Almost 40% of school water samples found unsafe for drinking
A national school-based water testing initiative has found that nearly 4 in 10 water samples from South African schools are unsafe for human consumption.
The Water Warrior school water quality project, launched by WaterCAN under the Water Warriors Collective, ran for a month and involved 95 schools across eight provinces.
Teachers trained pupils to use water testing kits and upload their findings to the online MapMyWater tool, turning them into citizen scientists.
Water sources tested included tap water, JoJo tanks, and rivers.
While only 53 schools (47%) successfully submitted results, limited by technical issues and school holidays, the data paints a troubling picture: 43% of water samples showed unsafe bacterial contamination;
73% of tank water samples contained harmful bacteria, including E. coli;
66% of river samples and 23% of tap water samples were unsafe;
Some samples indicated low pH and elevated phosphate levels, both of which may pose long-term health risks.
JoJo tanks, which are widely used in rural and township schools, emerged as the worst-performing water source.
Poor maintenance, infrequent cleaning, and unreliable municipal supply were identified as major problems.
According to Timeslive , many schools, particularly those in quintile 1–3 categories, lack reliable access to clean water.
Some pupils bring bottled water from home, while others rely on rainwater or streams.
In extreme cases, learners relieve themselves in open fields due to non-functional toilets, without water or soap for hygiene.
This has wider consequences beyond health; it undermines dignity, concentration, and school attendance, especially for girls during menstruation.
Executive Director of WaterCAN, Dr Ferrial Adam, said, 'This is not just citizen science, it's civic action.'
'Unsafe water is not just a health issue, it's an education issue, a gender issue and a human rights issue.'
WaterCAN notified affected schools when they found contaminated water and guided them on immediate interventions and long-term engagement with municipalities.
Adam stressed that with over 24 000 schools in South Africa, this project only scratches the surface.
'The findings call for a nationally coordinated school water testing and response programme. Every learner deserves clean, safe access.'
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Daily Maverick
12 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
The why behind the surge in Christian fundamentalist hate against transgender people
Two researchers explain the disinformation tactics used by Christian fundamentalist groups to attack transgender and gender-diverse people. Christian fundamentalist organisations are tailoring deliberate anti-transgender messaging in South Africa and other African countries, framing 'gender ideology' as a form of attack on them. Why is this happening? The anti-transgender language is explicitly developed to deliver a message that transgender people are a threat to cisgender women's rights and safety, and to the family, and they disseminate that message to the public with pseudoscientific messaging. The disinformation is deliberate, designed to question the existence of transgender and gender-diverse people and justify discrimination against them. Dr Ingrid Lynch is an independent researcher and research fellow at Rhodes University with years of experience and published peer-reviewed papers about gender. In one of her reports, she notes that these groups primarily leverage religious fundamentalist narratives in two key ways: by positioning themselves as defenders of the ordained 'natural' or 'traditional' family. However, in South Africa, less than a third of families conform to this narrow two-cisgender heterosexual biological parent model. The notion of protecting the family, Lynch argues, is really about exclusion – about determining who does and does not deserve social and policy protections. 'Ultimately, this 'pro-family' messaging excludes most South African families and undermines any real support for their wellbeing,' says Lynch. Common entry points for fundamentalist groups have included opposition to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), the rights of LGBTIQ persons and their families, and safe and legal abortion. But in recent years there has been a sharp increase in opposition to the rights of transgender and gender-diverse people, especially regarding access to gender-affirming healthcare. 'There are still people who have prejudiced ideas about homosexuality and gender diversity. But this Global North anti-trans rhetoric is not organic. It is fermented in countries like the US and UK and exported to African countries. It comes back to Christian nationalism and the far right. These movements promote a narrow vision of national identity tied to conservative religious values. 'There is a rigid idea of what a family should look like, which for so long was used against same-sex marriage and LGBTQI+ rights. That is being bolstered again to attack the rights of transgender and gender-diverse people. This very particular idea of what a family should look like, within that ideology, does not accommodate gender diversity. 