In a country where 43% of school water samples are unsafe to drink, and billions are lost to corruption and neglect, who’s standing up for our right to clean water?

In this episode, we speak to WaterCAN, the citizen movement fighting for transparency, accountability and justice in South Africa’s water system. From citizen science to activism, this is a conversation about turning outrage into action, and building a future where every person, every community, has access to safe, clean water.

💬 About the Guests:

Dr Ferrial Adam - Executive Director of WaterCAN | Environmental Justice & Human Rights Advocate. With a PhD on Citizen Science and Environmental Justice in South Africa’s Water Sector, Dr Adam has worked with leading organisations like Earthlife Africa and Greenpeace Africa. She’s dedicated to empowering citizens to hold power to account and protect our most vital resource — water. 📧 ferrial.adam@watercan.org.za

Nomsa Daele - Senior Team Leader at WaterCAN Passionate about citizen empowerment and community-driven monitoring, Nomsa plays a vital role in coordinating WaterCAN’s school testing and citizen science initiatives. 📧 nomsa.daele@watercan.org.za

🎙️ In this episode, we cover:

• Why South Africa’s water crisis is about governance and justice, not just scarcity
• How citizen-led water testing is exposing unsafe conditions in schools and communities
• The impact of corruption on infrastructure, safety, and public health
• Stories of grassroots water warriors making change from the ground up
• How to get involved and become part of the movement

Learn More: http://www.watercan.org.za/ TikTok - @watercansa4 IG - @watercan_za X - @watercan Facebook - @watercan LinkedIn - @watercan-south-africa YouTube - @watercan6249

What would South Africa look like if everyone had a guaranteed income; no red tape, no exclusions, no one left behind?

In this episode, we sit down with Siyanda Baduza, Junior Researcher at the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ), to unpack the fight for Universal Basic Income (UBI); what it really means, how it could work, and why it’s about more than just money.

From the broken Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant system to bold ideas for a fairer economy, Siyanda breaks down the research, myths, and real human stories behind South Africa’s push for income justice.

In this episode, we cover:

- Why the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant isn’t enough, and who’s being left out

- What a Universal Basic Income could look like in South Africa

- How UBI could reduce poverty, boost the economy, and support a just transition

- Myths about “affordability” and why the real question is political will

- What it means to guarantee dignity and income security for all

Learn more:

- What a South Africa with Basic Income Could Look Like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pcZQSnyCyE

- UBI Explainer Blog: https://iej.org.za/a-system-that-lifts-everyone-up-universal-basic-income/

- SRD Court Case Statement & Policy Brief: https://iej.org.za/statement-historic-judgment-in-srd-grant-court-case-stands-to-benefit-half-of-south-africas-population/- https://www.iej.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IEJ-SRD-court-case-policy-brief.pdf - UBI & Climate Factsheet: https://iej.org.za/ubig-factsheet-10_how-a-ubig-can-support-a-just-energy-transition_jet/

- Q&A with Siyanda on Basic Income: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTTkILtDOtQ

In this episode of The Mobilize Podcast, we sit down with Kirsten Pierson from the South African Institute of International Affairs to unpack climate finance, just transitions, and the urgent need for real support at COP30 and G20. From debt justice to fossil fuel taxes, we explore how money shapes the fight for climate action in the Global South.

Guest: Kirsten Pierson - Researcher, South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)

Want to learn more? https://saiia.org.za/

Key takeaways:

- Climate change is already costing lives, jobs, and economies.

- Finance is central to building a just transition.

- Debt justice and fossil fuel taxes are on the table at COP30.

- The Global South cannot afford more delay; real action must be funded now.