Khoza says residents will restore the water supply themselves as they cannot survive without water.

“We know we are connected illegally, but no one is coming to help us with the water. We had no choice. Now that they have disconnected us, we will reconnect until they find a solution permed.”

Illegal connections have increased in the informal settlement since 2017, despite the provision of tankers by the city of Joburg.

Khoza says residents had no other choice.

“We wanted water, so we made a plan that we couldn’t live without water. We have been connected since 2017 and no one has offered us a solution regarding drinking water. I know it’s a informal settlement, but we are humans and we need water, and we don’t fight with anyone.

Another resident, Yoliswa Langa, explains how residents raised money to buy water pipes to connect to the network.

“We did it ourselves. We bought the pipes and connected ourselves because we’ve lived here for so long without water that it was time to have water for ourselves. Even with electricity, we had to buy solar power to be able to have electricity to at least cool.”

Joburg Water says the informal settlement was served by water tanks to meet the needs of residents. These tanks have been vandalized after continued land invasions and the increase in illegal water connections has put strain on the local supply network.

The utility says this forced it to cut off unauthorized connections in the area and restore water tankers.

Meanwhile, tensions remain high on the ground as residents sing songs of struggle.

Earlier in the day, authorities faced resistance from residents who cut connections, leading to rubber bullets being fired.

By Zandile Khumalo