BY LAWRENCE ARMOED

Police have arrested three suspects after a string of mugging and hijacking incidents in Gqeberha on Saturday, including one where a motorist was shot dead.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the drama started on Saturday at about 7.40am in Malinga Street in Wells Estate where officers were at a murder scene.

“The two officers were approached by three armed men. They were robbed of their firearms, cellphones and wallets. The members were then placed in the back of the police van and the suspects drove off with the police vehicle.”

She said when the suspects got to Gijana Street still in Wells Estate they stopped and allegedly hijacked another vehicle.

“The driver of the Renault was forced out of his vehicle and the suspects got into his vehicle and drove off leaving the police vehicle behind with the members still in the back.

“The Renault was found abandoned further down the street.

“Two cases of armed robbery and two cases of vehicle hijacking and kidnapping were opened.”

Naidu said that at about 10.30am still on Saturday a couple were driving in 8th Avenue in Walmer when three armed men tried to stop their vehicle, a VW Polo.

“The driver, aged 36, on realising what was happening, sped off to Walmer Police Station.”

She said officers from the station immediately responded to the alleged attempted hijacking with the complainant following behind.

“When the suspects, who were on foot, noticed the police vehicle, they boarded a taxi.

“The taxi was stopped and the suspects identified. The suspects were taken back to 8th Avenue where they had been walking earlier. Three 9mm pistols were found lying along the pavement in different spots.

“The suspects aged between 30-35 years old are in custody.

“Two of the firearms belong to the police members that were robbed in Wells Estate.

“Police have opened cases of attempted hijacking as well as three cases of illegal possession of firearms.”

Naidu said while police were still at the scene of the incident in Walmer, information was received of a murder in GJ Langenhoven Drive in the Mount Road area.It is alleged that three suspects approached the vehicle of the victim on foot as he was driving his red Nissan Corsa bakkie up GJ Langenhoven Drive.

“Several shots were fired at the driver, who died at the scene.

“A female passenger in the vehicle sustained a gunshot wound to her right leg.

“An infant in the vehicle did not sustain any injuries.”

She said it was further alleged that the suspects got into a silver Toyota Yaris and sped off.

“The Yaris was found abandoned on the corner of 6th Avenue and Lloyd streets in Walmer.

“Cases of murder and attempted murder were opened.

“The suspects have been detained [regardin] all of the above cases.

“A special task team has been established to follow up on information and confirm the linkages to all of the above cases.”

BY Yolanda Palezweni

The popular Emalaydini Tavern in Gqeberha scrapped its plans to host socialite Zodwa Wabantu on Saturday just as the Eastern Cape Liquor Board visited it for another surprise inspection.

The board is ramping up tavern blitzes after the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy in East London on June 26 in which 21 young people, most of them children aged 13-17, died.

The board, along with the Metro Police, visited several taverns on Saturday.On Friday last week, the board visited the Emalaydini Tavern in Ezinyoka, near Missionvale, after a poster advertising that Wabantu would make an appearance trended on social media.

The tavern was forced to close its doors after a 17-year-old was found selling alcohol on the premises and tables were placed outside demarcated areas.

On Saturday, the board was back at the tavern, with co-owner Masinga Ndungane cancelling Wabantu’s visit to avoid any more commotion.He was served with another notice of non-compliance as patrons had been seen drinking outside the demarcated area while a DJ played music for them.

Ndungane agreed to remove the speakers, but said he had little control over people drinking on the streets.

But he also agreed to comply with the regulations from the board.

“We are a business and a family trying to make a living,” he said.

We feel we are being targeted as there are many other businesses that are not inspected but are also breaking the laws,” he said.

He said the business was his only source of income and he feared losing his liquor licence.

“Some of the issues we face are beyond our control, but as law-abiding citizens we will do whatever it takes to make sure we do things by the book,” he said.

He said operating in the township was difficult.

“As much as the officials are doing their job, we feel we are being targeted.

“We may not be completely innocent, but we are trying and we would appreciate that the same treatment is given to every tavern,” he said.

“Some taverns here don’t even have licences, but they are not being inspected.

“We don’t have any backup or sponsors and we are just trying to make a living with the little that we have,” he said.Inspectors also visited three taverns in Westering and Kragga Kamma after receiving complaints.

Space Unlimited, Hotspot Bar and Halfway Pub & Grub were served with notices of non-compliance for noise and patrons drinking outside the premises.

