AfriPulse
In Melville, chanting protesters with posters occupied the corner of Main Road and 4th Avenue – with passing motorists hooting in solidarity. In Parktown West, along Jan Smuts Avenue, residents did the same. Parktown resident and Comrades Marathon legend Bruce Fordyce joined the protest.
Susan Jobson, aged 63, sits on a street barricade during water shortages in the area on the corner of Main and 4th Avenue, Melville. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / Alaister Russell) At 4pm, Emmarentia residents came out in full force to protest along Barry Hertzog and Judith Roads. Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo and other officials arrived in Emmarentia to try to quell the protest. However, residents shouted them down when they tried to address the large gathering.
Proceedings moved to Marks Park, where mayor Dada Morero arrived shortly after 5.20pm. He was later expected to meet members of the Kensington community over the constant water outages.
Melville has not had water for 24 days, yet there has been no official explanation for the cause. Johannesburg Water continues to say that it is investigating, but so far, residents have been left asking questions and getting no answers. As the crowds dissipated and night fell, the taps remained dry at the end of Day 24.
A man waits for water in Johannesburg. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / James Oatway) Melville residents gather in protest over water shortages in the area on the corner of Main and 4th Avenue, Melville, Johannesburg. 11 February 2026. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / Alaister Russell) Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero at a press conference in Brixton on 11 February 2026. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / James Oatway) Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo is confronted by residents during the water protest in Emmarentia, Johannesburg. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / Alaister Russell) Melville residents gather in protest over water shortages. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / Alaister Russell) Joburg residents take part in the water protest in Emmarentia, Johannesburg. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / James Oatway) A man carries buckets of water in Johannesburg. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / James Oatway) Melville residents write on their placards during a protest on the area’s recent water shortages on the corner of Main and 4th Avenue, Melville, Johannesburg. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / Alaister Russell) Residents of Brixton collect water from a water truck on 8 February 2026. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / Ihsaan Haffejee) People collect water from a private house in Vrededorp, Johannesburg. (Photo: OUR CITY NEWS / James Oatway) People wait to collec
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