20 September 2023 / updated 26 September 2023
MEDIA ALERT & INVITE: Communities across the country embark on a water testing at locations across the country tomorrow 21 September – activating citizen science for World Water Monitoring Day and Water Testing Week Campaign The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) - a network of organisations advocating for equitable and just use, protection and provision of water in South Africa – is partnering with Water Community Action Network [CAN]’s programme and Water Testing Week (17 – 24 September), in conjunction with World Water Monitoring Day on 18 September to do water testing at locations across the country, to show the extent of poor water quality and lack of access to safe clean water, with other civil society partners.
Communities are severely impacted by the water and energy crisis in South Africa, compounded by us being a water scarce country and a climate change hotspot bringing prolonged droughts and floods. Both the electricity and water crises we are facing, are the result of many years of increasing demand, infrastructure neglect and municipal mismanagement, exacerbated by the loss of state resources through corruption – resulting in reduced funds available for maintenance and development.
Goedverwacht, Piketberg - municipal dam
The pollution of our rivers, water sources and oceans due to poor waste management and failing wastewater treatment works means millions of South Africans do not have access to safe drinking water, and face deteriorating environmental health. The water crisis impacts the physical, psychological, and environmental health of communities and limits social and economic development like small-scale and urban farming, water based cultural and sports activities, and use of green spaces like parks.
We want to prevent another human rights crisis like we saw in Hammanskraal, by highlighting the status of water quality on the ground, across the country. Working for solutions and accountability for water crisis areas with municipalities and other stakeholders. It is in the context of this water crisis that SAWC joins WaterCAN’s programme “that has shown that citizen science water testing is the starting point and can be used to change behaviour and hold people accountable.” . The WaterCAN programme has provided water testing kits and training on how to use them to build the capacity of citizens to actively assess water quality for community members’ and animal consumption, and food growing / farming activities.
SAWC invites you to join us and our members at testing locations at a variety of water source and distribution sites (listed below with local contact persons, and national contacts further down.) WaterCAN will be collecting and analysing the results of this Water Testing Week.
Western Cape – Piketberg, Goedverwacht: all households in Goedverwacht have had water-shedding (1 hour of water from taps per day since 2017 – with no notice / consultation), due to unpaid water and electricity service bills by Moravian Church of South Africa (MCSA) to West Coast District Municipality (WCDM) and Eskom. Due to MCSA owning the land in Goedverwacht, residents pay their municipal dues to MCSA who have contracts with WCDM and Berg Rivier Local District Municipality to deliver municipal services. Municipal testing by WCDM (results available) and experiences of residents point to polluted water not fit for human consumption. The farming community has been able to continue production of their organic crops due to the irrigation system they engineered in 1995 from an alternative (not municipal) water source.
WaterCAN, the Western Cape Water Caucus, Environmental Monitoring Group (EMG) and Housing Assembly will be joining the Goedverwacht community for more water testing on 21 September from 10 am – 2pm, where they will table their demands for accountability from MCSA and municipalities for delivery of clean safe water to the households.
CONTACT: Merle Dietrich 083 252 7538 Ecowin Tourism and Development Forum/Goedverwacht Organic (PGS) Farmers – Danny Smith 082 370 044
The municipal reservoir serving the households in Goedverwacht. Weekly community groups go remove sand / objects from the reservoir to prevent blockage and pollution.
The irrigation goes up the mountain slope to this water filtering station that was invested in through a contract between MCSA and Berg Rivier Municipality in 2017 of R4 million to deliver safe drinking water to households. Eskom cut off the electricity so the filtering system is not working.
The community have tried to seal the leaking main pipe that goes distributes water to households.
Engineering doesn’t allow enough water pressure to get a good amount of water during the 1 hour of supply daily.
Western Cape – Kuils River Catchment -The Kuils River is polluted due to lack of waste management services by City of Cape Town. Water testing will be done at Corner Leiden and Spine Roads, Khayelitsha. CONTACT: Mpumelelo Mhlalisi 072 232 4511
Western Cape - Kuils River Catchment Area:
Environmental club members doing water testing on standpipe water at Burundi, Mfuleni [pictured right]
Northern Cape – Kharkams, Tweerivier, Nourivier, and Spoegrivier - Kamiesberg Municipality - The Northern Cape is a semi-desert and climate change is causing erratic rainfall patterns resulting in both flooding and droughts in these areas. Residents in the Kamiesberg Municipality have been facing water cuts that can last up to 14 days for the last two years.
