Cholera outbreak regrettable

THE cholera outbreak that befell Hammanskraal is regrettable because neither the Department of Water and Sanitation nor the City of Tshwane were ready at the time.

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu said this on Wednesday, 10 April, as he was conducting oversight project inspections of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works and Klipdrift Package Plant in Hammanskraal, Tshwane.

Mchunu was accompanied by water and sanitation deputy ministers David Mahlobo and Judith Tshabalala, as well as Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink. 

The Hammanskraal community has experienced continuous water supply challenges despite the Temba Water Treatment Plant upgraded to a 120 megalitres per day capacity.

Mchunu said the situation should have been attended to before it happened. He said since the cholera outbreak, the department had to look for money and start the procurement process, and that took time.

Mchunu said some tests were conducted, but there was nothing scientific that could be linked to the outbreak.

“There have been a lot of concerns and debate after several people lost their lives due to the disease, but we're pleased that we're dealing with the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant and it'll be functional. This should be taken care of so that no such incidents happen,” he said.

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Mayor Brink told the media that delays that happened can be justified because the city wanted to make sound decisions.

He said there has been no scientific test that linked the outbreak of cholera after several tests were done.

“We met the minister a few days before the outbreak and set aside differences that we had in the past and tried to come up with solutions. We know people want water from the taps, not tanks, and come September, residents will have water,” Brink said.

He said the community will be kept informed on developments at the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant and the package plant provided by Magalies Water.

The mayor said the supply challenges are caused by difficulties at the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works meeting the desirable final effluent quality for discharge to the Apies River, which in turn, flows into the Leeukraal Dam.

“The Wastewater Treatment Works is situated upstream of Hammanskraal and has affected the Leeukraal Dam, where the Temba Water Treatment Works abstracts water for treatment and distribution to residents as portable drinking water,” he said.

Brink added that to address water supply and quality challenges in the area, work is carried out to refurbish the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works to enable its performance at optimum capacity, as well as upgrading the Klipdrift Water Treatment Works from 42 to 92 megalitres per day.

Hammanskraal Sanco zonal secretary Jeffrey Nyathikazi welcomed the report by the minister and the mayor, adding that he trusts that residents will get water at the indicated time.