Board spokesperson Mgwebi Msiya said the inspections were being done to avoid another Enyobeni tragedy.

Inspections would be done weekly.

“We have launched this initiative to intensify compliance,” he said.

“We are not targeting anyone, but trying to monitor and make sure all businesses are obeying the regulations.”

He said the unannounced visits would be rolled out across the province.

“We are receiving complaints about these outlets and we are following up.

“We are not only targeting Emalaydini, but all they need to do is comply.

“They can even inform us of any other outlets and we will follow up,” he said.

BY LAWRENCE ARMOED

All trauma cases at the Uitenhage Provincial Hospital, in Kariega, have been diverted to Laetitia Bam in KwaNobuhle after an attack on a nurse and death threats levelled against staff.

On Sunday morning, a nurse was assaulted when three men brought a man with multiple gunshot wounds to the hospital shortly after 6am.

In a statement, Eastern Cape health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth said the men had arrived in a black Ford Fiesta and demanded that the nurses on duty take the wounded man from their car for treatment.When the nurses told them there were only women on duty and asked them to help carry the wounded man into the trauma unit, the assault took place.

One of the men refused to assist and allegedly punched a nurse in the face, before kicking her.

Security guards on duty at the trauma unit called security staff at the main gate for assistance.Before speeding off, the men allegedly threatened the lives of the hospital staff should the wounded man die from his injuries.

He was, however, declared dead on arrival.

This has traumatised the staff, with the team that was meant to report for nightshift duty refusing to work, fearing their safety.

Workers were worried as there was still shooting in the community.The provincial health department arranged for armed response to be at the facility as an interim measure.

“However, the night staff are too scared to report for duty,” the department said in a statement on Sunday night.

“This has necessitated that patients, doctors as well as one of the armed guards will be diverted to Laetitia Bam to ensure service continuity.

This is in relation to new trauma cases.”

Meth said the department was shocked by the blatant attack and incidents like these could negatively affect services at public healthcare facilities.

“Communities need to treat healthcare workers with respect instead of assaulting and threatening them because this might lead to compromised service delivery as people fear for their lives.

“It cannot be that hardworking and dedicated healthcare workers continue being targeted by thugs in Nelson Mandela Bay.

“We condemn this thuggery with the contempt it deserves,” she said.

“When our staff, who continue going above and beyond the call of duty, are too traumatised to go to work, it will be communities that suffer at the end of the day.”

She said the staff on duty would receive counselling and additional staff had been called in to assist where needed.

Meth also called on the police to leave no stone unturned in their investigation of the matter, and urged the community to help them.

BY Phumlani Saul

Fired Umhlobo Wenene FM presenter Reverend Mzukisi Faleni has taken legal steps in a bid to compel the SABC to reinstate him as the host of popular faith programmes Ukholo Nengqiqo and Imvuselelo, which aired on Sundays.

The public broadcaster announced last month that it had parted ways with the renowned man of the cloth after internal processes found him guilty of a conflict of interest due to his role as a contributor at Western Cape-based local radio station Zibonele FM.

However, Faleni stated in his court papers, which were filed at the Johannesburg High Court on August 10, that singer and business manager Loyiso Bala erred in terminating his contract, as Zibonele FM is not in direct competition with the SABC.It is evident that the respondents [the SABC and Bala] believed that even if I had breached my contract, it was a breach that could be remedied. However, I was not afforded the opportunity to remedy any breach. It is worth noting that the respondents had ample opportunity before I appeared as a contributor at Zibonele FM to alert me to any potential breach and afford me the chance to remedy it,” the papers read.

He added that programme manager Masixole Mdingane could also have alerted him to the breach when he told him about his role at the community station.According to social media posts, Faleni was scheduled to appear as a co-host on a programme titled Yiza Siqiqe on Zibonele FM in June.

“The agreement was not breached by me in any way. On the contrary, it is the first respondent [SABC] which has breached the agreement and I have elected to enforce it,” read Faleni’s court papers.

He added that he had been a host at Umhlobo Wenene for 21 years and the termination of his services had harmed his reputation within the religious society.My work as a preacher, teacher and religious leader is greatly built on my reputation and personal brand equity.

“Due to the mere fact that I have been summarily pulled off the air, without as much as a notice, the 2 million listeners of my show are suspicious that I have committed some wrongdoing.

