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ActionSA condemns the Democratic Alliance’s latest attempt to mislead residents of Tshwane about the City’s handling of reported typhoid cases. The DA’s statements are filled with inaccuracies, political spin and deliberate efforts to cause panic in communities that deserve facts, not fearmongering.

The truth is clear. As of 31 October 2025, the Tshwane District has recorded 48 laboratory-confirmed cases of enteric fever (typhoid) since 1 January 2025, mostly in Hammanskraal and Bronkhorstspruit. This compares to 35 cases during the same period last year, reflecting a seasonal increase that occurs annually across the province during warmer months. No new cases have been detected since the final epidemiological week of October (20–26 October 2025).

Contrary to the DA’s claims, the reported cases are not linked and no Salmonella Typhi bacteria have been detected in any municipal or tanker-supplied water samples. Routine testing across the City’s water network and through independent laboratories continues daily, and all results confirm that Tshwane’s treated water meets the South African National Standard (SANS 241) for drinking water quality.

The City, the Minister of Water and Sanitation and the Gauteng Provincial Government held a constructive high-level meeting on 3 November 2025 to review data, coordinate ongoing testing and strengthen joint communication. This engagement at the highest level of government reflects a united effort to monitor and manage the situation responsibly, not the chaos the DA is trying to portray.

The DA’s insinuation that the City has been silent is false. Since the first reports, the City has issued public statements, engaged with national and provincial health authorities, and maintained transparency about test results and containment measures. What the DA calls silence is responsible governance that is calm, factual and grounded in science rather than politics.

It is particularly disingenuous for the DA to pretend concern for Hammanskraal residents when its own record includes presiding over the deaths of 31 people from cholera in 2023 after seven years of DA government in Tshwane. That tragedy remains a permanent reminder of what happens when public health is neglected and then politicised.

ActionSA calls on the DA to stop ambulance chasing by exploiting public health matters for electioneering. Scaring residents for political gain is reckless and unworthy of a party that claims to value good governance, even if they were incapable of delivering on such a principle in office. 

This latest incident of dishonest and reckless campaigning on the legacy of the DA's own failures over their 8 years in office is revealing a party that is increasingly insecure about how its poor governance record has been exposed. The DA's approach to play fast and loose with the truth , and their attempts to whitewash their failed legacy in Tshwane, will only invite their further decline in a city in which they are rapidly becoming irrelevant. 

Residents are urged to rely on official City of Tshwane communication channels for verified updates and to continue taking standard precautions such as washing hands with soap and clean water, storing drinking water safely and avoiding untreated sources.

ActionSA remains committed to responsible leadership and to supporting the City’s efforts to protect residents from both disease and deception.

Issued by ActionSA National Chairperson Michael Beaumont