For nearly seven days, taps in Chiawelo, Protea, and parts of Dlamini ran dry - an inconvenience reaching even President Cyril Ramaphosa's Soweto family home. Joburg Water said it was cleaning the Chiawelo Reservoir, forcing residents to scrounge for water.

"It was all of us," Ivy Ramaphosa, President Cyril Ramaphosa's sister, told Daily Maverick on Monday evening, 20 April.

For nearly seven days, Chiawelo, Protea and parts of Dlamini in Soweto have been without water due to a maintenance programme that was meant to see water restored on 17 April.

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Asked what she was doing to get by, Ivy said she was getting a bit of water from her daughter's place.

"Somehow, she had drips coming out of one of her cold water taps, but she also had nothing coming out of the hot water taps, like all of us," said the president's sister.

"There was also a delivery truck delivering water around the area, but few people who had water stored helped other residents, who have had nothing for days," she said.

"A few people had water, but many were hit hard."

Johannesburg Water blamed the taps running dry on the cleaning of the Chiawelo Reservoir. Residents, however, say the utility's own communication promised full restoration by 17 April 2026. Yet, days later, the promise has evaporated - leaving households parched and patience running thin.

Joburg Water stated on Sunday: "Water quality collected from the Chiawelo Reservoir has been...