The Ministry of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has commended the City of Tshwane (CoT), the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), and its own teams for their rapid response following typhoid fever cases reported in Hammanskraal, Bronkhorstspruit, and the East of Pretoria. Since January 2025, 48 cases of typhoid fever have been confirmed across these areas.
Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina, joined by Deputy Ministers David Mahlobo and Sello Seitlholo, as well as Gauteng MEC Jacob Mamabolo and Acting Executive Mayor Eugene Modise, held a meeting on 3 November to assess containment measures. The meeting reviewed technical reports on the typhoid outbreak and evaluated the effectiveness of interventions.
City of Tshwane water declared safe
Preliminary results have cleared Tshwane’s water system as a possible source of the infection. Water samples collected from the Magalies and Rand Water systems, boreholes, and tankers all tested negative for Salmonella Typhi, the bacterium responsible for typhoid fever.
“The meeting was encouraged by the city’s continuous water quality tests and monitoring from various points in its network to ensure early detection and containment of any potential contamination,” said the Ministry.
To enhance public confidence, DWS has directed the Water Research Commission (WRC) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to assist with independent testing and verification of water safety.
Addressing water challenges
Despite reassuring test results, the Ministry expressed concern about ongoing water supply issues in parts of Tshwane.
“The Ministry is concerned that the current incidents of typhoid are occurring in a community which has recently recovered from a cholera outbreak,” it said.
The Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works, currently operating below its 54 megalitre per day (ML/d) design capacity, will be upgraded to restore full operation and increase capacity. The Ministry also reaffirmed progress on the Klipdrift Package Plant to improve Hammanskraal’s water supply.
Residents are urged not to drink untreated water and to follow hygiene practices such as handwashing and safe food handling.
