Not only are residents of Hammanskraal faced with water woes, but electricity is also one of the hurdles they face as they have been without power for over three days.
Hammanskraal has had water issues for over a decade. However, things took a turn for the worse last week when a cholera outbreak was reported. To date, 20 people have lost their lives due to cholera.
Speaking to Sunday World, resident Musa Muvhari said this outbreak has taken a toll on his family as they have to always boil the water before cooking.
“At this point, we are not sure whether the water we receive from the tanker is contaminated, but we just use it with the hope that it is clean.”
Muvhari added that with the ongoing loadshedding, it is difficult to boil water.
“Most of the time, we have to buy water due to loadshedding, which is a financial constraint as most of the people are unemployed.”
A frustrated young business owner, George Masombuka, said the water issues mean that his business has to stop.
“I run a car wash, and we can go for days without water in our taps and this means I cannot make a leaving as water is my main resource to run this business,” added Masombuka.
Gladys Manamela, who lost a church member to cholera, pleaded with the government to put an end to their long suffering.
“We are mourning a life which was cut short due to this issue. It is unfortunate that people have to die for our government to actually take action,” added the heartbroken Manamela.
School children have been told not to come to school until further notice. Parents did not take the news lightly as they feel like their kids will fall behind with the school curriculum.
Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said most schools in the area have been provided with water on a weekly basis.
“Water delivery did not take place this week to date. However, schools are currently using gathered rainwater and boreholes to manage, and no school lost contact time due to water shortage,” added Mabona.
Mabona noted that reports at their disposal reveal that some learners reported stomach cramps and were immediately referred to medical facilities for treatment.
“Accordingly, where cases are confirmed, the affected learners should be kept at home according to the doctor’s medical advice. The Department of Health’s Outbreak teams will advise GDE, schools and parents on further steps to be taken.”
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa.
