By Palesa Matlala

• Nineteen flood affected families from Ntshongweni have moved into Temporary Residential Units after spending years in dangerous shelters with no proper water, electricity or sanitation.

• eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba says government plans to build another 1,200 subsidised homes to provide permanent housing for vulnerable families across the municipality.

After nearly three years of hardship, 19 families from Ntshongweni, west of Durban, finally have a safe roof over their heads.

The families, whose homes were destroyed during the devastating April 2022 floods, have moved into newly built Temporary Residential Units.

For many of them, it is the first time in years they can sleep without worrying about heavy rain, leaking roofs or dangerous living conditions.

The April 2022 floods were among the worst natural disasters in South Africa’s history.

More than 440 people died, thousands of homes were destroyed and billions of rands worth of damage was caused across KwaZulu-Natal.

Many families have been waiting years for permanent housing.

Before moving into the new units, the Ntshongweni families spent months living in a community hall.

They were later moved to temporary shelters in an area where they say there were snakes, no electricity, no running water and poor living conditions.

Some remained there for almost three years.

Flood victim Fikile Shange said she was relieved to leave behind the house that was falling apart.

“I am happy to have left the house that was collapsing and to be living in a better place, even if it is temporary,” she said.

Another beneficiary, Mzolo, said the family finally feels safe.

“We did not have proper shelter for three years. We are happy that this summer we will not have to worry about heavy rains, and we hope Eskom will connect electricity soon,” Mzolo said.

eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba officially handed over the homes during a visit to inspect whether families had settled into their new accommodation.

He said the Temporary Residential Units are only a short-term solution while government works on building permanent houses.

Xaba also announced plans to build another 1,200 subsidised houses for vulnerable families across eThekwini.

The handover was, however, marked by a disagreement over who should receive credit for the project.

Ward 7 councillor Luthando Jali said he approached the National Department of Human Settlements after the municipality failed to assist residents.

He believes his intervention helped secure the temporary homes.

Mayor Xaba disagreed.

He said the project was made possible through cooperation between the eThekwini Municipality, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government and the national government.

He said no single person should claim credit for helping the families.

For the residents, however, the politics mattered far less than finally having a safe place to live.

After years of uncertainty, they can now look forward to living in safer conditions while waiting for the permanent homes they have been promised.

Pictured above: Families from Ntshongweni who lost their homes in the 2022 KwaZulu-Natal floods have finally moved into temporary houses after waiting almost three years. 

Image source: eThekwini Municipality

By Thabo Molelekwa for Oxpeckers

• Smart software can link thousands of homes into one virtual power station.

• Experts say the biggest hurdle is no longer the technology but the rules needed to allow households to be paid.

When rolling blackouts started nearly two decades ago, South Africans started investing billions of rands in rooftop solar panels, batteries and backup power, but few imagined those household systems could one day function as a single power station.

Yet that is precisely the promise of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), which are digital networks that connect thousands of distributed energy resources, allowing software to coordinate when electricity is generated, stored or consumed. Rather than building new power stations, VPPs use infrastructure that already exists.

National utility Eskom says VPPs could play an important role as South Africa’s electricity system becomes increasingly decentralised, but they should complement rather than replace investment in new generation and transmission infrastructure.

The concept is already being deployed in South Africa. Whether it becomes a cornerstone of the country’s energy transition depends less on technology and more on regulation.

Three years ago, Cape Town-based smart energy company Plentify connected 500 households through internet-enabled geyser controllers. Instead of relying on fixed timers, software determined when water should be heated.

According to Plentify, the demonstration reduced peak time-of-use electricity demand by up to 80%, doubled the amount of solar electricity used by geysers and reduced maximum demand by as much as 60%, while households continued to have hot water when they needed it. The trial also showed that coordinated smart controls could avoid the “comeback” surge typically caused when conventional ripple-control systems switch thousands of geysers back on simultaneously.

