Joburg residents accuse CoJ of using water-throttling as smokescreen for years of mismanagement

JOHANNESBURG - Some Joburg residents have accused the city of using water-throttling as a smokescreen for years of water supply mismanagement.

The water cuts, scheduled to start on Thursday from 9 pm to 4 am daily for an indefinite period, are intended to reduce water usage, stabilise reservoirs and crack down on illegal connections.

While some residents support the throttling measures, hoping it will finally bring relief to the city’s water crisis, others say it’s just a distraction from the city’s own failings.

"Clearly these quick fixes and water-throttling is not the real solution," one resident said.

"This water-throttling business is just a disguise for corruption," another resident said.

A growing concern among residents is the issue of neglected infrastructure, with leaking and burst potable water pipes like the one in Riverlea, where water has been leaking for months.

Key facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and schools are not exempt from the cuts, but provincial officials insist they’re prepared.