The Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies says the loss of lives to cholera in Hammanskraal is symptomatic of a widening collapse of water treatment facilities that could precipitate multiple health and environmental emergencies.

Warning that the current cholera outbreak was both avoidable and symptomatic of a nationwide collapse of water treatment facilities, a group of 15 senior academic experts has urged the government to implement a series of urgent measures - including the takeover of dysfunctional municipal treatment works and criminal prosecution of inept officials.

The call to action comes from the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (Sage), which comprises researchers from five universities, the SA Medical Research Council, the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) and the Institute of Natural Resources.

The advisory group issued a set of detailed recommendations on 7 June and urged the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and other government agencies to implement them immediately if the country was to avoid multiple health and environmental emergencies.

The group's subcommittee on water security and water quality said it acknowledged that the source of Hammanskraal's deadly cholera outbreak was yet to be established, but "Sage takes the position that several factors have likely contributed to the outbreak, including dysfunctional wastewater treatment facilities".

"Sage is of the opinion that the loss of lives to cholera in Hammanskraal was avoidable and is symptomatic of a widening collapse of water treatment...