Holistic strategy and a national regulator will solve water crisis
Political will, capital and regulation needed to devise new system
Service delivery protests are a sign that desperate citizens seek alternatives to taking to the streets to express anger, frustration and even bewilderment as a result of poor service by the administration. Where are the services? Where in particular is the regular and safe supply of water, a basic human right? Surely with the right political will, regulation, capital and management, it is possible to devise a system better than the chaos that reigns in certain communities? Granted, the water sector in SA is complex. There are a number of interrelated stakeholders, ranging from the Department of Water and Sanitation, to catchment area management, water boards, local municipalities and the end water users. The National Water Resources Strategy outlines the institutional structure of the water sector and highlights the roles of the various players in the water value chain. However, certain parts of this value chain are showing signs of distress, with severe consequences. The first sig...
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