By Akani Nkuna
Government has confirmed the full restoration of operations at the Zuikerbosch Water Plant following a motor explosion in January that caused widespread water supply disruptions across Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Gauteng Provincial Government, Rand Water and Johannesburg Water said rigorous deliberations and urgent interventions were implemented after a stakeholder meeting led by Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mhlobo.
The statement noted that Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero and Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Jacob Mamabolo provided comprehensive updates on developments at the plant, informing coordinated actions to accelerate the restoration process.
“The meeting commended Rand Water for its competent, prompt and effective response in containing the situation and working tirelessly around the clock to complete emergency repairs,” the statement said.
It added that reservoir levels in affected systems were steadily recovering, with customers expected to experience gradual improvements in water pressure and supply over the coming hours and days as the network stabilises.
Zuikerbosch sustained significant damage during the incident, resulting in temporary water outages across parts of the province.
Government apologised for the disruption and acknowledged the severe economic impact, noting that high water consumption during the outage period further intensified the consequences.
The statement confirmed that key stations, including Palmiet, Eikenhof, Mapleton and Zwartkopjes, have been reinforced and are now pumping at full capacity to support Zuikerbosch and stabilise water supply across Gauteng.
Government also stressed the need to strengthen the province’s water system to ensure such incidents do not become the norm.
It reaffirmed its commitment to infrastructure investment, including expanding reservoir capacity and building a more reliable bulk water system.
Johannesburg Water has committed to investing R32 billion in water services infrastructure over the next decade to meet growing demand, increase storage capacity and improve resilience against unforeseen infrastructure failures.
According to the statement, part of the investment will focus on storage upgrades, which are expected to reduce the risk of explosive events and limit the impact of technical failures on communities and businesses.
“Rand Water and Johannesburg Water will continue to work closely to fully restore uninterrupted supply and provide ongoing updates. Residents are encouraged to contact their local water utility or Rand Water’s Customer Care line for assistance,” the statement said.
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