Water shortages drive protests across Johannesburg suburbs

Protesters hold placards demanding access to water during a demonstration against ongoing water shortages in Johannesburg, South Africa, 28 October 2026. The community has been without water in their homes for ten days. Johannesburg continues to face widespread water supply disruptions, with ageing infrastructure, power failures, and maintenance challenges contributing to prolonged outages across parts of the city. The protests come ahead of South Africa’s local government elections on 04 November, when voters will elect municipal councils responsible for overseeing essential services. The elections are seen as an important test of support for the African National Congress (ANC), amid growing public frustration over deteriorating infrastructure and municipal service delivery.