Frustrated residents from Kokosi and Fochville brought traffic to a standstill at the busy N12 and R500 intersection on Wednesday, demanding the immediate restoration of water after nearly a month of dry taps.
The protest culminated in Merafong Mayor Nozuko Best and representatives from the Gauteng Premier’s office receiving a memorandum of demands from the aggrieved community.
According to the Merafong municipality, the severe water challenges are a direct result of a R1.4 billion debt owed to bulk water supplier, Rand Water. This debt has forced the utility to reduce water pressure to the area by 40%.
However, municipal spokesperson Thabo Moloja provided a broader context, revealing that the water debt is part of a much larger financial crisis. “The municipality’s loan debt book is about R6 billion, meaning businesses and residents owe the municipality R6 billion,” Moloja stated.
Moloja confirmed that engagements are ongoing with relevant parties, including Rand Water and Eskom, to find interim solutions. One proposed measure is the installation of 39,000 smart meters for water and electricity, a project estimated to cost R300 million.
“It must be clarified and put into context. We have said we don’t have R300 million to pay for smart meters,” Moloja said. “So that is where we are saying we’re exploring a whole range of options, working with the private sector as well.”
The explanations offered little comfort to protesting residents, who described the severe impact of the water shortage. A community representative highlighted the widespread nature of the crisis, stating, “For the last 3 weeks, we don’t have water in the complete Merafong.”
The representative detailed the consequences, noting that children cannot attend schools that lack water and that residents are exhausted from carrying 25-liter containers of water to their homes. “Our human rights have been taken away and we demand water,” the resident said, emphasizing that the elderly have been the hardest hit by the crisis.
The community has issued a 24-hour ultimatum, threatening to continue and intensify their protests if water is not restored to all affected areas within that time frame.