Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

Groundwater impact of COVID-19 pandemic burials studied

30 April 2025 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Dr Palesa Mohajane, a scientist production at the Department of Water and Sanitation in Hartbeespoort, was recently awarded her doctoral degree at the University of the Free State’s (UFS) autumn graduation ceremony. Her thesis, titled Modelling the effect of pandemic-induced burials on groundwater contamination: a hydrogeological and epidemiological assessment, looks at the impact of increased burial rates on groundwater quality.

Safeguarding groundwater resources

Dr Mohajane explains that witnessing the dramatic rise in burial rates during the COVID-19 pandemic – including instances of mass burials – and the resulting strain on cemeteries, raised concerns about the potential risk of groundwater contamination. This became a motivator for her research.

Her study bridges the gap between environmental science and epidemiology, developing tools to predict how disease outbreaks and related deaths can impact groundwater systems. “By focusing on this intersection, the study contributes knowledge that informs not only responsible cemetery management, but also the protection of groundwater resources important to public health,” she says.

Dr Mohajane highlights the environmental risks that come with an increase in burial activity during pandemics. “When death rates rise sharply, cemeteries experience a surge in burials, which accelerates decomposition within confined spaces. As bodies decompose, they release organic and inorganic pollutants, which can seep through geological layers and affect groundwater quality.”

She notes that if cemeteries are established without proper hydrogeological assessments, these substances can infiltrate the soil and contaminate water sources, posing a threat to both environmental and human health.

Using advanced tools to predict groundwater pollution

Dr Mohajane conducted her research during the post-pandemic period when the longer-term environmental effects of COVID-19-related burial practices began to surface. “Groundwater sampling and quality testing were conducted between September 2023 and January 2024. This period provided a suitable time frame to monitor contaminant release and assess the hydrochemical effects of the burial practices,” she explains.

Langberg Cemetery was selected as a case study due to its representative geological and human-made characteristics, making it a strong candidate for validating the research models. “This site allowed for real-world testing of the mathematical models and simulations, offering important insights into how contaminants move through soil and rock layers and impact groundwater,” says Dr Mohajane.

Her findings revealed that groundwater contamination is influenced by multiple interacting factors – including burial depth, body mass, and geological features. She explains that shallower burials allow pollutants to reach the water table more rapidly, while deeper burials may delay but not prevent eventual leaching. Larger body masses produce more decomposing material, increasing the number of pollutants released. Geological conditions such as fractures and varied rock formations also play a role in the spread of contaminants.

Dr Mohajane’s work has serious implications for both public health and water sustainability. The presence of elevated levels of total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, specific ions, alkalinity, and mineralisation indicates potential health hazards. As groundwater is an important source of drinking water, she stresses the urgency of addressing these risks. “We need to use advanced tools to predict and prevent groundwater pollution before it occurs. With proper water management systems, we can reduce the environmental impact of pandemics,” she says.

She also emphasises the importance of continuous monitoring to detect pollutant levels that exceed safety limits. “Improving burial practices – including thorough geological assessments before establishing cemeteries and optimising burial depths – can help reduce contaminant migration. These measures are important to protect community water resources,” she adds.

Measures to protect groundwater and public health

Dr Mohajane’s research proposes a range of practical measures to safeguard groundwater and public health. Cemeteries should only be developed after detailed geological evaluations, and clear regulations must guide cemetery design to manage increased burial needs during pandemics. Regular water quality monitoring using modern detection tools is key, along with the inclusion of environmental assessments in public health planning.

“These policy measures, if adopted at both regional and national levels, can help to reduce the risk of groundwater pollution and support long-term public health,” she says.

Ultimately, this research supports South Africa’s efforts to protect its groundwater by encouraging collaboration between scientists and policy makers. It offers predictive tools, evidence-based guidelines for sustainable cemetery management, and highlights how scientific research can shape practical, effective policies. The goal is to ensure that groundwater remains a safe and secure resource during future public health and environmental crises.

News Archive

UFS to investigate implementation of quality-monitoring system for SA food industry

2006-02-07

Some of the guests who attended the workshop were from the left Prof James du Preez (Chairperson: Department of Biotechnology at the UFS); Prof Lodewyk Kock (Head: South African Fryer Oil Initiative (SAFOI) at the UFS)); Mrs Ina Wilken (Chairperson: South African National Consumer Union (SANCU)); Prof Herman van Schalkwyk (Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS) and Mr Joe Hanekom (Managing Director of Agri Inspec).
Photo: Stephen Collet

UFS to investigate implementation of quality-monitoring system for SA food industry

The University of the Free State (UFS) will be investigating the implementation of a quality-monitoring service for the South African food industry.

