Tshwane admits negligence after 408 fall ill in Bronkhorstspruit

Tshwane is investigating up to 160 cases of diarrhoea and other gastrointestinal illnesses reported in Bronkhorstspruit and surrounding areas. The illnesses were reported between October 7 and 12, with most patients receiving treatment at Bronkhorstspruit Hospital. Additional patients were treated at Mamelodi Hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, and Wilgers Hospital. No deaths have been reported. Authorities are examining potential causes, including a waterborne illness, though no definitive link to the water supply has been confirmed. The City of Tshwane has intensified water testing at the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Plant and throughout the distribution network. A multidisciplinary team involving local and national health services is conducting the investigation. Blood and stool test results from affected individuals remain pending. While water contamination is one possibility, the exact cause has not yet been identified. As a precaution, residents have been advised to use alternative safe water sources, such as water supplied by city tankers. These tankers draw water from Cullinan, outside the affected area, and undergo daily disinfection. Drivers have been trained in the safe handling of drinking water. Residents experiencing symptoms such as persistent diarrhoea, vomiting, fever, weakness, or dehydration are being urged to seek medical attention, especially for children, elderly individuals, and others considered vulnerable. Tshwane’s health mayor, Tshegofatso Mashabela, acknowledged public concerns and emphasized the city’s efforts to identify the cause of the illnesses promptly. Alternative water supply measures remain in place during the investigation. The reported illnesses coincide with ongoing improvements at the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Plant under the city’s Water Stabilisation Plan and long-term Water Master Plan. Upgrades include repairing the filtration system, enhancing pumping infrastructure, cleaning and disinfecting reservoirs, and increasing water-quality monitoring. A broader renovation of the plant is also underway to modernize aging infrastructure and restore its full design capacity of 54 million liters per day. This initiative aims to stabilize the water supply in the short term while improving long-term water security. In a separate report, the City of Tshwane admitted to supplying unchlorinated water to communities in Bronkhorstspruit for three weeks without informing residents of the risk. An investigation by the Department of Water and Sanitation revealed that the water came from the Bronkhorstspruit River, heavily polluted with sewage due to malfunctioning wastewater treatment facilities in the Victor Khanye municipality and Tshwane sewage pump stations. Executive Mayor Nasiphi Moya acknowledged the negligence, stating the city ran out of chlorine after a pricing dispute with its supplier. Officials failed to alert leadership about the chlorine shortage. The investigation found that water from the treatment plant went unchlorinated between September 24 and October 14. Despite this, the city did not warn residents that the water should not be consumed or used for cooking, washing, or bathing, even after boiling, as required by national standards. Between October 7 and 18, 408 cases of gastrointestinal illness were reported, primarily affecting children under four years old. Laboratory tests identified norovirus, Campylobacter, and Shigella in some stool samples, along with other pathogens linked to stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Cholera was not detected in the samples. Water quality tests conducted on October 14 showed extremely high levels of E. coli and total coliforms in water from the treatment works and two reservoirs. Further tests are ongoing to check for additional harmful contaminants. Moya stated the city’s immediate goal is to prevent further illness and restore a safe water supply. The treatment plant was closed on October 14, and chlorine was restored the following day. It reopened on October 16 to supply water into the distribution system, though residents were warned the water was not yet safe for consumption. There is currently no set timeline for when the water will be deemed safe again. Residents have relied on city-owned tankers for drinking water since October of last year, using tap water for non-drinking purposes.