of technical clarity empowers communities and prevents political opportunism from exploiting people’s suffering. By supporting citizen monitoring and coordinating collective demands, we ensure that justice in water is both technical and democratic, Adam added.

Sainy van Zyl, a resident of Westbury, Johannesburg, stated that the water has been on and off for approximately seven or eight years in the Coronationville, Westbury, and Claremont areas, where residents would go without water, sometimes for one week, 10 days, or two weeks.

“Water would come at midnight and the early hours of the morning. During that time, people are asleep, and water is of no use to the communities, but it was sent through around those hours for whatever reason. You would find that people have to wake up around 1am to do washing because that was the time that water would be on,” van Zyl said.

He highlighted that most communities have suffered extensively from water supply issues to the point where they had to protest.

He raised a concern that an informal settlement five to six meters across the road has water, while their homes don’t.

“It is about 20 meters away from our community in terms of pavements and the road. They have got full running water at high pressure, and we don’t. People have to queue outside the mosque just to get water,” van Zyl said.

Tshepo Mahlangu, president of LASCA civic organisation, said the water crisis is man-made, violates human dignity, and is a human rights issue.

“The city must at all costs avoid consumption spending and focus on infrastructure investment. These ongoing man-made water crises pose a threat to the G20 Summit, potentially attracting protests. LASCA is embarking on civic education to educate residents on how to effectively hold the authorities accountable, mainly in line with Section 152.1 and Section 195.1 of the Constitution,” Mahlangu said.

Nthatisi Modingoane, spokesperson for the City of Johannesburg, said for the current financial year, Johannesburg Water has been allocated R1.7 billion specifically for infrastructure development and related projects. 

He added that this allocation is a critical part of the city’s broader funding plan aimed at addressing water challenges and upgrading essential systems.

“The council has approved the ring-fencing of the service entities’ surplus for infrastructure. However, it’s important to recognise that the overall city budget must accommodate a wide range of priorities, including staff salaries, routine maintenance, and various service obligations. We are actively working with the National Treasury to review the city’s financial model for a smooth ring-fencing of the surplus,” Modingoane said.

He added that the claim that R4 billion was taken from Johannesburg Water is false. This figure represents the estimated investment required to fully implement the Water Management Strategy, designed to enhance water infrastructure, improve service delivery, and strengthen management within the City of Johannesburg.

“The city is fully committed to ensuring that investments lead to tangible improvements in water services. We will consistently monitor progress, provide updates, and work in collaboration with communities to meet their needs,” he said.

On Thursday, Mayor Dada Morero acknowledged the failure of the water restoration plan in Coronationville during a visit and promised that a new intervention would commence on Monday. Some parts of Westbury and Claremont continue to experience water outages.

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