Blog by Jonathan

WaterCAN welcomes Emalahleni ruling – calls for nationwide crackdown, personal accountability for municipal polluters

WaterCAN has welcomed the landmark Mpumalanga High Court ruling that fined the Emalahleni Local Municipality R650 million for years of allowing untreated sewage to flow into rivers and dams – but says this must be the start of a nationwide crackdown on municipal polluters and the individuals who ena...

Jonathan
13.11.2025 20:47:24 - Comment(s)
Days before the G20 Summit, Joburg Water’s R1 Billion debt sparks humanitarian crisis – says WaterCAN.
  • Johannesburg Water’s debt has surged past R1 billion, resulting in unpaid contractors thousands without access to water;
  • WaterCAN accuses the city of financial mismanagement and demands urgent action;
  • With the G20 Summit days away, WaterCAN warns that the city’s priorities are misplaced, prioritising ...
  • Jonathan
    11.11.2025 11:16:31 - Comment(s)
    “No Water, No Vote”: Joburg’s united protest demands action

    The Joburg Crisis Alliance notes that the water crisis protest on 01 November 2025, at the Metro Centre, brought people together from across the city of Johannesburg in a show of unity. The large numbers who attended the protest reflected the unity that can be built from a common struggle across rac...

    Jonathan
    05.11.2025 11:51:40 - Comment(s)
    Is the Sewer System of Johannesburg Collapsing?

    Written by Dr Teresa Dirsuweit

    In 2024, WaterCAN — an organisation that monitors and reports on water quality — distributed testing kits to volunteers across the Johannesburg area. Dedicated citizen scientists have been regularly testing the city’s streams and monitoring pollution sources. The r...

    Jonathan
    04.11.2025 13:45:11 - Comment(s)
    Community-led citizen science a solution to Free State’s water crisis

    Communities in the Free State are living through a daily water crisis - dry taps, contaminated rivers, and sewage flowing through neighbourhoods. 
    On 14 October 2025, WaterCAN held a community water training and testing workshop in the Free State to help citizens take back control through scienc...
    Jonathan
    28.10.2025 15:58:43 - Comment(s)