More than 400 people became ill in Tshwane’s water crisis: Who will be held accountable?

The Tshwane water crisis has moved from the taps to the investigators.

More than 400 people, most of them young children, fell ill after the city supplied unchlorinated water for three weeks.

Residents in five communities were warned not to use their tap water earlier this week, and that advisory remains in place.

Now, the Public Protector is investigating, criminal cases have been opened, and the mayor has admitted negligence.

But who will actually be held responsible?

THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR STEPS IN

The Public Protector has launched an investigation into allegations of maladministration and improper conductagainst the City of Tshwane, it emerged on Thursday, 22 October.

It’s the latest in a growing list of investigations into how the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works came to supply unchlorinated water between 24 September and 14 October.

THE PRESIDENT APOLOGISES

President Cyril Ramaphosa apologised to residents affected by the crisis on Tuesday, 20 October.

He was campaigning in Daveyton, Ekurhuleni, at the time.

According to Ramaphosa, national government had intervened after the city failed to properly treat water supplied to communities in the area.

“National now has to intervene and come up with solutions,” he said.

“Now, with regard to dealing with that challenge, we are invoking the work of the national water crisis committee.”

The President chairs the National Water Crisis Committee.

He announced it in his State of the Nation Address in February, to coordinate the national response to water failures.

At the time, he also warned that municipal managers would face personal criminal charges under the National Water Act if they failed to ensure a steady water supply.

📸 The Mayor of eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, Cllr Cyril Xaba, the Council Whip, Cllr Snegugu Sishange, and Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, David Mahlobo, receive Deputy President Paul Mashatile at eThekwini City Hall in KwaZulu-Natal ahead of the Presidential… pic.twitter.com/qmvRMFNY2i

— South African Government (@GovernmentZA) October 23, 2026

RAND WATER BROUGHT IN TO FIX THE PLANT

The city has appointed Rand Water to speed up the rehabilitation of the treatment works.

The Department of Water and Sanitation’s investigation found that several components of the plant, including pumps and sand filters, weren’t functioning.

An assessment of the plant began on Wednesday, 21 October, and is expected to be completed on Friday, 23 October. Cleaning of critical treatment infrastructure is scheduled between 21 and 31 October.

Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya said the Water Research Commission has reported improving water quality results, but the system hasn’t yet met the required standards.

The city has warned that these target dates don’t mean residents can expect safe tap water by then.

WHAT THE CITY SAYS

Moya, of ActionSA, has taken responsibility for what she described as negligence by municipal officials.

She said the matter was being handled by the city’s chief operating officer (COO).

“There are officials who are entrusted to manage the plants, and the fact that we, as leadership, were not informed on time that there is a problem with chlorine, even though they thought they were handling it, is something that is already under way through the COO because the officials are in the Water and Sanitation Department,” she told SABC News.

According to Moya, disciplinary processes are under way against the officials responsible.

The mayor also defended the city’s communication.

Officials had to work with other agencies to establish the cause of the outbreak before making a definitive announcement, she said.

However, Moya has acknowledged that communication with affected communities may not have been adequate.

She has also said she hopes the outbreak wasn’t the result of political sabotage.

Even so, she said she won’t shy away from accountability.

WATCH: Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya visited Bronkhorstspruit following gastrointestinal illness outbreak affecting water in the area. Residents warned not to drink tap water – after more than 400 cases of diarrhoea were reported.

She spoke at the Dark City clinic, Ekangala. pic.twitter.com/O2My2mABNi

— Jacaranda FM Newswatch (@JacaNewswatch) October 20, 2026

WHAT THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT SAYS

The department’s investigation found that city officials failed to warn residents that the water was unsafe.

That’s a requirement under the 2025 Compulsory Standards for Water Services, issued under the Water Services Act.

Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina, at a media briefing with Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Tshwane officials on Monday, 19 October, said action was being taken.

“As part of DWS’ regulatory function, necessary accountability steps have been initiated against those responsible for the water pollution and adherence to norms and standards governing provision of water and sanitation,” she said.

The department also found problems upstream.

Sewage from dysfunctional wastewater treatment works in the Victor Khanye Local Municipality in Mpumalanga pollutes the Bronkhorstspruit River, which supplies the plant.

Malfunctioning Tshwane sewage pump stations add to the pollution.

CRIMINAL CASES OPENED

Two opposition parties have turned to the police.

• The Democratic Alliance (DA) opened a criminal case at Pretoria Central police station on Monday, 19 October, accusing the city of failing to maintain safe drinking water standards at the plant.
• The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) laid criminal charges at Bronkhorstspruit police station, accusing Moya of negligence, dereliction of duty and failures in managing water services. The EFF’s mayoral candidate, Omphile Maotwe, also targeted city manager Johan Mettler, and the party has called for Moya’s resignation.

The EFF has also lodged complaints with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the Public Protector.

TENSIONS WITHIN THE COALITION

The crisis has exposed tensions within the coalition governing Tshwane.

Tshwane’s mayoral committee member for health, the EFF’s Tshegofatso Mashabela, has called for accountability.

She questioned why the city’s group head of regional operations and coordination remained in office.

According to Mashabela, the official should be suspended while investigators establish what went wrong.

ActionSA has hit back.

Its Tshwane caucus spokesperson, Henriette Frohlich, pointed to the city’s 2026 to 2031 Health Business Plan, which Mashabela signed.

The plan assigns her department responsibility for monitoring potable water quality and for the early detection of waterborne diseases.

ActionSA also said the EFF was entitled to demand accountability.

But it said the party couldn’t portray itself as an opposition party while serving in the coalition that runs the city.

CIVIL SOCIETY CALLS FOR AN INQUIRY

Water rights group WaterCAN has called for an urgent inquiry.

“There needs to be an immediate inquiry into the latest incident at Bronkhorstspruit, including suspensions of senior officials who have oversight of the water treatment works,” the organisation said in a statement.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The Water Research Commission is carrying out an independent investigation into why contaminated water was supplied to residents. Its report is due by 28 October.

Until authorities lift the advisory, residents must use tap water only to flush toilets, and collect drinking water from the city’s tankers, according to the City of Tshwane.

WHO DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE TSHWANE WATER CRISIS?