By Palesa Ndinisa
Water crisis in Ekurhuleni has been ongoing for years now, with drastic disruptions recurring and reported consistently in 2025, numerous areas that include Germiston, Kempton Park, Tembisa, Benoni, Brakpan and Springs.
Since then, the City of Ekurhuleni has urged residents to use water sparingly, considering the level 1 water restrictions. Residents of Tsakane shared their concerns regarding the water crisis which has been ongoing for months. Sonto Mahlangu, shared how they survive under tight conditions. “I’m a mother of three, a teenage girl who recently started her period, so she needs to bath from time to time. I also have a 10-year old son who is wheelchair-bound, and in these hot temperatures, he needs to also bath and take his medication. Lastly, I have a 4 month old who needs to drink her baby formula almost every 3 hours and I’m unemployed. This issue is such an inconvenience because we lack basic human needs. Where will I get money to buy water daily? We can’t cook, and electricity also tends to be a problem. Our leaders really do fail us,” angrily expressed Mahlangu.
Another resident from Tsakane, a 78-year-old Elina Ditlou mentioned that their section normally has water from the morning hours of 03:00AM until 14:00PM. The senior citizen outlined her concern and said “my two grandsons have to fill in buckets every morning because I know we will experience water problems just after 12:00 midday. This has been frustrating for us but at least we have water, unlike the other sections around here. It is just sad that my daughter got married last week, and we had challenges because we eventually ran out of water. This issue continues being a problem because people have funerals, parties and other events or ceremonies that need a basic need like water,” expressed gogo Elina.
