Water cuts hit hospitals

Young kids are seen swimming at a nearby dam in Sonder Water informal settlement near Evaton, south of Gauteng, as most parts of Gauteng and surrounding provinces experiences heatwave, the heatwave is expected to last till later this week. Picture: Itumeleng English 010 10.11.2015

Young kids are seen swimming at a nearby dam in Sonder Water informal settlement near Evaton, south of Gauteng, as most parts of Gauteng and surrounding provinces experiences heatwave, the heatwave is expected to last till later this week. Picture: Itumeleng English 010 10.11.2015

Published Nov 12, 2015

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Johannesburg - Patients were turned away at some of Joburg’s hospitals, among them Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Netcare Milpark as they suffered water shortages.

Violet Seabi recounted how her brother, who she declined to name, was turned away from Netcare Milpark Hospital and diverted to Garden City on Wednesday.

Seabi said her brother fell sick as soon as he arrived at work.

“He was very dizzy and he called an ambulance. I rode in the ambulance with him. When we arrived at Milpark, we were told that they are diverting patients to Garden City Hospital because of the water issue,” she said.

“As we were driving to Garden City, we were worried because people were carrying buckets of water in the streets. Luckily, there was water and he was admitted,” Seabi said.

Netcare general manager for emergency, trauma, transplant and CSI Mande Toubkin said Milpark Hospital experienced water supply problems in the morning but they were resolved by the afternoon.

“Contingency plans were activated to ensure that patients in the facility received care without interruption. This included the postponement of non-urgent surgery. The hospital was temporarily placed on divert. Once a steady supply of water was in place via the contingency plan, the divert was recalled.”

Helen Joseph and Rahima Moosa hospitals were provided with mobile tanks to alleviate the water shortages. Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu announced that all non-emergency operations would be postponed until a consistent flow of water was restored.

Several areas in Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Joburg have been hit by water cuts due to low rainfall and a heatwave, according to Rand Water.

Mahlangu asked for patience. “

We would like to appeal to the public to be patient with us where we’re not able to deliver particular services. We must have ablution facilities, and if there’s no water, toilets are not going to work properly and it’s unhygienic for hospitals to operate in this way.”

DA health spokesman Jack Bloom said that while the water tanks at the hospitals were helpful, they couldn’t compensate for piped water.

“Hygiene will suffer and infections could increase. It is hugely distressing for both staff and patients,” he said.

Meanwhile Alice Ndlovu said that for an hour-and-a-half, she and her five-year-old son Junior walked from one street to another in Brixton, Joburg, searching for a place from which to fetch water.

Ndlovu said she hadn’t had water for 28 hours.

“My son hasn’t bathed, I haven’t bathed and I can’t even cook for him!

“I’m very worried about the situation. It’s bad,” she said on Wednesday, carrying a bucket.

She said her son didn’t go to school because it wasn’t hygienic as the toilets weren’t flushing.

“I need to keep him healthy, so until the water comes back, he’s not going back there.”

Other people walked down the streets with emptybuckets.

They were just some of the Jobug residents struggling to get water on Wednesday, as shortages worsened and the heatwave continue to pummel Gauteng and parts of the country.

Pupils at two of Joburg’s schools were forced to stay at home on Wednesday because their institutions had no water.

The Gauteng Department of Education said however it was ready to deal with the water crisis and so far only two schools have been affected.

Departmental spokeswoman Phumla Sekhonyane said the department was on standby to ensure affected schools received water tankers as soon as possible.

Apart from Brixton, suburbs such as Crown Gardens, South Hills and Germiston experienced water shortages.

Rand Water said water was trickling back although there were still issues with the Illovo Tower and Hursthill Reservoir. It said the Illovo Tower was running low and therefore the pump station had to be shut. Tankers would be sent to affected areas like Illovo and Inanda.

Gauteng Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Jacob Mamabolo has called a special meeting of the Gauteng City Region Water and Sanitation Forum on Monday to address the water shortages.

But this would not bring any joy for people like Ndlovu. After failing to get water in Brixton, she travelled to Garden City Hospital.

“I got some but I couldn’t do it again today as it’s too far for my son to walk.”

Where tankers are sited

Rand Water has placed water tankers in areas affected by shortages.

Stationary tankers

In the Langlaagte area : Brixton recreation centre;

Mayfair West: Huguenot Primary, corner of California and Moira Ave, Crosby;

Greenside: Lionel Phillips Park, corner Cruden Bay Road and Glenside Road;

Westdene: corner Motor Street and Lewis, Westbury Recreation Centre, corner Florida and Roberts Circle, Danie van Zyl Centre Rex Street, Claremont.

Mobile tankers:

Checkers, corner Edward and Millard, Sophiatown, Rahima Moosa Hospital in Coronationville, Helen Joseph Hospital in Southdale: 1st point: Crown Gardens Clinic: Ulster Street corner of Mourel Street. Crown Gardens: Limeric Street corner of Rifle Range Road. South Hills Clinic, Winchester Hills: Bergelie Street corner of Leadwood.

South Hills tower : the water truck will park there.

In Ennerdale, roaming tankers in Lawley Extension 2.

Source: Rand Water

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