Persistent poor governance and poor water management, lack of compliance, poor or non-existent planning, continued inaction, and a deep-seated culture of irresponsibility and lack of transparency have created new water upheavals in spaces that have experienced primary upheavals in the past. , or have exacerbated existing crises that are now crises.
Dysfunctional, bankrupt and underperforming water service delivery establishments, and local districts and municipalities and other water service delivery establishments, whose primary mandate is to obtain a reliable source of drinking water and sanitation services, have left others with an unreliable source or faucets. .
One such case is the City of Johannesburg. The causes are continued load-shedding, poor maintenance resulting in the collapse of infrastructure, and mismanagement.
Many examples of water crises are evident across the country, from the cholera outbreak in Hammanskraal to new water catchments in the metropolitan areas of Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. Wastewater crises are occurring across South Africa, specifically in the local municipality of eThekwini, destroying the ecological functioning. , threatening human health and negatively impacting businesses and socio-economic growth, especially those dependent on tourism.
It should not be forgotten that South Africa is a water-scarce country, characterized by a predominantly arid to semi-arid climate. Rainfall is distributed asymmetrically, resulting in an asymmetrical distribution of water. The country receives below-average rainfall of 465 mm per year, 395 mm less than the global average of 860 mm for the year, and is among the 30 driest countries in the world.
The overall water crisis is ranked as South Africa’s second highest risk, after the unemployment crisis, for doing business in the country.
Other primary water-related crises include:
All of these important driving forces have put serious and increased pressure on scarce water resources, either in terms of the quantity available or the quality suitable for their use. Water discharge has now also been added to the list, highlighting poor water governance and control. at all levels. The country’s already scarce water resources are no longer fit for use due to continued pollution; the Vaal River formula is just one example.
2023 under review
In summary, water disorders in South Africa have increased in number and magnitude. The irregularity of responsibility and the disorder of municipalities have become more evident due to the accumulation of water disorders and the fact that civil society is better informed through committed studies and investigative journalism. .
Civil society and water users have been affected by poor water governance, mismanagement and general inaction caused by a persistent lack of political will and investment. The continued decline in the supply of water facilities in the Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni metropolitan areas are excellent examples of how a region can revel in an unfortunate typhoon by combining a lack of political will, governance instability and ongoing infighting, poor or no planning, poor management and allegations of corruption. The outages also led to poor maintenance or repair of water infrastructure, resulting in an abnormal water source or dry faucets for days for some users.
Some were conducted in 2023, including:
The negatives outweigh those few incremental steps; The country’s water resources are still under serious risk and some are unfit for use due to persistent pollution.
Freshwater outlook for 2024
First, the long-awaited audit reports of the Green Drop and Blue Drop Interim Reports will need to be published. This is yet another example of inaction or delays and lack of transparency on the part of government components at all levels responsible for the supply of water to consumers. These reports are of paramount importance as they highlight the existing prestige of wastewater treatment works, most commonly in critical grades (Green Drop Watch Report), as well as the compliance of local districts and municipalities to gain access to water, a reliable source of drinking water. adequate quality water, as well as comprehensive provision of water and sanitation facilities (Blue Drop Watch Report).
Secondly, the culture of lack of transparency, irresponsibility, negligence and apathy is very transparent in the Green Drop Watch report; 50% of the municipalities considered to be in non-compliance through the ministry responded to their letters informing them of this and less than 50% submitted the required water control intervention plan. This is a transparent example of continued apathy and neglect.
Finally, the existing infrastructure and apparatus of water monitoring networks will have to be presented to decision-makers. Without those up-to-date reports and water monitoring data, well-informed water monitoring plans are highly unlikely to be scaled up. , medium- and long-term initiatives, with the sole objective of addressing and minimizing the effects of persistent water shocks and crises, cannot be developed precisely.
Unaccountability, non-transparency and overall neglect persist because of poor governance, mismanagement and continued alleged corruption, significantly halting progress.
For the water sector to move forward, the blame game and discussions to check to win an argument will have to stop and move to action, the progression of context-specific movements and their implementation to maintain water security and begin to resolve the conflict. The water crisis.
Anja du Plessis is an associate professor in the Department of Geography of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at Unisa and writes in her capacity.
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