Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation attributes Tshwane’s political instability to water crisis

Tshwane’s political instability is responsible for the water crisis, according to Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation David Mahlobo.

As per Eyewitness News, the Tshwane municipality, currently grappling with a cholera outbreak that has claimed the lives of at least 15 people in Hammanskraal, has issued a health warning advising residents to avoid consuming tap water due to contamination concerns.

Mahlobo highlighted the challenges caused by frequent changes in Tshwane’s executive government, making it difficult to develop and implement effective intergovernmental plans to address the issue of water contamination. The region’s volatile nature of coalition governance has created instability, with the MMC for Infrastructure, Themba Fosi, serving as a prime example. Mahlobo expressed concerns over the ever-changing leadership landscape, emphasising the risk of waking up one day to find that key officials have been replaced, thus hindering progress and continuity in addressing the water crisis.

Also read: An Investigation to find the cause of the cholera outbreak

The national government has repeatedly intervened in Tshwane to address the water-related challenges. As a result, Tshwane was declared a failing water service authority due to its repeated failure to implement a national government plan to reduce water contamination in its systems. Mahlobo emphasised securing a binding agreement with the current Tshwane leadership to transform the plan into a court order. This measure would ensure that regardless of any future changes in the municipality’s administration, the goal remains in effect and cannot be disregarded or dismissed.

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Zero cholera detected in piped city water supply amid Hammanskraal cholera outbreak

Picture: Twitter / TheLegalSA