With an emphasis on the understanding of the members of the uSuthu to Mhlathuze Catchment Management Forum (CMF) regarding water management in the area, a questionnaire was developed to explore the views and perspectives of water users within the uSuthu to Mhlathuze Catchment Management Area (CMA). to capture. ). Resource quality objectives should assess user requirements and resource class (NWRS; DWAF, 2004).
INTRODUCTION
- Background
- Problem Statement and Rationale for the Study
- Research Aim / Objective / Question
- Structure and Outline of the Study
Current water use activities under section 21 of the NWA (1998) within the UKDM relate to mining, agriculture and wastewater treatment works (WWTWs). In chapter 5, the final comments and recommendations are given on water management and adaptation of water use permits to strategic water management goals for the study area.
METHODOLOGY
- Introduction
- Research Design
- Qualitative Research
- Purposeful Sampling
- Data Collection
- Primary data: Questionnaire
- Secondary Data: Content analysis (Document Review)
- Data Analysis
- Description of the Study Area
- Ethical Considerations
- Chapter Summary
The questions were developed with the aim of understanding the views and perspectives of uSuthu to Mhlathuze CMF members. The questions aimed to collect data to establish the understanding of uSuthu to Mhlathuze CMF members regarding water management.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
Overview of Governance and Related Legislation
- Water Governance
- Legislation related to water governance in South Africa
- The Constitution of the RSA
- The National Water Act
- The Water Services Act
This also refers to the poor infrastructure meant for water supply and irrigation schemes. DWS, as the custodian of water resources in the RSA, has the responsibility to realize this right; and. Second, the Constitution (1996) has the legal basis for assigning powers to various spheres of government to regulate the supply of water.
Legislation enacted, such as the NWA (1998) and the Water Service Act (WSA) (Act No. 108 of 1997) define roles and responsibilities as well as powers for various spheres of government in relation to the management of water resources. The water supply backlog within the UKDM in the year 2016 (see Table 3-2) indicates that 53.2% of the population has access to water supplies below the national standard level (Bigen Africa, 2016).
Management of Water Resources
- Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)
- Water management instruments
- Resource-directed Measures (RDM)
- Source-directed Measures (SDMs)
- Resource Quality Objectives (RQOs)
UKDM is among other rural areas in RSA that have limited water resources (Mulopo et al., 2020). Furthermore, Everard (2009) and Dollar et al. 2010) comment that water resources in the RSA are significantly overstressed. According to Ginsburg et al. 2010), the RDMs set goals and objectives for the preferred state of water resources in an aquatic ecosystem while protecting water resources.
The RDMs use the illustration (Figure 3-1) of the water resource management to ensure that the sustainability of water use is a proactive method of managing water resources. According to Parsons and Wentzel (2007), the DWS is responsible for the realization of RDMs with the aim of implementing the NWA (1998).
Permissible water uses
A study commissioned in the Vaal highlighted that there are concerns about how the conditions are set in the WUL and discharge quality specifications related to pollution and water quality (Odume et al. 2018). General authorizations must be within the defined limits and comply with conditions as set out in the GA Notice; however, they must be registered with the DWS (DWS, 2007). As a rule, all water uses that commenced before 1998 are considered Existing Legal Use (EBU) in terms of the Water Act (1998).
However, relevant records, such as irrigation infrastructure design, must be in place to prove that water use occurred prior to 1998, and therefore the existing legality must be verified and validated by DWS. All other water uses must be approved by means of a water use permit (WUL).
Water Governance within the uMkhanyakude District Municipality
The role UKDM plays in uSuthu with Mhlathuze is to share knowledge, make recommendations on water issues, learn about other problems, find solutions and protect land and rivers within its authority region. UKDM's governance issues have attracted the attention of many government departments, with some authorities criticizing the council for its inability to address its many challenges, despite strong support from provincial and national government organizations (CoGTA, 2016).
The economic status of the UKDM
Surface, Groundwater and Catchment Characteristics
The Mfolozi and Nyalazi rivers are the main fresh water sources in the region of the Hlabisa Local Municipality. The quality of the water has declined significantly in recent years due to the cultivation of sugar cane and sulphate seeping in from mining activities. For example, during the dry season, the uMfolozi River has limited flow as the river experiences high levels of silt due to the low levels of water flow.
For downstream and upstream stakeholders, the water source area is a transboundary watershed (UKDM, 2015). This depends on the effective management of the resource system by all stakeholders who rely on the diverse water resources and wetlands of the water system (Bigen Africa, 2016).
Water Management Institutions (WMI)
Additionally, Bigen Africa (2016) states that the UKDM faces a major water resource deficit and it is essential that DWS accelerates the validation and verification of water use that will result in equitable distribution of the resource. Maintaining the balance, allocation of water resources and regulation of water services and water use). CMFs are non-statutory organizations as defined in Chapter 8 of the NWRSII with the aim of supporting the involvement of participants in integrated water resources management and providing support to CMAs (DWAF, 2013).
