The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality says its tap water is safe to drink following claims that its municipal water supply was one of the causes of the outbreak of the Listeriosis disease in the municipality.

The municipality says that its drinking water preparation and distribution comply with South African National Standards 241 and that this misinformation being spread on social media has caused panic across the city.

“The institution would like to condemn individuals who have been spreading inaccurate and irresponsible information about this serious issue through social media,” the municipality says.

“This misinformation has not only caused panic across the city, it has also led to undue pressure on our service delivery call centre, which we use to deal with water leaks among others,” it adds.

The municipality is urging people to adhere to the strictest hygienic living conditions during this time as per instruction by the Department of Health.

“The Department of Health, working with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, is leading the disease control programme.

Any formal communication about the disease will be done by either the Provincial or National Department of Health,” the municipality concludes.