WATCH | 'Leadership' or 'childish'? — Tshwane mayor and speaker told to drink 'Hammanskraal tap water'

The EFF in Tshwane's demand that the city's mayor, Cilliers Brink, and speaker, Mncedi Ndzwanana, drink water apparently taken from the taps in cholera-hit Hammanskraal has drawn sharp reaction.

Dozens of people from Kanana, Suurman, Majaneng and Greenfield in Hammanskraal have packed Jubilee District Hospital complaining of diarrhoea, stomach cramps and vomiting.

At least 17 people have died and 165 are recovering at the hospital from the bacterial disease, with officials investigating the source of the outbreak.

The City of Tshwane on Sunday urged communities in the area not to drink tap water, but after testing multiple sites in Temba and Hammanskraal, the city said on Monday it had not detected cholera in the piped water supply.

Still residents believe it is the tap water that is making them sick, and EFF councillors disrupted the council budget vote on Wednesday demanding the city's leadership drink from a bottle of murky water it said came from the taps of Hammanskraal.

“If you are denying responsibility, Brink, you must drink this water,” said regional party chairperson Obakeng Ramabodu, blaming the cholera deaths on the DA's “negligence and lack of leadership”.

He also questioned claims the water is clean.

“Drink that water and let’s see if the water of Hammanskraal is clean. We have brought you water. We can drink it with you, and we must get sick, both of us, because you have said the water of Hammanskraal is clean.”

Newzroom Afrika reported Brink slammed the disruption and called it a publicity stunt.

It sparked reaction online, with some applauding the move and others claiming it was “childish”.

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