He stated: He added that the “unlawful” termination of his position had also harmed his alternative streams of income, since event organisers no longer found him credible enough to speak at their shows and in organisations.

The opportunities he had lost because of being pulled off the airwaves, he stated, could not be quantified, even if the court found in his favour.

He asked the court to interdict the SABC from finding a replacement for him while the legal processes were still pending.Last month, the EFF in the Eastern Cape embarked on a march to the public broadcaster’s offices in Gqeberha to demand Faleni’s reinstatement.

EFF provincial leader Mkhululi Bosman said the party would do everything in its power to ensure that Faleni was reinstated.

“I don’t know how the SABC has the guts to say it’s fired him. How can you fire someone with whom you have a one-year contract every year? This guy isn’t permanently employed, hence he’s also employed somewhere else.

“I don’t know what they’re talking about in terms of a breach of contract, when they have so many breaches of labour practices in whatever they do,” he said.

SABC group executive of corporate affairs and marketing Gugu Ntuli said the public broadcaster could not comment on pending court matters:

By Yolanda Palezweni

A popular Gqeberha tavern was forced to close its doors on Friday after a poster showing socialite Zodwa Wabantu would make an appearance next weekend trended on social media, sparking a surprise inspection by the Eastern Cape Liquor Board.

The board was notified about the event at Emalaydini’s Tavern by ANC MPL Tony Duba, who feared a similar incident such as the Enyobeni tavern tragedy in East London.

The metro police also took part in the inspection and it was discovered the tavern did not comply with several regulations.

Board spokesperson Mgwebi Msiya told DK news the tavern’s liquor licence had been suspended after a 17-year-old was found selling alcohol.

A 17-year-old selling is in contravention of our legislation and empowers us to immediately suspend the licence,” Msiya said.Other issues ranged from tables being placed outside demarcated areas, to no visible liquor licence on the premises.

The tavern has been in trouble before after photographs of underage children carrying alcohol and in compromising positions were published on their Facebook page earlier this year.

The Eastern Cape Liquor Board lodged an investigation after the pictures of the New Year’s Eve party went viral on social media.While some social media users circulated the images and poked fun at the children, many lambasted Emalaydini’s tavern for failing to exercise its responsibility to restrict underage children from buying liquor.

At the time, co-owner Masinga Ndungane said the youngsters seen in the pictures had been outside the establishment.On Friday, Ndungane said the inspection and closure of the business had nothing to do with Weekend Post.

“We have never asked for any assistance from the newspaper when planning events and we have nothing to say now.”

Msiya said the outlet had been problematic for several months, with numerous complaints received.

He said there had been other notices of non-compliance issues.Duba, who is also the Eastern Cape SA National Civic Organisation secretary, said he had received several calls from resident asking that he act quickly.

“We felt that we should respond to the call from the public and come and look at the situation ourselves. This place has been notorious for breaking the law,” he said.

Duba said he had also been tagged on several posts on social media about the appearance of Wabantu next weekend.

“This is where the problem starts. We can’t be a society that is feeding young children liquor. We need young people to invest their time in education and not alcohol,” Duba said.

“Pro-activeness is what needed to happen to avoid another Enyobeni.

“We are always questioned after a tragic incident about where officials or parents were. So today we are making sure we do something about it.”

The infamous tavern in Scenery Park in East London made international news when 21 children dropped dead in June.

The liquor board opened a case against the owner, Siyakhangela Ndevu, after the tragic death of the children, some as young as 13, for selling alcohol to underage children.

By Phumlani Saul

Sewage is stinking up Mase Street in Kwazakhele, with the foul-smelling waste flowing down the entire road.

Residents have had to brave the stench every day for years as at least four outside household drains keep blocking, leading the sewage to stream down the street.

In some cases, the sewage seeps out of bathtub drain holes, leaving residents desperate for hPersistent water leaks are also a problem in Mase Street.

A Metro Matters team managed to find the street while driving in Kwazakhele as the pungent smell gets worse the closer you get to the street.

Residents have been struggling for months to get the municipality to attend to the blocked drains.Siphokazi Ndamase said his grandfather’s medical condition was getting worse due to the problem.She has reported the issue to the metro for several years.

“Ward office officials and plumbers would come to check but then never return,” she said.

The blockages are sporadic and often stop for a few days every month.

Claude Ndamase said he grew up in the street and the problem had been going on for years.Due to the years of leaking, the floors of his family home had started to crumble and paint was peeling off the walls.He said the house’s foundation had also been damaged.