'Because it is rooted in a very patriarchal system, we are seeing how the rights of not only trans women but also cisgender women are being eroded again. These groups cling to the patriarchal gender binary and the traditional view of women, often tied to white supremacist ideas about race and national identity. In the US you see it at political rallies where they talk about the great replacement theory – a conspiracy claiming that certain groups are being 'replaced' demographically – and pronatalism,' says Lynch. It is an absolute and violent reinforcement of the gender binary. Jenna-Lee de Beer-Procter, a clinical psychologist and researcher, who provides mental healthcare to transgender and gender-diverse people, says: 'Gender diversity unsettles the dominant order. In societies that are built around rigid ideas of gender, where cisgender identities are treated as natural and unchanging, the idea that gender might be fluid, self-determined or simply different is seen as threatening.' Children are not protected The typical response is 'we want to protect children' when gender-affirming care is withheld. Fundamentalist groups struggle to influence policy using straightforward religious rhetoric alone. Lynch explains that 'they undermine the rights of transgender people by targeting gender-affirming healthcare'. These groups often claim they protect the 'vulnerable' and advocate for 'exploratory psychotherapy', essentially a form of conversion therapy that has been discredited as unscientific and inhumane. 'They constantly invent new terms and distort research to justify denying transgender youth access to gender-affirming care. Pseudoscience has become one of their main tools,' says Lynch. 'If they genuinely cared about transgender and gender-diverse children, they would care about them not being discriminated against. And they would accept the fact that they exist. They want to delay care and withhold any affirmation in the hope that it will go away. This leaves a child with no support. Instead, focus on ensuring that transgender youth don't have to face bullying in schools, and on creating a sense of belonging and safety regardless of a child's gender identity. It is heartbreaking that this argument is used,' says Lynch. De Beer de Beer-Procter adds: 'The harm done is immense. When care is delayed, distress increases. When identity is doubted, trust breaks down. And when young people are forced to prove they are 'really' trans before being believed, they learn that support is conditional and that they must perform their pain in just the right way to be taken seriously. Many give up. Some are forced to seek care in unsafe or underground ways. Others simply learn to disappear. 'What gets called caution is often a refusal to see – or to listen. And while it may protect institutions or adults from feeling uncertain, it leaves trans youth alone in their pain. That's not protection. That's abandonment,' they say. Questioning gender-affirming care under the guise of 'concern' within a society which privileges cisgender people over transgender people is anything but neutral. Power is not distributed evenly when certain groups are afforded more visibility, legitimacy and safety than others – not always because they ask for it, but because systems have been built around their experiences and assumptions. Cisgender people occupy this dominant position. They are not asked to prove their identities, explain their pronouns or justify the healthcare they receive. Their gender is taken for granted as 'normal', 'natural' and the 'default'. Trans people, by contrast, are consistently positioned as questionable. De Beer de Beer-Procter explains: 'Our identities are scrutinised. Our access to care is debated. Our presence in schools, hospitals and public life is treated as controversial. In this context, so-called neutrality doesn't create balance – it reinforces stigma. And it sets back the hard-fought progress we've made in securing gender-affirming care, legal recognition and the basic right to exist without being treated as a problem to solve. What's more, the 'concern' being expressed is rarely based on accurate information. Gender-affirming care is routinely misrepresented as rushed, reckless or automatic – as though thousands of children are being hurried into life-altering decisions. 'But this is simply not true. In South Africa, access to gender-affirming care is already extremely limited. Public provision exists in only a handful of clinics, often with yearslong waiting lists. Only one public clinic in the entire country offers support to trans youth. In the private sector, trained endocrinologists, social workers and mental health professionals are few and far between – and the costs place them far out of reach for most families,' says De Beer-Procter. 'Feminists' to the rescue? Some so-called feminists are also claiming that their rights are in danger. Describing themselves as 'gender critical feminists', they don't support the rights of transgender people. Most notable is JK Rowling, with Helen Zille recently echoing similar talking points in a social media post. 'I don't call them feminists because there is nothing feminist about their views. By upholding deeply misogynistic beliefs, they become complicit in their own oppression,' says Lynch. 'They can't see how something like bathroom bans against trans women is going to hurt all women. Do we really want cisgender women to have to prove that they are 'feminine' enough to be recognised as women? Are we okay with the fact that these gender-critical groups want us to police all women, including cisgender women? They are not feminists, they are not recognising that this absolute attack on transgender women is enforcing patriarchal oppression.' Lynch stresses that protecting rights is not a competition. 