Government has acknowledged the significant hardship and disruption experienced by households, businesses and communities across Gauteng, following the explosion of a motor connected to one of the pumps at the Zuikerbosch Water Treatment Plant.
The explosion on Tuesday, 27 January 2027, had a ripple effect and affected the entire Engine Room 4, resulting in the temporary shutdown of operations, particularly in the metropolitan municipalities of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.
Government expressed regret for the inconvenience, distress and economic impact caused by low water pressure, temporary outages, and widespread supply interruptions, which were exacerbated by high water consumption during this period.
In response, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, led by Deputy Minister David Mahlobo, convened an urgent stakeholder meeting on Thursday evening.
The meeting brought together Rand Water, the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Gauteng Provincial Government, the City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg Water.
The meeting was also attended by Gauteng MEC for Infrastructure Development and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Jacob Mamabolo, and City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero, who provided detailed updates on the ongoing recovery efforts and the local impact of the incident.
Stakeholders received a comprehensive briefing on the cause of the explosion, assessed its impact on water supply systems and coordinated measures to accelerate recovery while strengthening long-term system resilience.
The meeting commended Rand Water for its swift and effective response, noting that emergency repair teams worked around the clock to complete emergency repairs.
“Government is pleased to confirm that full operations at Zuikerbosch have been restored, with all booster stations - Palmiet, Eikenhof, Mapleton, and Zwartkopjes - now pumping at full capacity. Reservoir levels in the affected systems are recovering steadily, and customers should see gradual improvements in water pressure and supply over the coming hours and days as the network stabilises,” government said in a joint statement on Friday.
The meeting also commended Johannesburg Water for its proactive intervention in deploying additional water tankers to alleviate pressure on businesses and communities during the disruption.
While welcoming the rapid recovery, government said the incident underscores the urgent need to strengthen the resilience of Gauteng’s bulk water supply system.
Authorities reaffirmed their commitment to supporting infrastructure upgrades, including expanded reservoir capacity, to ensure a more reliable and robust bulk water system for the province.
Over R32 billion investment in JHB water infrastructure
The meeting noted that Johannesburg, in particular, requires increased water storage capacity in reservoirs to better buffer against unpredictable events like as infrastructure failures.
In this regard, Johannesburg Water plans to invest more than R32 billion over the next 10 years in water services infrastructure across the city, with a portion of this funding earmarked for expanding storage capacity.
“Enhancing storage will ensure that accidents or technical failures have minimal impact on communities, preventing severe disruptions even during high-demand periods or unexpected incidents,” the statement said.
Government extended its sincere apology to all affected residents, businesses and stakeholders, and thanked the public for their patience and cooperation shown throughout this challenging time.
“Rand Water and Johannesburg Water will continue their close collaboration to restore uninterrupted supply fully and provide ongoing updates. Residents are encouraged to contact their local water utility or Rand Water's Customer Care line for assistance.” – SAnews.gov.za
