We have to make the water sector an island of integrity

By Mike Muller and Barbara SchreinerFirst published in the Sunday Times By the end of the 2018/2019 financial year the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) had a staggering R16.5-billion in irregular expenditure and was, in the words of the chair of parliament’s standing committee on public accounts, insolvent. On 13 May the minister of Read more >

Dear Mr President, let us help keep the vultures at bay

By civil society organisationsFirst published on Daily Maverick Dear President Cyril Ramaphosa  We, the undersigned organisations, commend you for the decisive action taken over the last few weeks in dealing with the Covid-19 crisis. We note the efforts of the state in placing the health and wellbeing of people at the forefront of decision-making.  However, Read more >

Give small business opportunities

Pierre Mpapele Government has created great expectation for small businesses to afford them opportunities to supply Covid-19 supplies. We were invited to register on the government portal and on the central database, but that was the end of the engagement. People who do not have clothing businesses are at the forefront of opportunities to supply Read more >

Busting the curfew to get home

Guest contributor The seven-day grace period for people to move from one province to another during lockdown came to an end at midnight on Thursday, 7 May 2020. Thousands of people took up the opportunity to either return to their places of work or go home. Before lockdown I had travelled from Johannesburg to Durban Read more >

Load shedding blues for some communities

Betsie du Plooy Since lockdown started, the Govan Mbeki Municipality (GMM) started their own load shedding. From day one, Bethal and the townships of Embalenhle and Emzinoni had load shedding, at times for three or four hours per day, and other times for up to seven or eight hours. They created a so-called schedule, but Read more >

“The people are starving, many families are out of food”

Guest contributors These are some of the experiences shared with us: Monica de KockStrange how to keep oxygen in your blood, you must essentially be outdoors, exercising or taking in sunlight, otherwise your oxygen levels drop. The Corona virus, however, affects oxygen levels in your red blood cells. We have a huge open space, but Read more >

Drugs an extra element of danger in Covid-19 pandemic

Guest contributor Good day I’m not happy at all. In my area we have nyaope (street drug) boys, prostitutes and car jackers at the notorious Protea Glen Ext11 Shell garage. The police have chased these guys from Shell thinking all is well when they don’t see them there. They are now behind Shell, close to Read more >

Corruption means no fresh water, no explanation

Guest Contributor I have decided to quarantine in Elandskraal Village in Limpopo and unfortunately, it has become my first encounter with inhumane and corrupt leadership. As I am sending this e-mail, the residents have not had water for over two weeks, and there is no transparency or communication from the local municipality to explain the Read more >