RATANDA, HEIDELBERG, GAUTENG — Following the tragic and violent Ratanda water protests that left two men dead, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi visited the grieving families this week to offer condolences and demand accountability. The provincial leadership is facing intense scrutiny after 23-year-old Katleho Mokoena and 39-year-old Sipho Motaung were allegedly shot dead during the unrest over severe municipal water shortages in Heidelberg, Gauteng.
The fatal shootings occurred amid escalating tensions between community members and law enforcement. The protests were sparked after residents were left without potable water for over three weeks. Katleho Mokoena died on the first day the demonstrations erupted on Wednesday, while Sipho Motaung was allegedly killed by a stray bullet days later.
According to friends present at the scene, Motaung was not participating in the strike. He was reportedly celebrating a friend’s birthday, when police opened fire. One of his friends, who was also injured in the shooting, recounted the chaos, stating that they were simply drinking water outside when the gunfire started. The friend expressed deep disappointment in the government, questioning why millions of rands were spent deploying police to shoot at citizens instead of providing basic water infrastructure.
Grief and anger have heavily marked the aftermath of the shootings. Thabo Motaung, family spokesperson and brother of Sipho Motaung, expressed outrage that police utilized live ammunition against the community. Furthermore, the family alleges that the crime scene was tampered with. Thabo Motaung claimed that upon visiting the scene over the weekend, he found that his brother’s blood had been washed away and spent cartridges had been removed before the family could arrive.
In response to the tragedy, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, accompanied by Lesedi Local Municipality Mayor Mluleki Nkosi, toured the bereaved families’ homes to express their sorrow and offer state support.
Addressing the media after the visits, Premier Lesufi issued an unconditional apology on behalf of the provincial government. He emphasized that no one should lose their life while demanding access to water, which he described as a fundamental human right. Lesufi confirmed that an preliminary report from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) regarding the use of force and the circumstances surrounding the deaths will be shared with the families by Wednesday, ahead of the scheduled funerals.
The Premier also strongly condemned the property damage and violence that accompanied the protests, specifically the burning of Mayor Mluleki Nkosi’s house. Lesufi stated that while citizens have a right to protest and raise legitimate grievances, attacking private residences is completely unacceptable. He confirmed that intelligence agencies and law enforcement have video footage of the incidents and promised “no mercy” for those responsible, urging that the law must take its course.
Lesedi Local Municipality Mayor Mluleki Nkosi echoed the Premier’s sentiments, pledging that the local government will provide comprehensive support to both families. This includes trauma counseling and financial assistance for the burials, though he noted that the specific details of the bereavement support are being handled privately out of respect for the families’ dignity. Mayor Nkosi also appealed for calm, noting that the municipality is working tirelessly to restore normalcy to the area.
The root cause of the unrest lies in a severe service delivery failure. The municipal water supply was cut off because the Lesedi Local Municipality had accumulated a R27 million debt to Rand Water. Following a late-night intervention involving the provincial government and the national Minister of Water and Sanitation, a payment agreement was reached. The municipality will settle the outstanding debt using government grants over the next two weeks, allowing water services to resume.
While water has been restored to the lower-lying areas of the community, Mayor Nkosi explained that Ratanda is a high-lying area. The local reservoirs are currently sitting at only 10% capacity, meaning it will take an additional day or two of continuous pumping to ensure water reaches all households.
Premier Lesufi directed sharp criticism at the national Department of Water and Sanitation, suggesting that the crisis could have been avoided entirely. He revealed that the provincial government had raised the issue of the water cut-off two weeks prior but felt their intergovernmental requests were ignored. Lesufi argued that if the national ministry had engaged sooner, the drastic step of shutting off the water would not have occurred, ultimately preventing the violent protests and the loss of life.
As the community begins to mourn, police remain stationed in the area, primarily to escort water tankers to ensure the safe delivery of interim water supplies to residents who are still waiting for the taps to run dry no more. The provincial government has promised to continue addressing these service delivery backlogs weekly to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
