This Is About Human Dignity

Across Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa, residents have been without reliable water for weeks/ months

In areas such as Melville, Auckland Park, Greenside, Kensington and surrounding communities, families have endured prolonged water outages - some for over a month.

Elderly & disabled residents are left without support. Vulnerable households queue for water tankers that are insufficient. Private companies are stepping in to donate water where government response has failed.

Water is not a luxury. It is a constitutional right.

 
The Broader Infrastructure Breakdown

This crisis is not isolated.

Across South Africa, citizens are experiencing:

• Prolonged water supply interruptions
• Insufficient emergency water tankers
• Electricity instability and extended outages
• Non-functioning traffic lights for months and even years
• Severe road degradation and dangerous potholes
• Waste removal failures and visible urban decay
• Increased public safety risks linked to infrastructure failure
• Infrastructure stability is foundational to economic stability and public safety.
• When basic services collapse, dignity collapses.

 
Public Evidence & Commentary

Public officials and media have documented the severity of this crisis:

Helen Zille highlighting massive water losses in Johannesburg
https://www.facebook.com/HelenZille/videos/joburg-municipality-wastes-millions-of-litres-of-water-every-day-while-communiti/4412438828984375/

Media coverage of Johannesburg water protests
https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-02-11-johannesburg-residents-take-to-the-streets-as-da-plans-legal-action-against-the-city-over-water-crisis/

News24 reporting on the mayor’s response to the crisis
https://www.news24.com/southafrica/news/joburg-mayor-insists-hes-fit-to-lead-as-citys-water-crisis-fuels-protests-20260211-0780

These are not isolated complaints. They are documented, reported failures affecting thousands.

 
Our Demands

We call for:

• An independent national audit of water and electricity infrastructure.
• A publicly accessible real-time service delivery dashboard for major municipalities.
• Guaranteed emergency water supply plans for vulnerable citizens.
• Transparent repair timelines for infrastructure failures.
• Accountability mechanisms for municipal mismanagement.
• Parliamentary oversight review of infrastructure collapse. 

This petition is not about race.
It is not about party loyalty.
It is about competence, accountability, and constitutional responsibility.

South Africans deserve reliable water, electricity, safe roads, and functional public services.

 
Who This Petition Is Addressed To

• The Office of the President of South Africa
  The Minister of Water and Sanitation
  The Minister of Electricity and Energy
  The Auditor-General of South Africa
  The South African Human Rights Commission
  National and International Media Houses
   
  
  

We demand dignity.
We demand accountability.
We demand functioning infrastructure.

Sign and share this petition to call for urgent national reform.