Residents warned not to drink tap water after hundreds fall sick near South Africa capital

Residents living near Pretoria, South Africa's capital, have been cautioned against drinking or cooking with tap water following the illness of over 400 people, primarily young children under the age of four. The contamination was detected in Tshwane, which encompasses Pretoria, after individuals reported stomach cramps and diarrhoea over a fortnight, as reported by local hospitals.

While no fatalities have been recorded, the water showed high concentrations of E. coli. Tshwane has a history of waterborne disease outbreaks, with a cholera outbreak in a township outside Pretoria in 2023 claiming the lives of 29 individuals due to substandard water purification practices. In 2025, 48 instances of typhoid were confirmed in the same region east of Pretoria.

The source of this outbreak remains unidentified, with no evidence of cholera bacteria present in the current cases. The departments of water and health issued a joint statement on Monday, disclosing that 408 cases were reported between October 7 and 18 in several townships. Their laboratory tests suggest that exposure to contaminated water from a local treatment facility, serving several communities east of Pretoria, is the cause.

Samples tested positive for norovirus, campylobacter, shigella, and other pathogens resulting in stomach cramps and diarrhoea. Early investigations revealed that local authorities had neglected to notify residents about the contaminated water. The water supplied to the area has been declared unsafe for human consumption, and officials have urged residents to only utilize the water for flushing toilets.

Water tankers have been dispatched to deliver clean drinking water. Residents are advised to discard any stored water and disinfect their containers using household bleach.