A Mitchells Plain woman smelled something fishy after her son poured a glass of water from their kitchen tap, nearly gulping a tadpole.
Inshaaf Levy-Rajap, 39, from Eastridge, says the baby padda came from the tap. The family is demanding answers from the City of Cape Town.
She says since finding the tadpole, she and her family have gone back to drinking bottled water.
“It was on Sunday [April 2] and my husband was lying in the lounge watching TV and my son decided to get a glass of water,” she explains.
“Since the water crisis started, my family and I only drink bottled water after I got an abscess on my gum, because the water was all sandy and brak tasting.
“We used to get water at the Newlands spring, but a week ago the tap water started tasting proper again and I told my family they can drink from the tap.
“It was on that fateful night that my son shouted at my husband: ‘Daddy, Daddy, I found a fish in my glass of water!'”
Inshaaf says she thought that her son, 17, was teasing them.
“I thought he was pranking me because he is of that age. But I was so shocked when I saw the tadpole in his hand. The thing was still alive.
“What if he drank it? What if he got sick? What could have happened to him?” she questions.
ACTION: Inshaaf wants answers from the City. CREDIT: Supplied
She took pictures of the amphibian and posted it on Facebook to warn other residents.
“Not everyone is by the means to go to the Newlands springs or buy bottled water at retailers.
“My son put the tadpole in a bath of water but it died, I then placed it in the fridge, to keep for the Daily Voice,” she says.
She also alerted the City, who came to collect the tadpole yesterday.
Mayoral Committee Member for Area South, Councillor Eddie Andrews, says the matter was being investigated.
“The City of Cape Town’s environmental health practitioners visited the premises on Monday [April 10] and a water sample was taken for submission to the City’s Scientific Services laboratory,” he says.
“The organism has also been delivered to the laboratory to determine what exactly it is.
“The matter is therefore under investigation and the City will communicate its findings to the resident as soon as they are available.”