WATCH | Ramaphosa’s ‘warm welcome’ in Hammanskraal sparks debate

Scenes of a crowd singing and welcoming President Cyril Ramaphosa on his visit to Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, have drawn mixed reactions. 

At least 32 people have died due to the cholera outbreak. Most of the fatalities have been reported in Hammanskraal.

On Thursday Ramaphosa visited the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant and later addressed the community at Temba Stadium.

On his arrival, a crowd was seen giving the president a warm welcome, chanting “Ramaphosa is ours”.

The welcome drew debate on social media, with some claiming it showed his popularity and others questioning why he was embraced when his government had "failed" people in the area.

A few suggested the crowd was "rented" and the response was not a reflection of the community's feelings towards him.

Speaking to TimesLIVE, resident Tidimatso Molati, chairperson of the Thusa Setshaba Forum, said he was disappointed by the president's visit. He urged the government to solve the water problems with urgency. 

The issue of poor drinking water in Hammanskraal has been long-standing, and residents regularly experience discoloured tap water. In 2021, a South African Human Rights Commission report found the water supplied to residents was sometimes polluted.

“In 2018 the commission observed the fresh water sources were being polluted, causing serious health risks. The commission found urgent work was needed at the Rooiwal wastewater treatment works as parts of it were nonfunctional,” it said.

The commission investigated after receiving complaints about malfunctioning wastewater treatment works. The Rooiwal plant was releasing untreated or partially treated sewage into the Apies and Pienaars rivers and the Roodeplaat and Leeukraal dams. 

The commission warned the issue would turn into a disaster if not addressed.

“It would appear that given the breadth of the challenges, and its impact on large numbers of people, the situation could lend itself to being declared a disaster. Not only is there an ongoing and increasing threat to people but also to the environment,” the report read.

The commission recommended government fix the infrastructure problem.

Watch Ramaphosa's welcome in Hammanskraal:

Here's how people reacted to the president’s visit:

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.