Johannesburg – Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero faced a heated confrontation from an angry Brixton resident during a media briefing on the city’s worsening water crisis, as frustrations mount over prolonged outages and inconsistent supply in several parts of the metro.
The confrontation occurred during Morero’s visit to address the media about efforts to stabilise Johannesburg’s strained water system.
The unidentified resident interrupted proceedings, accusing the mayor of staging a “photo opportunity” instead of addressing the lived realities of communities that have gone weeks without reliable water.
“You can smell me. I haven’t had water for 24 days,” the resident said, describing the daily struggle faced by households in Brixton. He added that water supply in the area has been unreliable for nearly a year, with residents often going without water at night.
Tensions rising as a Brixton resident confronts Joburg Mayor Dada Morero during the press briefing, demanding answers on ongoing water outages and the lack of consistent supply. #nowaterjoburg #Ourcitynews #WaterCrisis #nowaterjhb/ MN pic.twitter.com/NJus0o3SLq
— Our City News (@OurCityNews) February 11, 2026
According to the resident, water typically returns briefly in the morning but remains inconsistent throughout the day. “Water arrives at 6 o’clock in the morning, and by 5 o’clock in the afternoon, if we have water, it’s a trickle in the daytime. We can’t fill the geyser at night,” he said.
The exchange highlighted growing anger among residents across Johannesburg, where several suburbs have reported prolonged water interruptions linked to aging infrastructure, major pipe leaks and increased demand.
Morero attempted to calm tensions during the confrontation, promising to engage directly with affected communities and prioritise areas experiencing severe shortages.
A Brixton resident demanding that Joburg mayor Dada Morero addresses water problems that have hit parts of the city. He said he has not had consistent water supply for a year and was not been able to bath on some days.
Video: @Koena_xM pic.twitter.com/IU3dEa2Jhq— Sowetan (@Sowetan1981) February 11, 2026
He has previously acknowledged that residents who have completely lost access to water are effectively living under “day zero” conditions.
The City of Johannesburg maintains that it has invested hundreds of millions of rand into repairing and upgrading water infrastructure in an attempt to address the crisis.
Morero has also cited population growth and increased demand as factors placing additional strain on the city’s water system.
The City of Joburg says it has invested hundreds of millions into repairing infrastructure to fix water challenges in the metro. Mayor Dada Morero says the influx of people into the city is one of the challenges they face, as they overburden the system and this is why the system… pic.twitter.com/6hz6wJShK4
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) February 11, 2026
Meanwhile, the municipality has introduced water conservation measures, urging residents to limit non-essential usage such as watering gardens during peak daytime hours.
The city has also established a water “war room” aimed at coordinating response efforts and addressing billing discrepancies affecting thousands of residents.
Despite these interventions, social media posts and community reports indicate rising frustration, with residents and political figures pointing to ongoing leaks and infrastructure failures as evidence that urgent, long-term solutions are still needed.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
