Residents of a new informal settlement outside Winburg gather to fill containers with water from a pipe supplied by the municipality. Sana Ntho, 54, said the water either has to be boiled or disinfected before drinking. With no electricity available, and firewood a scarce commodity, she adds a spoon of bleach to every 20-litre bucket of water. Photos: Steve Kretzmann 64 of 96 … [Read more...] about Free State drinking water polluted by sewage
GroundUp
Hydrogen as fuel: we should be selective about how we make and use it
A bus powered by a hydrogen fuel cell in Germany. Photo: Mayhem Chaos (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) South Africa has committed to setting up hydrogen technology to move away from fossil fuels like coal and oil. Depending on how it is produced, hydrogen can eliminate carbon dioxide emissions. But new research has found that leaked hydrogen produces indirect “greenhouse gas” effects on … [Read more...] about Hydrogen as fuel: we should be selective about how we make and use it
We’ll fight eviction, say families living on Joburg railway land
“Should they persist in moving people from here, we will have to finish the matter in court,” says Fanuel Mibota, who lives in a shack next to the the PRASA fence along the railway lines in Braamfontein. Photo: Kimberly Mutandiro About 50 people live on PRASA land next to the railway lines in Braamfontein. PRASA has told them to vacate the land, but they say they do no harm … [Read more...] about We’ll fight eviction, say families living on Joburg railway land
Education department misses court deadline to pay educators
Mary Waters High School in Makhanda has been struggling with teacher shortages for years. It had to take the department to court first. The provincial education department has just missed a court deadline to pay assistant teachers at the school. Photo: Lucas Nowicki Lawyers representing Mary Waters High School will soon file contempt of court papers against the Eastern Cape … [Read more...] about Education department misses court deadline to pay educators
High Court victory for former farm worker from Wellington
The Western Cape High Court has ruled in favour of Eric Lolo who went to court to hold the Drakenstein Municipality accountable for emergency housing for people evicted from farms. Archive photo: Barbara Maregele The Drakenstein Municipality failed in its constitutional duty to provide emergency housing for people evicted from farms, a court has ruled. In a case brought by … [Read more...] about High Court victory for former farm worker from Wellington