'We can and should all fight for cisgender women's rights – in the workplace, in reproductive justice and to ensure safety.' She points out that globally the leading cause of physical and psychological harm to women is violence within their intimate partnerships. 'But this particular flavour of so-called feminism is rooted in whiteness, it is not intersectional. It overlooks the experiences of women facing multiple and overlapping forms of oppression, including those often marginalised within feminist spaces. They cannot see beyond their own privilege. If they could, they would look at the data and fight for the urgent issues affecting all women.' The evidence is there The claim that there's a 'lack of evidence' is one of the most common, and most misleading, arguments used to question gender-affirming care. De Beer-Procter explains: 'We have longitudinal studies, clinical audits, qualitative research and systematic reviews that all point to the same thing: gender-affirming care improves mental health outcomes, reduces distress and increases wellbeing – especially when it's timely, respectful and affirming. 'But no amount of evidence will ever feel like 'enough' to people who aren't actually looking for evidence. For many of the most vocal critics, the real issue isn't about data; it's about belief – that everyone is either male or female, that this is fixed at birth, and that it reflects some 'biological truth'. 'But that belief doesn't hold up to scrutiny. It's not supported by science, and it's certainly not reflective of lived reality. 'We've known for decades that sex and gender are far more complex than two boxes on a form. Intersex people exist. Trans and non-binary people exist. Cultures all over the world have recognised more than two genders for centuries, says De Beer-Procter. So, when anti-trans groups demand 'proof', what they're often doing is moving the goalposts. They dismiss rigorous studies for not being perfect. They discredit researchers for being too close to the communities they study. And they ignore the overwhelming consensus from major medical bodies around the world. Because what's actually being defended isn't science, it's a worldview. A belief that gender diversity is a deviation rather than a natural part of human variation, and one that fuels disinformation and fear across borders. DM
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- IOL News
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The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Three provinces live homeless without shelters
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StatsSA's Profile of Homeless Persons report, released on Wednesday based on 2022 Census data, shows that 70.8% of homeless people are 'roofless' — living on the streets rather than in shelters. The crisis is particularly acute as homelessness has increased dramatically from 13 135 people in 1996 to 55 719 in 2022, outpacing South Africa's overall population growth. Recently, the Democratic Alliance reported that it estimates current homelessness numbers stand at 50 000, with particular concentrations of 1 500 homeless people in Gauteng, Kempton Park's central business district and 10 000 in Tshwane. Several activists and coordinators at non-profit organisations in Johannesburg report a marked increase in homeless people requiring basic assistance during winter, with food being the greatest need. Deadly winter conditions affecting homeless people The winter months pose severe risks to homeless populations, with humanitarian organisations reporting increased deaths from hypothermia and cold-related illnesses. Ali Sablay from Gift of the Givers, who previously spoke to The Citizen, described the urgent situation: 'One of the biggest concerns is the homeless people at the moment who are exposed and are vulnerable to this cold weather. And we are very scared that if they are not put in a place of safety, we are going to be seeing an increase in the amount of people that have passed on.' The organisation has been responding to emergency calls across multiple district municipalities as 'excessive rain, snow and winds have caused total destruction' in the Eastern Cape, with close to a thousand people evacuated from Butterworth alone. ALSO READ: Thousands vulnerable as freezing weather grips Gauteng Homelessness provincial disparities create crisis The lack of shelter facilities reveals stark provincial inequalities in addressing homelessness. According to StatsSA data, Gauteng records the biggest share of homeless persons at 46%, followed by Western Cape at 18%. Yet only three provinces – Gauteng, Western Cape and Mpumalanga – operate any shelters at all, with the majority run by non-profit organisations and subsidised by government. Tolashe acknowledged in her parliamentary response that 'the department does not have the human resource capacity, financial resources or infrastructure to manage all homeless shelters,' relying heavily on non-profit organisations as critical partners in service delivery. 