RC 261013SAfmKoketso Sachane
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Bertha Charuma's Tuesday takeover ran a robotics and Robo Rumble 2026 segment alongside a sharp debate on whether private companies can fix Johannesburg's failing water system.
- 21:23
The WaterCan executive director said Johannesburg's private-sector water deals will probably raise prices, because businesses must make up for the poor state of services.
- 21:25
Water pipes, pump stations and reservoirs across Johannesburg had reached the end of their design lifespan by the late 2000s, and nothing was done, which explains the frequent burst pipes.
- 21:36
After Blue Drop and Green Drop water reporting stopped around 2013, municipalities went about ten years without oversight, and almost every one declined in productivity, the WaterCan director argued.
- 21:30
Johannesburg Water's turnaround plan is stuck because the city keeps sweeping money away from the utility, so the director called for a national intervention to fund and project-manage the fixes.
- 20:59
Algo at Work's Robo Rumble 2026 STEM competition is a free family event this Saturday, 17 October, from 10am in Soweto, with tickets available on Quicket.