“That’s Why the Water Tastes Earthy”: SA Woman Scrubbing JoJo Tank Interior Leaves Mzansi Disturbed

A Mpumalanga woman has left South Africans questioning what is really in their water. Kefilwe Maloka posted a TikTok video on 26 May 2026 showing the inside of a JoJo tank rolled onto its side for cleaning. The bottom was caked in thick mud and fungi that shocked thousands watching online.

The tank had been tipped on its side so Maloka could manually scrub the interior. That is the standard cleaning method recommended for smaller tanks. What nobody was prepared for was just how much had built up inside.

What is sitting at the bottom of your JoJo tank

Every time it rains, water carries dust, debris, and roof runoff into the tank. Bird droppings and organic matter wash in from rooftops too. Over months and years, all of that settles and compacts into a thick mud layer at the bottom. Fungi and bacteria then thrive in that dark, undisturbed sludge. Experts say tanks should be cleaned every six to twelve months. Most South Africans never do it once.

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JoJo tanks are actually designed with this in mind. The water outlet sits a few centimetres above the floor to avoid drawing sludge directly into your taps. But the sludge still sits there, quietly growing.

Mzansi had thoughts. One person wanted to know how the mud got in. Another said the earthy taste of their water finally made sense. One person warned others about the real danger, the tank once rolled while they were inside.

Watch the video below:

More involving JoJo tanks

• Hambanathi residents in Tongaat, KwaZulu-Natal want replacement JoJo tanks after burning the ones they had.
• A TikTok video shows three siblings cleaning their dirty JoJo tank, sparking online conversations.
• Motorists rushed to fill fuel containers ahead of the impending R3 price increase due to geopolitical tensions.

Source: Briefly News