Lenasia residents still without water despite R49m budget

Residents of Patsing in Ward 8, Lenasia, have been without water for months even after the City of Johannesburg allocated R49m for a project meant to bring taps to their doorsteps.

MMC for human settlements Mlungisi Mabaso introduced three contractors − Mvudo, Lembe and TMR − to the community on December 11 2025 to carry out the work. Johannesburg Water also advertised posts for 10 community liaison officers in January this year. The task of community liaison officers was to keep residents informed and manage local labour on the project.

General workers were later employed on three-month contracts running from March to June this year. However, those contracts ended, and work on the ground came to a standstill.

According to John Moeketsi Leballo, deputy chairperson of the Patsing executive committee, the situation has left the community exactly where it started, without water despite the money that has already been set aside.

“We’ve been waiting for too long, we cannot live like this. This is too much for us as a community,” said Leballo.

He said Mvudo, the main supply contractor for the project, has not been paid and has not worked on site for two months. Even the water truck that used to deliver supplies to residents has stopped coming.

“Even the water truck that used to supply us with water doesn’t come like it used to, because I understand their contract has also been terminated, just as the water project has been terminated. The contract has been terminated because it was supposed to be done and passed a long time ago, many months ago. But we’re still here without water,” said Leballo.

The impact on residents has been severe. Leballo said a minor was nearly hit by a taxi while crossing the R554 to fetch water from a nearby source, and cases have been opened at the local police station following disputes among residents over limited water supplies at communal JoJo tanks.

Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nolwazi Dlamini confirmed that outstanding payments to service providers remain a challenge. However, this is not unique to Patsing’s contractors, she said.

“Johannesburg Water is working closely with the City of Johannesburg to address the matter. As funds are received from the City, payments to service providers are processed in accordance with established financial governance processes,” said Dlamini.

Dlamini added that Johannesburg Water is unable to provide service provider-specific payment timelines at this stage and that any inquiries are handled directly between the finance department and service providers.