Pretoria - Tshwane mayor Stevens Mokgalapa has hit out at Premier David Makhura for causing panic among the Hammanskraal residents by claiming the water was not good for human consumption.
Mokgalapa was addressing journalists at Tshwane House regarding the water situation in the area.
He said the City had requested an independent authority Magalies Water to conduct tests on the Hammanskraal water and the results showed it was 94.79% complaint.
"These results, showing that the water supplied by the City of Tshwane in the Hammanskraal area is fit for human consumption, contradict the reckless and irresponsible statement made by Premier Makhura," he said.
Mokgalapa said it has become the norm that after Makhura had visited the area the municipality would "receive such spurious complaints, of a non-existent problem about the quality of water supply to the community".
Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa hit out at Premier David Makhura over claims that the water in Hammanskraal was unsafe. Video: Rapula Moatshe
"The false peddling of information and continued politicking about the quality of the Hammanskraal drinking water is causing unnecessary panic among the residents of Hammanskraal.
It is for this reason, and to give the residents of Hammanskraal peace of mind, that I instructed that water samples be collected on the 12 March 2019 by an external body," he said.
The City was scheduled to have a meeting with the community on Tuesday night at Mandela Hall, but it was disrupted.
Mokgalapa said he was shocked that the City representatives were met with "a rented mob whose intention was to block this important engagement".
The South African Human Rights Commission was also present at the meeting.
Mokgalapa said: "My firm view is that politics should not be confused with the provision of basic services and normal government business, it is unfortunate that for over 24 years in government the ANC still successfully fails to make this simple distinction."