City remains committed to supplying quality potable water
25 September 2019
The City of Tshwane has noted with great concern the statement made by the ANC Tshwane Regional Chairperson about the intention to visit Hammanskraal and bottle tap water onsite and serve it during tomorrow’s council seating.
The ANC Chairperson, Dr Kgosi Maepa, took to social media earlier this morning denoting his intentions to see if members of the Council would drink the “sampled” water since the City had claimed that the water is safe for human consumption. The City finds these claims as fatuous in character and seeking to incite the community of Hammanskraal to revolt against the municipality as the provider of water in the area.
“Subsequent to the instruction by the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation for the spheres of government to come up with preliminary intervention to deal with the continuing water challenge in Hammanskraal, the City of Tshwane has put measures in place to ensure that the Rooiwal plant has enough chlorine to disinfect water before it is recycled back into the river system”, said the Member of Mayoral Committee for Utility Services, Councillor Abel Tau.
In addition, the City together with the Department of Water and Sanitation presented to the portfolio committee a detailed plan inclusive of budgetary requirements that will ensure that the matter will be dealt with holistically. It is against this background that we are in constant communication with the Department of Water and Sanitation and the Human Rights Commission as well as other government entities to ensure that we jointly expedite the plan.
According to MMC Tau, “The City has demonstrated its commitment to improving the quality of potable water and guarantees effective treatment of effluent to mitigate health risks to residents in and around Hammanskraal. The provision of water in the area, and throughout the municipality, is a sensitive one and leaders of political parties should act responsibly in their utterances to communities that we all serve”.
“Exaggerated actions, by the Chairperson of ANC in Tshwane, if entertained will result in mudslinging as during the previous administrators’ period there was never progress in providing drinkable water in the area, the long-drawn-out issue predates the current administration, however, it will be sorted out this time around”, concluded MMC Tau.
Media enquiries:
MMC for Utility Services, Cllr Abel Tau
078 186 1312
Issued by Communication, Marketing and Events Department.