Neil Darling, owner of Optimum Clutch in Selby, Johannesburg. February 11, 2026. OUR CITY NEWS/James Oatway
Businesses operating in Park Central, Selby, say they have been without a permanent water supply for almost nine months, forcing them to rely on water tankers and manual container filling just to keep their operations running.
Despite the prolonged disruption, business owners say they continue to pay monthly municipal rates and service charges, including water bills, for a service they do not receive.
Health and safety challenges
The ongoing shortage has also created serious health, safety, operational, and financial challenges, placing both livelihoods and jobs at risk.
According to business owners, the lack of running water has severely affected productivity and increased operating costs, while also making it difficult to comply with legal health and safety requirements.
They are expected to meet legal, health and safety standards without access to running water.
“If there’s a fire here, we would have no ability to put it out because there’s no water,” said Neil Darling, a business owner at Optimum Clutch System.
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Darling added that businesses are increasingly concerned about insurance implications, fearing that claims may be rejected due to non-compliance with safety requirements caused by the water outage. Businesses dealing with paper and furniture are particularly exposed to fire risks.
“We are getting charged for water that we don’t even get. The system is very pathetic,” said Nelson Fernandez, who owns three businesses in the area.
Fernandez explained that the absence of clear communication from the municipality has added to the frustration faced by business owners.
“As a business owner, I need to buy water for my staff to drink, because if they get sick, who is going to take responsibility?” he said.
Businesses spending thousands on water
Business owners say they are spending thousands of rands every month to secure water, with some companies employing hundreds of workers.
“Many of us reached a point where we wanted to close down and leave for good, but we can’t because people depend on us for jobs,” Fernandez said.
To cope, some businesses have invested in JoJo tanks and water pumps to provide staff with necessities.
Fernandez said he has attempted to engage with city officials, including visits to the head of water and lights in Jorrisen Street, but has found it difficult to get assistance.
“You go from one office to another, the system goes offline, and there’s no help,” he said.
Business owners claim they have been informed that the issue lies with infrastructure challenges at the Hector Norris pump station, located approximately 3.5 kilometres from Park Central. However, they say the city has failed to provide a clear timeline for repairs.
“We need a timeline so we can plan ahead as business owners,” Fernandez said.
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According to Joburg Water’s spokesperson, Nombuso Shabalala, the upgrades to the Hector Norris pump station are still ongoing, which include the refurbishment of the pump station.
In the absence of permanent solutions, a WhatsApp group was formed by Joburg Water to coordinate water deliveries. Requests logged on the group are usually met by water tankers within 24 to 48 hours, with people lining up using empty containers to collect water.
“We are still providing water tankers daily for Selby customers, and there is some supply from other zones that we have opened to relieve the Selby system. Selby is getting intermittent supply,” said Shabalala.
Some businesses, like those owned by Robert Segar, have turned to private contractors, who deliver up to 8 000 litres every second day, at a cost of R1 500 to R2 000 per week, depending on negotiations.
This story is produced by Our City News, a non-profit newsroom that serves the people of Johannesburg.
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