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Water shortage at E Cape hospital

Johannesburg - Water was being driven to the All Saints Hospital in Engcobo on Wednesday following a water shortage caused by a burst pipe, the Eastern Cape health department said.

"We are sending water trucks to the hospital as a temporary measure to ensure the hospital operates as normal," spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said.

The department would engage with the public works department next week to look into more permanent solutions.

A repair company is expected to arrive at the hospital on Thursday to fix the immediate problem.

Kupelo said the department was looking into a permanent solution because the water system was dilapidated which caused periodic water shortages.

"We are doing everything in our power to ensure hospitals have water."

He said the water trucks were an emergency temporary measure and health MEC Sicelo Gqobana would visit the hospital on January 13 to assess its water system.

There have been water cuts at the hospital since November, but they were also due to villagers connecting water pipes to their homes, Kupelo said.

"The department is looking into replacing the entire water system."

He said there were 14 hospitals in the province, mainly in the Transkei, that needed upgrading.
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