Articles for Seth Thorne
Air and water pollution harming Joburg’s poorest communities
Failing wastewater treatment works, ageing sewage infrastructure, smouldering illegal dumps, industrial and urban runoff and a legacy of mining activities have ruined Joburg’s air and water
Text by Seth Thorne. Photos by Ihsaan Haffejee.
News | 30 July 2026
Budget cuts, bureaucracy and payment delays put Gauteng’s most vulnerable at risk
Almost five months into the financial year, some welfare organisations have not been paid
By Seth Thorne
News | 28 July 2026
Tswaing municipality staff have been months without pay
Only the highest-earning workers have been paid since April
By Seth Thorne
News | 22 July 2026
Water tankers everywhere in Joburg, yet surprisingly hard to find
Johannesburg deploys dozens of tankers daily during outages. We tried to find them
By Seth Thorne
News | 26 June 2026
Mayfair immigrants put their faith in South Africa’s police to protect them
Gauteng Commissioner says SAPS will act against anyone inciting violence
By Seth Thorne
Brief | 25 June 2026
Joburg watches R10-billion flow down the drain
Auditor-General publishes scathing report on City’s water management
By Seth Thorne
Brief | 24 June 2026
Water is so close, yet so far for this Joburg neighbourhood
Thembelihle residents struggle daily to get water, but they watch dozens of water tankers fill up and then drive past
Text by Seth Thorne. Photos by Ihsaan Haffejee.
News | 23 June 2026
500 Malawians stranded in Joburg after repatriation buses lacked permits
Seven buses from Cape Town and Durban dropped passengers at the Malawian consulate in Sandton instead of taking them home
By Seth Thorne
Brief | 22 June 2026
Youth Day legacy: 76 Hours in Soweto
Events mark 50 years since the 1976 student uprising
By Seth Thorne
Brief | 16 June 2026