R18.5m set aside fight cholera

2009-01-14 17:09

Tshwarelo eseng Mogakane

Groblersdal - Limpopo municipality has put aside R18.5m to fight an outbreak of cholera that has put more than 200 residents in hospital.

Spokesperson for the Greater Sekhukhune district municipality in Groblersdal, Sizwe sama Yende, said the cholera outbreak began on December 12 as a result of water cuts.

"The cuts...are mostly due to the theft of parts or, in some cases, the theft of whole machines that pump water to the reservoirs," Yende said on Wednesday.

Yende said hospitals in Dilokong, Jane Furse and Mecklenburg had admitted more than 200 patients.

District mayor Dickson Masemola met with various stakeholders in Burgersfort on Tuesday to find a solution.

The stakeholders included Limpopo's health department, the Red Cross, home-based care-givers, ward committee members, councillors and community members.

Yende said the municipality agreed to put aside R18.5m to intensify efforts to provide clean water and fight the spread of cholera.

"The municipality will speedily repair all water infrastructure that has broken down and continue to supply water to areas without proper infrastructure with tankers," said Yende.

He said health and hygiene awareness campaigns would also be conducted throughout the district and that efforts would be doubled to ensure cholera does not break out in other areas of the district.

He said the municipality would also source funds to upgrade and refurbish waste water treatment plants.

- African Eye