City of Johannesburg sends water tanks to Nana’s Farm
Before the protest last month, there was only one water tank at Nana’s Farm. Photo: Silver Sibiya
Silver Sibiya reports that The City of Johannesburg delivered six water tanks to the Nana’s Farm informal settlement, two weeks after a protest on 23 July.
- Protesters blocked the N12 road, demanding water and toilets, using bricks, rocks, wood, and burning tires During the protest, a minibus was torched, another vehicle was damaged, and four people were arrested.
- On 2 August, city officials met with the community. Gift Malapane from the City’s Portfolio Committee on Environment and Infrastructure promised five more water tanks by the weekend.Malapane emphasized the importance of dignity and the right to a healthy environment, promising to address the toilet issue without giving a timeline.
- Six water tanks were delivered on 7 August, as promised by the city officials.Community leader Rebecca Chauke expressed disappointment that residents had to protest to get the government’s attention.
- Chauke confirmed the tanks were delivered but expressed concerns about whether Joburg Water would maintain them.GroundUp questioned if the water delivery was influenced by upcoming by-elections, but Malapane denied this, stating their focus was on service delivery, not elections. Joburg Water Spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala did not respond to questions from GroundUp.
