Kamogelo Moichela|Published
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called for Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya to resign, accusing her of knowing the city’s water was unsafe and failing to act as Bronkhorstspruit water contamination left 595 people ill.
This including 262 children aged four and younger.
The party’s demand follows revelations presented to Parliament on October 23, 2026, by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), which said Tshwane had received a non-compliance notice in February over the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works.
The EFF claimed the revelations support its earlier criminal complaint against Moya and has called for her immediate arrest.
In March, the municipality submitted a corrective action plan that included securing treatment chemicals, refurbishing filters, installing pumps and recruiting critical staff.
According to the information presented, the plan was not implemented.
Chlorine dosing at the plant stopped on September 23, yet water continued flowing for another 21 days without disinfection.
“These revelations vindicate the EFF,” the party said.
“When we opened a criminal case against the Mayor, we did so on prima facie evidence. What has now emerged goes far beyond that and warrants her immediate arrest,” it said.
The EFF alleged that warnings about the danger also came from within Moya’s executive, but says no effective action followed.
The extent of the mayor’s knowledge, the timing of any warnings and the reasons for the failure to act remain matters requiring independent investigation.
Responding to this, Moya openly acknowledged that the city failed its statutory duty to timeously warn residents that the tap water was unsafe to consume.
The party welcomed the responses of the Public Protector and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to its complaints, urging both institutions to establish who knew about the risks, when they were informed and why corrective action failed.
It also called on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to investigate its criminal complaint without fear, favour or political interference.
Beyond demanding Moya’s resignation, the EFF called for the city manager to be suspended as a precaution, medical care and fair compensation for affected families, and an independent forensic investigation into chlorine procurement and treatment-plant maintenance.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics