Elizabeth Masinge struggles to get the wheelbarrow over the rocky gravel road near her home in Bode Village, outside Giyani in Limpopo. The 69-year-old zig-zags across the road, trying hard to control the load: two 25-litre containers full of water. …
Patricia Maluleke* is fraught with worry. The unemployed 29-year-old from Thohoyandou, in Limpopo, recently had a baby girl and it’s been a struggle. “My daughter is only four-months old, but I am already facing uncertainty whether I will be able…
In the past 30 days, Johannesburg’s air pollution has reached the highest level since 2018. According to the South African Air Quality Index, the average PM2.5 concentrations have been at 72 micrograms per cubic metre. This is almost five times…
For years, residents of Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, have complained about poor quality water and an unreliable water supply. For years, nothing has been done. This week, amidst a cholera outbreak that’s claimed the lives of 22 people, the Department…
Better funding and an environment that makes it easier for people to make healthy choices are key for South Africa to overcome its hypertension and diabetes burdens. A recent study by the University of Stellenbosch points to the detrimental impact…
Pregnant women living in areas that are air pollution hotspots are at increased risk of giving birth to children with a cleft lip and palate (CLP). In a recent study, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRP) examined cases of…
As residents in the Seshego township in Limpopo continue to experience water cuts, the threat of contracting waterborne diseases has caused an increased sense of fear. Taps in the township, which falls under the Polokwane municipality, have been dry…
Residents in the surrounding areas of Potchefstroom in the North West have had to live with little or no water for weeks. Load shedding has been identified as the most recent cause as water problems continue to plague the JB…
The mining town of Jagersfontein in the Free State is facing dry, dark days ahead without water as the situation deteriorates. It is so bad that patients take buckets of water when visiting local clinics. Water reserves have run dry…
As the globe marks World Health Day today, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that urgent action is needed to keep humans and the planet healthy. It is estimated that more than 13 millions deaths globally each year are…
The Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA) is fighting to include health in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Presidential Climate Commission (PCC). According to the PCC, its mission is to oversee and facilitate a just and equitable transition towards a low-emissions…
Two of the Free State’s biggest hospitals have postponed some surgeries as Bloemfontein’s water shortage enters its second week. The Universitas and Pelonomi Hospitals are making do with water rations following the immediate cut of water supply from their reservoirs…
As the country celebrates Human Rights Day today, South Africa still has millions who face the harsh reality of starvation and food insecurity. According to Meggan Volkwyn, FoodForward SA‘s communication officer, around 30 million South Africans are food insecure. More…
Residents of Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) in the Eastern Cape have had to either dig deep into their pockets or take matters into their own hands after the water quality in the area was deemed unsafe. Last week, authorities urged…
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed that access to testing for typhoid fever remains a huge challenge in many parts of South Africa. So far, two outbreaks have been reported as concerns about the quality of drinking water…
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