Integrated management of multiple water sources for multiple uses: rural communities in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

In spite of the water sector’s policy commitments and resource allocation to develop and manage infrastructure that ‘leaves no one behind’, remarkably little is known about the ways in which those who are left behind currently use, develop and manage water and envisage incremental improvements, especially in rural areas where people with agriculture-based and diversified livelihoods depend in many ways on water. Policies are clear globally, for example in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (ending hunger) and SDG 6 (water). South Africa’s Constitution commits to realizing everyone’s rights to water and food and the government has invested significant public resources to address the pre-1994 infrastructure backlogs in lowincome areas. However, as elsewhere, results are disappointing. Nationally, over 3 million people still do not have access to a basic water supply service and 14.1 million people do not have access to safe sanitation.

Categories