City Of Tshwane Announces Water From Magalies Klipdrift Plant Safe To Drink

The City of Tshwane Metro Municipality announced on Wednesday that the water supplied from the Magalies Klipdrift Water Treatment Plant to Hammanskraal is safe to drink.

The declaration came after completing Phase 1 of the water treatment project. The first phase covers areas like Wards 49, 73, 74, and 75, including Mandela Village, Marokolong, Ramotse, Kekana Gardens (also called Steve Bikoville) and Babelegi Industrial.

Tshwane Municipality Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to explain that extensive testing was done, and laboratory results confirmed that the water now meets all necessary health standards for drinking.

This follows a process of flushing out the old water system, which was previously supplied by Temba Water Works, with clean water from the new Klipdrift Package Plant. Moya added that the long purging process and inspections were carried out to make sure the system was fully repaired, disinfected, and safe.

"With the completion of each stage, more areas in Hammanskraal will benefit. This will be complemented by upgrades to Rooiwal Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) being conducted by the city. The combination of these two projects will allow communities to benefit from a reliable and clean water supply," the mayor said.

Moya further said that the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has confirmed the completion of the first stage of its investigation into the Rooiwal WWTP tender. This has led to criminal referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority and disciplinary referrals to the City of Tshwane.

She pointed out that the mayoral executive is pleased with the progress of the investigation and is waiting for formal communication from the SIU. They look forward to receiving the report and acting on its suggestions.

Moya also said that addressing the failure to provide safe drinking water to Hammanskraal residents must include holding those responsible for the initial project accountable. The completion of the investigation's first stage brings the city closer to ensuring accountability.

The Mayor thanked the residents of Hammanskraal for their patience and promised to address other ongoing challenges in the area. She expressed gratitude to the residents for their understanding during the process of ensuring water safety.

She also committed to continuing collaboration with Magalies Water and the Department of Water and Sanitation to complete the future phases of the project.

For over 10 years, the Hammanskraal community has faced problems with unreliable access to clean water, which led to a cholera outbreak in 2023 that resulted in 32 deaths. This prompted a visit from President Cyril Ramaphosa, who apologized to the residents.