Water users from different sectors (mining industry, irrigation, forestry and domestic) make up the CMF and have a common interest in the management, use, allocation, protection and conservation of water resources. However, UKDM faces water scarcity, which makes it difficult to manage water resources effectively.
Water Scarcity and Climate Change
However, UKDM is experiencing water shortages, which then make effective management of water resources difficult. resulted in irregular supply of water resources, rapid economic growth and urbanization with increasing population and poor management of water resources. 2009), on the other hand, argue that population growth is entirely responsible for water scarcity. Source: Water Research Commission; South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF); Statistics South Africa; 2030 Water Research Group. Mehta (2014) points out that a number of studies done on water scarcity tend to focus more on global water provision, while there is little focus on discussing different consumption patterns and cumulative equity.
The problem of water scarcity is complex and due to socio-political conditions; but it could undoubtedly be managed with sufficient certainty if there were to be buy-in by all parties (Mehta, 2014). According to Otto et al. 2018), climate change is likely to triple the chances of droughts occurring, also contributing to the challenges of water scarcity.
Chapter summary
According to Noemdoe et al. 2006), the idea that water scarcity is a biophysical issue that can be remedied by technological and infrastructural involvement is rejected. Mehta (2014) concludes that the problem with many traditional studies of water scarcity is that they do not ask how scarcity accumulates; rather it is assumed to be true to a certain degree. On the continent of Africa there is an average increase in temperature of about 60 C, which is mainly caused by droughts and climate changes in different parts of sub-Saharan Africa (Otto et al., 2018).
Given that RSA is ranked as the 30th driest country in the world and has less water per person than all its countries, the impacts of climate change on water resources are expected to be very high (DWA, 2013; Engelbrecht et al add, that the UKDM is a classic rural area with a subtropical climate characterized by hot and humid summers (November-February) and cooler and drier winters (June-August).Furthermore, Dlamini (2018) explains that the ongoing political struggle in the UKDM for authority at both the regional and district levels has inhibited progress in the provision of communal services, thereby exacerbating water scarcity problems.
RESULTS, DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
- Introduction
- Results related to the General Understanding of Water Governance,
- Results related to the General Understanding of Water Governance
- Results related to Legislation and Policies
- Results related to approaches/instruments used for water governance
- Results related to the WARMS Database for the uMkhanyakude
- Authorised and Registered Water Users according to section 21(a) of the
- Registered Water users according to section 21(b) of the NWA
- Authorised Registered Water Use according to section 21 (d) of the NWA
- Chapter summary
With the findings of Muller et al. 2009), it is clear that UKDM needs to promote water management in order to address water issues in the area. All sixteen (100%) respondents were conflicted about improvements in terms of water management in UKDM. 12 (75%) respondents indicated that UKDM still has a lot of work to do in terms of water policies to promote water management.
Only four (25%) respondents agreed that water policies and current water statutes in UKDM promote water management. In addition, respondents highlighted that the UKDM reflects water management in the water service development plan to ensure that they receive funding or subsidies.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
Conclusions
- Understanding Water Governance
- Authorised water quantities aligned with predetermined water quantities of
When asked what water governance aims to achieve, most respondents (81%) seemed to have a good idea about it; so, either the municipality has done a good job in raising awareness or people have done their homework. On the issue of water governance's ability to address water issues within the UKDM, only a small percentage (38%) agreed that it could be. On the other hand, water governance is vital in developing countries for expanding long-term access to drinking water and enhancing broader local governance (Jones, 2011).
Regarding water governance approaches and/or instruments, most of the respondents (69%) did not have any idea or understanding about it; 31% who knew were of the opinion that its implementation was not effective. Based on the responses to the questionnaire, it was clear that a number of respondents understood what water governance is, however, there were some inconsistencies regarding its effectiveness and how it was implemented.
Recommendations and areas for future research
National Water Act, 1998 (Act No. 36 of 1998): Regulations for Establishing a Classification System for Water Resources (Notice 810). Development of the South African Water Resource Classification System (WRCS): a tool for sustainable, equitable and efficient use of water resources in a developing country. An overview of trends in scientific reporting on water resources management in South Africa and what this means for setting the agenda of public investment in water management research and development.
In Regional Management of Water Resources: Proceedings of an International Symposium (S2 Symposium) held during the Sixth Scientific Assembly of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) in Maastricht), 268: pp. Relating the setting of water quality license conditions to resource quality objectives and/or site-specific conditions in the Vaal catchment area and associated rivers within the lower sections of the upper Vaal river basin. Exploring stakeholder perceptions of water resource quality and governance in Wenchi Municipality.
The title of the study is the Alignment of Water Use Permits with Strategic Water Management Objectives for the Upper District Municipality of uMkhanyakude, KwaZulu-Natal, which aims to answer the research question: What is the understanding of the members of the River Basin Management Forum regarding water management in the region? uSuthu to the Mhlathuze basin.
