Cholera in South Africa: a symptom of two decades of continued sewage pollution and neglect
The ConversationMay 23, 2023
As South Africa grapples with an outbreak of cholera — with the death toll reportedly rising to 17 in the Hammanskraal region as of Wednesday — citizens are criticizing the government, citing a lack of clean water for the current situation.
The health department in South Africa’s most populous province of Gauteng declared a cholera outbreak on Sunday, and city governments in and around Hammanskraal urged residents not to drink tap water.
South Africa’s cholera outbreak underscores severe systemic issues plaguing the country’s government as its citizens are paying the price for two decades of neglect and mismanagement. Not only do many South Africans lack access to safe water, but they also live in areas with a complete lack of funding and waste management. Failure at all levels brought this deadly crisis, and the government must answer for its years of mismanagement.
Local and provincial authorities are doing all they can to treat the ongoing cholera outbreak — which isn't unique to South Africa — and are working with hospitals to keep citizens safe. While there have been some errors, there's only so much local health officials can do on their own. This persistent illness requires collective action from nations across the African region in order to create proper preventative plans.