SANISHA PACKIRISAMY: While the ice melts, South Africa’s taps are running dry
Ageing infrastructure and lack of investment in new water projects compound the country’s water challenges
World Water Day, celebrated on March 22, focuses on glacier preservation, a theme that resonates globally as melting ice disrupts water cycles and ecosystems. Though seemingly distant from South Africa, it’s a stark reminder that water security is a global issue with local consequences. Here at home, the crisis feels more immediate, with taps running dry in rural areas, cholera outbreaks in urban centres and half of municipal water being lost to leaks — all leaving millions without reliable access to clean water.
The 2023 cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal, which the World Health Organisation reports claimed 47 lives and affected a suspected 1,290 residents, exposed the infirmity of South Africa’s water systems. Malfunctioning wastewater treatment plants, chronic underinvestment, mismanagement and alleged misappropriation of funds were at the heart of the crisis. These systemic issues are incisively illustrated in the department of water & sanitation’s (DWS’s) 2023 “Green Drop ...
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