Johannesburg – July 2025
Hundreds of schools across Gauteng are grappling with severe water shortages, with some institutions going without water for weeks due to unpaid municipal bills. The crisis has disrupted learning, forced early dismissals, and raised serious health and sanitation concerns.
According to recent reports, nearly 300 schools in the province have been affected by water and electricity disconnections in 2025 alone. Of these, at least four schools were without water for between 10 and 27 days, while 16 others faced total utility shutdowns.
Most of the affected schools are so-called “no-fee” institutions located in underprivileged communities. These schools, which previously had their municipal bills covered by the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), were suddenly saddled with outstanding debts following a policy shift earlier this year. Many of them could not afford to settle the arrears, which in some cases run into millions of rand.
Ivory Park Primary School is one such example, where persistent water outages have forced the school to release learners early every day at 11:30. The school has begun drilling a borehole to secure an independent water source.
In another case, the Johannesburg School of Autism was shut down for three weeks after the water supply was disconnected due to non-payment. Parents have expressed frustration at the disruption to their children’s routines and lack of support from authorities. Water tanks and deliveries by tanker trucks have been promised, but delays have left schools in limbo.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has condemned the GDE’s decision to hold no-fee schools responsible for historical municipal debts. The party has called on the department to urgently pay the outstanding amounts and prevent any further utility cut-offs.
“Expecting already underfunded schools to shoulder these massive bills is reckless and irresponsible,” said Khume Ramulifho, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education. “The GDE must intervene immediately before more schools are forced to shut down.”
In response, the GDE claimed it was engaging with municipalities and promised to resolve the matter by June 30. However, there has been little clarity or confirmation on whether the deadline was met.
Meanwhile, the broader picture highlights systemic challenges in South Africa’s water infrastructure. Despite full dams, many areas still experience regular outages due to leaks, aging infrastructure, and poor municipal management.
As the crisis continues, teachers, parents, and learners wait anxiously for long-term solutions. For now, temporary measures such as JoJo tanks and boreholes remain the only relief for many struggling schools.
