Steenhuisen slams 'out-of-touch' Ramaphosa over water quality issues amid cholera outbreak

DA leader John Steenhuisen has slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa, who he accused of being “out of touch”, for “downplaying” the country's water quality issues after the cholera outbreak.

Ramaphosa, citing the government’s Water Research Commission, claimed water quality in South Africa was of a high standard and “compares well with the best in the world”.

He said recent outbreaks of cholera in Hammanskraal in Gauteng and the Free State showed the vital importance of safe and effective water and wastewater management. Twenty-four people died in the outbreaks.

“It is important to note that the dual water systems supplied by Magalies and Rand Water to the Tshwane area meet national standards,” said Ramaphosa.

Steenhuisen said Ramaphosa's denial of the water crisis was a greater risk than load-shedding.

“Aside from a dangerous denial of South Africa’s water crisis and the ANC’s role in it, this is a gross misrepresentation of the facts that neither diagnoses the problem nor seeks to address it,” he said.

Steenhuisen said the president cannot afford to bury his head in the sand on the state of the country's water, and the official opposition party will embark on a national oversight campaign to address the crisis.

“The Green and Blue Drop reports, from which the presidential newsletter cites various figures, also provides a damning indictment on the state of drinking water in South Africa which has dangerously declined under ANC governments across the country. 

“President Ramaphosa failed to mention these reports point out that in terms of the drinkability of water in systems across the country, 23% are in the critical risk category, with a further 11% and 18% in the high and medium risk category respectfully,” he said.

“This would mean that close to half of drinking water systems in the country are at serious risk of collapse and pose a potentially mortal threat to the nation through the spread of disease and illness.

“Outbreaks of cholera in Northern Gauteng and the Free State are not spontaneous events. They are symptoms of endemic corruption under the ANC, which has diverted funds meant for water provision and infrastructure maintenance into the pockets of ANC cadres.”

Steenhuisen said the outbreak of waterborne disease was a symptom of a greater problem and endemic corruption under the ANC.

“President Ramaphosa cannot deny this, and he cannot shirk the blame any further if we are to address South Africa’s water crisis.”

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