Dear Editor
Since Friday’s reports that typhoid has broken out in Hammanskraal, Mayor Moya has been silent on the serious health risk that this poses.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes the statement by the City of Tshwane that no Typhoid related bacteria have been detected in routine tests, but it is important that this data be released to the public or at least be given to independent water experts. We need second party verification.
Moya’s silence on the matter does nothing but undermine trust in the City’s ability to effectively manage the situation.
Although the City’s statement makes reference to safety protocols related to treated water, additional reassurance is needed that the same applies to water supplied by water tanker contractors. Especially as the City, and in particular Hammanskraal, relies heavily on water tankers.
We do not want to cause unnecessary alarm, but it is essential that the City and its political leadership are prepared for different scenarios, especially in light of the 2023 Cholera outbreak.
The typhoid outbreak confirms the importance and the urgency of infrastructure-based solutions that removes the need for water tankering which has become one of the biggest operational expenses in Tshwane under the ANC/EFF/ActionSA coalition.
If Tshwane wants to ensure that residents stay calm, healthy, and informed, they need to talk to them. The radio silence, and the accompanying silence on the front of proper water testing and second party verification only serves to alarm.
The DA has discovered that Nasiphi Moya is currently abroad in Brazil on business unrelated to the nuts and bolts of service delivery. While a Typhoid crisis rages, she needs to be here, talking to residents.
Today, we once more call on Moya to break her silence, and communicate with Hammanskraal residents. They, and the public at large, deserve to know the results of routine tests taken by the Tshwane Department of Water and Sanitation for second party verification.
Tshwane, and importantly, the people of Hammanskraal, cannot afford another health crisis.
Regards
Ald Cilliers Brink
DA Tshwane Mayoral Candidate