The Joburg Crisis Alliance convened its sixth summit yesterday, with over 350 civic representatives gathering to receive a long-awaited report from a presidential working group tasked with addressing the city’s deteriorating infrastructure.
President Cyril Ramaphosa established the working group in March following his expressed concerns over Johannesburg’s mounting crises, including water shortages, electricity failures, and housing instability. The report is expected to outline key challenges and propose solutions to guide civic organizations in their advocacy efforts.
Among the attendees was an attorney from the Legal Resources Centre, who highlighted urgent issues such as inadequate water access in low-income communities. “Water tankers have become a permanent solution in areas where piped water should exist,” he said, noting that some residents have relied on tankers for up to a decade. The Centre is exploring litigation over mismanagement of resources and unjust evictions.
The summit, held at Wits University, brought together residents, activists, and legal experts to assess the working group’s findings. Many hope the report will spur actionable reforms to address Johannesburg’s deepening service delivery crisis.
As civic groups await the document’s release, concerns remain over whether allocated funds are being properly spent to revive the city’s crumbling infrastructure. The Alliance’s next steps may hinge on today’s revelations—and the pressure they place on local government to act.
