By Doreen Mokgolo
- Just weeks after clean water was restored, Hammanskraal residents are back to seeing brown water in their taps.
- Residents fear another cholera outbreak and suspect someone is sabotaging their water supply for profit.
Scrolla Water Watch: With load shedding now a thing of the past, nationwide water shortage is South Africa’s most urgent crisis. In this series of community-based reporting, we look at how this affects communities.
Just one month after celebrating clean water in their taps, Hammanskraal residents are back to collecting water from trucks after brown water started flowing again.
The City of Tshwane has warned residents in Mandela Village, Marokolong, Ramotse, Kekana Gardens and Babelegi Industrial not to drink tap water while they test it in laboratories.
This comes after the successful launch of the Klipdrift Package Plant last month, which was meant to solve the area’s water crisis.
“The mayor promised us in January that the water is safe to consume but just a few weeks later we found ourselves drinking dirty water again. We don’t know who to believe anymore,” said resident Maria Skhosana.
Another resident, Tumelo Mofokeng, thinks someone might be deliberately causing problems at the water plant.
“It seems there are people who intentionally damage the electricity and water plants for their own benefits. Now that we don’t have water coming out of our taps the trucks are back in business, this is questionable,” he said.
Mofokeng wants better security at water plants to stop possible sabotage.
Mayor Nasiphi Moya said the problems started on 5 February when the power went off at the Magalies-run plant.
“Repairs were expected to be completed on the same day but Magalies Water later informed the City that additional work was required,” she said.
Workers flushed the system on 12 February to clean it. Laboratory results are expected on 14 February.
The Klipdrift Plant is only a short-term fix while the City works on upgrading the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works for a permanent solution.
Pictured above: Mayor Nasiphi Moya.
Image source: City of Tshwane
