The Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Johannesburg has called on authorities to act decisively as communities in the city endure one of the harshest chapters of South Africa’s worsening water crisis.

In a statement shared on social media, Cardinal Stephen Brislin expressed “deep concern” over the plight of residents in several Johannesburg suburbs where taps have run dry for weeks.

“The extraordinary burden placed on the people … in terms of poor service delivery, growing poverty and the lack of one of the most basic human rights – water – has led to growing discontent and anger,” he said. “Their plight has largely gone unaddressed, and their needs ignored to the point that the communities, in sheer frustration, have mounted a series of protests.”

The Cardinal’s remarks come at a time when some provinces in South Africa are battling mounting water insecurity. According to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, Southern Africa is in the grip of severe drought conditions, with neighbouring Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi already declaring states of emergency.

As Johannesburg itself has seen its crisis deepen in recent months, Cardinal Brislin, in his September 11 statement, warns that the throttling of water supply across the metropolitan area has “exacerbated this already serious situation.”

Cardinal Brislin notes that some communities have been without a reliable supply for an “unconscionable extended time.” According to local news reports, suburbs across the city of Johannesburg have experienced prolonged outages, triggering protests and growing calls for accountability from the City of Johannesburg and Rand Water.

The 68-year-old Cardinal stressed the importance of communication and transparency, as the “people of the affected areas have the basic right to information regarding future plans to meet their needs as well as accurate, transparent, and reliable information with regard to the present situation.”

Unless officials engage meaningfully with communities, he cautioned, the city of Johannesburg might “experience more confrontations and outbursts” as in recent weeks.

Concluding his appeal, Cardinal Brislin urged the Mayor of Johannesburg, along with the leadership of Rand Water and Johannesburg Water, “to engage with the communities with plans, timelines and uncompromising service delivery so that the dignity of all, and living conditions, can be a credit to the courage and long years of struggle carried on by so many in this area.”