While no cholera cases have been reported in KwaZulu-Natal, the IFP has raised questions around the province's ability to handle the outbreak, should it spread to KZN.
Already cases have been reported in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, the Free State and Limpopo, claiming the lives of 25 people.
“KwaZulu-Natal previously recorded a high number of deaths due to a cholera outbreak which happened in 2000/2001.The IFP believes that to ensure that a cholera outbreak doesn’t occur in KZN, both short-term and long-term solutions are needed,” the party's provincial spokesperson on Health, Ncamisile Nkwanyana, said.
Already, concerns have been raised about water quality in Harding. Farmers have complained about the poor quality of water they have to use to water crops.
The IFP is calling for a multi-sectoral cholera elimination plan which encompasses different stakeholders such as those responsible for the provision of clean water, sanitation and health education.
“Sanitation is a cornerstone of public health and should be a priority. The right to clean water and sanitation should not remain a pipe dream forever. We are calling on the KZN Health MEC to tell the public what plans are in place to prevent an outbreak in the province,” Nkwanyana said.
World-renowned health expert Professor Salim Abdool Karim said collapsed structures of local government were to blame for the cholera outbreak.
“In South Africa, we would normally not be concerned about cholera, but because there has been such poor service delivery by local government many sewerage treatment plants are now in disarray.
“By itself, that is not a problem, but the problem comes when the water treatment plants are also broken. The damaged sewage plants can contaminate rivers, dams and the water to the treatment plants, of which in turn they are not able to take out all of the cholera,” Karim said in an exclusive interview with the Daily News.
Meanwhile, Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke made shocking findings on the state of KwaZulu-Natal municipalities in her 2021–2022 audit report which was released this week.
“Nine municipalities reported doubt about their ability to continue operating, with six of these having reported such challenges for at least the past four years,” she said.
“The lack of sound financial management practices within municipalities has a negative impact on crucial expenses such as infrastructure repairs and maintenance, further hampering the delivery of services,” Maluleke said.
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