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Farmers Bring Their Demands to Athens as Costs Surge

Greek farmers with their tractors rally in front of the Greek parliament, over unsolved issues after weeks of blockades. Greek farmers converged on Athens in a powerful display of frustration over rising production costs that they say are pushing them to the brink. Driving tractors, carrying banners, and gathering in Syntagma Square, they demanded stronger government support to keep their farms viable. The protesters argue that soaring fuel prices, higher electricity bills, and increased costs for animal feed and fertilizers have made it nearly impossible to sustain their livelihoods. Many also want long‑term structural reforms, including better access to water resources and more predictable subsidies. Government officials have acknowledged the pressure on the agricultural sector and signaled willingness to negotiate, but farmers insist that previous promises have not been enough. Their message in the capital was clear: without meaningful relief, Greece risks losing a vital part of ...
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Johannesburg Faces Unprecedented Water Crisis: Taps Run Dry

 

For the past two weeks, Tsholofelo Moloi has stood in line with thousands of South Africans, waiting for water. Johannesburg, the country’s largest city, is grappling with an unprecedented collapse of its water system, affecting millions of people. This crisis has left residents, both rich and poor, facing a shortage of severity they’ve never witnessed before.

Several factors have converged to create this dire situation. First, hot weather has led to shrinking reservoirs. But the real culprit lies in decades of neglect and crumbling infrastructure. Johannesburg’s water system has suffered from lack of maintenance, exacerbating the crisis.

South Africa, already familiar with hours-long electricity shortages, is now adopting a term called “watershedding”. Just as loadshedding refers to power outages, watershedding means going without water. Moloi, a Soweto resident, expresses the stress her community faces: “We need to cook, children must attend school, and we need water to wash their clothes. It’s very stressful.”

Over the weekend, water management authorities warned that failure to reduce water consumption could lead to a total collapse of the water system. Reservoirs might drop below 10% capacity, necessitating shutdowns for replenishment. Imagine weeks without water from taps, especially as demand remains high due to scorching weather.

As World Water Day approaches, activists and residents are outraged. They see this as a crisis that has been brewing for years. The ruling African National Congress faces a serious challenge in this year’s election, with public frustration reaching dangerous levels.

Johannesburg, once accustomed to localized water shortages, now grapples with a citywide drought. The arrival of winter is weeks away, and no official drought declaration has been made. Residents are urged to conserve water, but for many, the cost of a 1.3-gallon bottle of water is steep in a country where over 32% of the population is unemployed.

The taps have run dry, and Johannesburg’s water crisis demands urgent attention. 

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