Tshwane mayor: No cholera in city’s water supply
Tshwane Mayor
Cilliers Brink says laboratory test results on the quality of the water
supplied to the region, north of the city, have tested negative for cholera.
"I received tests that were conducted by the City of Tshwane on various water sources in the Themba supply areas in other words Hammanskraal is supplied by Rand Water by Morotele in Tshwane. We conducted the tests on the Tshwane and the results came back negative for cholera and E.coli so at this present moment, initially it would seem that the Thembe from the Tshwane supply does not contain E.coli."
Brink gave an update on Monday evening on the confirmation of a cholera outbreak in the area.
At least 15 people have died while scores of others, who've been diagnosed with the infectious disease, are being treated at the Jubilee District Hospital.
The Department of Water and Sanitation has sent a high-level delegation to Hammanskraal to respond to the crisis.
Brink said he was chased away from the hospital on Monday by angry residents.
READ: David Mahlobo to lead cholera outbreak crisis team
"Luckily that does not mean the work is not been continuing. MMC Themba Forsi, the MMC responsible for water, as well as MMC (of health) Rina Marx, have been at the hospital since Saturday and they are inspecting the situation and giving briefings.
" The City of Tshwane is doing everything in its efforts to determine what the source is of the cholera outbreak and we are giving support to the Gauteng Health Department."
Complaints over water contamination, which stretch back more than a decade, have now been placed at the centre of the outbreak.
In 2019, the SA Human Rights Commission declared the water in Hammanskraal unsafe for human consumption.