It wasn’t a one-off.

The company has since expanded the technology across 13 Balwin Properties estates, where about 9,000 intelligent geyser controllers coordinate water heating around periods of high solar generation. According to Plentify, the programme has increased solar energy used by geysers by 79%, reduced peak electricity consumption by 46% and lowered maximum demand by 36%, while residents have benefited from lower electricity costs without sacrificing hot water.

Inverter manufacturer Deye has partnered with Plentify to aggregate approximately 2.7GWh of battery storage already installed in homes and businesses – roughly double the capacity of Eskom’s first utility-scale battery storage project. It will do this by enabling 160,000 Deye residential batteries already installed across the country to be coordinated via Plentify’s VPP platform. 

Unlike conventional power stations that generate electricity from a single location, a VPP links thousands of small energy assets – rooftop solar systems, batteries, electric vehicles, smart geysers and other flexible appliances – and manages them through cloud-based software.

Speaking to Oxpeckers, Plentify chief executive Jon Kornik said the technology allows existing household infrastructure to operate collectively.

“Software decides when these devices should consume, store or, where appropriate, supply electricity to maximise value for both households and the grid,” he said.

The impact could be significant.

If 15,000 households delayed heating their electric geysers for a short period during evening peak demand, Kornik estimates the grid could immediately reduce demand by around 45MW, which is comparable to the output of an Eskom diesel peaking plant, but without burning fuel. Households could also be paid for providing that flexibility, he said.

South Africa is unusually well positioned for this model because years of load shedding triggered one of the world’s fastest growth rates in residential solar and battery installations. Millions of electric geysers, one of the country’s largest electricity loads, are already installed across income groups.

“The biggest obstacle is no longer technology but regulation,” Kornik said. “South Africa needs market rules that let households with solar panels, batteries and smart appliances provide grid services and be compensated for it.”

This story was produced by Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism and shared with Scrolla.Africa as part of a content partnership. Read the full investigation on Oxpeckers.org.

Pictured above: Men on a rooftop installing solar panels. 

Image source: Oxpeckers.

By Refilwe Mochoari and Thabo Molelekwa for Oxpeckers

South Africa’s green economy is being promoted as a major source of future employment, with an estimated 1.3-million jobs created by 2030, rising to as many as 4.3-million by 2050.

Renewable energy projects have already generated tens of thousands of jobs through the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP), positioning the sector at the centre of the country’s Just Energy Transition.

But a closer look at the data reveals a more complex reality: while construction jobs are plentiful, far fewer workers remain employed once projects begin operating.

Data from the REIPPP Office shows that while the programme has created around 70,000 jobs since its inception, only about 6,000 are permanent.

Most employment is concentrated in the construction, manufacturing and installation phases of projects, which typically last between six months and two years.

Once projects become operational, staffing needs drop sharply.

Unlocking Africa’s Green Transition, a report commissioned by FSD Africa, Shell Foundation and Shortlist, and produced by Genesis Analytics in June 2026, argues that not all green jobs are equal.

While utility-scale solar projects generate substantial employment during construction, those opportunities are largely temporary. Employment falls sharply once projects begin operating, whereas sectors such as clean cooking, solar home systems and distributed energy continue creating jobs through ongoing installation, sales, maintenance and servicing.

The report also cautions against measuring the success of the green economy solely through large renewable energy projects. It argues that many of Africa’s future green jobs are likely to come from small businesses and informal enterprises, with between 29-million and 37-million livelihoods expected to emerge by 2050 through community technicians, informal distributors and household energy service providers.

According to the National Union of Mineworkers’ national energy sector coordinator, Khangela Baloyi, this employment pattern has become one of the biggest concerns surrounding South Africa’s renewable energy transition.

“Renewable energy technologies are not job intensive. They generate jobs during the construction phase, but during operation the jobs are minimal,” Baloyi told Oxpeckers during an interview in June 2026.

