EFF demands mayor drink water from Hammanskraal as R450m allocated to Rooiwal upgrades

The City of Tshwane will allocate R450 million for the refurbishment of the Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Works amid the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal which has been riddled with poor sanitation and water issues for years.

At least 17 people have died from the the diarrhoeal disease so far, with many others hospitalised due to gastrointestinal infection.

The Department of Water and Sanitation has blamed the poor water quality supplied to the area, located in the north of Pretoria, on the Rooiwal plant managed by the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.

The Rooiwal system releases water to the Leeuwkraal Dam, which is extracted by Temba Water Treatment Works and then distributed to households in Hammanskraal.

Water tests

Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink said the metro’s first priority was to determine the source of the cholera outbreak.

“We are expecting further test results today. As we know, the net of those test have been cast wider after it was discovered that the water from the taps through the Temba system is not the source of the contamination. We still need to find the source because if we don’t then we can’t contain the problem.

“We know that this crisis has drawn attention to the longstanding problem of the quality of water delivered to the people of Hammanskraal through the Tshwane supply in Temba. It is not an issue that can be ignored any longer… we have reached the end of a long line or failures and excuses,” he said on Wednesday.

ALSO READ: Hammanskraal water not cholera contaminated, but not safe to drink

Brink confirmed that the city will be committing R450 million over the next three years to complete the first phase of upgrades to the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Plant.

While at least R150 million will be allocated for each financial year in the budget, but the mayor said this was not enough to solve the Hammanskraal water crisis.

“Now that is not enough to solve the problem. We’ve said over and over again that the resources of the City of Tshwane are simply too limited to do the upgrades there. We also have serious supply chain management issues with irregular tenders being approved by this city in the past that we have to be honest about, so we lack the resources, we lack the expertise, we are going to need partnerships,” he said.

[WATCH] We are committing R450 million over three years to Rooiwal Wastewater Treatment Plant to help fast track upgrades and assist Hammanskraal residents. #Hammanskraal #TshwaneBudget2023 @CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/PVnQuk7tLD

— Mayor Cilliers Brink (@tshwane_mayor) May 24, 2023

The mayor said the city would engage with possible funders including the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).

He indicated that R2.5 billion will be needed for the second phase of the project.

READ MORE: Blame game continues: ANC accuses DA of neglect in Hammanskraal cholera outbreak

Brink also confirmed that disciplinary processes were already underway against municipal officials implicated in the R295 million Rooiwal upgrade contract.

The tender was awarded to companies belonging to controversial businessman, Edwin Sodi.

“I have said that the supply chain management system of this city is like a festering sore that affects the entirety of the body of the city. If we are not open about that then we are not going to solve the issue,” the mayor said.

EFF disrupts meeting

Tshwane Finance MMC Peter Sutton was expected to table a budget speech for 2023/2024 financial year on Wednesday, but the special council sitting got off to a chaotic start.

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillors disrupted proceedings in the Tshwane House council chamber, demanding that Brink needed to drink the glass of water the party said was brought from Hammanskraal first before the meeting proceeded.

But Brink criticised the Red Berets for preventing the budget speech from going ahead.

“The EFF has pulled a political stunt here, trying to politicise this matter and score cheap points,” he said.

“All political parties will tomorrow when here is a council meeting have the opportunity to debate the budget, to make their representations.”

We will not entertain political stunts by the EFF who are trying to disrupt the Budget Speech to score political points. No party has the right to prevent residents from hearing the budget for the upcoming financial year. #TshwaneBudget2023 #Hammanskraal @CityTshwane pic.twitter.com/UFyqZGHG7E

— Mayor Cilliers Brink (@tshwane_mayor) May 24, 2023

NOW READ: Hammanskraal cholera outbreak: Water experts say they warned government about the issue