Gauteng Municipality Battles R1.4-Billion Water Debt

Scores of Kokosi residents in Fochville near Carletonville now collect water from a borehole installed by a local businessman last week. The community has been without running water for over a month since Rand Water implemented reduction measures against Merafong municipality.

A businessman from Kokosi, Fochville near Carletonville has been dubbed a good samaritan after opening up his boreholes this week as the community battles ongoing water outages.

Residents are blaming the Merafong Local Municipality for failing them because taps have been dry for over a month now.

When GroundUp visited the township, we noticed scores of people pushing wheelbarrows, some with 20-litre and 5-litre buckets filled with water from a newly built borehole. After inquiring, we were informed the borehole belonged to the businessman.

Speaking to GroundUp on condition of anonymity, the businessman said he initially installed the borehole after the toilets in his tavern became unusable because there was no running water.

Residents say the trucks sent by the municipality don’t bring water every day. “When they do come, they run out before everyone gets water,” said resident Boitumelo Ntonyana. “Our toilets are unbearable.”

Matshidiso Moalosi, while filling containers, said: “We were never told about these cuts. The government does not care about us.”

Municipality fails to pay water bills

The crisis in Kokosi and other surrounding areas is the result of Merafong’s R1.4-billion debt owed to Rand Water.

Since last year, Rand Water has been implementing water cuts as a debt collection mechanism for outstanding debts in several municipalities in Gauteng, Free State and Mpumalanga.

In court action to get Merafong to pay its outstanding debt, the Johannesburg High Court, in June, gave the municipality 30 days to submit its written representations to Rand Water. However, the municipality submitted its representations after the deadline.

The municipality’s submissions showed little to no intention that it would fulfill its obligations to Rand Water. This forced the utility to impose a 20% reduction in water supply, following a 20% cut earlier in 2025.

Municipal spokesperson Thabo Moloja explained that because the Kokosi community and other parts of Fochville are high-lying areas, the reduced water pressure simply cannot reach them.

He said at least ten water trucks are sent out daily to communities, but hospitals, schools, and clinics are prioritised. “Additional support is being sought from the provincial government to supplement this fleet,” he said.

Rand Water spokesperson Makenosi Maroo defended the restrictions, saying municipalities must be held accountable. “It is important to emphasise that Rand Water will not risk its financial stability because of defaulting municipalities. Financial sustainability is essential to ensure we can continue supplying safe bulk water.”

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