The role of communities in innovative water management: Sustainability governance in the emerging country

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Abstract

South Africa’s municipalities have been called upon to provide potable clean water and to empower local communities to participate in water supply management in view of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. However, despite such efforts, access to piped water is dwindling and disparities in the distribution of water are growing (Mkize, 2021). This paper aimed to explore the existing policy and institutional frameworks that enhance or inhibit communities’ roles as water services intermediaries in the Eastern Cape and Free State provinces of South Africa. This article adopted the qualitative research methodology in presenting the findings and the analysis of data from communities and government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) officials’ narratives on the factors that enhance or inhibit communities’ participation in water management. The findings highlight that, despite South Africa’s elaborate legal frameworks for water governance, South Africa has not managed to achieve water equity or to engage meaningfully with beneficiary communities as part of water management. Water inequalities are still predominantly characteristic of formerly excluded areas in the villages, townships, and informal settlements, and have grown in tandem with overall social and economic inequalities that are making South Africa the most unequal country in the world.

Keywords: Good Governance, Water Inequality, Developing Country, Governance, Participation, Empowerment, South Africa

Authors’ individual contribution: Conceptualization — P.B.M.; Methodology — P.B.M., S.Y.C., T.M., and S.N.; Validation — P.B.M., S.Y.C., T.M., and S.N.; Formal Analysis — P.B.M., S.Y.C., T.M., and S.N.; Investigation — P.B.M., S.Y.C., T.M., and S.N.; Writing — Original Draft — P.B.M.; Writing — Review & Editing — P.B.M., S.Y.C., T.M., and S.N.; Supervision — P.B.M.; Project Administration — P.B.M.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgements: We would like to thank the Water Research Commission (WRC) and the Govani Mbeki Research and Development Centre for funding our research. We would also like to thank Ms. Virginia Molose, Ms. Penny Jaca, and the WRC research task team. We would like to thank our departmental members, the Mbizana and the Ngwathe community members who helped to shape some of our initial thinking on water management.

JEL Classification: G30, H10, Q56

Received: 25.09.2021
Accepted: 26.09.2022
Published online: 29.09.2022

How to cite this paper: Monyai, P. B., Chivanga, S. Y., Monyai, T., & Ndlovu, S. (2022). The role of communities in innovative water management: Sustainability governance in the emerging country. Journal of Governance & Regulation, 11(4), 123–135. https://doi.org/10.22495/jgrv11i4art12