Deputy President Paul Mashatile says three developers are working with Joburg Water to build a 10-megalitre reservoir as part of targeted interventions to address water supply challenges.
In recent weeks, Gauteng residents and businesses experienced intermittent water supply disruptions due to a combination of ageing infrastructure, high demand, leaks in the system, power supply interruptions affecting pumping capacity, and maintenance backlogs.
Water has since been restored.
READ | Rand Water granted temporary boost to stabilise Gauteng supply
Rand Water, the supplier of bulk potable water, is pumping at full capacity, even though the Commando (which comprises Brixton, Crossby and Hursthill) and Soweto systems, in particular Doornkop and Meadowlands reservoirs, remain constrained with gradual improvement.
Johannesburg Water continues to monitor all systems closely and implement the necessary interventions to stabilise supply.
Alternative water is provided to affected areas in a coordinated manner, together with affected Ward Councillors.
In his capacity as the Chairperson of the Water Task Team, the Deputy President conducted an oversight visit to the City of Johannesburg Water facilities in Midrand, Gauteng.
“We are out of troubled waters for now... There is still a long journey ahead and work that needs to be done, but at least the system is now pumping water to residents. There may still be challenges in some areas, but we are getting there,” he said.
The Deputy President made these remarks on Friday at the construction site of a 20-million-litre reservoir in Carlswald, Midrand.
“This reservoir is planned to supply water for the next 20 years, with further expansion planned beyond that timeframe. The aim is to ensure that, in the future, we do not face water shortages. It will take some time for everything to stabilise,
“The project is expected to come on stream in July next year. It is an 18-month project and will complement the infrastructure that is already in place,” the Deputy President said.
As part of the immediate action being implemented to fix the water system, government is repairing reservoirs, maintaining pipes, and conducting planned maintenance to stabilise supply.
In addition, Polihali Dam is being constructed in neighbouring Lesotho, and other augmentation projects are being implemented to strengthen long-term supply.
In the 2025/26 financial year, government budgeted approximately R1.7 billion for Johannesburg, specifically for infrastructure.
“In addition, we are working with National Treasury on service-entity reforms to maximise the performance of entities. Three developers are jointly building a 10-megalitre reservoir with Joburg Water. This initiative is highly appreciated, and I hope other developers across the country will follow this example,” Mashatile said.
Addressing criticism on the use of a task team, he explained that the team is responsible for addressing water challenges in the country.
“The Department of Water and Sanitation is part of the task team, as is the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, along with other departments. When we visit any province, we work closely with the provincial government and municipalities.
“Municipalities bring their expertise, including engineers and technical teams. Our role is to intervene where necessary and ensure that challenges are addressed, while also advising those responsible for the sector to undertake long-term planning.
“The Department of Water and Sanitation will work with provinces and cities to support long-term planning. However, where there are disruptions, quick interventions are required. In such cases, we deploy our own teams, whether it is Rand Water or Magalies Water, depending on who has that responsibility,” he said.
The task team will pool resources to intervene effectively to provide tangible results.
“When there are challenges, the President wants to know whether they have been fixed, and that is exactly what we are doing,” Mashatile said. - SAnews.gov.za