“Compared to renewable energy, coal technology creates more job opportunities during operation and across the value chain,” he said.

Baloyi said workers employed during construction often struggle to find work once projects are completed, and insufficient attention has been given to retraining and retaining workers affected by the country’s transition away from coal.

This story was produced by Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism and shared with Scrolla.Africa as part of a content partnership. Read the full investigation on Oxpeckers.org.

Pictured above: While large renewable energy projects generate plenty of short-term construction jobs, many of Africa’s future green livelihoods are expected to come from small businesses, distributed energy systems and community-based services. 

Image source: Barry Christianson/Oxpeckers

By Buziwe Nocuze

• A 64-year-old pensioner says his monthly grant runs out before he can pay for groceries, electricity, medicine and support his children.

• Rising food prices and the high cost of living are forcing many older South Africans to keep working long after reaching retirement age.

When Lucas Taba turned 60, he thought his working days were finally over.

Instead, four years later, the 64-year-old pensioner is still spending eight hours a day looking after gardens at the Kuyasa train and bus station in Khayelitsha.

He says his pension grant simply does not stretch far enough.

“I always told myself that when I started receiving my pension, I would stop working,” said Taba.

“But everything keeps getting more expensive. I have no choice but to carry on working.”

Every day from 8am until 4pm, Taba waters plants, trims shrubs and keeps the station gardens clean.

He says working with plants gives him peace of mind, but the real reason he continues working is to survive.

Taba receives the Older Persons Grant, which thousands of elderly South Africans rely on every month.

But he says the money disappears quickly.

He sends R2,000 every month to help support his children who live with their mother in the Eastern Cape.

The rest goes towards groceries, electricity, transport and medication.

“As older people, we get sick more often,” he said.

“I always keep money aside for medicine because you never know when you will need it. Even medicine is becoming more expensive.”

He says people often think pensioners who continue working are greedy.

“They don’t understand our situation,” he said.

“We are grateful to government for the pension grant, but the reality is that it is not enough to survive.”

“If you only depend on the pension grant, you can easily end up borrowing money from loan sharks before the end of the month.”

South Africa has more than four million people receiving the Older Persons Grant, making it one of the country’s biggest social grants.

Many older people also support unemployed children and grandchildren, putting even more pressure on their monthly income.

Food prices, electricity costs and transport expenses have all increased sharply over the past few years, making life harder for pensioners living on fixed incomes.

Taba believes employers also have a role to play.

“If salaries were increased, families would be under less pressure and older people would not have to keep helping everyone with so little money,” he said.

Ward 95 councillor Ayanda Tetani said there are no permanent food parcel programmes for elderly residents in the area.

Instead, the ward works with local businesses and organisations whenever help is needed.

“We approach service providers in our community to assist because we know many older people are struggling,” said Tetani.

For Taba, retirement remains a dream that has been put on hold.

Until life becomes more affordable, he says he will continue tending the gardens that help him put food on the table.

Pictured above: Lucas Taba, 64, continues working as a gardener because his pension grant is not enough to cover his monthly expenses.

Image source: Buziwe Nocuze

By Palesa Matlala

• Every police officer will be expected to report for duty as authorities prepare for possible unrest during nationwide demonstrations against undocumented foreign nationals.

• Police say peaceful protests will be protected, but anyone involved in violence, intimidation or damage to property will be arrested.

Police across South Africa will be working around the clock on Monday after all leave was cancelled ahead of the nationwide protests against undocumented foreign nationals.

The demonstrations are expected to take place in several provinces on 30 June, with police preparing for large crowds and possible unrest.

KwaZulu-Natal police leaders met community crime-fighting groups, government officials and law enforcement agencies in Durban on Saturday to finalise security plans.

Acting KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Phumelele Makoba said every available officer will be needed.

“As we approach this day, we need all hands on deck,” she said.

“No one must say they are on a rest day or off duty. We all need to work together to fight crime and protect our communities.”

