By Lehlohonolo Lehana.

African National Congress (ANC) president Cyril Ramaphosa has made a commitment to the people of Hammanskraal in Tshwane, that they will have clean water as processes are underway to address the water challenges in the area.

Earlier this month, Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka found that the City of Tshwane had failed to supply the residents of Hammanskraal with water that is suitable for human consumption. 

The report follows an investigation into the outbreak of cholera.

The water-borne disease claimed the lives of more than 20 people in the area earlier this year. 

The City of Tshwane, in its 2023/24 budget, allocated only R150-million annually over the next three years to refurbish the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant.

Raw sewage has been pouring into a river near the plant, which treats Hammanskraal's sewage. For many years Hammanskraal residents have been subjected to undrinkable water while upgrades of the plant commenced and never finished.

Ramaphosa spoke to members of the media in Tshwane on Sunday during the second day of the Independent Electoral Commission's voter registration campaign.    

South Africans will be heading to the polls next year to elect national and provincial government.

Ramaphosa, is leading the ANC's voter registration drive on day 2 of the voter registration weekend, in the Greater Tshwane Region.

He is joined by Gauteng Provincial Chairperson Panyaza Lesufi and National Spokesperson Comrade Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri.

"Water is a big issue here and when I came a few weeks ago, we had identified where the problem was and we immediately went to the root cause and national has now intervened because it was the task of the local government."

"We have intervened and we are now going to deliver clean water to our people in this area and when I explained to them they understood, soon we will be having cleaner water," said Ramaphosa.   

"They also complained about sewage and refuse removal and we had a strike in Tshwane that delipidated the provision of services here and now that strike is over and we are now going to have better services delivered.

"So, yes there are those ups and downs and we want to make sure that there are more ups than downs but these are problems that we continue to address on an ongoing basis."