Water scarcity, once perceived as a looming threat, has now firmly established itself as an integral part of life for communities across the country. As outdated infrastructure falters under increasing demand, and climate change intensifies, the consequences of this crisis grow ever more dire, affecting not only daily life but also the socio-political fabric of the nation.
Much of South Africa’s water infrastructure has not kept pace with the challenges posed by an expanding population and the rapid growth of informal settlements. As cities and towns continue to swell with new residents seeking better opportunities, the burden on available water sources leads to mounting pressure and inevitable shortages.
The implications of water poverty stretch beyond mere inconvenience; they infiltrate health, education, and economic stability.
spoke to youths around Gauteng townships to better understand how the water shortages impact their daily lives.
Lesego Nkosi, 20, from Soshanguve, lives with his grandparents who are both pensioners.
Nkosi said the area has frequent pipe bursts which leads to dry taps or low pressure, and they are left with no choice but to fill up buckets for survival.
“This is stressful because my grandparents are old and it’s not ideal for them to be carrying heavy stuff. When the taps are completely dry, the municipality brings a truck, and we fill up our buckets, but this needs energy. My grandmother can’t be chasing a truck and carrying heavy buckets,” he said.
Nkosi accused the municipality of relying on short-term solutions instead of eradicating the problem.
“It’s easy, they should just change these pipes because this is a recurring issue, we have never gone a year without a pipe burst. They will come and fix it today and tomorrow it’s burst again. So, their solution is just temporary, and we can’t live like that, we need a permanent solution,” he said.
For Nkosi, the government is failing people who fought the apartheid regime and because of that, he doesn’t believe there’s a government competent enough to address the plight of black people.
He said this had a negative impact on his participation in voting as he thinks it’s pointless.
“I don’t think politicians care, so whether I vote or not, black people will remain at the receiving end of the stick. If they can’t treat our grandparents with dignity, how can I think it will be different for me?” he asked.
Meanwhile, in Hammanskraal, spoke to Mamiki Makofane, 23, who was skeptical about the quality of water in the area despite the green light from the municipality.
In January, Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya officially declared water in the area fit for human consumption after almost two decades of struggling to get clean water due to the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant’s lack of capacity to purify water.
“I honestly don’t feel safe because this problem has been long existing and now, they claim that its safe, what if it’s just a temporary solution and we will find ourselves back into that problem? What was preventing them from fixing it back then,” she asked.
Makofane said she was concerned because their pleas for clean water were only heard when over 15 people died due to cholera in May 2023.
Before the deaths, residents tirelessly fought the City of Tshwane through the high court and the South African Human Rights Commission for clean water.
Moreover, a report by an independent commission of inquiry into the water crisis in the area also found that the City of Tshwane has failed to provide clean and drinkable water to residents.
“Seeing how our parents fought for clean water, a basic human need, I don’t trust the municipality. If they could risk the lives of so many people in this area, Hammanksraal and Stinkwater, how can I be 100% sure that we are now safe?”
Makofane said she only uses the water to do laundry and clean.
“I’m still a student but at least my parents are employed, and they can afford to buy drinking water which we also use for cooking, it’s R5 for 5 litres. It’s really sad that we can’t trust our own government and we have to spend money just to be safe. Imagine families who can’t afford, their lives are at the mercy of the government,” she said.
During her visit to Hammanskraal, Moya took a sip of water from a household tap to demonstrate her confidence in the safety and quality of the water supplied to the community.
Moya took a sip of water from a household tap to demonstrate her confidence in the safety and quality of the water supplied to the community.
She said while the city has successfully provided clean water to Hammanskraal, residents will be responsible for paying for this service going forward.
Questioned about how residents would pay for water without meters, Moya explained that the areas without meters had never had access to water before. As a result, meter installation was not previously possible.
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