Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi announced on Wednesday that he will convene an urgent meeting with all executive mayors in the province to address the surge of service delivery protests impacting several townships.
Lesufi explained that the meeting aims to develop coordinated strategies to resolve the ongoing crisis, which has seen widespread unrest rooted in water shortages and electricity disruptions.
Speaking to IOL at the Global Governance Space seminar in Johannesburg, Lesufi extended an apology to residents affected by the protests and highlighted the government’s commitment to resolving the situation swiftly.
“This unfortunate turn of events is regretted,” Lesufi said.
“The reality is that our people are raising genuine issues, and we also acknowledge that many are unemployed and therefore unable to pay for some services, which puts pressure on municipalities to provide free and adequate services.”
He assured that the voices of protesting communities have been heard, especially regarding the water supply interruptions.
“The matter of water has been brought to our attention, and we have engaged senior officials to address it,” he stated.
“Our communities don’t have to be on the street for their issues to be taken seriously. We have been working on these matters and continue to make strides to resolve them.”
However, Lesufi acknowledged that challenges such as illegal water and electricity connections, population influx, and crime complicate service delivery efforts.
“Unfortunately, some services are disrupted by illegal connections, the increasing influx into the city, and other elements of crime that the City is actively addressing.”
Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero also addressed the causes of the protests, pointing to infrastructure failures as a key factor.
“In areas where protests erupted, issues such as transformers blowing up and electrical failures have frustrated communities,” Morero explained.
“City Power is working towards full reconnection in affected areas. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.”
On water service challenges, Morero said, “In the north of Johannesburg, there have been water shortages, but the city is working hard to rebuild aging infrastructure and ensure it operates as required.”
Protests have flared across multiple townships, including Westbury, Coronationville, Tembisa, Tsakane, and Vlaskfontein.
Residents have voiced frustration over water shutdowns and blocked major roads with stones and debris.
Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department spokesperson Joy Mdluli noted that the situation has calmed, while traffic disruptions initially impacted the East Rand.
“The traffic is now flowing freely,” Mdluli confirmed, adding that protesters are currently waiting to be addressed by their leaders.
thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za
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