The death toll from the cholera outbreak in South Africa continues to rise, with another casualty bringing the number to 25. The National Department of Health confirmed the first case in Mpumalanga, as a 73-year-old from the province was admitted to Mamatlake Hospital, near the epicentre of the outbreak at Hammanskraal. The department has urged communities to practice personal hygiene and to visit the nearest health facility immediately upon exhibiting cholera symptoms.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) in Gauteng will be conducting an inspection in Hammanskraal, along with other stakeholders on Friday. The outbreak has raised concerns about the city’s expenditure on capital projects, including the upgrading of the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant, which is estimated to cost over R4 billion. The city has also expressed concerns over the so-called “water tank mafias”, who are known to destroy government infrastructure and who should be punished severely for their actions.
Minister of Health Joe Phaahla has revealed that the current outbreak can be traced from the first two cases reported by Gauteng Province on 5 February 2023. These were two sisters from Johannesburg who travelled together by bus to Malawi in January and returned on 30 January 2023. The Water Department in both the City of Tshwane and DWS continues to examine the water sources for contamination.
In light of the cholera outbreak, communities must take active precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.
