Johannesburg Water has disconnected water supply from 15 gated communities around Johannesburg due to a combined debt of over R2.7 million
Image: Supplied/Joburg Water
A total of 15 customers from gated communities and complexes in the south and north of Johannesburg have been left without water supply following the disconnect by Johannesburg Water due to a collective debt of over R2.7 million.
Nombuso Shabalala, spokesperson for the water entity, confirmed that the disconnections occurred in suburbs such as Glenvista, Sunninghill, and Buccleuch. The disconnections took place on Monday during a level one disconnection drive.
“The 15 customers who were disconnected on Monday live in gated communities and complexes in the south and north of Johannesburg and collectively owe over R2.7 million,” Shabalala said.
She added that the disconnection teams have been experiencing issues with accessing gated communities and complexes, where teams are often denied access to the properties.
Siphindile Ngange, Johannesburg Water’s Senior Manager for Metering and Revenue said a property owner in Sunninghill did not want to give Johannesburg Water access into the estate on Monday.
“The Johannesburg Metro Police Department, who joined the operation to escort the Entity on the drive, had to intervene for Johannesburg Water to gain access," Ngange said.
Ngange said the operation is part of the entity’s ongoing effort to collect revenue, which is crucial for the maintenance and upgrading of the City of Johannesburg's water and sewer infrastructure.
Ngange revealed that one customer owes over R333,000 on their account, while two others owe over R100,000 each.
Customers will have to either make full payments on their accounts or make payment arrangements with the City's Credit Management Department, Ngange said.
Last month, IOL News reported that the water entity announced that it would cut water supply across the City, as reservoirs and towers were under severe pressure due to continued high consumption.
Shabalala said the implementation of water throttling comes as the water entity has noted an eight percent increase in water consumption between December 2024 and January 2025.
“The current water levels in Johannesburg Water’s reservoirs and towers are under severe pressure due to continued high consumption,” Shabalala said.
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