By Johnathan Paoli
Johannesburg’s much-anticipated citizen-led water protest started on a turbulent note on Saturday morning outside the Johannesburg Council Chambers, as tensions flared between community organisers and members of the Democratic Alliance (DA), including federal chairperson Helen Zille.
The protest was organised by a coalition of activists, unions, religious groups, and small business associations, and was marketed as a peaceful show of unity under the slogan “People Before Politics”.
Demonstrators called on the City of Johannesburg and Johannesburg Water to urgently resolve the deepening water crisis that has left many communities without consistent access for weeks.
However, the atmosphere shifted as Zille — who has been put forward as the DA mayoral candidate for the metro — began an interview on the sidelines of the event.
Her remarks about governance and the DA’s record in service delivery were met with hostility from small sections of the protest.
Organisers quickly distanced the movement from her presence, reiterating that the demonstration was not aligned to any political party.
“People before politics!” protesters chanted repeatedly, drowning out the veteran politician’s attempt to speak.
Zille told journalists moments before the confrontation that the water crisis reflected systemic governance failure in the metro.
“Voters have to choose a different party to govern. When the DA governs, you don’t have these problems. The whole system here is broken. We have a plan to direct money where it’s supposed to go — to ring-fence water and electricity finances, and to fix the pipes and the system,” she said.
Her comments were swiftly rejected by community leaders who accused her of “hijacking” a citizen-led initiative.
Mshengu Tshabala of the Johannesburg Crisis Alliance, one of the conveners of the protest, expressed frustration at what he called “political intrusion.”
“Zille must leave! We are not in a political party gathering here. These people are fighting for their community, not for any political party,” Tshabala said, to cheers from the crowd.
The organisers reiterated their stance that the protest was about accountability and service delivery, not electioneering. They said that Johannesburg’s escalating water crisis affects residents across party lines.
The protest continues, with convenors expected to hand over a memorandum of demands and receive responses from executive mayor, Dada Morero.
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