Tshwane mayor ‘unsure’ of Rooiwal water drinkability
Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya says uncertainty remains over the safety of water from the Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Plant due to the lack of phases two and three.
While phase 1-A of the plant was successful and phase 1-B is set to be completed five months ahead of schedule in March, Moya stated that there is still no definitive answer on whether the water will be safe for drinking.
“What we are not sure of is whether or not this water will be drinkable without phases two and three,” Moya said.
Moya conducted an oversight visit to the plant on Thursday, following the successful delivery of clean water to some areas of Hammanskraal as part of the Magalies Water Klipdrift Package Plant project.
READ MORE: Hammanskraal water ‘safe to drink’
Residents of Hammanskraal have faced water issues for nearly two decades, including a deadly cholera outbreak linked to the water supply last year.
A joint venture involving a company owned by controversial businessman Edwin Sodi was awarded a R295 million tender to upgrade the plant but failed to complete the work.
Moya revealed that the city has submitted its bid to blacklist Sodi’s company and is awaiting government approval.
“We are all waiting for the national treasury to decide whether they will proceed with the blacklisting. The part that was supposed to be done by the city has been completed,” she said.
The mayor also noted that phase two will be expensive, with President Cyril Ramaphosa stating during his visit to the plant in 2023 that R4 billion is needed to finish the phase.
“What we are working on now is securing the financing for phase two,” she said.
Meanwhile, large parts of Hammanskraal still lack access to clean drinking water, with upgrades not expected to be completed until 2026.
A temporary wastewater treatment plant has been unveiled, but it currently provides clean drinking water to only a small portion of the community.
ALSO READ
