Durban – The acting mayor of eThekwini municipality Fawzia Peer said on Monday she was anxiously waiting for laboratory results that would determine whether paraffin was added to a bottle of water she sipped last week.
Peer told the African News Agency (ANA) she was expecting the results later in the day, but the city’s acting head of communications Mandla Nsele said they would not be ready by then.
“I am feeling much better than what I went through for the last three days. I had inflammation of my entire mouth. I couldn’t even eat," Peer said. "But the almighty is great and I am now a bit okay with all of the medications and gels I had to put in my mouth."
She confirmed that the alleged incident had not been reported to the police, saying "I have to know for sure" if a substance was indeed added to the water.
Peer also said her security had not been increased.
“I should be smarter next time and not just drink water from any bottle. I will now have to purchase my own bottled water," she said.
Peer was rushed to hospital after sipping the tainted water during a council meeting on Thursday. She returned to work on Friday.
Speaker William Mapena told councillors not to drink the bottled water, as it appeared someone’s water had been laced with paraffin.
Peer is acting in place of mayor Zandile Gumede, who was placed on 30 days leave by the ruling African National Congress after being charged with graft relating to a R208 million Durban solid waste tender granted in 2016.