Give the people of Hammanskraal and other places in South Africa cool, clear water

[View in browser]( [Mail & Guardian]( M&G Mornings | Fri 26 May   [ozayr_patel_hello-1] Twenty people died in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, and 165 are being treated for cholera in Hammanskraal. It must be resolved, people must have their basic human right which is access to clean water. It has been promised before yet no change. Ferrial Adam and Julius Kleynhans, both working for the nonprofit Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, [told]( the Mail & Guardian that the government knew about this water and sanitation crisis for more than a decade. And people like state-capture accused Edwin Sodi must be held accountable. Tomorrow the M&G will bring you a story by Sheree Bega that details how a forensic report by the City of Tshwane showed that a R295 million [tender]( was awarded to two companies belonging to [Sodi]( for the upgrade and refurbishment of [Rooiwal]( water treatment plant, but neither of the companies had any experience. Rooiwal is upstream of Hammanskraal and the discharge of untreated and partially treated sewage and sludge has polluted the Leeukraal Dam, where the Temba water treatment works abstracts water for treatment. Tshwane’s mayor, Cilliers Brink, will R150 million a year for the next three years for upgrades to the Rooiwal plant. He seems determined to set things right. And Khaya Koko reports that a R100 million project to eradicate bucket toilets and pit latrines in the Setsoto local municipality in the Free State is lying in ruins after a company linked to Sodi failed to complete the development by a March 2023 deadline. People like this must be held accountable. Section 27 of the Bill of Rights states that everyone has the right to water and that the state must take measures to “achieve the progressive realisation of these rights”. It has been 27 years since the Constitution was adopted and the situation regarding sanitation and water has, over the past 20 years, regressed rather than progressed. This is not only unacceptable, it is a danger to people’s lives. Ozayr Patel | Climate & Environment Editor [@Ozayr8]( [CPI]( [Inflation eases to 11-month low]( The rand strengthened ahead of Wednesday’s inflation data, but it still held above R19 against the dollar [// Read more]( [African Mining Indaba 2023]( [Ramaphosa: SA will not be drawn into a contest between global powers]( In an Africa Day address, Ramaphosa said Pretoria had been threatened with penalties for pursuing an independent foreign policy and a non-aligned position [// Read more]( [ampersand mixtap 3]( [Ampersand Mixtape 3: United Sounds of Africa]( Charles Leonard has picked 28 of his favourite songs from our continent. Be ready to be entertained, surprised and hopefully thrilled by his celebratory selection of old and new African tunes [// Read more]( Recommended Reads [‘This is Jo’burg’ Season1 Episode 3: “Your call will be answered…”]( In this third episode of ‘This is Jo’burg’, Charles Leonard hears from a can-do homeless person who regulates traffic at intersections during the constant power cuts – he explains why he started doing it [// Read more]( [Constitutional court closes door on Manuel Chang extradition tussle]( The apex court has denied the government of Mozambique leave to appeal a high court ruling ordering the government to surrender Chang to the United States [// Read more]( [‘Bitter medicine’: Reserve Bank raises repo rate 50 basis points]( Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago underlined the need for short-term pain in the interest of long-term gain [// Read more]( Premium [Is Ramaphosa’s South Africa still a player on the continent?]( The country’s role in Africa has diminished somewhat since the Thabo Mbeki era and Ramaphosa is losing relevance This article is only available to subscribers. [View subscription options]( If you are already a subscriber, login here. [// Read more]( Premium [RMB Latitudes INDEX breathes fresh air into South Africa’s art scene]( Young artists, collectors and enthusiasts co-emerge at this year’s Latitudes art fair in Johannesburg This article is only available to subscribers. [View subscription options]( If you are already a subscriber, login here. [// Read more]( Pic of the day [Hammanskraal water 5] Hammanskraal has experiecing a Cholera ourbreak in contaminated water. Jubilee Hospital is where patients have been admitted. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G) [Share]( [Share]( [Tweet]( [Tweet]( [Forward]( [Forward]( This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Mail & Guardian Media LTD · 25 Owl St · Braamfontein · Johannesburg, Gauteng 2001 · South Africa