The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has called for the immediate arrest and resignation of City of Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, accusing her of failing to act on warnings about unsafe drinking water supplied to communities affected by the Bronkhorstspruit water contamination crisis.
The party renewed its demands following revelations presented to Parliament on Friday, 23 October 2026, by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) concerning the municipality’s handling of the water treatment plant.
According to the report by IOL, Tshwane received a non-compliance notice in February regarding the Bronkhorstspruit Water Treatment Works. The municipality subsequently submitted a corrective action plan in March, which included securing treatment chemicals, refurbishing filters, installing pumps and recruiting critical staff.
However, information presented to Parliament indicated that the corrective action plan had not been implemented.
Chlorine dosing at the plant stopped on 23 September, but water continued to be supplied without disinfection for a further 21 days.
The EFF said the revelations strengthened its earlier criminal complaint against Moya and justified its demand for her immediate arrest.
“These revelations vindicate the EFF,” the party said.
The party has also called on the South African Police Service to investigate its criminal complaint without fear, favour or political interference. It wants the Public Protector and the South African Human Rights Commission to establish who knew about the risks, when they were informed and why corrective measures were not implemented.
Hundreds affected by contaminated water
The crisis has affected residents in Bronkhorstspruit and surrounding communities after the water treatment works supplied unchlorinated water between 24 September and 14 October.
IOL reported on Saturday that 595 people had fallen ill, including 262 children aged four and younger. Earlier reports had put the number of affected people at 408, indicating that the reported toll had increased.
The Department of Water and Sanitation’s findings have raised questions about the municipality’s water-treatment processes and its failure to warn residents timeously that the water was unsafe.
Moya has acknowledged that the City of Tshwane failed in its statutory duty to warn residents promptly that the tap water was unsafe to consume.
However, the extent of the mayor’s knowledge, when warnings reached her and why corrective action was not taken remain matters requiring independent investigation.
EFF calls for further action
Beyond demanding Moya’s resignation and immediate arrest, the EFF has called for the suspension of the city manager as a precautionary measure.
The party is also demanding medical assistance and fair compensation for affected families, alongside an independent forensic investigation into chlorine procurement and the maintenance of the water treatment plant.
The demands add to mounting pressure on the City of Tshwane to account for the failures that allowed unchlorinated water to continue flowing to residents.
The EFF’s calls for arrest and resignation are political demands and do not constitute a determination of criminal guilt. Any criminal responsibility would have to be established through the appropriate investigative and legal processes.
