By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Humanitarian aid organisation Gift of the Givers has delivered of thousands of five- and 10-litre bottles of water to Hammanskraal, the epicentre of the latest cholera outbreak.
At least 15 people have died from the bacterial disease so far.
On Monday, a team reported to Jubilee District Hospital, which is treating people during the outbreak, after the Moretele Local Municipality asked for help, foundation founder Imtiaz Sooliman said.
The team delivered around 8 600 litres of water in five and 10-litre bottles.
“At this moment, the Gift of the Givers team is busy loading their trucks with necessities to Jubilee Hospital. [On Tuesday], the team will be on board again, delivering to neighbouring clinics,” he added.
Investigations continue to track where the cholera outbreak originated.
The government has established a command centre — a collaboration between the departments of Water and Sanitation, Health, Social Development, the City of Tshwane and others — to coordinate efforts.
“The multidisciplinary teams are established at the technical level. We will have a stream dealing with issues of health… scanning and mobility so that this matter could be contained in one environment, which the Ministry of Health leads. Another team from the social development department will give social relief to families who have lost their loved ones. Another team will be dealing with issues of water and sanitation,” said DWS Deputy minister David Mahlobo.
Cholera cases have been recorded in other parts of South Africa.
The deputy minister of health, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, said several cases of cholera had been reported in Limpopo and Free State, bringing the total number of cases in SA to 41.