By Alicia Mmashakana
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has criticised Tshwane for a critical oversight in Phase 1 of the Hammanskraal water project, leaving many residents without access to water.
Despite Phase 1 being completed, with 12.5 Ml of treated water available, numerous households still face persistent water shortages.
Issues include ongoing complaints about dry taps and the need for flushing and backflushing pipes to clear unnecessary dirt from the reticulation pipeline.
For more than two decades, the people of Hammanskraal have been advocating for access to clean, drinkable water.
In 2023, a cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal tragically claimed 40 lives.”
“It is important that Tshwane is transparent about the problem. Is it that the Klipdrift plant does not deliver sufficient water for use by residents or has there been an infrastructure failure on Tshwane’s part,” DA Tshwane spokesperson on Utility Services Themba Fosi said on Wednesday.
The clean water project in Hammanskraal, supplied by the Magalies Klipdrift Water Treatment Plant, was completed earlier this year.
The project, initiated under former mayor Cilliers Brink in partnership with Magalies Water, aimed to provide clean water to Hammanskraal residents through a modular treatment plant at Klipdrift.
“Magalies Water has done excellent work, completing the package plant in record time, and there is significant progress on Phase 2 of the project,” said Fosi.
Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya reiterated that Rooiwal’s failure to purify water has long been blamed for Hammanskraal’s water crisis.
“The Department of Water and Sanitation and the city are working together to repair and upgrade the Rooiwal plant at an estimated cost of R4 billion,” she said.
In early January, Moya declared the water supply safe for consumption.
“The latest laboratory tests confirm that the water now meets all required health standards,” she said.
However, Fosi criticised Moya’s lack of follow-through.
“While the mayor was eager to launch Phase 1, she seems to have lost interest in Hammanskraal’s ongoing struggles,” he said.
He also raised concerns about water tankers profiting from the crisis.
“Both city-contracted and private operators continue to benefit from the misfortune of ordinary people. I have requested a meeting with the city manager and his team to understand what is happening,” he added.
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