Sustainable Management of Rural Water Resources in South Africa
Keywords:
Governance, Participation, Corruption, Political Interference, Human RightsAbstract
Water, being a scarce and critical natural resource for the survival of humankind, must be effectively managed. Despite transitioning to a democratic state in 1994 and the introduction of legislation to address rural poverty and inequalities inherited from the apartheid legacy, development has been uneven with rural areas bearing the brunt of under-development. The authors argue that water governance systems are considered more effective when they build on good governance and consider public perception and inputs in the management of water resources and infrastructure. The study focused on key challenges in water governance in South African with a focus on rural areas. This includes issues related to public perception and corruption in water governance. A qualitative desktop research method was adopted to address the main concerns in this paper. The study findings reveal that, although significant strides have been made to transform the water sector governance, rural communities remain disproportionately affected by the supply of water. This could be attributed to poor infrastructure, inadequate funding of rural projects, and more importantly a lack of intergovernmental coordination to ensure that water is delivered to vulnerable rural communities. Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the water governance sector, including considering the perceptions of the community and addressing corruption in the sector, would be instrumental in realising the 2030 vision of the SDGs, and realising the overall vison of a ‘better life for all’.