The order means detectives, investigators and some undercover officers who normally do not wear police uniforms will also be deployed if needed.

Police said officers appointed under the Public Service Act are expected to report for duty.

Authorities say they have spent weeks preparing for the demonstrations after intelligence reports identified several areas that could become hotspots.

Earlier this week, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said police are ready to deal with any threats to public safety.

He said peaceful protest is protected by the Constitution, but warned there would be no tolerance for violence, intimidation, looting or attacks on people.

Police have also worked with metro police departments, private security companies and community policing forums to strengthen security.

The South African National Defence Force has not been deployed, but the government has confirmed that the military remains on standby if needed to protect critical infrastructure.

While police prepare for the demonstrations, another group is calling for calm.

The African Inclusion Coalition continued its protest outside Parliament over the weekend, saying it opposes growing hostility towards foreign nationals.

The organisation handed over a memorandum calling on the government to tackle xenophobia and fix problems at the Department of Home Affairs.

The coalition says many people struggle to legalise their stay because of delays and failures within the immigration system.

African Inclusion Coalition president Dano de Waal said South Africa should remember the support it received from neighbouring countries during the apartheid years.

“During apartheid, when our own brothers and sisters were exiled to neighbouring countries, we were not rejected. But now those who supported the fight against apartheid are being brutalised,” he said.

The organisation is also working with the Department of Basic Education to identify school halls that could be used if displaced migrants need temporary shelter.

It has also approached humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers to assist if emergency support becomes necessary.

Meanwhile, anti-illegal immigration groups insist Monday’s demonstrations are aimed at demanding that the government enforce immigration laws and speed up the deportation of undocumented foreign nationals.

Police have urged South Africans to remain calm, avoid spreading misinformation on social media and allow law enforcement officers to maintain order.

Authorities say anyone who breaks the law, regardless of which side they support, will face arrest.

Pictured above: Police officers will be deployed across South Africa after leave was cancelled ahead of the nationwide 30 June protests.

Image source: File

By Thabo Molelekwa for Oxpeckers

South Africa has secured almost $14-billion in international climate finance commitments since launching its Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with wealthy donor countries to fund the shift away from fossil fuels in 2021.

But funding data reviewed by Oxpeckers shows that, while some international partners have allocated most of their commitments, others have barely begun moving money into transition projects.

Germany has allocated its entire US$2.68-billion commitment. The World Bank has allocated its full US$1-billion package. Spain, meanwhile, has allocated just US$3-million of a US$2.28-billion commitment, while the Accelerating Coal Transition Investment Plan – a global financing mechanism by the Climate Investment Funds – has allocated US$50-million of its US$2.6-billion pledge.

Overall, approximately US$5.8-billion of the nearly US$14-billion committed – or (41%) – has been allocated to transition projects and programmes.

Neil Cole: ‘We don’t have a shortage of capital. What we have is a shortage of project pipeline and support for the preparation of those projects.” Photo courtesy PCC

The figures were presented during a Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) policy dialogue held in May 2026, where government officials, financiers, municipalities, researchers and civil society organisations gathered to assess progress in South Africa’s energy transition.

According to Neil Cole, the financing manager at the JET Project Management Unit, the issue is not just a financing gap.

“We don’t have a shortage of capital in South Africa,” Cole told Oxpeckers. “What we have is a shortage of project pipeline and support for the preparation of those projects.”

His assessment reflects a notable shift from concerns that dominated earlier stages of South Africa’s transition.

Following the money for the JETP since early 2023 (see Pledges roll in for SA’s energy transition), the Oxpeckers #PowerTracker project has identified weak municipal finances, project-readiness challenges and institutional bottlenecks as barriers preventing climate finance from reaching projects.

More than three years later, policymakers and financiers agree that increasing attention needs to be given to project preparation and implementation.

This story was produced by Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism and shared with Scrolla.Africa as part of a content partnership. Read the full investigation on Oxpeckers.org.

