MANAGEMENT OF WATER SUPPLY INSTITUTIONS IN MPUMALANGA

Abstract

The Department of Water Affairs (DWA) is responsible for the management of Water Resources in South Africa. Its intention is to manage the Water Resources at local level along with the users or beneficiaries. With that intention in mind the Department established Water Management Institutions (WMI) which must supply bulk water to the various users i.e. Municipalities (For Domestic Use), Agricultural Sector (Farming purposes), Mining Sector, Industries and Water for the Ecology or the Environment. Some of these WMI are sustainable and others are not sustainable and may be dysfunctional. This research is aimed at a better understanding of the reasons why the situation is like this, more particularly for the non- sustainable WMI. WMI which are dysfunctional affect Service Delivery for the Department of Water Affairs. Qualitative research methods will be used in this research. Areas for the study are Mpumalanga which has two Water Management Areas (WMA) or Catchment Management Areas (CMAs) i.e. Inkomati and the Olifants Catchment. This research discovered that some WMI don’t have powers and functions delegated to them the Department of Water Affairs. DWA hasn’t given them these functions Five to Six Years since they were established. These delegated powers and functions they can’t operate and they can’t generate income to sustain themselves hence the whole process need to be reviewed.