Members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the City of Joburg marched to Joburg Water in demand of a clear plan from the water utility on how it plans to resolve the water supply problems that have plagues some parts of the city.
The march comes as the city has faced its worst water issues, which have been blamed on old and decaying infrastructure.
Ahead of the anticipated march kicking off the party's resolution to make 2025 a year of the picket line, the party warned that water challenges in the City have reached a critical point, and without urgent intervention, a humanitarian crisis would be inevitable.
“This crisis is a product of systemic failures resulting from, among other things, decades of neglect of the City’s infrastructure, orchestrated corruption, sheer incompetence among those operating the water utility, Johannesburg Water, electricity cuts, tampering with water infrastructure, a growing population, and, to some extent, drought," the EFF said.
The party also said it demands that a dedicated unit within the JMPD be established to specifically deal with the crackdown, arrest and prevention of theft and/or vandalism of critical water infrastructure.
While leading the march in the middle of a rainy day in the city, party spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo alluded to the good fortunes presented by the rain.
“The rain and the water that we are getting today is a clear sign that this is a blessing to the people of South Africa as we march for water. Our march to Joburg Water is because of the intermittent water supply and water shedding. Our people are not getting water supply which compromises their hygiene and their health and human rights because water is a basic human right,” he said.
The march to Joburg Water comes just days after minister of water and Sanitation, Pemmy Majodina launched this year’s Water Month on Saturday.
National Water Month is commemorated annually in South Africa during the month of March and is SA’s expansion of World Water Day, which is observed on 22 March.
Majodina indicated that while Gauteng has water challenges, the province is far from being critically water challenged.
“We are not in a crisis, our water balance is very good, but we do have local deficits. The pumpstation supplies over 60% of Johannesburg’s water. “If we did not have the Eikenhof pump station running alongside City Power, we would have a problem. We want to turn the situation around and ensure that people in Gauteng have access to water,” the minister said on Saturday.
The EFF provincial chairperson Nkululeko Dunga said the party demands immediate action to help resolve the crisis as the party has chosen 2025 to be the year of the picket line.
“This year is the year of the picket lines and today the picket lines dictate that we march to Joburg Water. We demand the reconnection of water supply to the Northern suburbs which have been affected by water cuts for a long time now. This is an unconstitutional policy by Joburg Water,” he said.
Attempts to get comment from Joburg Water were unsucessful at the time of going to print.