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University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, JOHANNESBURG Evaluating the Effectiveness of the current Water Resource Management Approaches in Maintaining the Requirements of the South African Guidelines for Aquatic Ecosystem: A study of Hennops River Andronica Sadiki Supervisor: Prof Mulala Danny Simatele Ethics Protocol number: GAES-2019-07-01 A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences March 2020 i DECLARATION I declare that this research report is my own unaided work. It is being submitted for the Master of Science in Environmental Sciences to the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It has not been submitted before for any degree or examination to any other University. ___________________________ (Signature of candidate) 29 day of June 2020 at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg ii ABSTRACT Surface water resources management in the past has been coordinated on a centralized level. Currently management of this water resource is a decentralized ordination. The decentralization has seen great legislative development. The National Water Act no.36 of 1998 has brought about many changes in the water resources management field ranging from institutional arrangement to policies, strategies and water use guidelines. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the current water resource management approaches in maintaining the requirements of the South African Water Quality Guidelines for aquatic ecosystems. The study area evaluated was Hennops River, focusing on the parts of the River that pass- through Centurion, due to the controversy related to its sewage pollution. Methodologies employed during the study period consisted of literature review, water quality data analysis, interviews and questionnaire and observation conducted along the study area with photographs taken. It was found that Hennops River is at great risk of direct pollution by both authorized and non- authorized water users. The catchment management agency within the study area was also found to be un-operational. Furthermore, it was also found that the water quality-monitoring programme by The Department of Water and Sanitation had been suspended, and therefore there were no water monitoring results available for our analysis. The study noted that the water quality-monitoring programme has been acknowledged globally as a critical water resource management tool. The suspension of the water quality-monitoring programme by The Department of Water and Sanitation is thus noted as a major step back in the water resource management field. Therefore, research findings strongly recommended the urgent need by regulating authorities to review the South African Water Quality Guidelines: Aquatic Ecosystems and National Water Resources Strategy, which will ensure progressive development of the said documents and management thereof of water resources. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my supervisor Prof. Mulala Danny Simatele, for his unrelenting guidance and advice during the course of this study. His critical review and assessment of this work has in no doubt refined this work in all aspects. Special thanks also goes to Pule Makena, Esmy Madumo and Benson Neswiswi for their precious time, comments, professional advice and support during the study period. Special thanks also goes to my dear fiancé Kenneth Maliga for his assistance and moral support. Special thanks to my son Dzithendo Sadiki. I am forever indebted to him for affording me the time to work even when his desire for quality time with mommy was much needed. Special thanks to my mom who has always been there during my studies and assisting in taking care of my son in my absence. Lastly, I would also like to acknowledge the support of all research participants for allowing me to conduct interviews and make observations, some within their premises, and take photographs relevant to the study. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Page Chapter 1: Frames of reference 1.1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 13 1.2. THEMATIC CONSIDERATION ............................................................................................................... 15 1.2.1.RESEARCH QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................................ 17 1.3. RESEARCH AIM AND OBJECTIVES ...................................................................................................... 17 1.4.SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................. 18 1.5.SUMMARY OF METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATION ................................................................. 21 1.6. ETHICAL CONSIDERATION .................................................................................................................... 21 1.7. SCOPE OF THE STUDY AND LIMITATION ........................................................................................ 22 Chapter 2: Literature review 2.1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 23 2.2. CONTEXTUALIZING THE LITERATURE: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT.......................................................................................................................... 24 2.3. CONTEXTUALIZING THE LITERATURE: A SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN ... PERSPECTIVE ON WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT…………………………………………………………………………….30 2.4. CONTEXTUALIZING THE LITERATURE: A SOUTH AFRICAN PERSPECTIVE ON WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................................... 32 2.4.1. INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT: SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT .............................................. 39 2.4.1.1. LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT: THE NATIONAL WATER ACT NO.36 of 1998 ........... 39 2.4.1.2. The preamble: National Water Act no.36 of 1996 ................................................................. 40 2.4.1.3. Chapter 2 and 3: National Water Act no.36 of 1996 ............................................................ 40 2.4.1.4. Chapter 4: National Water Act no.36 of 1996 ........................................................................ 40 v 2.4.1.5. Chapter 6: National Water Act no.36 of 1996 ........................................................................ 41 2.4.1.6. Chapter 7: National Water Act no.36 of 1996 ........................................................................ 41 2.4.1.7. Chapter 14: National Water Act no.36 of 1996 ...................................................................... 41 2.4.1.8. CHAPTER 16: NATIONAL WATER ACT NO.36 OF 1996 ..................................................... 41 2.4.2. OTHER LEGAL REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................... 42 2.4.2.1. THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT ACT NO.107 OF 1998 ...... 42 2.5. INSTITUTIONAL FRAME WORK .......................................................................................................... 42 2.5.1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 42 2.5.2 SUMMARY OF WATER MANAGEMENT INSTITUTIONS........................................................... 42 2.6. SUMMARY: WATER MANAGEMENT APPROACHES IN PLACE ................................................ 43 2.6.1. WATER MANAGEMENT AREAS IN SOUTH AFRICA ................................................................. 43 2.6.2. CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AGENCIES ..................................................................................... 45 2.6.3. WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ........................................................................................... 45 2.6.3.1. THE NWRS ............................................................................................................................................. 45 2.6.3.2. THE CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY ....................................................................... 45 2.6.4. RESOURCE DIRECTED MEASURES FOR PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES……………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………46 2.7. GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE ............................................................................................................................. 46 Chapter 3: Methodological consideration 3.1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 48 3.2. RESEARCH POSITIONALITY .................................................................................................................. 48 3.2.1. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................................. 48 3.3.DESCRIPTION OF THE RESEARCH SITE ............................................................................................ 49 3.4. RESEARCH DESIGN ................................................................................................................................... 51 vi 3.4.1.TARGET POPULATION .........................................................................................................................
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