This was decided during a workshop to discuss the external quality monitoring in the edible oil industry of South Africa, which was recently held at the UFS.

Major role players in the fast-food sector like Nando's, Spur, Captain
Dorego's, King Pie Holdings, Black Steer Holdings, etc and various oil
distributors like Felda Bridge Africa, Refill Oils, PSS Oils and Ilanga Oils attended
the workshop. Also present was Mrs Ina Wilken, Chairperson of the South African National Consumer Union (SANCU) and key-note speaker of this workshop. She represented the consumer.

These role players all pledged their support to the implementation of this quality- monitoring system for the whole food industry.

The decision to implement this system follows the various malpractices reported in the press and on TV concerning food adulteration (eg the recent Sudan Red Scare), misrepresentation (eg olive oil scandal exposed in 2001) and the misuse of edible frying oils by the fast-food sector.

“One of the basic rights of consumers is the right to safe food. Consumers must be protected against foods and food production processes which are hazardous to their health. Sufficient guarantee of the safety of all food products and food production processes should be implemented. It does not help to have adequate food standards and legislation and there is no manpower to do the necessary investigation or monitoring,” said Mrs Wilken.

The South African Fryer Oil Initiative (SAFOI), under the auspices of the UFS Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, currently monitors edible oils in the food industry and makes a seal of quality available to food distributors.

“Last week’s decision to implement the quality-monitoring system implies that we will now be involving also other departments in the UFS Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences who are involved in various aspects of the food chain in an endeavor to implement this quality monitoring system,” said Prof Herman van Schalkwyk, Dean: Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the UFS and one of the main speakers at the workshop.

Prof van Schalkwyk said that the main aim of such a system will be to improve the competitiveness of the South African food industry. “It is clear that the role players attending the workshop are serious about consumer service and that they agree that fraudulent practice should be monitored and corrected as far as possible. Although some of the food outlets have the capacity to monitor the quality of their food, it may not seem to the consumer that this is an objective process. The proposed external monitoring system would counteract this perception amongst consumers,” said Prof van Schalkwyk.

The workshop was also attended by representatives from SAFOI and Agri Inspec, a forensic investigation company collaborating with inter-state and government structures to combat fraud and international trade irregularities.

Agri Inspec has been working closely with SAFOI for a number of years to test the content of edible oils and fats. “Extensive monitoring and control actions have been executed in the edible oil industry during the past four years to ensure that the content and labeling of oil products are correct. Four years ago almost 90% of the samples taken indicated that the content differed from what is indicated on the label. This has changed and the test results currently show that 90% of the products tested are in order. However, to maintain this quality standard, it is necessary that quality monitoring and educational campaigns are continuously performed,” said Mr Joe Hanekom, Managing Director of Agri Inspec.

“The seal of quality presented by SAFOI should also be extended to include all the smaller oil containers used by households,” Mrs Wilken said.

The SAFOI seal of quality is currently displayed mainly on some oil brands packed in bigger 20 liter containers, which include sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil etc which are used by restaurants and fast food outlets. “Any oil type is eligible to display the seal when meeting certain standards of authenticity. In order to display the seal, the distributor must send a sample of each oil batch they receive from the manufacturer to SAFOI for testing for authenticity, ie that the container’s content matches the oil type described on the label. This is again double checked by Agri Inspec, which also draws samples countrywide from these certified brands from the end-user (restaurant or fast food outlets). If in breach, the seal must be removed from the faulty containers,” said Prof Lodewyk Kock, Head of SAFOI.

“It should however be taken into account that oils without a seal of quality from the UFS can still be of high quality and authentic. Other external laboratories equipped to perform effective authenticity tests may also be used in this respect,” said Prof Kock.

“It is also important to realise that any oil type of quality such as sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, palm oil etc can be used with great success in well controlled frying processes,” he said.

Further discussions will also be held with the Department of Health, the SA National Consumer Union and Agri Inspec to determine priority areas and to develop the most effective low-cost monitoring system.

More information on the UFS oil seal of quality and oil use can be obtained at www.uovs.ac.za/myoilguide

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
6 February 2006

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept