Study finds traces of ARVs in water
The report, titled 'Quantification, fate and hazard assessment of HIV-ARVs in water resources', was submitted to the Water Research Commission and compiled by NWU's Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management and the Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research.
ALSO READ: Ekurhuleni ensures safe water amid Rand Water cuts
Key concerns raised:
• High levels of HIV drugs, especially lopinavir and efavirenz, were found downstream of wastewater treatment plants;
• These concentrations exceed global safety norms;
• The drugs likely originate from SA's large-scale HIV treatment programme, the world's largest.
The study attributes the contamination to municipal wastewater systems, which were not designed to remove pharmaceutical compounds like ARVs. This failure results in untreated traces entering rivers and water bodies.
The environmental risks highlighted the presence of ARVs in natural water sources, which pose hidden health and ecological risks, particularly to aquatic life and water treatment processes.
The findings included:
• Developmental damage in freshwater snails exposed to ARVs;
• Disruption of bacteriophages, viruses that help regulate bacteria during wastewater treatment;
• Increased risk of bacterial blooms, which reduce overall water quality.
'The consumption of any exogenous drug by an organism in sufficient quantity might interfere with metabolic regulation,' the report warns.
ALSO READ: Water cuts alert: Ekurhuleni areas to face disruption from July 15 to 18
The DWS reiterated it will engage NWU, the Water Research Commission, and the Department of Health to assess the implications and recommend interventions.
Meanwhile, the CoE recently reassured residents that tap water remains safe and compliant with health standards, even as Rand Water prepares to do essential infrastructure repairs until 07:00 on July 18.
The key areas affected by temporary supply interruptions include Kempton Park, Germiston, Thembisa, Edenvale and Bedfordview.
'The safety and health of our residents remain our top priority,' the city said in a statement.
'Maintaining our Blue Drop standard – whether through piped supply or tankers – is non-negotiable.'
Report concerns to the city's call centre on 0860 543 000.
At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
20 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Does SA need a Covid-like ministerial advisory committee to deal with HIV funding cuts?
Increase health taxes. Roll out the twice-a-year anti-HIV jab lenacapavir to stop HIV from spreading. Use artificial intelligence (AI) to do more with less. Convene a ministerial advisory committee. These are some of the things that have surfaced as potential solutions to fill the huge gap that US President Donald Trump's administration's sudden funding cuts in February have left. But would they work — and are they doable? Only if we move fast, and get lots of each thing, it seems. Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi told Bhekisisa's TV show, Health Beat, in July, that he 'would strongly consider' a ministerial advisory committee (MAC), like the one we had during the Covid pandemic for which scientists advised the health department on what to do. 'There's nothing wrong with establishing a MAC [to deal with funding cuts],' Motsoaledi admitted ... but we've not yet established anything like that for [the funding crisis].' No MAC or emergency think-tank with input beyond government structures has since been announced by the health department. But scientists warn such a committee should be an important part of the country's response to the crisis. 'We need to urgently convene a national think-tank,' medical doctor and the head of Wits RHI, Helen Rees, cautions. 'There are some really superb people who've been working in the programmes closely and well with the health department who could contribute their ideas and experience ... [and help figure out] what [strategies] can we [the health department] retain that aren't hugely expensive.' In Johannesburg, research released at the Conference on HIV Science in Kigali in July, shows HIV testing between January and March 2025 was 8.5% lower than the same time last year (before the funding cuts), and 31% less people were diagnosed with HIV in 2025. During the same period, there was also a 30% reduction in people who tested positive, who started on antiretroviral treatment, compared to 2024. So what has South Africa done so far? Motsoaledi has managed to raise a small amount of extra funding — R735m — from the treasury through the Public Finance Management Act. But it's less than 10% of the R7.9bn we've lost (and are in all likelihood about to lose in September, the end of the US financial year). The country is, however, starting to make progress with the rollout of lenacapavir, an injection that is taken once every six months, that provides near complete protection against HIV infection. About 170,000 people got newly infected with HIV in 2024, according to the latest Joint UN Programme on HIV and Aids report. A modelling study has shown if between two- and four-million people in the country take the jab, each year, for the next eight years, South Africa could end Aids as a public health threat by 2032. South Africa's medicines regulator, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, has told Bhekisisa the shot will be registered in the country before the end of the year. And, at a presentation at the Kigali conference, health department consultant