South African schools have unsafe drinking water, reveals Water Warrior School Project

IOL News

26-06-2025

Hashtags

Health

#WaterWarriorSchoolWaterQualityTestingProject

#WaterCommunityActionNetwork

#Adopt-a-River

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Urgent call to action: 43 percent of school water samples in South Africa unsafe for drinking

IOL News

04-07-2025

IOL News

Urgent call to action: 43 percent of school water samples in South Africa unsafe for drinking

Pupils from schools across South Africa participated in the Water Warrior School Water Quality Testing Project led by environmental organisation WaterCAN, which found that 43% of school water samples tested were unsafe for drinking. Image: Supplied Environmental organisations and the Department of Basic Education call for urgent intervention to address the results of the national Water Warrior School Water Quality Testing Project, which found that 43% of school water samples tested were unsafe for drinking. The project was conducted by environmental organisation Water Community Action Network (WaterCAN) in partnership with Adopt-a-River and the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (Wessa), among others, and revealed that 43% of school water samples (23 out of 53) were unsafe for drinking, mostly due to bacterial contamination. Launched in March, the initiative empowered 95 schools across eight provinces to test their water using citizen science kits. Of the results uploaded, 73% of tested water tanks, 23% of taps, and 66% of river samples contained harmful bacteria, including The majority of results were from schools in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Gauteng. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Azile Mpukwana, from WaterCAN and Adopt-a-River, who trained the teachers and pupils in the testing process and visited schools, said they were very disappointed that some of the tests showed high levels of in the water, including at schools that use tap water. Mpukwana said some schools were very confident while testing, as they believed that the water was safe since it was clear and clean and came from the tap. 'The pupils were surprised to see that the levels were very high,' she said. She said the schools in the rural areas that use water tanks are in 'big trouble' because their water is very dirty, containing bacteria and 'They need some help and intervention. As Adopt a River, we noticed that what we see at the ocean, the high levels of in the rivers, in terms of what we test every week with Talbot, is that it is no different from what communities are facing. It is also more disappointing because not that it's not the water from the river or the ocean, it's actually from the tap,' stated Mpukwana. Mpukwana said that while people are happy that they get water in these areas, the quality is very poor. Wessa said it is concerned by the findings of the project. Wessa's chief executive officer, Cindy-Lee Cloete, said these findings are a wake-up call for the country. 'These findings validate Wessa's long-standing concerns about the state of water and sanitation in our schools and emphasise the immediate risks to learners' and educators' health,' stated Cloete. Pupils from schools across South Africa participated in the Water Warrior School Water Quality Testing Project led by environmental organisation WaterCAN, which found that 43% of school water samples tested were unsafe for drinking. Image: Supplied Nomfundo Ndlovu, who is Wessa's senior programme manager of schools and youth, said unsafe water in schools is not just a health issue; it's an education issue, a gender issue, and a human rights issue. Ndlovu said the implications of these findings for learners and staff are far-reaching, and they extend to schools that were not part of this initial testing. 'Alarmingly, with 43% of tested samples found unsafe, thousands of untested schools may be unknowingly affected, highlighting the need for regular nationwide water quality monitoring to safeguard the rights and well-being of all school communities,' she said. According to Ndlovu, the unsafe water in schools poses serious health risks to both learners and staff, exposing them to waterborne diseases and creating unsafe, unhygienic learning environments. 'This contributes to increased absenteeism, especially among girls during menstruation, and can lead to school closures during health crises, disrupting education and deepening inequality. 'Teachers face added burdens managing these challenges, while families often bear extra financial strain by purchasing water or relying on unsafe alternatives,' said Ndlovu. Morgan Griffiths, senior manager for advocacy, membership, and governance at Wessa, said the organisation believes that a concerted, multi-pronged approach is required to ensure all schools have access to safe water. 