SABI Magazine SABI Magazine June July 2017 | Page 38

Water resources
SOUTH AFRICAN
WATER RESOURCES
Status Quo and Management
Ample enough for rural communities?
by Dhavu Khumbulani, Salome Modiselle, Manyako Erence and Seopa Judith
INTRODUCTION
Water’s fundamental importance for human development, the environment and the economy needs
will feature prominently in the new United Nations post-2015 development agenda. UN-Water and its
partners have therefore come together to develop these suggestions for a dedicated global goal for water,
‘Securing sustainable water for all’. A framework for the global goal for water is designed to promote
human well-being, economic prosperity and the preservation of environmental capital. The framework
thus contains all three dimensions of sustainable development - social, economic and environmental. The
proposal aims to support the protection of water resources from over exploitation and pollution while
meeting drinking water and sanitation needs, energy, agriculture and other uses.
The proposed global goal for
water seeks to be universally
applicable while responding to
specific national circumstances.
It is designed to be tailored
to the contexts and priorities
of each country.
Water resource development
and management in South Africa
have continuously evolved over
the years to meet the needs of
a growing population and a
vibrant economy. Considering
the constraints imposed by
nature these developments have
largely been made possible by
recognizing water as a national
asset, which permits its transfer
from where it is available to
where the greatest overall
benefits for the nation can be
achieved. South Africa is today
recognized internationally for
its progressive water legislation
and its sophistication in water
resources management.
Sufficient water resources have
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been developed to ensure that
all current requirements for
water can reasonably be met
without impairing the socio-
economic development of the
country. An inheritance from the
previous water act, which in many
instances linked access to water
resources to land ownership, is
the current inequity in water use
among the country’s population
groups. Situations also occur
where people do not have access
to a reliable source of potable
water. This is largely due to a lack
of infrastructure and funding for
its provision and operation.
In response to this water crisis,
national policies, strategies
and objectives for the water
sector are set out in the
National
Water
Resources
Strategy, National A