Melville residents vow to escalate protests over ongoing water crisis

Residents of Melville and the surrounding areas are set to intensify their protests until the City of Johannesburg fully restores their water supply. They claim that they have experienced an interrupted supply for the past eight months. Residents staged another protest in Melville to express their dissatisfaction. VIDEO | Melville residents protest over lack of water supply These residents have had enough. They claim to have been suffering from water shortages for months. Malik Dasoo, one of the concerned residents, says: “They are persisting; they are not going away. We do not see management taking these issues seriously.” The government had previously said that poor and ageing water infrastructure were the reasons for the supply challenges. However, the angry residents insist that their situation is caused by neglect and incompetent technicians. Fadiel Ayob, a resident of Coronationville, says that the City of Johannesburg must address the water challenges immediately. “Many of the engineers do not know what they are doing, which is why they are unable to address the community.” The protest leaders say they are demanding accountability from the City of Johannesburg. Josh Nel is one of the organisers of the protest. “We are here because we don’t have water. Johannesburg Water is not giving us any communication. People are suffering, people are angry, and we are sick of it. We don’t get responses. We need water now.” Meanwhile, the City of Johannesburg says it is currently experiencing increased pressure on its water supply system, as rising temperatures lead to higher consumption. It says the effects of El Nino have also placed additional pressure on water resources. Joburg Water says it is focusing on actively managing the water supply system to balance available water resources.