'To address unsafe water in schools, Wessa recommends a comprehensive approach that includes immediate safety measures such as notifying affected schools and providing access to safe drinking water,' he said. Griffiths continued that follow-up testing is essential to track improvements, while regular monitoring should be implemented across all schools. 'Infrastructure upgrades, such as cleaning water tanks, repairing pipes, and ensuring a reliable municipal supply, are critical to preventing contamination,' he said. The project found that 43% of school water samples tested were unsafe for drinking. Image: Supplied Wessa also emphasised the importance of environmental education and youth empowerment through training and citizen science, fostering accountability at the school level. 'Lastly, systemic change is needed through national policy leadership, regular testing mandates, public reporting, and sustained government investment to ensure that every learner has access to safe and dignified learning conditions,' stated Griffiths. The organisation added that these findings are a call to action for the whole country. 'Every school deserves to know the quality of its water, and every learner deserves access to clean, safe water.' The National Department of Water and Sanitation noted the effort taken by the pupils, who were involved in monitoring the quality of water in their respective areas. 'The department believes this project might have been undertaken as part of water quality monitoring awareness at schools rather than monitoring quality with the objective of determining quality compliance of the tap water.' Acting spokesperson Sanku Tsunke said the department has a mandate to monitor the quality of tap water delivered by water services institutions throughout the country as prescribed by the South African National Standard (SANS 241). He said SABS 241 states that any method of analysis, including test kits, can be used and be considered, but microbiological methods should be validated by best practices. 'Therefore, in this case, follow-up samples should be taken by an accredited method at an independent laboratory,' said Tsunke. In addition, Tsunke said more information should be provided about the source of samples, including whether samples were taken from municipal treated water or untreated water sources and whether other standard practice processes were followed when taking water samples at a tap. 'All these questions should be answered affirmatively before one concludes that the municipal tap water taken was unsafe or not,' he emphasised. He said these issues should be taken into consideration, as the document does not indicate the source of samples taken by the pupils. 'The department may not intervene, for instance, on samples taken at the river, water harvesting, and water tankers, as these sources may not be safe for human consumption.' Tsunke said the Department of Basic Education must request the water services authority to provide water infrastructure that will supply tap water that is safe for human consumption. 'The Department of Water and Sanitation, as a sector leader, is not responsible for the provision of safe tap water; the Department of Basic Education, together with the relevant water services authority, must provide water that is safe for human consumption,' he said. The department suggested that the findings of the water samples should be communicated to the relevant water services authorities to ensure that follow-up samples are taken to determine the validity of the samples. 'Furthermore, the current drinking water quality status microbiological compliance is 95.3%, while chemical compliance is 98.7%, and these compliance results were analysed by independent laboratories,' said Tsunke. When the results were released last week, Elijah Mhlanga, spokesperson for the Department of Basic Education, expressed concern over the water quality report. He highlighted that 9.6 million children rely daily on school services and the National School Nutrition Programme, both of which are dependent on school water supply. Mhlanga stressed that risks to pupils threaten the entire value chain, endangering millions. He added that the report raises critical issues impacting schooling, and schools, as beneficiaries of municipal and state services, rely on these organisations for a conducive learning environment. Mhlanga urged the country to address the report's findings to ensure learners have clean, safe water. WaterCAN said the results were communicated to all schools, and those schools where water was not safe were informed about the results and ways to respond. The organisation said follow-up monitoring will be conducted in July and August, which will include notifying schools with 'do not drink' warnings and supporting schools in terms of re-testing and tracking changes. WaterCAN will also engage municipalities to demand tank cleaning and improved infrastructure, equip pupils and teachers with continued awareness and advocacy tools, and support and engage the Department of Basic Education about the situation and crafting solutions.

