Residents in several Johannesburg suburbs will experience a planned water outage on 29 October, due to critical infrastructure work. Over 14 suburbs, including Commercia Ext and Jukskei View, will be without water from 9:00 until 16:00.
Suburbs and streets impacted in Johannesburg
The water interruption will affect multiple areas, including Commercia Extensions 1 to 3, 6 to 8, 10, 12, 15,16, 18 to 22, 40 and 41, and Jukskei View Extensions 17 and 18. Key streets affected include 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Street, Setter Road, Garey Road, and West Road. The outage, scheduled for eight hours, is part of a more considerable effort to commission new water infrastructure in the city.
Residents have been advised to make the necessary preparations, as there will be no water supply during this period. The City of Johannesburg will provide alternative water access at designated points, including the entrance to Jukskei View Ext 17 and 18 and the corner of Third and Mastiff Road.
Aiming for improved water service
The City’s main objective with this interruption is to improve long-term service delivery and ensure a more reliable water supply for residents.
This project is one of several aimed at upgrading Johannesburg’s ageing water system, which has frustrated many communities.
However, the water crisis in Johannesburg remains a larger issue. Recent reports highlight the ongoing challenges in maintaining and upgrading the city’s water infrastructure. A significant portion of Johannesburg’s water pipes, which span 12 300 kilometres, urgently need repair or replacement.
Calls for Provincial Action
The South African reported that Solly Msimanga, the Democratic Alliance (DA) leader in Gauteng, has called on the provincial government to address the crisis.
“The DA knows that Gauteng has enough water, but the problem is that the infrastructure is failing,” Msimanga said.
He pointed out that in the last financial year, only 30 kilometres of the city’s pipes were repaired, updated, or replaced.
“Without a provincial infrastructure master plan, the Gauteng water crisis will be disastrous because municipalities cannot handle it independently.”
With the ongoing upgrades and calls for broader action, how do you think Johannesburg should balance immediate water supply needs with long-term infrastructure improvements?
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