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Sanitation

Water and sanitation department ramping up reforms, interventions to avoid water crisis
National
/ 10 June 2025

Water and sanitation department ramping up reforms, interventions to avoid water crisis

Of South Africa’s 144 water service authorities, 105 are performing ‘dismally’, according to Minister Pemmy Majodina

By Des Erasmus
Sanitation crisis in Ramaphosa informal settlement dehumanises people
Thought Leader
/ 4 June 2025

Sanitation crisis in Ramaphosa informal settlement dehumanises people

Conditions in South Africa’s many informal settlements cause health and environmental problems too

By Kabelo Motswagae & Nokuthula Pheza
Harare’s fiscal paradox: A devolved city starved of resources
Opinion
/ 6 April 2025

Harare’s fiscal paradox: A devolved city starved of resources

By law, powers and functions are devolved to local government but the ruling Zanu-PF’s ideology is to control municipalities

By Nnaemeka Ohamadike and Ian Palmer
New methods offer hope for sanitation in informal settlements
Thought Leader
/ 6 March 2025

New methods offer hope for sanitation in informal settlements

The groundbreaking sanitation technologies are specifically designed to address problems in these communities

By Ednah Mamakoe
Senzo Mchunu tells eThekwini to ‘work day and night’ to fix water problems
The Green Guardian
/ 27 January 2024

Senzo Mchunu tells eThekwini to ‘work day and night’ to fix water problems

The water and sanitation minister said the metro needed to build resilience into its water supply system given the flood risks

By Mandisa Nyathi
South Africa’s freshwater crisis persists
Thought Leader
/ 22 November 2023

South Africa’s freshwater crisis persists

The blame game will only take us so far down the river

By Anja du Plessis
Pressure needed on local politicians and government for safe toilets
Opinion
/ 20 November 2023

Pressure needed on local politicians and government for safe toilets

Officials responsible for sanitation must be qualified and held accountable to prevent the spread of disease and deaths

By Jo Barnes
Failed promises: The long and ‘hopeless’ wait for RDP houses
National
/ 30 October 2023

Failed promises: The long and ‘hopeless’ wait for RDP houses

One resident said that if he could speak to the government, he would ‘plead’ for a safe house

By Lesego Chepape
Political meddling and corruption behind eThekwini water woes
National
/ 31 July 2023

Political meddling and corruption behind eThekwini water woes

A lack of necessary skills has also contributed to the metro’s water and sanitation crisis

By Lyse Comins
Editorial: Fix our water crisis now
Thought Leader
/ 2 June 2023

Editorial: Fix our water crisis now

Now is the time for accountability. Our leaders must deal with the consequences of their failures.

By Ozayr Patel
Cholera in the capital: the search for the source
Opinion
/ 1 June 2023

Cholera in the capital: the search for the source

Another national disaster looms as polluted Apies River may be the prime suspect behind the deadly Tshwane waterborne disease outbreak

By Basanda Nondlazi
Pit latrine drownings are harsh indictment of Ramaphosa
Opinion
/ 10 May 2023

Pit latrine drownings are harsh indictment of Ramaphosa

The failure of the president’s SAFE programme and the re-occurrence of pit latrine drownings continue to cast a harsh spotlight on the ANC government

By Naledi Ramontja
How Africa can achieve water security and sustainable sanitation
Africa
/ 1 April 2023

How Africa can achieve water security and sustainable sanitation

A report by an international high-level panel notes that a water shortage or contaminated water results in sub-Saharan Africa losing 5% of its GDP each year

By bird story agency
As waste piles up and the stench intensifies, Tembisa residents threaten protest
The Green Guardian
/ 9 February 2023

As waste piles up and the stench intensifies, Tembisa residents threaten protest

But the municipality has laid the blame for the filthy state of Tembisa at the feet of the community

By Lesego Chepape
Load-shedding hampers the supply of clean water – Salga
The Green Guardian
/ 14 October 2022

Load-shedding hampers the supply of clean water – Salga

Many large metros and municipalities are not prepared for extended electricity outages that disrupt the reliable supply of drinking water and sanitation services

By Sheree Bega
Maputo, a city where it rains regularly but there are still water challenges
The Green Guardian
/ 22 August 2022

Maputo, a city where it rains regularly but there are still water challenges

The Mozambican capital urgently needs adaptation strategies to deal with climate change-related issues