“For years, we had been living like this. The house is cold and always moist.

“It is very frustrating as we watch our home destroyed with little to nothing we can do,” Ndamase said.

He said several calls had been made to the municipality and different reference numbers would just be given.

“I had to dig trenches inside the garden for the sewage water to run down the street.

“We live with our sickly grandfather and we are worried about his health,” he said.

Ndamase said human waste would often run down the street.

“We are living and breathing this in every day.

“Sometimes we would be told the problem is connected to a main sewerage pipe and that we must wait,” he said.

His neighbour, Nomveliso Tyala, who has a blocked backyard drain, said his house was always filled with flies and mosquitos.

“This is getting worse. I don’t know how many times we have reported the matter to the metro.”

She said for years residents had been reporting the issue to different ward councillors.

“We live in filth and no-one should live like this.

“We can’t open windows and our gardens are full of water.

“It’s even difficult to walk down the street.”

Ward 19 councillor Gamalihleli Maqula said he was aware of the problem and had escalated the issue.

“I was alerted about the matter this year and told it’s been a problem for years.

“I have informed the relevant departments and they are busy with a plan to solve the issue,” he said.

Municipal spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki did not respond to a request for comment.

By Phumlani Saul

Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nomthetheleli Mene received a rude reception from KwaNobuhle residents who vocalised their dismay about poor service from their police station.

Mene spoke on Friday at an imbizo at the Babs Madlakane Community Hall in KwaNobuhle, where more than 150 residents said the police in the area had failed to protect and serve the community.

Nelson Mandela Bay district commissioner Major-General Vuyisile Ncata and Bay mayor Eugene Johnson were among the dignitaries who were in attendance.

The purpose of imbizo was to interact with the community on issues relating to service delivery, client satisfaction and community involvement.

It was preceded by midweek buildup activities including awareness campaigns in shopping malls and visits to three schools, Nkululeko, Phaphani and Sikhothina, where senior managers spent time engaging with pupils about liquor abuse, drugs and gender-based violence. KwaNobuble resident Mzwakhe Thompson placed the blame for poor service delivery on the KwaNobuhle station commander.

“I wish you [Mene] would have not announced that you were coming and sent two delegates to see how we are treated at the police station,” he said.

“He [the station commander] must go.

“There are serious cases.

“Recently a woman was killed by her son. Residents tried to call the police but eventually gave up.”

Ward 43 ANC Women’s League chair Maliwe Grootboom agreed that the KwaNobuhle station manager should be removed.

“Since this new station manager arrived things have changed.

“We used to work with the police, now the police have turned on us.

“Last year, we had operation to put an end to a house that sells drugs.

“We found the drugs, but when we arrived in Mkomko we found the police were stealing the same drugs.

“As we speak we do not know where that case ended up.

“Investigate the people you are hiring. [Even] dockets go missing,” Grootboom said.

Ward 45 councillor Sabelo Mabhuda said violence in the community had increased, while unity among community members had decreased.

In response, Ncata said he was newly appointed in his position, but had noted their complaints.

“I was tasked by the provincial commissioner to pay attention to this police station,” he said.“I am glad that you have spoken. The community will not want to work with someone they do not trust.

“I have been here for four days. I saw some of the complaints.

“We will have an intervention plan for the KwaNobuhle police station, from the cleaners to management.

“We will give you feedback on those complaints.

“We will need to have a structure so we can talk about what we have fixed from your complaints, however, the community needs to play its part.”

The community applauded and said they were willing to work with him to fix the broken trust between them and the police.

When Operation Sikhona started on Thursday, provincial management and Ncata conducted an operation in KwaNobuhle.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said Operation Sikhona had seen stop-and-searches, vehicle checkpoints, visits to taverns, suspect tracing and road blocks conducted.

A total of 69 people were arrested for crimes including rape, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, burglary, drunken driving, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Large quantities of alcohol, dagga, cocaine, knives and stun grenades were confiscated.

Two hijacked or stolen vehicles were recovered and 177 fines issued.

By Phumlani Saul

A six-year-old boy accidentally shot dead his five-year-old cousin in Gqeberha on Thursday afternoon.

Eastern Cape police spokesperson, Colonel Priscilla Naidu, said the incident happened in Bethelsdorp between 13:00 and 14:00.Naidu said the boy allegedly shot his cousin in the head with a .38 revolver.

