Primrose Ratepayers Association

29/09/2026

29/09/2026

eNCAnews 702 Carte Blanche I am writing to urgently request media coverage regarding a critical utility failure in Primrose, Germiston. As of today, local ratepayers and residents have been left entirely without water for three weeks.

Despite residents consistently paying their rates, the ongoing water crisis has severely disrupted households, local businesses, schools, and vulnerable community members. The community feels entirely abandoned as communication from local authorities has been minimal, and sustainable interim solutions—such as reliable water tankers—have been severely lacking.

We believe this escalating humanitarian and service delivery crisis requires immediate public scrutiny and media coverage to hold the responsible municipal officials accountable.

Key Details for Coverage:
• What: Complete water outage affecting thousands of residents.
• Where: Primrose, Germiston (City of Ekurhuleni).
• Duration: Three full weeks (21 days) since 25 August 2026 without proper running water.
• Impact: Sanitation issues, financial strain from buying bottled water, disruption of schools and livelihoods, and lack of municipal accountability.
•
We have a committee of affected ratepayers and residents who are available immediately for interviews, on-camera statements, and to provide photo/video evidence of the daily struggle for water.

Could you please let us know if a reporter or camera crew can be assigned to cover this story?

11/08/2026

On behalf of the Primrose Ratepayers Association, I wish to convey our serious concern regarding the ongoing week-long water outage affecting our community.

Once again, residents have been forced to endure a crisis characterized by inadequate planning to mitigate the impact and limited communication from the responsible authorities. After four days without water, the only update we received—via councillors—was that the outage was caused by a burst pipe. During this time, access to water has been severely restricted, with only minimal relief provided.

The South African Human Rights Commission has already emphasized that prolonged water outages constitute a violation of basic human rights. Despite this, our community continues to suffer without adequate provision. These shortcomings mirror the very issues we raised during the water crisis inquiry when we submitted our statement. A week has now passed, and Primrose still has no potable water. We must ask: what concrete steps are the City and Rand Water taking to resolve this matter?

We request your department’s formal response and, more importantly, clarity on what measures will be implemented during future outages to ensure that all residents are afforded the dignity of reliable access to water. A handful of JoJo tanks serving multiple blocks is wholly insufficient, and the community cannot see the value of the millions reportedly spent by the municipality on water delivery when the outcome remains so inadequate.

11/08/2026

05/08/2026

Community Update – August 2026

Dear Residents,

As your Executive Committee, we would like to provide an update on several projects and initiatives currently receiving attention from the Primrose Ratepayers Association.

1. Marlands Park Upliftment Project

One of our primary focus areas remains the proposed upliftment of Marlands Park. The vision is to transform the park into a safe, inclusive, and vibrant recreational space for the community.

The concept currently under discussion includes:

• Improved safety and lighting
• Children's play facilities
• Walking and cycling routes
• Landscaping and beautification
• Seating and family-friendly amenities
• Recreational facilities for youth development

Engagements are underway to obtain municipal support and explore funding, sponsorship, and partnership opportunities to make this project a reality.

2. Illegal Buildings, Zoning and Land-Use Compliance

The Association continues to work with residents and municipal stakeholders regarding:
• Suspected illegal building activities
• Zoning contraventions
• Business operations that may not comply with approved land use
• Overcrowding concerns
• Illegal occupation of properties
• Building plan compliance

We are developing more structured processes to track matters, submit concerns to the relevant municipal departments, and monitor responses and outcomes.

3. Illegal Electricity Connections and Public Safety Concerns
We continue to receive reports regarding possible illegal electrical connections and infrastructure concerns.

These matters present:

• Safety risks to residents
• Fire hazards
• Potential damage to municipal infrastructure
• Financial impacts on service delivery

We are engaging with the relevant authorities where concerns are reported and verified.

4. Community Safety and Law Enforcement Engagement

The PRA continues to cooperate with:

• SAPS
• EMPD
• CPF structures
• Ward leadership
• Municipal departments

The goal remains to improve community safety, encourage reporting of incidents, and strengthen communication between residents and enforcement agencies.

5. Youth Development Initiatives

The Association remains committed to supporting youth development opportunities within our community.
Previous community-supported initiatives have demonstrated the positive impact that partnerships between residents, businesses, schools, and local organisations can achieve. We continue exploring opportunities that will benefit young people within Primrose and surrounding areas.

6. Municipal Engagement and Service Delivery

The PRA continues to engage with municipal officials regarding:

• Service delivery concerns
• Public infrastructure maintenance
• Urban management matters
• Community facilities
• Long-term neighbourhood upliftment

Constructive engagement with the City remains a priority to ensure resident concerns are appropriately escalated and addressed.
How Residents Can Assist

Residents can support these initiatives by:

• Reporting service delivery concerns through the appropriate channels.
• Providing photographs and supporting information when reporting issues.
• Participating in community meetings and clean-up initiatives.
• Supporting local upliftment and youth development projects.
• Encouraging constructive community engagement.
• Become a member of PRA

Thank you to all residents, volunteers, and community members who continue contributing their time and effort towards making Primrose a better place to live.

David-Hutch Barr
Chairperson
Primrose Ratepayers Association