Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa says the deaths of 24 people due to the cholera outbreak in Gauteng and the Free State are tragic.
Ramaphosa said the recent outbreaks of cholera in Hammanskraal in Gauteng and in the Free State have shown the vital importance of safe and effective water and wastewater management.
He said their thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones.
Ramaphosa said quality water and sanitation are fundamental to the dignity of every South African.
"I have asked Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Nchunu to make recommendations to strengthen the governance, management, and regulatory framework for municipal water and sanitation services. This includes ensuring that national minimum norms and standards are comprehensive, adequately monitored, and adhered to by all water service providers," said Ramaphosa.
Disease outbreaks such as the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal are made far worse in situations of poor governance, weak management, and poor maintenance of infrastructure, he said.
"We have responsibility — and are determined — to remedy those shortcomings in a sustainable way and as a matter of urgency," he said.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization and international relief organisations warned that after years of steady decline, cholera has made “a devastating comeback”, putting more than a billion people in 43 countries at risk.
According to the WHO, 24 countries have reported cases since the beginning of the year, including parts of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Ramaphosa said authorities are to be commended for their efforts to speedily assist all those affected, including setting up a field hospital in Kanana in Hammanskraal, providing additional water tanking services to residents, and going into communities to raise awareness about proper hygiene.
"An investigation is under way into the source of the outbreak. 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 at water treatment works in the area.
"They are also tracking and tracing infections. To date, the original source of the cholera infection has not been located.
“However, this water-borne disease is highly transmissible in conditions where there is inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities," he said.
Ramaphosa said unreliable and poor-quality drinking water has been a problem in Hammanskraal for years.
He said the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works, which are upstream of Hammanskraal, have not been well maintained and have insufficient capacity to deal with the volume of wastewater entering the works.
Ramaphosa said that over the years, in its role as the regulator of the water sector, the Department of Water and Sanitation has issued many directives to the City of Tshwane to address pollution from the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works.
"Regrettably, these directives were not acted upon. Consequently, the department initiated legal action to force the City to use its grant from the national government to refurbish and upgrade the waste water treatment works.
"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," said Ramaphosa.
Some South Africans took to social media to criticise and defend Ramaphosa for attending the inauguration of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu instead of visiting Hammanskraal.
"Putting South African citizens first is not in the ANC’s vocabulary; lining their pockets takes priority," said Jakes Jacobs on Tiktok.
Another user defended Ramaphosa, saying that he has appointed a minister who can deal with the issue.
"To his defence, he has ministers for that. I mean, this meeting was probably scheduled long ago, so he can't just cancel," said Mmabatho Mokoena.
The Star