Hammanskraal to get water tanks to improve hygiene

Hammanskraal will receive much-needed water tanks from the office of the administrator in the City of Tshwane on Tuesday as the fight against the spread of the coronavirus continues.

The water tanks, a donation from AngloGold Ashanti, will be handed over by head administrator Mpho Nawa and Gauteng’s roads and transport MEC, Jacob Mamabolo, “to improve hygiene to mitigate the spread of the disease across the City’s transport nodes”.

They will be handed over at the Kopanong taxi rank.

In August last year, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) found the water in Hammanskraal was not fit for human consumption after several complaints to the Chapter 9 institution about the quality of water in the area.

The SAHRC’s Buang Jones previously told community members the water had high concentrations of nitrates and phosphates.

News24 also reported that the advocacy group, Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA), said it found samples of E. coli bacteria in the Hammanskraal drinking water. This was disputed by the municipality.

The water supply is also the subject of a possible corruption probe. News24 previously reported the City of Tshwane had promised to launch an investigation into allegations of officials soliciting bribes in the drought-stricken Hammanskraal.

The DA’s Abel Tau further urged residents to look out for unscrupulous people with water tankers aiming to sell water in the area.

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