Merafong, South Africa – A crippling water crisis has left thousands of residents in the Merafong municipality, west of Johannesburg, without running water for three weeks, as the local government’s substantial debt to Rand Water triggers severe supply restrictions.
The crisis has prompted a local business owner to take matters into his own hands, drilling a borehole at his own expense to provide relief to the parched community of Kokosi. Residents, including Solomon Motlong, were seen queuing with buckets to access the water, which the business owner has cautioned is for non-consumptive use only, such as bathing and flushing toilets, due to it not being tested.
The water outage stems from a 40% supply restriction imposed by Rand Water in response to Merafong’s outstanding debt of R1.41 billion. A court order in June had mandated Merafong to present a payment plan to Rand Water by the end of July, a deadline the municipality failed to meet. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally reported the crisis to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and other key government oversight bodies, citing a “financial collapse” and a failure to protect residents’ rights.
The municipal manager, Dumisani Mabuza, acknowledged the challenges, stating that the municipality is managing the limited supply by strategically regulating reservoir outlets and providing water tankers. Mabuza also noted that the municipality has requested a “reconfiguration of restrictions” from Rand Water to ensure a more equitable distribution of the remaining supply.
The lack of water has severely impacted daily life, with schools releasing children early and residents resorting to unhygienic practices. Palesa Motsumi, a mother of two, expressed concern that her children were “losing out on their education” as a result of the early school closures. While the business owner’s initiative provides a temporary solution, the broader crisis highlights the growing risks of municipal financial mismanagement to public welfare and essential services.