NELSPRUIT – The water in KaNyamazane and Pienaar have been cleared for drinking. Cllr Cathy Dlamini, executive mayor, called a press conference late yesterday afternoon during which she said the test results of water samples in these areas showed it was fit for drinking.
Mr David Mahlobo, head of department at co-operative governance, said the laboratory tests showed the chemicals present in the samples were within the normal range.
The tests were conducted on samples taken from the water supply in Pienaar and KaNyamazane. Mbombela’s spokesperson Mr Joseph Ngala told Lowvelder that while they were awaiting the results, they started flushing out some reservoirs as a precautionary measure yesterday.
These were expected to be filled up again by this morning.
Yesterday, Ngala said: “Water samples are being tested for contamination. We are yet to receive the results.” He said more reservoirs would be flushed if the test results showed it was necessary to do so.
He told Lowvelder that as far as he had been informed, two reservoirs in KaNyamazane and one in Pienaar was being flushed out.
Sembcorp Silulumazi had also sent their consumers the following SMS: “Following the recent rumours of alleged water poisoning in KNZ, Sembcorp Silulumanzi confirms KNZ water supply is being tested, no sign of poisoning hav”(SIC).
Rumours started doing the rounds early yesterday morning that the water supply in Pienaar, KaNyamazane and Matsulu had been poisoned by foreigners. Ngala explained however that the rumours had since died down in Matsulu.
This follows a looting rampage targeting foreign-owned shops in Pienaar on Sunday and a service delivery protest in Matsulu on Friday.
Yesterday, morning, people reportedly started a protest action over the issue in KaNyamazane and Kabokweni. Mr Martin van Niekerk, general manager of KLL Distribution, told Lowvelder that some of his staff members could not get to work this morning due to the chaos surrounding the alleged water debacle.
Dlamini even took to the airwaves to dispel the rumours on Ligwalawala FM early yesterday morning.
Ngala said the water in these areas was being tested as a precaution. “We have taken samples at the affected reservoirs and it is being tested. The technicians said we should have the results in a few hours.”
He said people in the areas should rather only use the water already in their house, until the test results can confirm whether the poison is just a rumour or not. He added that Mbombela would provide people with water tankers from a safe source in the meantime.