Pictured above: Oxpeckers associate editor Thabo Molelekwa spoke about the role of media at the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) policy dialogue in May 2026. 

Image source: PCC

By Marcia Moyana & Thabo Molelekwa for Oxpeckers

The Atlantis Special Economic Zone (ASEZ) in the Western Cape was established in 2020 to attract green economy investment and support local manufacturing.

Oxpeckers visited the site in May 2026 to examine whether those ambitions are translating into jobs, skills development and opportunities for local businesses and workers participating in renewable energy value chains.

According to the ASEZ, the project has attracted more than R3-billion in investment and facilitated the creation of over 800 jobs since its establishment.

Spanning three development zones, the ASEZ is “is positioning Atlantis as a leading hub for green manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, industrial technology, construction materials, and other growth sectors,” their CEO,  Matthew Cullinan, told Oxpeckers.

It is also focused on localisation, ensuring that surrounding communities, businesses, and workers benefit directly from investment and infrastructure development.

It currently hosts a range of manufacturers spanning renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, construction materials, textiles and industrial technology.

According to Anthony Jila, a sustainable infrastructure and zone operations technician at ASEZ, community participation is built into the model.

“There is a community group called the Community Stakeholders Network. That’s a group of individuals who are elected by the community that covers all spheres of the community,” he explained.

The network represents youth, women, small businesses and people living with disabilities, and provides a mechanism for local engagement and oversight.

The zone also requires that 30% of infrastructure project value be directed towards local businesses.

The recently completed Zone 1 infrastructure project directed 32.02% of project expenditure to local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs).

Yet challenges remain.

Many small businesses struggle to access finance, secure credit facilities or raise capital needed to fulfil contracts.

“Even if local businesses have a contract, they do not have the finances to mobilise and start work. They do not have credit history and cannot access a line of credit,” said Jila.

Despite these obstacles, he believes local economic participation is essential.

“Ethically, I think it is only right that if we are bringing business into an area that the community benefits from it.”

This story was produced by Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism and shared with Scrolla.Africa as part of a content partnership. Read the full investigation on Oxpeckers.org.

Pictured above: The Atlantis Special Economic Zone requires that 30% of infrastructure project value be directed to local businesses. 

Image source: Barry Christianson

By Palesa Matlala

• More than 3,600 flood victims across Khayelitsha’s 12 wards will receive food parcels after storms left many families struggling to survive.

• Residents welcomed the donations but warned that flooding will keep destroying lives until permanent solutions are put in place.

Flood victims in Khayelitsha have welcomed food parcels after recent storms left many families with damaged homes and ruined belongings.

The donations will benefit residents across all 12 wards in the township, with 300 people in each ward receiving support.

Nokuzola Bitshana, an unemployed mother of four, said the floods caused major damage to her three-room shack.

“The storm damaged our shack and many of our belongings. Water was everywhere. We need to replace things like our fridge and buy building materials to fix the damage,” she said.

Bitshana survives on her children’s social grants and said the food parcels would help her stretch her limited income.

“The food will make a big difference because I can now use the money I would have spent on groceries for other urgent needs,” she said.

Another resident, Likhona Mgayi, said the donation came at the right time.

The mother of two works as a domestic worker three days a week and said rising food prices have made life difficult.

“The food will help us until month-end. We are grateful, but we need a permanent solution because flooding keeps destroying our homes. If another storm comes, this food could be ruined too,” she said.

The food parcels were donated by the Ndithini Leon Tyhido Foundation in partnership with Spar Mandela Park and SuperSpar Khayelitsha Mall.

Foundation executive member Ndithini Tyhido said he could not ignore the suffering of residents.

“Seeing people lose their belongings and struggle after the floods pushed us to act. We approached Spar and they immediately agreed to help,” he said.

Tyhido said the foundation has been supporting communities for years, even when it was not publicised.

