Over 500 Fall Ill in South Africa Due to Poor Water Quality
Authorities cite contamination in two cities, linking outbreaks to untreated tap water and failures in public communication.
Over 500 people in South Africa have fallen ill from a gastrointestinal illness characterized by stomach cramps and diarrhea, with authorities attributing the outbreaks to poor water quality in two separate cities. The incidents have prompted official warnings and emergency water distribution efforts.
In the metropolitan area east of the capital, Pretoria, 408 people, including many children, were treated for the illness after consuming contaminated tap water. Health and city officials confirmed that the water treatment plant supplying the area had not been chlorinated for approximately three weeks, rendering it unsafe for consumption. The municipality reportedly experienced difficulties in sourcing chlorine from its usual supplier.
Further investigation revealed that the plant draws water from the Bronkhorstspruit River, which is heavily polluted by sewage from upstream wastewater treatment facilities. Officials acknowledged that residents were not adequately informed about the compromised water quality. Nasiphi Moya, the mayor of the City of Tshwane, which encompasses Pretoria, stated that an inquiry found city officials failed to warn affected communities that the water was unchlorinated and thus unsuitable for drinking, cooking, washing, or bathing, even after boiling.
The situation has led to calls for Mayor Moya's resignation and for other officials to be dismissed in accountability for the water contamination crisis.
Separately, in the coastal city of Gqeberha, located in the Eastern Cape province, at least 111 students from Rhodes University received treatment for a similar gastrointestinal illness. University officials and water authorities are investigating the cause, but suspect water quality is also to blame in this instance. Students with severe symptoms were hospitalized but have since returned to campus.
University spokesperson Olwetu Gwanya advised students and staff to remain vigilant, recommending measures such as drinking boiled, cooled, or bottled water, using safe water for food preparation and brushing teeth, avoiding ice and uncooked food washed in untreated water, and practicing regular hand hygiene. The issues underscore long-standing concerns about water cleanliness in South African cities, which remain a sensitive political topic.