By Ozayr Patel
Local government must prioritise indigent households
Opinion
/ 5 August 2022

Local government must prioritise indigent households

Local government must prioritise indigent households in terms of providing water, electricity, sewerage and solid waste services but need to improve how they identify these families

By Pranish Desai and Leleti Maluleke
New municipal administrations must make asset management their priority
Opinion
/ 5 November 2021

New municipal administrations must make asset management their priority

Knowing where all the municipality’s assets are and the condition they are in and to plan for maintenance is key to successful service delivery

By Danie Fourie
South African cities must put green infrastructure firmly on the urban agenda
Opinion
/ 25 October 2021

South African cities must put green infrastructure firmly on the urban agenda

A green investment increases resilience and adapts cities to the harmful effects of climate change — and increases property prices and addresses issues such as health, water, sanitation and transport

By Liteboho Makhele
Umgeni Water acting chief executive resigns
National
/ 11 October 2021

Umgeni Water acting chief executive resigns

Nomalungelo Mkhize was appointed to the role only a year ago. Sandile Dube will step into her shoes in an acting capacity

By Paddy Harper
Urgent need for the world to reinvigorate rules-based multilateralism
Opinion
/ 29 September 2021

Urgent need for the world to reinvigorate rules-based multilateralism

The system needs to be more open and inclusive to give young people, civil society, the private sector, academia, and others a spot at the table

By Carlos Alvarado Quesada, Jacinda Ardern, Stefan Löfven, Cyril Ramaphosa, Macky Sall and Pedro Sánchez
EFF produces ambitious manifesto, promising land redistribution
Politics
/ 26 September 2021

EFF produces ambitious manifesto, promising land redistribution

The EFF has made bold promises to root out corruption in ailing municipalities and redistribute land to the poor ahead of this year’s local government elections.

By Lizeka Tandwa
We need to do more than recognise that water is a human right
Opinion
/ 31 August 2021

We need to do more than recognise that water is a human right

Water is central to human life and cuts across the sustainable development goals water

By Wafaie Fawzi and Alex Taylor
Verena C still collects water from a stream after projects costing millions failed
National
/ 13 June 2021

Verena C still collects water from a stream after projects costing millions failed

Residents of Verena C in Mpumalanga have to collect water from a polluted stream after projects costing millions of rands failed

By Marcia Zali
Calls for removal of unethical local government leaders at Salga conference
Politics
/ 13 May 2021

Calls for removal of unethical local government leaders at Salga conference

Ability must determine who gets hired, not jobs for pals or because of their political affiliation, says the head of the South African Local Government Association

By Chris Gilili
No silver lining for Silvertown
National
/ 30 April 2021

No silver lining for Silvertown

The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality does little to improve the living conditions in shack settlements in Gqeberha, residents say

By Sibongile Portia Jonas
South Africa will miss UN’s clean water targets
The Green Guardian
/ 9 April 2021

South Africa will miss UN’s clean water targets

Mismanagement, pollution and a water deficit exacerbated by climate change are to blame

By Sheree Bega
Act against Covid and climate crises
The Green Guardian
/ 9 January 2021

Act against Covid and climate crises

The government would do well to realise that these two disasters can’t be tackled separately

By Akhona Xotyeni
Madibeng has a ‘blatant disregard for the law’
National
/ 28 November 2020

Madibeng has a ‘blatant disregard for the law’

The local municipality irregularly spent at least R443.8-million according to the auditor general’s latest report

By Andries Sibanyoni
Klipgat residents left high and dry
National
/ 28 November 2020

Klipgat residents left high and dry

Flushing toilets were installed in backyards in the North West, but they can’t be used because the sewage has nowhere to go

By Andries Sibanyoni
African governments and the Covid-19 fallout
Africa
/ 18 August 2020

African governments and the Covid-19 fallout

The “Covid-19 Kairos” has provided governments with the opportunity to leverage the pandemic to create comprehensive sustainable economic development policies for all Africans

By Maria Sarungi-Tsehai, Nuru Mugambi and Lindelwa Farisani
Mandela would be disturbed at statistics showing how some South African children live
Opinion
/ 17 July 2020

Mandela would be disturbed at statistics showing how some South African children live

A large percentage don’t have access to adequate housing, food, clean water or sanitation, putting them and their families at a higher risk of the coronavirus

By Chris Jones
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