According to the police, three children – two boys, both aged 6, and a girl, aged 5 – were playing with the firearm in a room at a house in Extension 31, when a shot went off.

Naidu said an ambulance rushed the girl to hospital, where she died.

The police are investigating charges of culpable homicide and defeating the ends of justice, although no one has been charged as yet.

Naidu said the police added the charge of defeating the ends of justice because the firearm could not be found after allegedly being removed from the scene.

“More charges may be added, and arrests effected as the investigation unfolds,” said Naidu.

The South African Gunowners’ Association (SAGA) called on gun owners, especially those with small children, to lock their firearms in safes when the weapons were not under their direct control.

SAGA chairperson Damian Enslin said:SAGA said while it was not clear whether the firearm used was licenced or not, it believed in responsible gun ownership and that all lawful licensed firearm owners should comply with the law.

The Firearms Control Act states that when a firearm is not on the gun owner or under their direct control, it must be locked in a safe that complies with the regulations.

SAGA described the incident as “tragic and terrible”.

Gun Free South Africa, an NGO committed to reducing gun violence, could not immediately comment. Their comment will be added once received.

By Nomalungelo Booi

Justice must be served not only for Bongiwe Wendy Hani, but for all women brutally killed in SA.

This was the sentiment among Hani’s family and friends who gathered to celebrate her life after she was gunned down at a preschool in New Brighton last week.

Hani, 52, was shot dead while cooking food for the children at the Ekhayeni preschool.

The gathering was held at the school on Tuesday.

Hani’s brother, Zibula, pleaded with the police to speed up the investigation and arrest the two culprits.

He said Hani had devoted her life to her job and was loved by everyone in the community.We are devastated as a family but we are coping.We never imagined that she would die in a very gruesome manner.

“We hope all involved will be arrested,” he said.

He said his sister had a passion for children and could relate to them regardless of the age difference.My sister loved children. She was more than a teacher but a mother to all of her children.”

Her colleague, Ntombentle Bangani, described Hani as a joker who strived to make everyone laugh.

“She was a people person and always smiling. She was always there for people.She said Hani would be remembered for her kindness.

Hani will be buried on Saturday.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said two armed men had entered the creche and demanded money while one of them pointed a firearm at Hani and a co-worker.

Naidu said the second perpetrator cocked his firearm and a shot went off, injuring his accomplice.Both victims were then ordered to lie on the floor and Hani was shot in the back by the injured suspect, who then staggered out.”

The other man also shot Hani in the head.

“Nothing was taken,” Naidu said.

By Luvuyo Mehlwana

The Nelson Mandela Bay metro in the Eastern Cape is in the grip of a severe drought after seven consecutive poor rainy seasons.

Some of the metro’s 48 clinics and three referral hospitals have had to close temporarily or shorten their operating hours.

Speaking to Spotlight on condition of anonymity, a nurse working at a clinic in Kariega (formerly Uitenhage) says: “The clinic services are constantly disrupted due to intermittent water supply. Sometimes we are forced to shut our doors and attend only to emergencies and distribute medication, leaving patients stranded. Lack of water creates an unhygienic environment contrary to the Occupational Health and Safety Act requirements.”

Meanwhile, the health department confirmed an outbreak of non-Typhoidal Salmonella, specifically in the Kariega area, where water provision is severely limited. The drastic water cuts have repeatedly forced some public health facilities in the area to shut their doors early, while others don’t allow patients to use the toilets.

The provincial health department remains optimistic that it can manage the situation.

Nelson Mandela Bay metro’s district manager for health, Darlene de Vos, says the health sector has no option but to continue functioning – even if the taps run dry.

“We have been monitoring the water situation carefully in recent weeks as this is an incredibly challenging time for our city,” she tells Spotlight.

Water outages may already be contributing to outbreaks, although the evidence isn’t yet there to prove that specific outbreaks were due to water shortages.

“There is a lot of non-Typhoidal Salmonella among children. We have not seen a remarkable increase, but every week we do get up to four cases and surprisingly more in the Kariega area than in Gqeberha,” she says.

De Vos says they do get a daily report from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) to help manage the infection appropriately.

According to Professor Mrudula Patel, of Wits University’s Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Unit, non-Typhoidal Salmonella is common in children if strict hygiene controls are not implemented.

“The infection can be transmitted from one child to the other through contaminated food or water that will be ingested,” says Patel.