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Reverend Nico from Methodist Educational Services (MES) described how their facilities regularly exceed capacity: 'Our capacity is almost 80, but now when it's cold like this, we go above 110, the building can take up to 120.' The organisation operates three facilities in Hillbrow, with their soup kitchen serving over 100 people daily during extreme cold weather. 'Sometimes we're not even expecting that number. But when they rock in, we can't just say no, we must share,' the reverend explained. The resource constraints are severe, with facilities lacking adequate blankets and mattresses. 'Sometimes you don't even have enough blankets, but at least they'll be having a roof over their head,' Reverend Nico said. Chris Lund from the Johannesburg Homeless Network said their organisation has been able to feed 'up to 200 people a day' at their drop-in centres, but acknowledges the massive gap between capacity and need. He noted that safe spaces typically accommodate only '40 [or] 50 people' while thousands remain on the streets. ALSO READ: Lawyer turned predator: Man sentenced for sexually exploiting homeless boys Beyond basic survival The challenges extend beyond providing overnight accommodation. Many homeless individuals lack access to basic hygiene facilities, making it difficult to maintain employment or seek work opportunities. Lund highlighted this reality: 'A lot of these guys, can you imagine getting up when it's cold and freezing, you need to prepare yourself to get a job or to at least go and find work, and there's no hot water. It's freezing.' Skills development efforts amid constraints Despite resource limitations, organisations are attempting to provide skills development programmes within homeless shelters. Tolashe outlined various initiatives including 'hairdressing, bead work, shoe repair, appliance repairs and mechanical skills' designed to help individuals 'gain employment, generate income to break the cycle of poverty and be able to lead an independent life.' However, Tolashe acknowledged the limitations of these efforts, noting that 'empowering individuals with skills does not guarantee employment given the current high rate of unemployment in the country. It, however, put them in an advantageous position.' The Johannesburg Homeless Network, which only began receiving government funding in January this year, now employs 'fully qualified social workers' and provides support for CV writing and career guidance. Lund stressed the importance of professional services. Demographics and root causes of homelessness StatsSA data reveals that homeless persons are predominantly male (70.1%), with youth and adults representing 44% and 45% respectively. Children and the elderly constitute smaller proportions at 5% and 7% respectively. The causes of homelessness vary significantly across provinces. In the Eastern Cape, an overwhelming 85.2% cited economic reasons as the main cause, followed by Free State at 79.4% and KwaZulu-Natal at 69.3%. Family matters, including disputes, death and dissolution, also play significant roles, while substance abuse affects different provinces to varying degrees. ALSO READ: 'I have been trying to survive' – Skeem Saam actress Pebetsi Matlaila staying in a shelter with her kids Government response and systemic challenges The Department of Social Development acknowledges that homelessness is 'a cross-cutting issue that requires all relevant departments.' Tolashe emphasised that the department's primary role is to 'provide psychosocial support and reunify and reintegrate the homeless people with their families.' The minister's 2024 budget speech focused on 'Reigniting the Role of the Family,' arguing that homelessness indicates 'the family as a unit is in crisis and needs support.' The department commits to implementing interventions supporting family units, believing this approach will address homelessness at its root. However, Tolashe revealed an apparent contradiction in government policy, stating: 'Ideally, there is a need to reduce shelters for the homeless in the country.' This approach emphasises family reunification over emergency accommodation, even as winter conditions threaten lives. Lund expressed frustration with the gap between political promises and action: 'We hear the politicians, particularly at the provincial level, saying that this is a priority, but it doesn't always feel like it. [They don't] follow through with funding.' Urgent call for action As winter conditions intensify, the absence of shelters in three provinces represents a critical gap in South Africa's social safety net. StatsSA research indicates that chronic homelessness creates significant costs for government and private institutions through increased use of health services, policing and the criminal justice system. Gift of the Givers continues emergency response efforts, providing 'hot meals, blankets, warm clothing and sleeping mats' to affected communities. The organisation has established a toll-free number (0800 786 911) for donations and assistance. The convergence of rising homelessness numbers, inadequate shelter provision, and deadly winter conditions creates an urgent humanitarian crisis that StatsSA researchers note is complicated by 'lack of reliable statistics, inadequate policies and interventions, limited resources, and lack of standardised definitions.' With 70.8% of homeless individuals living on the streets without shelter access, the coming winter months threaten to claim lives that adequate shelter provision could save. NOW READ: Most of us look away from misery
