As outrage over the deadly Hammanskraal cholera outbreak soars on social media, Edwin Sodi’s alleged involvement in the notorious R295 million Rooiwal water treatment scam has resurfaced.
Is Edwin Sodi to blame for Hammanskraal cholera outbreak?
As the political showdown continues to rear its ugly head in Tshwane, with the ANC fielding blame toward the DA over years of inaction in addressing the metro’s ongoing water treatment problems, social media sherlocks have thrown Edwin Sodi’s name in the ‘accountability’ hat.
In 2021, Sodi was named in a report by an independent commission of inquiry investigating a long-standing water crisis in Hammanskraal, Tshwane.
As reported by Times Live, the inquiry’s findings suggested that the City of Tshwane failed to account for a substantial sum of money, approximately R295 million, which was earmarked for the much-needed upgrade of the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant.
During the inquiry, Hannes Coetzee, a representative from the city, testified that the R295 million contract was awarded to a joint venture that included a company associated with ANC benefactor Sodi, who, in 2022, was linked to a romantic affair with Minnie Dlamini.
However, progress on the plant’s development, particularly in the initial phase, was limited.
Sodi gained notoriety due to his involvement in the failed R255 million asbestos project in the Free State, which led to his appearance at the state capture inquiry and subsequent arrest.
The report issued by the Hammanskraal community water inquiry highlighted deeply rooted corruption and nepotism within local government since the advent of democracy in 1994.
It castigated the City of Tshwane for its failure to address the water crisis and provided a transparent account of the allocated funds, emphasising that such a protracted crisis would likely have been handled differently in more affluent areas.
The commission concluded that the City of Tshwane exhibited a lamentable, delinquent, and hopeless approach to serving the community of Hammanskraal. It recommended pursuing legal recourse through the Constitutional Court to compel the city to fulfil its obligations.
However, to this day, neither Sodi nor any of the other implicated council members have been prosecuted.
Consequently, a combination of maladministration, poor governance and corruption culminated in the loss of innocent lives in the Hammanskraal cholera outbreak.
What are the latest updates in Hammanskraal?
On Monday, 22 May 2023, embattled Tshwane Mayor Cilliers Brink confirmed the death toll in the cholera outbreak increased to 15, with more patients in critical condition.
Brink, who, on Monday, was chased away from Jubilee Hospital in Tshwane, released a statement later that day, warning residents that despite recent tests showing no presence of e-coli, tap water should still be treated as not safe for human consumption.
“The City of Tshwane is doing everything in our efforts to determine what the source is of the cholera outbreak and we are giving support to the Gauteng Health Department,” Brink said.
