GROUNDUP: Tshwane’s drinking water crisis a wake-up call for SA as sewage pollution sickens hundreds

More than 400 people, mostly children under four, contracted gastrointestinal illnesses after drinking contaminated tap water in Bronkhorstspruit, exposing failures in water treatment and municipal oversight. The outbreak highlights South Africa’s wider sewage crisis, with experts warning that failing wastewater systems threaten drinking-water safety and national water security.

On Monday, 19 October, local, provincial and national authorities reported that at least 408 people, predominantly children under the age of four, had contracted gastrointestinal illnesses from tap water between 7 and 18 October. Most were rehydrated and discharged within a day. No deaths were reported, according to Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

The water came from the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works (WTW), supplying areas that include Bronkhorstspruit, Zithobeni, Dark City, Rethabiseng and Sokhulumi in the northern Gauteng metro. The river water that the treatment plant abstracts is heavily polluted with sewage.

GroundUp reported on 9 October residents’ concerns about discoloured water coming from their taps, but we received no communication from officials.

Tests by the Department of Water and Sanitation on 14 October found extremely high levels of E. coli and total coliforms in water from the treatment works and two reservoirs.

E. coli signals recent faecal contamination, and some strains cause severe diarrhoea, with a small share of cases potentially leading to kidney failure, which can be fatal, particularly in children under five.

High total coliform counts signal that other disease-causing germs may be present. Norovirus, Shigella and Campylobacter were detected in patients in this recent outbreak.

Between 24 September and 14 October, municipal officials at the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works did not chlorinate the water to kill harmful pathogens. They failed to warn residents.

Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya said at a press conference on Monday that the supplier of chlorine had a “monopoly” and alleged that prices had increased fourfold. Negotiations between municipal water and sanitation officials and the supplier had reached a deadlock.

Moya said the officials had not informed the City leadership about the shortage of chlorine. Disciplinary and consequence management action was under way, she said.

But this comes after years of inadequate maintenance to the more-than-60-year-old Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works. In September, Tshwane spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said that the plant had not operated at capacity for years and had frequent breakdowns.

Moya said the City spent R20.8-million on the plant in 2025/26 and had approved R57-million for 2026/27, and R30-million for 2027/28.

The water from the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works is still considered dangerous and should only be used for flushing toilets.