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Tshwane mayor Moya denies cholera caused Bronkhorstspruit illness outbreak

Published

Mayor Nasiphi Moya accuses DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink of using the Bronkhorstspruit water crisis for political gain. About 400 cases of gastrointestinal illness have been reported since early October, mostly in patients younger than four.

Moya said in a statement that Brink created the impression that a new cholera outbreak was confirmed, when the evidence does not support that. Brink alleged that cholera bacteria was detected in the water and that the city failed to inform the public in time.

Brink also claimed the city ran out of chlorine for three weeks. The water treatment works went unchlorinated from September 24 to October 14. He alleged that the city let its water infrastructure deteriorate to benefit a so-called water tanker mafia. The DA plans to lay criminal charges against the city.

Moya defended the city's funding for the plant. She said the allocation was R1.2m in 2023/24 under Brink's tenure, and R5m, later adjusted to R6m, in 2024/25. Actual spending on refurbishment was R20.8m in 2025/26.

The city approved R56m for refurbishment in 2026/27 and slated R30m for 2027/28. Moya said: "These are council-approved financial commitments, not political promises invented in response to the current crisis".

Key facts

Who
Nasiphi Moya (Tshwane mayor); Cilliers Brink (DA mayoral candidate); Democratic Alliance (political party planning to lay criminal charges against the city)
What
Moya defended the city's handling of the Bronkhorstspruit water contamination, denied cholera had been identified as the cause of a gastrointestinal illness outbreak, and cited increased funding for plant refurbishment. Brink had alleged the city failed to inform the public and that cholera bacteria had been detected in the water.
When
20 October 2026
Where
Bronkhorstspruit, Tshwane, Hammanskraal
Status
Reported

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