water shortageslatest news & developments
Tools of the trade: When the city manager took up his position, the electricity department had one bakkie to cover Qwaqwa. He has since equipped the municipality with the needed vehicles.

Prisoners, parolees and ghost workers on municipality payroll

Maluti-a-Phofung city manager Mzwakhe Mofokeng is on the warpath to stamp out rampant and entrenched corruption bringing the town to its knees

  • Eyaaz
8 min read
Along with crime, water has become the single most important issue for many South Africans. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Water crisis rivals crime as top concern for South Africans, Ramaphosa says

The government is moving to establish a national water crisis committee, intervene in failing municipalities and hold municipal managers criminally accountable for persistent water outages

  • Sheree Bega
4 min read
Intent on governing: EFF leader Julius Malema talking to the media about the party’s campaign strategy. Photo: EFF

EFF vows to ‘punish’ ANC at polls

Next local government elections will be a decisive test, Malema says as party launches plan of attack

  • Eyaaz
3 min read
Good examples: In Midvaal, the library was teeming with locals who had access to free wifi and computers provided by the municipality. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

In Midvaal, the evidence suggests the DA does govern better

Even the informal settlements have running water, uninterrupted electricity and their own toilets

  • Eyaaz
8 min read
Mess: Comparisons are often drawn between Midvaal and the badly run Emfuleni municipality next door. Photos: Delwyn Verasamy

For Emfuleni residents, life is a daily grind of service delivery failures

The ANC-run municipality refuses to accept blame, accusing some residents of paying for DStv, servicing clothing accounts and drinking expensive alcohol instead of paying their rates

  • Eyaaz
7 min read
A water tanker in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State. The province’s lack of reliable services is scuppering the tourism industry. File photo (Delwyn Verasamy)

Free State tourism growth hampered by poor municipal services, says MEC Toto Makume

Some municipalities fail to provide a reliable supply of basic services such as water and electricity

3 min read
(Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

South Africans must embrace drinking treated sewage water or risk severe shortages

Failing infrastructure and increased demand means Gauteng residents may soon have to rely on treated sewage to quench their thirst

  • Sheree Bega
8 min read
Rand Water has assured residents in the City of Johannesburg that water will flow into taps soon

Rand Water makes headway in Johannesburg maintenance project

The water utility is carrying out the 39-day work to restore old pipes This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your Free Account The Mail & Guardian is committed to providing all our readers with the best possible experience. Please register your free account now. Your registration is your first step to becoming an M&G community member. Register Registration enables: – M&G newsletters access – notifications – the best possible experience Already registered? Login here Want to subscribe and get even more benefits? Explore our subscription offers

  • Umamah Bakharia
1 min read
The Nqweba Dam near Graaff-Reinet has recharged after dropping to 4.98%. (Murat Ozgur Guvendik/Getty Images)

It’s dangerous to forget Cape Town’s Day Zero

Water scarcity in dry places has long shaped how people have used the resource

  • Eyaaz
5 min read