Deepfake of renowned SA physician used to promote bogus heart medicine

Daily Maverick

01-07-2025

Daily Maverick

Deepfake of renowned SA physician used to promote bogus heart medicine

''The [deepfake video] has me saying anti-vax things… This company has just pounced on me, and they're not letting me go,' said Abdool Karim. A deepfake video, generated using artificial intelligence (AI) technology, is using the likeness of the renowned South African physician Prof Salim Abdool Karim to push disinformation about Covid-19 vaccines and promote a bogus heart medicine on social media. Abdool Karim, the director of the Centre for the Aids Programme of Research in South Africa (Caprisa), has refuted the contents of the video and reiterated that Covid-19 vaccines are safe. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'The [deepfake video] has me saying anti-vax things… This company has just pounced on me, and they're not letting me go. They are using me, and I think they're using me because it's good for their sales,' Abdool Karim told Daily Maverick. Caprisa said, 'Neither Abdool Karim nor Caprisa have endorsed any medicines for any company.' Snake-oil remedy It's the second time the scam company has used an AI deepfake video of Abdool Karim to market its product, with the previous video emerging around September last year. Before that, it used a still image of him on posters for the fake cure, shared on social media. The most recent deepfake video gives the appearance of an SABC news report in which Abdool Karim responds to a presenter. The AI-generated Abdool Karim gives a false account of blood clots linked to Covid-19 vaccines, before encouraging viewers to 'cleanse' their blood vessels using 'a unique formula, breakthrough remedy, that dissolves all types of clots after just one treatment cycle'. Despite the continued misuse of his identity, Abdool Karim said that little legal recourse could be pursued against those responsible. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'When [the adverts] first came out, I was furious and I said, 'I'm going to spare no cost in going after these guys'… We hired people to go and investigate it. We spent quite a bit of money, and when … we were getting close to figuring things out, we realised actually, this is best described by a fairground game called Whack-a-Mole,' he said. 'When you try to stop one, another emerges. So, there's no end to this.' The investigating team linked the scam to a Tanzanian company with a warehouse in Midrand, Johannesburg, but just as it narrowed down its search, the operation closed down and disappeared. A few weeks later, another advert using Abdool Karim's image emerged, seemingly shared by the same group. 'We tried to take out an injunction against them, but it proved to be a real challenge because we don't know who we're taking out an injunction against,' said Abdool Karim. 'I realised you actually have no legal recourse against these people, because it's not an established firm. It's not trading on any reputation. It's trading on my reputation because they have no reputation of their own. They're just a fly-by-night… There's nothing that creates an opportunity for us because they're not legal.' The scam company uses paid adverts on Facebook to circulate its marketing material, according to Abdool Karim. From there, users of the platform share the posters or videos on other social media platforms, including WhatsApp. After each advert, Abdool Karim gets up to 20 emails from members of the public seeking to buy the fake medicine, or reporting side effects as a result of its use. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'No stone unturned' In a statement released on Thursday, 26 June, the National Department of Health said it was aware of the AI-generated video of Abdool Karim that undermined the safety of Covid-19 vaccines. 'According to our information, these actions are meant to hoodwink members of the public into buying fake heart medicine. This is done through mail order, and the fake product is obviously not working or is making people feel even sicker,' said the health department. 'Minister [of Health Dr Aaron] Motsoaledi condemns in the strongest terms possible the fake news campaign by these charlatans with business interests, who for their nefarious reasons are determined to create confusion among the people for the sake of immoral profiteering.' Motsoaledi encouraged the public to rely on vaccines approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) and the National Department of Health. The department said it would leave 'no stone unturned' in combating the efforts of the scam company. Caprisa urged members of the public to: Refer to credible sources such as Caprisa, Sahpra, the Department of Health or a trusted, registered healthcare professional for accurate health information; Verify the authenticity of health claims, products and possible actions that are being recommended; Report any instances of fake news found online directly to the hosting social media platform, such as X, Facebook or TikTok; and Refrain from sharing fake news images, videos or messaging on mobile chat groups. Social media and health disinformation Abdool Karim noted that while there was a long history of disinformation in health, recent years had seen these narratives becoming more organised. Those sharing disinformation no longer had to depend on mainstream media, where fact-checking acted as a barrier to many false claims. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'Covid was a turning point, and what [happened during] Covid was that disinformation … became organised and it became amplified through social media,' he said. The 'moguls of social media' had effectively resisted controls and regulations on their platforms, said Abdool Karim, citing the example of a recent development in Canada where the government rescinded a tax on big US technology firms due to US President Donald Trump threatening to call off negotiations over a trade deal. 'That just tells you how much [Trump] is in the pocket of these social media moguls, and they will not tolerate any regulation. They will fight regulation in any country … because they see it as … affecting their bottom line,' he said. 'All of these companies have now either reduced or completely eliminated their curation and fact checking… I actually don't hold out much hope that we can reasonably regulate and control these big companies. Every indication is the opposite. They control everyone else.' Reflecting on the changes that could reduce the spread of disinformation on virtual platforms, Abdool Karim said there should be a warning label on social media pages that had not been fact-checked, showing that the content may not be true. advertisement Don't want to see this? Remove ads 'The second thing is that I think we need to educate the next group of youngsters that they should have a high level of healthy scepticism when they go on to social media platforms because I worry that they think it's all real, and that they get sucked into these fake worlds,' he said. 'We have to educate the next generation to understand that everything they see [on social media] should be taken first and foremost … as a lie.' DM

Treatment plant damage causes year-long NMB beach closure

eNCA

30-06-2025

eNCA

Treatment plant damage causes year-long NMB beach closure

GQEBERHA - Nelson Mandela Bay residents have to wait a little longer for the reopening of Brighton Beach. The municipality says the beach still has high levels of E. Coli. It was detected at the beginning of December last year. WATCH: Nelson Mandela Bay | NMB swimming pools in a state of disrepair The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality is asking residents to be patient, emphasising that the beach remains unsafe for use due to the ongoing E. coli contamination.