MTHATHA, Eastern Cape — A severe Mthatha water crisis has sparked widespread public health concerns in the Eastern Cape, where dozens of residents, including young children, have fallen ill or been hospitalized after consuming tap water suspected to be heavily contaminated with raw sewage.
The crisis centers around a local township where a municipal contractor was reportedly working to resolve existing sanitation and sewer line challenges. According to local allegations, a critical infrastructure error occurred on-site when a pipe meant to transport sewage was mistakenly connected to the residential water supply network, resulting in contaminated water flowing directly into household taps.
Princess, a local resident who sought medical treatment for severe dehydration and stomach issues, described a chaotic environment severely lacking in official communication. She noted that illnesses began spreading through her street early the previous week, eventually affecting nearly every household in the immediate vicinity. Despite visiting a doctor and receiving antibiotics and injections, she and her daughter continued to suffer from persistent symptoms, including a loss of appetite.
Princess expressed deep frustration over the municipality’s interim relief efforts. She claimed that access to emergency water tankers was frequently blocked by locked gates and that a deployed mobile clinic abruptly departed by midday on Friday, leaving vulnerable residents without immediate care. Beyond the immediate illnesses, she voiced concerns regarding the potential long-term chronic health effects of the exposure and warned that the contamination could easily spread beyond the initially affected streets if the broader municipal water grid is compromised.
Addressing the escalating situation, Luvuyo Maka, Head of Municipal Health Services for the OR Tambo District Municipality, confirmed that authorities were notified of the outbreak on Tuesday, August 4. Following reports of diarrhea and vomiting in the Ngangelizwe area, Maka stated that Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) were dispatched within 24 hours to collect samples for laboratory testing and that the Department of Health was immediately notified. A mobile clinic was also brought in, evaluating approximately 37 community members.
While the municipality has issued warnings against drinking the tap water, conducted on-site educational awareness campaigns, and urged residents to rely on emergency water tanks, Maka declined to issue a formal apology or accept full liability at this stage. He emphasized that the sewage contamination remains “suspected” until laboratory results definitively confirm the exact source.
Maka maintained that the township generally receives reliable water service and attributed the incident to the ongoing contractor work on the sewer lines. Citing the up-to-five-day incubation period for bacterial infections, he defended the municipality’s proactive health response and promised the delivery of additional portable water tanks to ensure safe hydration while the investigation concludes.
Despite these official assurances, the disconnect between municipal statements and the lived reality of residents highlights a broader vulnerability in regional water infrastructure. As the community awaits definitive lab results, the immediate focus remains on mitigating the health fallout and ensuring reliable access to safe, treated drinking water.