Summary:
- The Vaal River, which runs through South Africa's richest province of Gauteng, is severely polluted and posing a serious health risk to the people living nearby.
- The pollution is caused by a combination of factors, including untreated sewage, industrial waste, and mining activities, which have contaminated the water with harmful substances like E. coli and heavy metals.
- The polluted water is making people sick, with reports of skin rashes, diarrhea, and other health issues, and is also threatening the local ecosystem and wildlife.