South Africa: Govt Faces Criticism Amid Cholera Outbreak

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Facts

  • 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.1
  • 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.2
  • While Hammanskraal officials admit the tap water is contaminated, clean drinking water is reportedly brought to cities multiple times throughout the week.3
  • South Africa is the continent’s most advanced economy, but outbreaks in nearby Mozambique and Malawi brought the country’s first two cholera cases in February, with the health system reportedly “overburdened” by the number of patients, leading many to be turned away.4
  • Cholera — contracted from contaminated food and water — causes diarrhea, vomiting, and fatigue and can kill an infected person within hours if not treated. As of Wednesday, there have been 41 recorded cases across South Africa.5
  • UNICEF reports that two children are among the cholera-related deaths, calling the outbreak a “wake-up call” for the unprecedented global cholera situation. In addition to unsanitary water, the organization also cited a shortage of childhood immunizations.6

Sources: 1ABC News, 2Al Jazeera, 3Reuters, 4Africanews, 5VOA, and 6Unicef.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by The Conversation. 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.
  • Narrative B, as provided by WHO. 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.