Hammanskraal families hit by the cholera outbreak have pleaded for assistance and for the government to resolve the water crisis saying “water is life”.
While the source of the cholera outbreak is yet to be determined, the deadly disease has claimed 23 lives in Hammanskraal.
Refilwe Lebogo lost her husband Sello Mmakou to cholera while her two children aged 12 and 6 survived.
“The government knew for the longest time that there were water issues in Hammanskraal. I am calling on them to fix the water issue in the area. Water is life. We need water to survive and now we are being killed by something we can’t live without. We can’t live without water.
“I lost my loved one because of water. We saw that the water was dirty but I didn’t think one day it would claim the life of my loved one. It has been known for years that the water in Hammanskraal was dirty.
“Was someone supposed to die first before they cleaned the water? They must fix water issues. If you look at the socio economic challenges faced by the people here, most of them are unemployed.
“The water tanker doesn’t come where we live anymore. What must we do? They say we must boil the water but what are we even supposed to do when we use a primus stove and most of us are unemployed,” she added.
Rhulane Baloyi lost her mother Gladess Kwanda on May 22 who was the breadwinner of found children and five grand-children and she is appealing for assistance because her siblings are unemployed.
“We are pleading with the government to assist us even if it is a job at the municipality.I am pleading for help so that we can survive. We won’t survive with just money for grants. I am pleading for any assistance.
“Now when my siblings wake up they asked me what are we going to eat. It is no longer mum what we are going to eat because she is no longer with us. What am I going to give them? The grant money is barely enough. Children are going to school and they will need school staff. Where am I going to get that money? I am pleading for the government’s assistance,” said Baloyi.
