Gauteng water crisis: Coronationville, Westbury residents protest outages

The communities of Coronationville and Westbury became the latest to protest over widespread water outages in Gauteng on Tuesday.

Some disgruntled residents blocked major roads with burning tyres.

They said they have not had water for three years and are tired of the government's empty promises.

This was not the first time this community had protested; last year, Joburg Mayor Dada Morero assured residents that water would be restored, but they said this never happened.

Community activist Candace Gani said they they have had enough of tankers.

“There’s not water in our taps at all; there hasn’t been for three years. We have to collect water from tankers. It seems as though these subcontractors are paid at the expense of communities. We feel like we’re living in the rural areas. We have to boil our water…”

Police were deployed to monitor an increasingly tense situation in Coronationville after residents barred a water tanker from attempting to deliver water to the area.

The protest came just hours after Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced during his State of the Province Address that R760 million would be allocated toward a permanent solution to the province’s water challenges.

Residents said they did not believe anything the premier said.

Calls growing for Treasury to address SA's water crisis ahead of budget speech

Civil organisations call for commission of inquiry into SA's water crisis

Growing calls for water crisis to be declared a national disaster