Pretoria – The City of Tshwane has confirmed that water supplied from the Magalies Klipdrift Water Treatment Plant to residents of Hammanskraal is safe for consumption – so much so that Mayor Dr. Nasiphi Moya publicly drank it.
Following laboratory-approved testing, the City of Tshwane on Wednesday, (8 January 2025), confirmed the safety of water supplied to some areas in Hammanskraal.
Tshwane Mayor Dr. Moya said she was “pleased to inform residents of Hammanskraal that the water supplied from the Magalies Klipdrift Water Treatment Plant is safe for consumption, following the completion of Phase 1 of the project last year”.
The mayor said her announcement follows extensive testing conducted by the City, Magalies Water, and the national Department of Water and Sanitation.
“The latest laboratory tests confirm that the water now meets all the required health standards for consumption,” said Dr. Moya.
“This comes after a process of purging the reticulation system, which was previously supplied by Temba Water Works, using clean water sourced from the new Klipdrift Package Plant.
“The purpose of the prolonged purging process and accompanying inspections was to ensure that the system is fully rehabilitated, disinfected, and safe.”
The mayor said the completion of the first phase of the project means that at least 12,5 megalitres per day (Mℓ/d) of treated water will be supplied to various areas in Hammanskraal.
The supply areas include Wards 49, 73, 74 and 75, specifically Mandela Village, Marokolong, Ramotse, Kekana Gardens (also referred to as Steve Bikoville) and Babelegi Industrial.
“The successful delivery of services to Hammanskraal forms part of long-term projects by the City and the national government to ensure that the quality of water provided to this community meets the constitutional obligations enjoyed by many citizens in the country,” Dr. Moya said.
The Magalies Water Klipdrift package project consists of four phases estimated to be completed in mid-2025. With the completion of each stage, more areas in Hammanskraal will benefit.
This will be complemented by upgrades to the 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.
It is a great injustice that this basic human right was absent for years in this community – a failure that was compounded by serious allegations of corruption surrounding the Rooiwal WWTP upgrade tender.
Earlier this week, the Special Investigating Unit confirmed that it has completed the first stage of its investigation into the Rooiwal WWTP tender.
This has reportedly resulted in criminal referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority and disciplinary referrals to the City of Tshwane.
Dr. Moya said she welcomes the news of the completion of the first part of the investigation and is awaiting formal communication from the Special Investigating Unit to the City.
“We look forward to receiving the report and acting on its recommendations,” the mayor said.
“Addressing the injustice of the failure to provide potable water to the residents of Hammanskraal must include consequence management for the failures and corruption of the initial project.
“The completion of the first part of the investigation by the Special Investigating Unit brings us one step closer to ensuring accountability.
“We thank residents for their patience during the process of ensuring the safety of the water and will continue to work with Magalies Water and the Department of Water and Sanitation to successfully deliver the future phases of the project.”
