sewagelatest news & developments
Building materials lie exposed and no workers have been seen for months at the R300-million Polokwane Regional Wastewater Treatment Works project. Photos: Judas Sekwela

Sewage in the rivers as Polokwane water treatment project stalls

Polluted water is flowing into the Blood and Sand rivers

  • Eyaaz
2 min read
(Graphic: John McCann/M&G)

Living in the darkness of a broken city – Johannesburg

We are at the mercy of ageing infrastructure, corrupt municipal workers and city officials who have lost control over Johannesburg

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
New Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina. (David Harrison/M&G)

State water projects ‘held to ransom’ by construction mafia

New Water and Sanitation Minister Pemmy Majodina says she will work with municipalities that are in debt, diversify water supply to include desalination and introduce measures to reduce water use levels

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
Water testing in Carolina. Photo by Imminent Mabuza, courtesy of WaterCAN.

Struggle for clean water continues as 14-year crisis in Mpumalanga township worsens

In 2012 the municipality was ordered to fix Carolina’s water problems, but has still not done so

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
Not a drop to drink: Ndenzeni Njwenene, 82, fetches water for from a river near Mthatha. Despite millions being spent on a project in the ward, seven years later taps are still dry. Many municipalities in the Eastern Cape fail to provide potable water. Photo: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty Images

Myriad causes of SA’s water crisis

Ageing and a failure to maintain infrastructure are among the reasons so many people do not have clean water

  • Eyaaz
4 min read
In early February, AfriForum, together with several other organisations, businesses and community members, removed more than 1 623 tonnes of water lettuce from the Vaal River. Photo: AfriForum

Spraying toxic herbicide on Vaal River to rid it of water lettuce ‘is criminal’

Water specialists have said the use of glyphosate is in contravention of the National Water Act and is a risk for humans and toxic for aquatic life

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
Sewage flows in Scotts Farm, Makhanda (2024). Photo: Lucas Nowicki

The Fiscal Cliff | South Africa treads water over municipal budgets and crumbling sanitation infrastructure

Makana’s budget, and those of most municipalities, need monitoring  and the corrupt and wasteful held to account

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
Artificial lakes like Hartbeespoort must be treated and managed as semi-natural lake ecosystems to keep them healthy and support demands made on them such as raw potable water and recreational use. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

SA rivers, dams, used as waste disposal systems, says ecologist

The nutrient enrichment problem can’t be solved unless appropriate levels of wastewater treatment are applied

  • Sheree Bega
6 min read