Johannesburg Residents Protest, Demand End to Water Outages
Residents of Westbury, Johannesburg, have intensified protests over persistent water outages, vowing to continue until their demands are met, reports SABC News. Disgruntled community members barricaded roads with rocks and burning tyres over water outages. They accused the City of Johannesburg of neglecting their plight despite repeated complaints. Pensioner Iven Leon, who relies on chronic medication, said he has gone three days without bathing.
Attacks on Social Workers on the Rise in Western Cape
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Western Cape Social Development MEC Jaco Londt has condemned the rising attacks on social workers, reports EWN. 54 cases have been reported of social workers being attacked since the 1st of April 2024, to date. Most of the attacks are occurring in Khayelitsha, Harare and Mfuleni. He said that psychosocial support is being provided to affected staff and that R15 million has been allocated in the 2025/2026 budget to strengthen safety measures at departmental facilities. Londt noted that the province has urged national authorities to classify social workers as essential workers, while the DA has called for crimes against them to be treated as crimes against the State. He said that social workers play a vital role in serving vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly, and should not have their lives endangered by criminals.
Five People to Be Charged Over Jagersfontein Dam Collapse
The Hawks in the Free State have confirmed that five individuals and three companies will face charges over the 2022 Jagersfontein dam wall collapse, reports SABC News. The incident claimed the lives of three people and left several properties damaged. The accused, aged between 34 and 80, are expected to appear in the Jagersfontein Magistrate's Court on September 10. Hawks spokesperson Zweli Mohobeleli said the suspects, including employees of an engineering firm, a compliance officer, and an operations manager, face charges of murder, malicious damage to property, and contravention of the Health and Safety Act following a joint investigation with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
