Tshwane supplied unsafe water for three weeks
City of Tshwane supplied unchlorinated water to Bronkhorstspruit residents, leading to 408 gastrointestinal illness cases.
The City of Tshwane supplied unchlorinated drinking water to Bronkhorstspruit residents for three weeks, from September 24 to October 14, without informing them of the risk. Between October 7 and 18, 408 cases of gastrointestinal illness were reported, with most affected being children. Mayor Nasiphi Moya admitted negligence, stating the city ran out of chlorine due to a supplier dispute that quadrupled prices.
Moya said officials failed to inform city leadership about the chlorine shortage. The city's failure to warn residents about potentially unsafe water is inexcusable, as access to safe drinking water is a constitutional right. The priority in Bronkhorstspruit is to ensure residents receive safe water and to establish the full circumstances of the outbreak.
This incident follows a 2023 cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, which exposed a long-running water and sanitation crisis and resulted in 47 national deaths. With local government elections on November 4, voters can judge municipalities on their service delivery, including the provision of safe water.
Why it mattersResidents of Bronkhorstspruit were exposed to unsafe drinking water and subsequently suffered gastrointestinal illnesses due to municipal failure.