The sight of a flushing toilet has become a rare luxury. The ability to bathe properly is now a privilege. In the heart of Tshwane, thousands of residents—many already vulnerable—are navigating not only a prolonged water outage, but an escalating crisis that has exposed deep cracks in the city’s infrastructure, service delivery, and governance.
From Soshanguve to Mamelodi, angry and desperate citizens have resorted to collecting potentially contaminated water from storage drums and pleading for assistance on social media, while allegations swirl around corrupt practices involving municipal water tankers and the use of unsafe water sources.
No Water, No Relief
Nomthandazo Shongwe, from Block H in Soshanguve, is one of many affected by the water crisis. Speaking to African Times on Friday, she said their household was running dangerously low on the water they had stored in containers. For the past three days, not a single water tanker has serviced their street.
“We understand maintenance is happening, but this is unbearable. I miss the sound of clean water coming from a tap,” she said. “Bathing is now rationed, we hardly flush the toilet, and the smell is bad. How are we expected to live like this?”
Shongwe’s concerns are echoed by other residents, many of whom say the City of Tshwane’s response has been haphazard and discriminatory. “We boil water before drinking. But what about people who can’t afford electricity or gas to do that?” she asked.
Anger Mounts on Social Media
On the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Tshwane residents have flooded timelines with frustration and despair. One user, Lerato Muluvhu, wrote: “One of your members (City of Tshwane) came with a water tank only to deliver water to his house. How wicked of you guys.”
Another user, ReabetsweKenna, accused tanker drivers of corruption: “The water tankers dispatched to help residents are denying them water. They only help those with money.”
These sentiments suggest a worsening trust deficit between the city and its residents—something exacerbated by historical failures such as the 2023 Hammanskraal cholera outbreak, which claimed at least 29 lives and was linked to unsafe municipal water.
Shocking Allegations of Unsafe Water
Concerns over health risks have intensified following revelations by Cllr Tshegofatso Mashabela, Tshwane’s MMC for Health Services, who confirmed non-compliance by water tanker drivers collecting water from “questionable and potentially hazardous” sources.
“This unsettling practice poses a substantial risk to public health and directly undermines our ongoing efforts to guarantee the delivery of safe and clean water to our communities,” said Mashabela.
To address the growing panic, her department will begin random water sampling on tankers to check for contamination. “Any irregularities will be thoroughly scrutinised,” she said. Water must only be sourced from designated, approved points. Unauthorized collection will lead to prosecution under public health and water safety laws.
City Leadership Responds—But Is It Enough?
Tshwane Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya took to her X account on Friday to explain that a “service delivery war room” had been convened. She outlined measures the metro is taking, including:
- A bypass system to alleviate pressure caused by Rand Water’s maintenance at the Hartebeeshoek Reservoir.
- A revised water tanker deployment strategy to ensure broader coverage.
- Deployment of 14 additional teams to fast-track the fixing of 4,987 water leaks and 1,333 sewer backlogs, with a goal of clearing the backlog by the end of the first quarter.
“Residents shouldn’t be struggling to access water during this time. We apologise to those who have,” she wrote.
Still, civil society groups argue that apologies are not enough. “Water is a constitutional right,” said human rights advocate Thabiso Mofokeng. “The city’s failure to deliver clean, safe water during a scheduled outage shows a fundamental breakdown in planning, transparency, and accountability.”
Health Risks Loom
Water experts warn that the situation could trigger another health disaster if immediate action isn’t taken. Dr. Lerato Ndlovu, a public health specialist based in Pretoria, cautioned against relying on unverified water sources.
“Even if stored in clean containers, stagnant water can become a breeding ground for bacteria, especially in winter when people are less likely to discard unused water. Children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals are particularly at risk,” she said.
Ndlovu added that “Any instance of water tanker drivers collecting water from rivers or streams without treatment is not only illegal but criminally negligent.”
A Community Left in the Dark
While the city has released sporadic updates about water restoration efforts, residents say they are largely left to rely on hearsay or social media posts for information. “There’s no communication,” said Mamelodi resident Linda Mahlangu. “Are we supposed to just keep guessing when water will come back?”
Some community leaders have called for a public meeting to allow residents to raise their grievances directly with municipal officials. “This is no longer a service delivery issue—this is a human rights crisis,” said activist Kagiso Ledwaba.
Conclusion: Hope Amid Uncertainty
For now, many households across Tshwane remain dry, angry, and increasingly vulnerable. As officials scramble to address the growing scandal around unsafe water distribution and service delays, it is the everyday residents—like Shongwe and her family —who continue to suffer in silence, flushing toilets with buckets and boiling cloudy water just to make it drinkable.
“I just want my family to live in dignity,” Shongwe said. “Is that too much to ask?”
