Overview
- The City of Tshwane says water from the Bronkhorstspruit treatment works was not chlorinated between 24 September and 14 October, a lapse that investigators link to a supplier and plant failure.
- Health authorities recorded about 408–450 cases of gastrointestinal illness, mostly in young children, that officials and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases have connected to the untreated tap water.
- Tshwane has warned residents not to drink or use tap water for food or bathing, is disinfecting and testing tanker supplies, and has enlisted Rand Water to stabilise treatment and supply.
- Opposition parties and rights groups have opened criminal cases and complaints with the police, the South African Human Rights Commission and the Green Scorpions while the city has launched internal inquiries.
- The crisis highlights long‑standing national problems flagged by the Auditor‑General, including maintenance backlogs and procurement weaknesses, and could prompt wider oversight of other Tshwane plants and cross‑border bulk supplies.