Stones and burned tyres on the roads, as residents of Tembisa protest over electricity disconnections by the City of Ekurhuleni.
Image: Supplied/EMPD
Residents of Tembisa spent Monday protesting in several areas, demanding urgent intervention from the Ekurhuleni Municipality over ongoing service delivery failures.
Community members say daily water interruptions and electricity disconnections have made daily life increasingly difficult.
Mbali Masilela, a resident of Ebony Park, said households are facing routine evening water outages that disrupt basic activities.
“Every day around 5pm, there is no water in our area. We are forced to fill buckets and containers so that we can flush toilets and cook. This has been going on for some time and we still don’t know the reason,” she said.
She added that the shortages are also hurting small businesses. Car washes and other informal operations often cannot continue trading after the supply drops, affecting income in a community already grappling with unemployment.
“This is seriously affecting our livelihoods. Young people trying to run small businesses are being affected. The municipality doesn’t seem to care about us and we have had enough,” Masilela said.
Water disruptions have affected several parts of Gauteng, including areas served by Rand Water. To stabilise supply, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina approved an urgent request to draw additional water from the Integrated Vaal River System.
The intervention followed major supply interruptions between 27 January and 1 February 2026, when failures at the Palmiet Pump Station and Zuikerbosch Pump Station, along with a pipe burst at the Klipfontein Reservoir, sharply reduced treated water output.
have affected several parts of Gauteng, including areas served by Rand Water. To stabilise supply, Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina approved an urgent request to draw additional water from the Integrated Vaal River System.
The intervention followed major supply interruptions between 27 January and 1 February 2026, when failures at the Palmiet Pump Station and Zuikerbosch Pump Station, along with a pipe burst at the Klipfontein Reservoir, sharply reduced treated water output.
Although production returned to about five billion litres per day by 4 February, depleted municipal reservoirs meant many higher-lying areas continued to experience shortages, while lower-lying areas were less affected. A heatwave in early February further increased demand and slowed system recovery.
Residents also raised concerns about widespread electricity cut-offs, particularly among pensioners and child-headed households. Many believe changes to the city’s indigent support programme have left vulnerable households without protection.
Another resident told the SABC that the municipality has gone on an intensified drive in the community, cutting electricity for indigents but that is also accompanied by a lack of communication and clarity.
"Right now, elders are without power. They are also sending people cut their electricity despite people paying for their electricity. We only see and hear from the municipality when we decide to protest. We are tired of being ill-treated by the municipality and the office of the mayor," the resident said.
The Tembisa Community Forum is calling for immediate reconnections and a full review of the policy. Among its demands are:
Forum representatives argue that these steps are necessary to restore trust and ensure the policy reflects the realities faced by low-income households.
Acting mayoral spokesperson Ramatolo Tlotleng said Executive Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza has noted the grievances and committed to further engagement.
He said the city plans to review the indigent policy and consider scrapping outstanding debt for qualifying households, subject to verification.
“The executive mayor emphasises that while the city must maintain a culture of payment for services, it also has a constitutional obligation to protect the most vulnerable. No qualifying indigent household should be deprived of basic services due to administrative shortcomings,” Tlotleng said.
Meanwhile, Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department spokesperson Katlego Mphahlele confirmed that several roads were blocked with burning tyres and rocks. Officers from the metro’s public order units and the South African Police Service were deployed to monitor the situation and maintain safety.
Residents say protests will continue until consistent services are restored and policy changes are implemented.
karabo.ngoepe@inl.co.za