REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF POTENTIAL CRIMINAL OFFENCES LEADING TO THE DEATH OF THREE INFANTS FROM DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION AT BLOEMHOF, NORTHWEST

The Centre for Environmental Rights has requested that the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the National Prosecuting Authority investigate and prosecute potential criminal offences following a drinking water contamination event in Bloemhof, Northwest, which resulted in the deaths of at least three infants and hundreds of hospital admissions.

• Between May 19 and June 3, 2014, a water contamination event in Bloemhof led to widespread illness and the deaths of at least three infants under two years of age. Reports indicate that over 100 children at Thuto Lore Secondary School experienced stomach cramps during the week of May 19, and between May 24 and May 27, 200 people reported to clinics with symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomach cramps. The National Institute of Communicable Diseases confirmed that three children died from "diarrhoea complicated by dehydration" and noted that laboratory tests excluded cholera as the cause.
• The contamination is linked to a sewage spillage in Extension Five in Boitumelong. Municipal Manager Andrew Makuapane attributed the issue to a contractor who allegedly abandoned work intended to fix the problem due to protest riots. The Northwest Premier suspended Makuapane on charges of "dereliction of duty and negligence," with MEC Collen Maine stating that the Municipal Manager failed to ensure the contractor fixed holes in sewerage pipes.
• The Centre for Environmental Rights has called for criminal investigations into culpable homicide and contraventions of the National Water Act (1998), the Water Services Act (1997), and the National Environmental Management Act (1998). The request for investigation targets the Municipal Manager, the contractor, municipal employees responsible for oversight, and any party failing in their legal duty to notify residents of the danger.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2014). REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF POTENTIAL CRIMINAL OFFENCES LEADING TO THE DEATH OF THREE INFANTS FROM DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION AT BLOEMHOF, NORTHWEST. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CER-Letter-to-SAPS-and-NPA-re-Bloemhof-water-contamination-and-deaths-4-June-2014.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF POTENTIAL CRIMINAL OFFENCES LEADING TO THE DEATH OF THREE INFANTS FROM DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION AT BLOEMHOF, NORTHWEST. 2014. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CER-Letter-to-SAPS-and-NPA-re-Bloemhof-water-contamination-and-deaths-4-June-2014.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF POTENTIAL CRIMINAL OFFENCES LEADING TO THE DEATH OF THREE INFANTS FROM DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION AT BLOEMHOF, NORTHWEST |date=4 June 2014 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CER-Letter-to-SAPS-and-NPA-re-Bloemhof-water-contamination-and-deaths-4-June-2014.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2014request, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF POTENTIAL CRIMINAL OFFENCES LEADING TO THE DEATH OF THREE INFANTS FROM DRINKING WATER CONTAMINATION AT BLOEMHOF, NORTHWEST}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2014}, month = jun, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CER-Letter-to-SAPS-and-NPA-re-Bloemhof-water-contamination-and-deaths-4-June-2014.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }