Bronkhorstspruit water crisis leaves over 400 ill after alleged failure to chlorinate water

More than 400 people in Bronkhorstspruit, including many children, have fallen ill with stomach-related symptoms and diarrhoea amid a water crisis linked to the failure to chlorinate the town’s water.

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The national government is investigating the 408 reported cases, while concerns have been raised over the alleged failure to warn residents that their water was unsafe to drink.

An investigation found that the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works (BWTW) was unchlorinated from 24 September to 14 October after the city experienced issues with its chlorine supplier.

Bronkhorstspruit community concerned over water crisis

Residents of the township in Pretoria East shared their experience of falling ill with Sowetan, claiming that family members reported stomach-related issues. The publication shared the story of Vanessa Sibiya, who explained that she had been battling severe symptoms of a headache and diarrhoea.

Another resident, Julia Mokokola, reported that both her children had fallen ill the previous week with similar symptoms and claimed that the nurses told them not to drink tap water.

“They didn’t explain to us why we shouldn’t drink the tap water,” she explained.

A mother also shared that her 11-year-old daughter had to be taken out of school on Monday, 19 October 2026, as she had been suffering from stomach cramps and diarrhoea for a week.

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Failure to warn residents

According to eNCA, government officials from the Water and Sanitation Minister, Pemmy Majodina, who revealed the township’s failure to warn residents of the unchlorinated tap water yesterday, the Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, and Tshwane officials shared the update that more than 400 cases in the area have been reported since early this month, affecting mostly children under four.

The Water and Sanitation Minister corroborated that water quality tests found high levels of E.coli emanating from the water treatment plant.

“The BWTW abstracts water from the Bronkhorstspruit River, which is badly contaminated with sewage pollution from upstream dysfunctional wastewater treatment works (WWTW) under Victor Khanye Municipality as well as from dysfunctional CoT sewage pump stations,” she explained.

The government official shared that accountability measures will be taken against those responsible for the water pollution.

“As part of DWS’s regulatory function, necessary accountability steps have been initiated against those responsible for the water pollution and adherence to norms and standards governing provision of water and sanitation.”

Featured image: X/@MDNNews

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