March 12, 2023
South Africa: Massive Explosion, Electricity Outages Leave Nelson Mandela Bay Metro Facing a Week Without Water
The Nelson Mandela Bay metro braces for week-long water outages after two major electricity failures and a substation explosion. Read more »
February 19, 2023
South Africa: Flood Wreaks Havoc On Eastern Cape After Weekend of Torrential Rain
The body of a six-year-old was recovered on Sunday afternoon while workers are still searching for his mother and his four-year-old sister. Another two boys are missing but… Read more »
February 20, 2023
South Africa: SA Weather Service Issues Alerts As Govt Responds to Flood Chaos
The government has declared a National State of Disaster to enable an 'intensive, coordinated response' to the floods that have devastated parts of seven of South Africa's nine… Read more »
January 27, 2023
South Africa: Cheetahs Cleared for Take-Off After South Africa-India 'Extinction Reversal' Agreement
The ambitious conservation project offers the hope of creating vital new living space for wild cheetah populations but it has drawn both praise and criticism from experts and… Read more »
December 23, 2022
South Africa: Shell Determined to Pursue Seismic Exploration Ambitions Off South Africa's Wild Coast
Oil giant is appealing cancellation of permit to explore for oil in the ecologically rich waters. Read more »
December 20, 2022
South Africa: KZN Floods Exposed Vulnerabilities in Local Structures and Disaster Response
The KwaZulu-Natal floods in April took the lives of 443 people and left countless others displaced. Interviews conducted by SECTION27 in the aftermath revealed an inadequate… Read more »
December 18, 2022
South Africa: We All Saw the Durban Sewage Crisis Coming, but Remained Silent
Dr Imraan Buccus is senior research associate at ASRI. Read more »
December 01, 2022
South Africa: Cape Town Mayor Bullish On Solving City's Sewage Crisis but Residents Say Much More Needs to Be Done
The city still has numerous sewage pollution issues, but Geordin Hill-Lewis is 'on the right track', says expert. Read more »
November 10, 2022
South Africa: South Africa's R1.5-Trillion Plan for Decarbonising in the Next Five Years
In a nutshell, the plan focuses on decarbonising and developing three key sectors: electricity, new-energy vehicles and green hydrogen. It will cost about R1.5-trillion. Read more »
October 16, 2022
South Africa: Johannesburg Water Calls Emergency Meeting As Levels Shift From Critically Low to Empty
Several parts of Johannesburg are without water after Rand Water's load shift crashed Johannesburg Water's Commando system. Read more »
October 04, 2022
South Africa: Taps Run Dry in Parts of Johannesburg
Rand Water doubles water restrictions as city reservoirs run dry -- water cuts are the new load shedding, say residents. Read more »
September 04, 2022
South Africa: Big Stink As City Hides Its Durban Beach Water Lab Results
The city's failure to play open cards threatens to further erode public trust in a beach monitoring system designed to safeguard public health. Read more »
September 01, 2022
South Africa: Activists Celebrate Big Win for Wild Coast Against Mantashe and Shell
The Makhanda High Court has set aside a decision by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to grant an exploration right to Shell to conduct seismic surveys off the Wild… Read more »
August 21, 2022
South Africa: Mother Dead, Scores Sick With Diarrhoea As Polluted Tap Water Confirmed
In response to questions from Our Burning Planet after the death of Rashnie Baijnath, the eThekwini Municipality confirmed that tap water in the Birchwood area, west of the city,… Read more »
July 31, 2022
South Africa: A Tribute to the Unsung Wildlife Conservation Heroes Dedicated to Safeguarding Our Natural Heritage
Today, 31 July, marks the date when countries around the world celebrate World Ranger Day to acknowledge the work rangers do in safeguarding the planet's natural heritage, and to… Read more »
South Africa: Scientific Evidence Is Clear - Elephants Are Affecting Biodiversity in the Kruger National Park
Elephants are important and sentient animals. This makes any discussion about their management difficult and thus the debate about elephant numbers in the Kruger National Park… Read more »
July 28, 2022
South Africa: Eastern Cape Govt Ordered to Reveal Secret Details of Permits to Kill Leopards
In what is seen as a dual victory for transparency and wildlife conservation, the Eastern Cape High Court on Tuesday ordered the provincial MEC for Environmental Affairs to… Read more »
South Africa: Violent Death of Ranger Anton Mzimba Mourned By Conservationists Worldwide
The murder this week of 49-year-old Timbavati ranger Anton Mzimba has caused an explosion of grief and anger, with many calls being made for his killers to be arrested. Read more »
July 24, 2022
Africa: Pioneering Study Attributes U.S.$6-Trillion in Global Warming-Related Economic Losses to USA, China and Others
The first study to assess the economic impacts that individual countries have caused on other countries - through their contributions to global warming - shows that five national… Read more »
July 12, 2022
South Africa: Durban's River-Healing Plan a Roadmap for African Cities to Cope With Climate Floods
A R719-million river clean-up and flood protection project in Durban could serve as a model to cushion other vulnerable cities in Africa from the impacts of climate change. Read more »
July 11, 2022
South Africa: Pride of Lions Driven Back to Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park After Killing Five Cattle
A pride of lions has been shepherded back into the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park after killing at least five cattle in the neighbouring Okhukho area, near Ulundi in KwaZulu-Natal. Read more »
July 06, 2022
South Africa: Waste Is One of Joburg's Biggest Environmental Challenges, Says Councillor
Rapid urbanisation has contributed a vast amount to the city's growing waste problem. As the city expands, so does waste, while space for landfills shrinks. Councillor Michael Sun… Read more »
South Africa: Eleven Days Without Water - Load Shedding in Eastern Cape Wrecks Middelburg Borehole Pumps
The people of Midros in Middelburg in the Eastern Cape have been without water for 11 days after crucial borehole pumps burnt out during load shedding on 25 June. It has taken the… Read more »
July 05, 2022
South Africa: UN Development Agency Slammed for Support of 'Flawed' Chinese Industrial Mega-Project in Limpopo
Representatives of a group of civil society organisations are calling for the United Nations Development Programme to retract a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the… Read more »
June 30, 2022
South Africa: Coal Mining Onslaught On Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park Is Tantamount to Ecocide
What is happening with coal mining in northern KwaZulu-Natal in a Freshwater Ecosystem Priority Area is a war on water and our climate resilience. Read more »