By: Natasha Archary
President Cyril Ramaphosa assures South Africans that ending cholera and ensuring the country’s water is safe for all is a priority.
In his weekly newsletter issued on Monday, 29 May, the President said an investigation is underway into the source of the outbreak.
The President says technical teams from the City of Tshwane, the Department of Water and Sanitation, and the provincial and national departments of Health are carrying out water quality tests at distribution points and water treatment works in the area.
This after 23 people have since died from a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, with hundreds more hospitalised and being treated for diarrheal disease.
“To date, the original source of the cholera infection has not been located. However, this waterborne disease is highly transmissible in conditions where there is inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
While there must be full accountability for the failings that have resulted in the outbreak in Hammanskraal, at this time we must focus on the problem at hand.
We must stop the spread of cholera and take remedial measures to safeguard human health.”
Ramaphosa says the quality of water in the country is of a high standard, according to the Water Research Commission, which compares to the best water in the world.
The President further says that the dual water systems which supplies water to Tshwane, Magalies and Rand Water meets national standards.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), after years of a steady decline, cholera has made a devastating comeback putting over a billion people in 43 countries at risk.
WHO says 24 countries have reported cases since the beginning of the year, including parts of Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Also read: Newborn babies placed in boxes instead of incubators in Mahikeng Hospital