“We know the pain and stress that floods bring. We will continue helping where we can. The food may not reach everyone, but ward councillors helped identify the families who were hit the hardest,” he said.

SuperSpar Khayelitsha Mall manager Abongile Kango said the store wanted to give back to the community that supports it.

“We are here because of the people of Khayelitsha. When they are in need, we want them to know we will stand with them,” he said.

Pictured above: Flood victims receive food parcels donated by the Ndithini Leon Tyhido Foundation, Spar Mandela Park and SuperSpar Khayelitsha Mall

Image source: Buziwe Nocuze

By Rorisang Modiba

• Firefighters found the body of a man under the rubble after a fire destroyed about 150 shacks in Plastic View informal settlement.

• Tshwane officials say 800 houses are planned for Plastic View as families recover from the deadly shack fire.

A deadly shack fire tore through Plastic View informal settlement in Tshwane on Sunday morning, killing one man and leaving hundreds homeless.

MMC for Human Settlements Alderman Aaron Maluleka visited the area on Sunday after the devastating blaze destroyed about 150 shacks.

Emergency services said firefighters received reports of multiple shacks on fire shortly after 6am.

Crews from Central, Silverton, Erasmuskloof and Mamelodi fire stations rushed to the scene to stop the flames from spreading.

Firefighters later found the body of an adult man under the rubble during search and clean up operations.

Authorities said the victim could not escape the fire.

“The South African Police Service forensic investigation team is also on site and has so far recovered the body of an adult male,” said Maluleka.

Officials are still assessing the full damage and counting how many families lost their homes.

The City of Tshwane’s Housing and Human Settlements Department is working with Community and Social Development officials to verify affected households before help is given to displaced residents.

Maluleka also used the visit to update residents on housing plans for the area.

He said the city plans to build 800 top structures for qualifying beneficiaries as part of efforts to improve living conditions in Plastic View.

Emergency services said the cause of the fire is still unknown.

Investigators will continue their work once the area is declared safe.

“Firefighters worked swiftly to contain and extinguish the blaze to prevent the fire from spreading further within the informal settlement,” the emergency services department said.

Disaster Risk Management teams are expected to assist families affected by the fire.

City officials also warned residents to be careful when using candles, paraffin stoves, heaters and electrical appliances during winter, when shack fires become more common.

Pictured above: Fire tore through the Plastic View Informal Settlement in Moreleta Park
Image source: Supplied

By Everson Luhanga

• Researchers warn that dirty water and deadly heat waves already put local families at great risk across the country today.

• One ecologist watched a strong river in Limpopo completely dry up over ten years of studying the local water supply.

Extreme weather is destroying South African food and water supplies. Heat, floods and dry weather are putting families, farms and rivers at great risk.

The changing climate is already turning deadly. Severe floods in KwaZulu-Natal killed 400 people and destroyed 4,000 homes in 2025.

The situation could get much worse. Tlou Ramaru from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment issued a strong warning. He said the changing weather could destroy up to 50% of farm production in the country by the year 2050.

The country is running out of drinking water. South Africa already uses more water than it can supply to its people.

Aquatic ecologist Dr Pfananani Ramulifho spent ten years checking the Luvuvhu River in Limpopo. He watched the strong river turn into a completely dry riverbed.

The water that is left is often dirty and dangerous. Professor Liza Korsten from the University of Pretoria warned that polluted water spreads diseases through the soil, crops and farm animals. She said floods increase the spread of dangerous infections linked to these animals.

Professor Norman Maiwashe from the Agricultural Research Council said this crisis threatens jobs and food production. He said local communities face heavy pressure from land damage and water shortages.

Scientists spoke about these dangers at a national meeting ahead of International Climate Day on 15 May. They asked the government to protect river catchment areas, improve sanitation and invest in stronger farming methods.

They also want to use artificial intelligence and satellite technology to track floods, dry spells and crop failures.

Pictured above: A cattle farm.

Image source: File