​The Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) would like to notify the public that due to various challenges experienced by water utilities, some of our health facilities, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital (RMMCH), Helen Joseph Hospital (HJH), Zola Community Health Center (CHC) in Johannesburg district and Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital in the West Rand are experiencing water supply interruptions. 

 Helen Joseph Hospital and surrounding areas started experiencing water shortage from Monday, 04 March 2024. Various areas affected include the Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, and the various Wards. 

The facility management is closely monitoring the situation and have put in place measures to divert Priority 1 (emergency and critical) and Priority 2 (urgent but stable) patients to other facilities when necessary. 

Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital has been experiencing water supply challenges since Monday, 04 March 2024 due to Hursthill 1 reservoir being critically affected. 

Dr Yusuf Dadoo Hospital is also experiencing water shortages. Mogale City municipality has been contacted to assist with the water tankers to be stationed at the hospital premises. 

Zola Community Health Centre in Soweto has been relying on municipal water tankers for the past two weeks. 

Joburg Water on Tuesday, 05 March indicated that City Power was conducting site repairs due to damage that was caused on feeder boards supplying Rand Water’s Eikenhof pump station with electricity. This affected mainly Soweto and Johannesburg areas. The water utility has dispatched water tankers in the affected health facilities to minimise the impact on services, however, this is still not sufficient to meet the water demand in the facilities. 

The department would like to apologise to patients and the public for the inconvenience that has been caused by the water challenge experienced by the water utilities. Health facilities, even with contingency measures in place still rely on constant supply of water from the relevant authorities to carry out health services. 

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Issued by the Gauteng Department of Health