The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has escalated its campaign against City of Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya by lodging complaints with the Public Protector and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) over the water contamination crisis in Bronkhorstspruit and surrounding communities.
The formal complaints, submitted on Wednesday by EFF treasurer-general and Member of Parliament Omphile Maotwe, call for a comprehensive investigation into alleged maladministration, improper conduct and possible criminal negligence linked to the failure of the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works.
The move follows an outbreak of gastrointestinal illnesses that affected 408 people between October 7 and 18, with most of the patients younger than four years old.
According to a joint statement by national and provincial health authorities and the City of Tshwane, laboratory results and water-quality tests indicate that contaminated water from the treatment works was the likely source of the illnesses.
The crisis arose after difficulties with the city's chlorine supplier resulted in water from the plant being supplied without chlorination between September 24 and October 14.
The Department of Water and Sanitation's investigation also found that the municipality failed to warn residents that the water had not been chlorinated and was unsafe for domestic use.
The EFF has accused the municipality of failing to issue public health warnings during the 21-day period, despite the risks associated with supplying untreated water. The party argues that the failure breached the Compulsory Standards for Water Services issued under the Water Services Act.
Demands for action and accountability
The EFF is seeking remedial action, including a comprehensive account from the city manager of the decisions and chemical procurement processes that led to the crisis.
It has called for immediate, independent water-quality testing to establish when tap water will be safe for consumption. The party also wants the city to continue providing free water through tankers until the affected supply is declared safe.
The party is demanding financial compensation for affected households to cover medical expenses and other losses resulting from the outbreak.
It has further called for disciplinary proceedings against municipal officials found responsible for the failures, with the findings formally reported to the Tshwane City Council.
The EFF also wants contingency plans for water-treatment chemicals to be established across municipal facilities to prevent a similar crisis.
It said any findings pointing to criminal conduct should be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority for possible prosecution.
Water contamination linked to chlorine supply failure
The crisis has raised serious questions about the city's water-treatment systems, procurement processes and communication with residents.
According to reporting by IOL, the Department of Water and Sanitation found that water from the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works was not chlorinated for three weeks because of problems with the city's chlorine supplier.
The treatment plant draws water from the Bronkhorstspruit River, which investigators found was polluted by sewage from dysfunctional wastewater treatment works in Victor Khanye Municipality and malfunctioning sewage pump stations operated by the City of Tshwane.
Water-quality tests conducted on October 14 detected extremely high levels of E. coli and total coliforms in water samples from the treatment works and the Ekandustria and Zithobeni reservoirs.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases also detected norovirus, Campylobacter and Shigella in three of the four stool samples analysed from affected patients. No cholera bacteria were detected in those samples.
The affected communities include Bronkhorstspruit, Zithobeni, Dark City, Rethabiseng and Sokhulumi in Tshwane's Region 7.
The city closed the treatment plant on October 14, and chlorine supplies were restored the following day. The plant resumed supplying the distribution system on October 16, but residents were warned that the water was not yet safe to drink.
The municipality has since been distributing drinking water from the Cullinan Water Treatment Works through tankers while further testing and rehabilitation work continue. Authorities have also appointed the Water Research Commission to conduct independent water-quality testing and investigate the causes of the contamination.
Residents warned against using tap water
Residents in areas supplied by the affected treatment works have been warned not to drink tap water or use it for bathing, brushing their teeth, washing food or clothes, or cooking until further notice.
The water may be used only for flushing toilets.
“Previously stored water should be discarded, and water containers must be disinfected using household bleach,” the city said in a statement.
“Drinking water obtained from water tankers should be stored in clean containers with lids.”
The municipality has pledged to improve communication with residents by providing regular updates on where and when safe drinking water is available.
Residents who develop symptoms, including diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, weakness or dehydration, have been urged to seek medical attention promptly and report suspected cases to their nearest healthcare facility or local health authority.
The city has also indicated that it will investigate the chlorine supply interruption, the handling of the incident and the failure to alert residents timeously, with disciplinary action possible if negligence or misconduct is established.
IOL News