Sperm’s reliance on a healthy watery environment might make them an ideal tool for testing the environmental effects of contaminants, especially those that are building up in our oceans. A team of scientists, working in a laboratory setting, explored what happens when living sperm cells are exposed to different dilutions of manufactured substances commonly found in our environment.
A new book by Serai Dowling explores the region’s most beautiful tidal pools. The guide is an invitation to learn more about some of the most stunning outdoor swimming spots in the world. The book delves into the history and cultural significance of these pools, highlighting their role in providing safe, accessible spaces for all. Dowling’s guide not only serves as a practical resource for swimmers but also foregrounds the importance of these natural havens in promoting social cohesion in South Africa.
A group of water justice researchers warn against the expensive disasters ahead if citizens agree to the City of Cape Town’s proposal to “externalise” the implementation and operation of the Faure New Water Scheme
Tunisia’s Ghar el Melh lagoon, located in Bizerte, Tunisia, is a Wetland of International Importance and home to a relatively unique Mediterranean wetlands ecosystem. The city of Ghar el Melh – a name meaning, “the cave of salt” – has a unique natural and cultural heritage based largely around the resources the wetlands provide. It was declared Africa’s first Ramsar City in 2018 – four years before Cape Town, along with Ifrane in Morocco and the wetlands of Kigali, Rwanda, received similar accreditation in 2022.
Goedverwacht, a rural settlement in the Western Cape, continues to struggle with limited water access and a lack of potable tap water twenty nine years after South Africa became a democracy. Having been established as a Moravian Mission Settlement in the late 1800s, Goedverwacht continues to be fully controlled by the Church and the community has little influence over decisions affecting their development and access to resources.
While access to safe, reliable, affordable water for households remains crucial, there are other dimensions of water security beyond the immediate necessities of domestic consumption. In a water-scarce country like South Africa, these broader dimensions of water insecurity may limit development, health and livelihoods, making the problem of water access both technical and political.