‘Humanitarian crisis’ in South Africa’s richest city

Johannesburg’s water debt has officially exceeded R1 billion, creating a ‘humanitarian crisis. This is according to the South African organisation for water justice, WaterCAN.

“Financial mismanagement by Johannesburg water has reached a critical point, directly impacting the city’s most vulnerable communities,” the organisation said. 

This amount has skyrocketed since September 2025, when this debt was R666 million. The R1 billion mark was reached soon after the city announced it had decreased its debt by R500 million on 28 October. 

The current amount includes R851 million owed to Rand Water. 

Residents in informal settlements, Waterworks and Nana’s Farm, report that they have no water, even from water tankers, as contractors have not been paid to fill the community’s tanks. 

As the G20 Summit approaches on 22 November, the organisation’s Executive Director, Ferrial Adam, said that the situation is “not only embarrassing, but a slap in the face to the poor and vulnerable.”

Adam added that Johannesburg is spending “at least R1 billion” on hosting the event in Sandton. 

“The city’s mayor, Dada Morero, must be held accountable for this immense failure. Instead of addressing the crisis, he is focused on cleaning streets for visiting dignitaries while ignoring the poor and powerless who lack water for even basic needs,” said Adam. 

He added that this is a direct result of the city’s financial and infrastructure mismanagement.

However, Adam emphasised, “this is not just a financial problem, it is a humanitarian crisis. The city’s repeated failures show a shocking disregard for the basic human right to water.”

WaterCAN is demanding that the mayor and city officials be held accountable for this systemic failure.

The organisation demands that the city reveal Johannesburg Water’s financial records, immediately repay outstanding contractor debts, and investigate financial mismanagement. 

The mayor has not yet responded to WaterCAN’s questions regarding the matter, sent to the office nearly a month ago.

“Mayor Morero claims he is leading the city toward a better future, yet his inability to meet even generous deadlines for answers is shameful,” said Adam. 

Townships left without water as debt reaches R1 billion mark

“This is not leadership – it is arrogance bordering on contempt,” said Adam.

The city’s water crisis has been increasingly in the spotlight. Johannesburg areas like Westbury, Ebony Park, and parts of Soweto have endured dry taps for weeks, going on months. 

Non-Revenue Water (NRW), the volume of potable water distributed for which the municipality receives no income, is sitting at 48.2% for Johannesburg, according to the Department of Water and Sanitation’s monthly dashboard for October 2025.

Johannesburg loses about a third of its water to leaks. Joburg water has an infrastructure upgrade and renewal backlog of approximately R26.61 billion.

Mayor Morero held a press briefing to discuss the City’s progress in improving service delivery and cleaning up Johannesburg ahead of the G20 Summit. 

The Mayor implemented a “bomb squad” for this task, to support the turnaround strategy of improving service delivery, combating lawlessness and improving the city’s visibility. 

Morero said that in the first 100 days of the bomb squad’s implementation, there have been “measurable improvements across the city service delivery ecosystem.”

The mayor highlighted electricity access improvements in Alaxander and Ivory Park, cleanups and reopened swimming pools and sporting facilities. 

“Residents are already feeling these efforts,” said Morero. 

“Letters from the Rivonia Residents Association, the Westcliff Residents Association, and the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, reflect a rising confidence in the city’s ability to respond and restore.”

Other than making mention of the fact that the city resolved a water blockage that had been an issue for seven years in just 24 hours, the mayor made no mention of the Joburg Water debt or critically low water supplies and unfilled water tanks.