The number of gastrointestinal illness cases linked to contaminated water in the Bronkhorstspruit area of the City of Tshwane has "risen from 408 to 833".

Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina disclosed the revised figure during a visit to the area by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Water and Sanitation.

“As you know, we have shut down the water treatment works. However, when a plant is shut down, some water may already have been processed and distributed. We believe this may have contributed to the number of cases,” she said. “When we last briefed you, the number stood at 408. As of today, the number have [sic] risen to 833. Another factor is that, even after the plant was shut down and water tankers were deployed, some residents continued using water they had stored in containers.”

No critical cases or deaths have been reported so far.

Majodina said there was enough chlorine stock for the next six to seven weeks. “Rand Water, working with Tshwane, has assured us that additional supplies will be procured before stocks run low,” she said.

On the tankers the City is using to provide free drinking water, she said: “I have always said they should be used for emergencies, and this is one such emergency. Where possible, reliance on tankers should not extend beyond two or three months.”

Meanwhile, Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya said: “The recent interruption of chlorine supplies represents a particularly serious and unacceptable failure of operational controls.” She added: “We expect the Rand Water programme to deliver measurable improvements within the coming weeks, with progress closely monitored to ensure that the necessary work is completed.”