Johannesburg Water Crisis: Melville Resident Showers in the Rain Amid Protests, South Africans React
- A Melville resident got social media buzzing after a video surfaced of her drawing attention to the ongoing water crisis
- Residents in many parts of Johannesburg have endured constant water issues, with some places having empty taps for over three weeks
- Social media users weighed in on the video of a woman showering in the rain amid the ongoing water crisis
- A resident of Melville confirmed to Briefly News that water finally returned to taps in the area on 13 February 2026
Source: Twitter
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
President Ramaphosa addresses the crisis, pledging R156 billion for water infrastructure improvements and new initiatives
GAUTENG – A resident of Melville has got social media buzzing as she highlighted the ongoing water crisis in the area in the most unusual fashion.
Melville and other parts of Johannesburg have been without water for up to three weeks, prompting outrage among residents. Residents took to the streets, accusing authorities of failing to provide a basic human right, but it was one resident who got social media talking.
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Melville resident showers in the rain
On Friday, 13 February 2026, a video surfaced of an unnamed Melville resident showering in the rain. The woman was videoed standing in the road, applying shampoo to her hair. A second person then poured a bottle of water over her head to wash out the shampoo.
Motorists continued to drive past, unbothered by the actions of the woman, but it was social media users who commented on the situation.
The woman’s actions come as frustration boils over in the area and other parts of Johannesburg. Residents said that the ongoing water crisis disrupted schools, businesses and healthcare services. Some learners were even sent home early due to sanitation concerns. A resident of the area confirmed to Briefly News that the water was only restored in the afternoon of 13 February.
Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the water crisis
The water crisis was also a big focus of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address speech on 12 February 2026.
The president noted that, in addition to crime, water was now the single most important issue for many people in the country.
“We have all seen the pain that our people have been expressing through demonstrations in various parts of Gauteng. These protests have been fuelled by frustrations over inadequate and unreliable access to basic services such as water,” he said.
Ramaphosa said that poor planning and inadequate maintenance of water systems by many municipalities were the main cause of the problems, but said that the government would be building new dams and upgrading existing infrastructure to tackle the problem.
“We have committed more than R156 billion in public funding for water and sanitation infrastructure alone over the next three years,” he said.
He also announced the establishment of a National Water Crisis Committee, which he would chair, which would bring together all existing efforts into a single coordinating body.
Source: Getty Images
South Africans react to the video
Social media users weighed in on the video of the woman showering outside, sharing mixed reactions to it. Some joked about bathing in hotels, following Panyaza Lesufi’s comments.
@tffs_xyz stated:
“Go tannie, go. Only in South Africa, jissis.”
@ntandosiya25 asked:
“She just used her last 5 litres of water. Where will she get water now?”
@Olivaciouslyme stated:
“This is actually the best form of protest. People should do this all over, and if they wanted to be even more radical, rock up at work stinking or start washing clothes, dishes, etc. in the rain, or go drop dirty washing at the ANC offices.”
@YN_Observes suggested:
“She could have collected the rainwater.”
@sanizwe said:
“I am not sure why she doesn't just book a hotel and wash there.”
@NgwaziSk asked:
“So, why are they not saying Ramaphosa must fall?”
@MalomeMalefane suggested:
“Book into a hotel like your Premier. Oops, I forgot we ordinary people can't afford that luxury.”
@TheMeekSA added:
“This will go down as one of the best protests in history.”
Helen Zille joins ongoing protests
Briefly News reported that Helen Zille joined the ongoing protests in Johannesburg, blaming corruption for the ongoing crisis.
The Democratic Alliance member alleged that maintenance contract failures led to infrastructural breakdowns.
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo called on political parties to stop politicising service delivery challenges.
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Source: Briefly News