“Cross-contamination can also occur through handling vomit and stool. Again, utensils, food and water have to be free of pathogens, and, most importantly, hand hygiene of the healthcare workers through disinfection is important. Healthcare workers need to be made aware of new infection control measures,” says Patel.

According to a fact sheet from the World Health Organisation, “Salmonella is one of the four key global causes of diarrhoeal diseases”, with about “550 million people falling ill each year, including 220 million children under the age of five years”.

“Bacteria can be transmitted by contaminated drinking water and cause diarrhoea, including Shigella, Campylobacter, which is a certain type of E. coli, and non-Typhoidal Salmonella,” explains Dr Linda Erasmus, of the Centre for Enteric Diseases at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.Erasmus says cases of children in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, with non-Typhoidal Salmonella, would need further investigation to identify the possible source(s) of infection.

“Without further information, we can’t speculate as to the likely cause(s) in these cases,” she says.

She says the NICD monitors several important diarrhoeal infections, including cholera, enteric (typhoid) fever, Shigella, and non-Typhoidal Salmonella.

“Unusual patterns of disease or a sudden increase in case numbers would be cause for alarm and trigger further investigations,” says Erasmus.De Vos says Rosedale Clinic (in Kariega) suffered the same fate around January when it was without water for two weeks.

“Without water, a health facility cannot run. Water tanks have been placed at clinics in the red zone areas to store water. The tanks are being filled up every week to mitigate the impact of the metro’s water problems on the health service delivery efforts,” De Vos says.

There are at least 10 clinics, one hospital (Elizabeth Donkin Hospital) and one private clinic in the red zone area.

According to Patel, this is an incredibly challenging time for the city, as water in the healthcare setting is essential for washing patients, bedding, utensils, and floors.

“If there is no water, infection control is not possible. Disinfection of items that are not washed is not ideal, but it can minimise cross-contamination. Sufficient water should be sourced at least for the sterilisers, so that surgical instruments can be sterilised through steam-operated autoclaves to ensure the continued operation of theatres,” he says.

He says hospitals should have plastic drums for water storage as reserves because metal drums corrode and the rust seems to support the growth of enteric bacteria.

“Water can be decontaminated regularly using appropriate disinfectants, but should not be exposed to the skin and other surfaces.”De Vos says there are various water augmentation projects underway to ensure that hospitals don’t run dry amid the ongoing drought.

“Boreholes are being drilled to alleviate pressure on our water reserves and to make sure we don’t reach a situation where we cancel surgical procedures due to a shortage of water. All our hospitals have backup water supplies, but it’s not as much as we would want to have, but all of them do have water tanks that supply facilities with water when there are outages,” de Vos says.

The municipality now ferries water from the eastern side of the city, which is less affected because they get water from the Nooitgedacht water scheme.

She says organisations, such as Gift of the Givers and the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, along with the municipality, have all chipped in and are making sure health facilities are not left behind.

“They opened a borehole at the Elizabeth Donkin Psychiatric Hospital and Jose Pearson TB Hospital that produces 14 000 litres per hour. A 220m borehole has also been sunk at Livingstone Hospital and Port Elizabeth Provincial Hospital. Should the hospital experience water shortages, the boreholes will immediately kick in, which means our health facilities will not come to a standstill, even if Day Zero arrives,” says De Vos.

The senior director of Nelson Mandela Bay Water and Sanitation, Barry Martin, insists there is enough water capacity to augment the city’s water supply and hospitals won’t come to a standstill, even if Day Zero arrives.These included the drilling of a borehole to keep the lifeline of the bulk water supply that feeds these hospitals alive. The implementation of these measures was to mitigate the risks associated with having no or intermittent water in healthcare facilities. It is through that bulk network that emergency water supply will also be fed to ensure the ongoing provision of healthcare and the safety of patients.”

Martin says the municipality is also fast-tracking the drilling of boreholes.

“However, to compensate for the metro, we have had to put the necessary controls in places such as communal water collection sites and standpipe collection points to alleviate pressure on our water reserves at the hospitals. We have already looked at how we can bring whatever water we have into the stream and we have looked at those contingency plans.”

He says they have made “great progress” to alleviate Day Zero, such as drilling more boreholes and diverting water from Nooitgedacht Water Treatment Works to other red zones. (Red zones are classified as areas that are most at risk of running out of water).

“But that would not mean that we will relax our water restrictions,” he cautions, adding that residents should be cautious with their water consumption.