Pretoria – ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has shot down suggestions he was using the cholera outbreak as an opportunity to campaign.
During his visit to the area on Thursday Mbalula he was there to provide support to the community that has been affected by this outbreak.
The residents of Hammanskraal also raised their frustrations with Mbalula over other service delivery issues.
Video: Kamogelo Moichela/IOL
During the meeting they told Mbalula and other ANC officials that service delivery, unemployment, food prices, and electricity were also some of their issues.
Carrying two bottled water, one from the store and the other from the tap, Bishop Solomon Khethisa of the Jesus Christian Faith Centre, who is also a resident, said the tap water was not good for human consumption as it had a bad smell.
“I heard from the radio that we should boil the water but this water has a funny smell and can’t be consumed. I bought a purifying machine to avoid drinking dirty tap water,” he said.
Khethisa said that he received a message from City of Tshwane urging him to pay an amount of R47 878 to avoid service interruptions.
The regional chairman of Cosas in Tshwane, Thabiso Mahlaula, called for the government to declare the water crisis in Hammanskraal a national disaster.
He said also shared the same sentiments with the other members who said the water in the area was not good and healthy for them.
Responding to the community, Mbalula assured them that their grievances will be attended to as the national government will intervene in the matter.
Video: Kamogelo Moichela/IOL
He denied claims that he was using the cholera issue to blame the DA and shame it for its failure to deal with the problem.
“I know what the DA has done in Cape Town, they gave me a tough time to give trains back to the people. The mayor has been using politics around the matter.
“These things do not help, they affect the poorest of the poor. Can we for once put our differences aside and attempt to what is a problem,” he said.
Speaking on the issue being declared as a national disaster, Mbalula said the issue could only be handled as a single issue and needed a focused approach.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
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