Hasina Subedar said, if all goes well, the department will start to roll out the jab in April 2026. In July, the health department accepted an offer from the Global Fund for Aids, TB and Malaria, to reallocate R520m of its funds to buy lenacapavir from its maker, Gilead Sciences, over the next three years until cheaper generic versions become available. The funds will become available in October. But, if the health department budgets for the $60 per patient per year that the Global Fund has told them to, the grant is only enough to put about 400,000 people on preventive treatment for three years — about 10% of what is needed to end Aids by 2032. One more way to generate 'a stable and predictable funding stream' without donors, according to a July report by the public health organisation Vital Strategies, is to increase taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks to a level where taxes constitute 50% of the selling price of the products. That money can then be used, among other things, to improve health infrastructure. According to the report, 45.7% of the price of a box of cigarettes, 27.6% of a bottle of beer and 3.4% of sugar-sweetened carbonated drinks currently go towards taxes in South Africa. Mia Malan recently asked Wits RHI's Helen Rees how the country should go about to find solutions to the HIV and TB funding crisis. Following is an edited version of the full TV interview.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Ekurhuleni celebrates exemplary service of the city manager Dr Imogen Mashazi
The City of Ekurhuleni has paid tribute to the outstanding service and enduring legacy of its city manager, Dr Imogen Mashazi. She concluded a distinguished career marked by transformative leadership, integrity in governance, and an unwavering commitment to public service. Mashazi, the first woman to serve as city manager in Ekurhuleni, has dedicated more than 40 years to public service. Her journey began at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, where she trained and worked as a nurse, before moving into municipal administration in the early 1990s. According to city spokesperson Zweli Dlamini, Mashazi's extensive experience and visionary leadership have helped shape Ekurhuleni into one of South Africa's most dynamic metropolitan municipalities. Pioneering public health reforms Throughout her time in local government, Mashazi made a lasting impact, particularly in public health. As head of the City's Health Department, she led groundbreaking initiatives that enabled the region to achieve the highest TB cure rate in the country and significantly reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission. 'She was instrumental in establishing numerous primary healthcare facilities across Ekurhuleni, significantly improving health access for residents,' said Dlamini. Infrastructure growth and financial stewardship Since her appointment as city manager in 2016, Mashazi has ushered in a new era of development and financial discipline. Under her leadership, the city's capital expenditure more than doubled from R3.9b to R7b, enabling the rollout of critical infrastructure. This included the construction of 29 reservoirs and water towers, most notably Africa's second-tallest water tower, completed in Benoni to enhance the city's water resilience. Her tenure has also been defined by sound financial governance. Since the 2019/2020 financial year, Ekurhuleni has achieved three consecutive clean audits, recorded zero unauthorised or wasteful expenditure, and maintained a consistent 91% revenue collection rate. This achievement is recognised as a benchmark in the sector. Recognition and empowerment Mashazi's leadership has received widespread recognition. Her accolades include the public sector leader award at the Virtual Top Empowerment Awards, honours from the South African Board for People Practices (SABPP), and multiple Blue Drop and Green Drop awards for excellence in water and environmental management. She was most recently honoured by Good Governance Africa for her commitment to transparent and effective municipal administration. A strong advocate for gender equity, Dr Mashazi launched the City Manager's Women Empowerment Legacy Project in 2017. The initiative has elevated the role of women across all departments, especially in sectors historically dominated by men. A legacy for generations The City of Ekurhuleni has expressed its deepest gratitude for Mashazi's decades of exceptional service. She is described as a visionary trailblazer whose impact will be felt for generations. 'Mashazi leaves behind a city that is more resilient, more equitable, and better governed. Her contribution to Ekurhuleni's transformation is immeasurable,' said Dlamini. As Mashazi embarks on the next chapter of her life, the city extends its warmest wishes for continued success and fulfilment. Her legacy is firmly rooted in the fabric of Ekurhuleni's growth story, a lasting reminder of what dedicated public service can achieve.
eNCA
2 days ago
- eNCA
Focus on killer diseases like cancer, HIV/Aids and TB
JOHANNESBURG - Cancer, tuberculosis and HIV and Aids are some of the killer diseases in South Africa. But what if science moved us from this worrying stage to hope and sustainable treatment? READ: DA Gauteng: Health system failing cancer patients The Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure, or NuMeRi for short, is trying to do just that. The University of Pretoria-based facility is Africa's first nuclear medicine research and development facility.
