Jacob Mamabolo slams politicisation of Gauteng water crisis

Dry taps across Gauteng just triggered a political firestorm that the province's own MEC is desperately trying to shut down.

Mamabolo's anti-grandstanding message

• Jacob Mamabolo slammed the politicization of Gauteng's water crisis.
• Old infrastructure and overconsumption drive the real problem.
• His spokesperson, Theo Nkonki, echoed the teamwork-over-fighting line.

Where the shortages hit hardest

• Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, and Mogale City all got hammered.
• Johannesburg loses up to 33% of water through aging pipes.
• Hursthill residents reported reddish water from their taps.
• Pipe bursts and equipment failures worsened everything since 2024.

The new Operations Centre setup

• Mamabolo personally leads a provincial Operations Centre.
• Rand Water and the national government sit at the same table.
• Leak repairs, pump fixes, and reservoir maintenance are underway.
• Water tankers are deployed where supply remains critical.

Presidential-level intervention kicking in

• Ramaphosa created a high-level Water Crisis Committee.
• Pemmy Majodina already visited the affected areas for assessments.
• Paul Mashatile is expected in Johannesburg for progress checks.

Early recovery signals

• Rand Water restored full capacity after late-January failures.
• Network stabilization is showing early positive signs.
• Long-term plans target extra storage to prevent a Day Zero.