WATCH | Furious Joburg residents take to the streets after more than a week without running water

• Enraged residents in parts of Vrededorp and Jan Hofmeyer in Johannesburg planned on closing down the main road if they do not receive running water.
• Parts of these areas have been without water for roughly eight days. 
• Michael Sun, mayoral committee member for environment and infrastructure, said Joburg Water is facing technical difficulties, and mobile tankers have been dispatched.

Enraged residents of Jan Hofmeyer and Vrededorp, Johannesburg, have been without running water for just over a week. On Sunday afternoon, they took to the streets, burning tyres and blocking Caroline Street, which leads to the Johannesburg central business district.

They gathered outside a local community leader's house to get water on Monday. Fed-up residents told News24 they planned on blocking main arteries leading to the CBD if they didn't receive water by the end of the day. 

Mike Omar, 61, who lives in the area, said he's had enormous difficulties collecting water. His leg was amputated below the knee two years ago.

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"I live on the third floor of my block of flats. As a disabled person...  when [I] have to carry water up to the flats, it's very difficult," Omar said.

"You don't know where to go to or what to do."

Vrededorp residents waiting in line to fill their buckets, after being without water for a week.

Supplied Yola Minnaar

Other residents had to use cars to fetch water.

News24 Alfonso Nqunjana

Some residents were prompted to use their wheelchairs to fetch water.

News24 Alfonso Nqunjana

He said it takes him about 20 minutes to get his prosthetic leg on, and the water is often finished when he gets to the taps. 

People as old as 85 were seen standing in line to fill their buckets with water.

Mayoral committee member for environment and infrastructure, Michael Sun, said the Joburg Water team had been on site working tirelessly to restore water in the affected areas, and water tankers had been dispatched to affected suburbs. 

"The crisis emanates from a trip last week at the Eikenhof pump station within Rand Water's Commando system, the bulk supply line that feeds into Joburg Water reservoirs. The trip affected Hursthill, Crosby and Brixton reservoirs," Sun said. 

"Brixton Reservoir which services Jan Hofmeyer and Vrededorp recovered on Sunday, [but] there is still an issue within the specific supply system to the affected areas."