In 2021, the water issue reached a crisis stage. The municipality has installed Jojo tanks, and water is delivered every 3 - 5 days. However, this water has been insufficient for the needs of the community members, who must stand in queues and report that the water has a bitter taste. Residents wanted to test the quality of the borehole water, Jojo tanks, as well as the local rivers, for human consumption. CONTACT: Benjamin Kriel 066 014 1707
Northern Cape – Kuruman, John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality & Ga-Magara Local Municipality: Water quality testing will be done on tap water, borehole water and at the Eye of Kuruman river in Ga-Segonyana. Tap water in Ga-Magara will be tested as the area is impacted by operations of the Anglo-American mines. CONTACT Boitumelo Tsehlo 079 693 9207
Mpumalanga - Middelburg - Steve Tshwete Municipality: Water testing will be done on the tap water in Mhluzi, and on the Klein Olifants River as water is dirty and polluted by mining operations. CONTACT: Bafana Hlatshwayo 076 923 229
KwaZulu Natal – King Cetshwayo District Municipality in uMfolozi Municipality: Water testing will be done in Ward 15 where the community gets running water once a week from communal taps to determine the quality coming from the water plant via the reservoir. Testing for water quality will also take place at the local river - uMsunduzi where livestock drinks and community members get water for irrigation.
CONTACT: Siya Myeza 083 693 8150
Limpopo – water testing will be done at these locations to assess quality for drinking:
· River testing at Lephalale, Letaba, Letsitele, Selati, Tlhabane
· Thabina water purification, Thabina river - Greater Tzaneen, Mopani District Municipality
· Mmasegwana river for community drinking (no river with this name on Google)
· Quality of purification of standpipe water.
· Tzaneen, Mopani Municipality
· Batlhabine community - Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality
CONTACT: Mashile Phalane cell 072 336 7853
Limpopo – Mokopane - Mogalakwena Municipality: Water testing will be done on drinking water and four rivers in the area. Reports say the water is dirty, polluted by mining operations in the area. CONTACT: Margaret Molomo 072 801 3045
North West - reports of dirty water at these locations, water testing will be done to assess quality:
· Moretele’s drinking water - Bojanala District Municipality
· Marikana’s drinking water – Rustenburg Local Municipality
· Letlhabile and Wonderkop’s drinking water, plus one river – Madibeng Local Municipality . CONTACT: Raserola Mashamaite 071 308 3303
Eastern Cape – water testing at various locations/areas and water sources - taps, rivers and dams including:
· Mxumbu village’s tap water and Debe Nek Dam - Amahlathi Local Municipality
· Dimbaza township’s tap water and Dimbaza Dam - Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
· Middledrift town’s tap water - Raymond Mhlaba Municipality and Sandile Dam, Keiskamma River
· Keiskammahoek’s tap water - Amahlathi Local Municipality, and Keiskamma River – Amathole District Municipality
· King William Town’s tap water and Buffalo River - Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
· Mdantsane, Berlin and East London’s tap water - Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality
· Bhele village’s tap water and Bhele River - Ngqushwa Municipality
· Alice Town’s tap water - Raymond Mhlaba Municipality
· Ngqamakwe’s tap water and river water – Amathole District Municipality
· Lusikisiki’s tap water and river water - Ingquza Hill Local Municipality
CONTACT: Xolisa Dwane 072 064 5848
Gauteng – Springs, Blesbokspruit River: Water testing will be done at Blesbokspruit, Bulithando Park and Black Road Extension 7 KwaThemba to assess water quality. CONTACT: Sandile Nombeni 065 293 8694
Gauteng - Emfuleni Local Municipality: Water testing will take place at Rietspruit / or area serviced by Sebokeng Tap Water to assess the quality. Water is reported to be an unusual colour of and tasteless, which may be because of contamination.
CONTACT Bongani kaMthembu 071 702 042
For interviews please contact:
o SAWC: national coordinator Sandile Nombeni 065 293 8694
o WaterCAN: Dr Ferrial Adam 074 1813 197
o EMG - SAWC secretariat: Apiwe Mdunyelwa 078 520 1730
o SAFCEI: Maia Nangle 076 314 0961 - Lydia Petersen 061 348 9941