'I don't have money to buy water': Hammanskraal residents still drinking tap water despite cholera outbreak

Many residents in Hammanskraal, Gauteng, affected by the cholera outbreak are still drinking tap water despite the City of Tshwane issuing a notice on Sunday for them not to.

TimesLIVE spoke to some residents who are drinking the water despite diarrhoea and stomach cramps.

The Gauteng department of health said 17 people have died since the outbreak and 165 are recovering at the Jubilee District Hospital.

Merry Mokonyane from Maubane told TimesLIVE that she drinks tap water but it has been giving her diarrhoea.

“When you pour it into a container, it changes colour. I haven't stopped drinking it. What will I drink if I stop?” she asked.

Mokonyane said she hasn't been boiling the water.

“I didn't know there was an outbreak. I don't have money to buy water. What will I eat?”

The 78-year-old was among community members at Maubane clinic who received a 5l bottle of water donated by Gift of the Givers on Tuesday.

Four clinics and residents received the donation.

Mokonyane, who uses a walking stick, said she didn't know how she would be able to carry the 5l bottle back home.

Belina Sefala said though she was scared of the disease, she is forced to drink from the tap as she cannot afford to buy bottled water. The 74-year-old from Maubane said she found out about the outbreak at a funeral in Soshanguve.

“We are scared but we don't know where we will run to. I can't afford to buy water — we can only try,” she said.

She said when she has managed to collect rain water she drinks that instead. However, she doesn't boil it.

“I think because it's rainwater it's clean and has no chemicals. If only they were saying we must buy for a week, and then come up with a plan the following week of what we will drink, it would be better,” Sefala said.

Rebecca Mashibwe said her family have been suffering with “terrible” runny tummies this past week. She suspects it's due to the tap water.

“I have been drinking tap water and we had a running stomach. Especially me, it was bad. I had cramps. It was like someone was twisting my intestines. I tried to use home remedies,” she said.

Mashibwe, who also cannot afford to buy water, said it was impractical as she comes from a big family.

Winnie Mathabe, 78, said she also had a runny stomach.

“I was wondering what I ate and the others told me it was water — we must boil it and put Jik. I was just drinking it like that, not knowing there is an outbreak. When I found out I was scared, I thought I was dying,” she said.

Mathabe was happy to have received the donated water.

She said when she heard there would be a truck bringing water, she woke up early.

“I have been here for a long time. I almost gave up and went back home. The running stomach will not see me any more. I have been praying that I get the water and God answered. They brought us water, I will drink bit by bit,” she said.

Mathabe said the water trucks don't always come to their neighbourhood.

“Sometimes we get to drink and sometimes we don't,” she said.

Pinky Mputle, who had cholera in 1976, said she drinks tap water when times are hard. The 75-year-old said as someone with experience of the disease, she doesn't ignore advice.

“We have been hearing announcements that we must boil if you can't buy. So I boil and the day I get money to buy, I buy 20 litres of water or five litres, but otherwise, in getting headaches, running stomach and cramps, I would be lying. I have never had any symptoms. We drink the tap water when it's hard,” she said.

Mputle also said it was impractical to buy water if you are from a big family.

Patricia Malata, a nurse at Kanana Clinic, was also happy about the donated water.

“Gift of the Givers came and donated 400 bottles of five litres each to the community. We feel happy because if our community continues to drink this contaminated water, the burden will be on us. So we are happy that they are getting clean drinking water. At the same time, we still make a plea to the government to ensure that everything that is not in order, especially the purification of water, is made in order,” she said.

Malata said no-one was aware that for the past week there was a cholera outbreak.

“There were people coming complaining of diarrhoea, stomach cramps and others were even vomiting, so we were not aware that it's an outbreak until it was announced on TV,” Malata said.

She said though people are still presenting with symptoms of diarrhoea, the numbers have decreased since the outbreak announcement.

“Last Friday we had a three-year-old who was severely dehydrated from diarrhoea. A baby was taken to Jubilee District Hospital. I don't know how the baby is — that was the youngest patient we had,” she said.

At Maubane Clinic, the young and old came out in numbers to collect their 5l bottled water. As soon as the truck drove in, residents in two separate lines stood up, some having brought their own chairs.

Sister Lesego Boshielo from Bosplas Clinic said the water donations will reduce the symptoms, adding that not many patients showed signs. 

“I think this will help prevent those still coming to the hospital. I also hope that it's going to help us as staff members so that we don't find workers sick, together with community members. 

“We come with our own water from home, and there is a tank where we used to drink from. Normally they say the water is brought by water tankers and poured into the tank. People drink it but I haven't heard the people complaining. But I don't know if that would change. I also haven't heard any staff members saying they drank the water and got diarrhoea,” she said.

Boshielo said the youngest patient was about six months old.

TimesLIVE

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