MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute for Governance and Policy Studies

Thesis (M.Sc.(Geology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / The Limpopo Province is largely underlain by crystalline basement rocks, which are characterised by low porosity and permeability. The climate in this province is arid to semi-arid, with scarce surface water for domestic and industrial use. As a result, groundwater is the prime source of fresh water supply for various uses. The complex geology, the impacts of climate change and man-made interactions with groundwater and surface water are the main threat to the availability of a sustainable source of fresh water in the province. In addition, despite substantial research efforts conducted by academic institutions and government organisations, there is still a gap in understanding quantitatively the dynamics of the hydrological systems in large parts of the Limpopo Province. The present study is therefore focused on the investigation of hydrological stresses that are applied to groundwater and surface water in one of the catchments situated in the Limpopo Province. In this study, a three-dimensional steady-state numerical model of groundwater flow was carried out at Mogalakwena Subcatchment, which is situated in the western sector of the Limpopo Province. The area is situated approximately 40 km northwest of Mokopane and 50 km west of Polokwane town. The research aims to understand the dynamics of the exchange between surface water and groundwater, and to assess the influences of these processes on the sustainability of water supply in the area. Hydrologically, the area falls within the boundaries of the Mogalakwena River Catchment, which forms part of the Limpopo River Basin. Previous studies suggest that there is a continuous decline in groundwater levels in the study area due to extensive use of groundwater for mining, irrigation, and domestic purposes. Furthermore, continued climate changes have altered the rainfall events during the last couple of decades, which consequently had an impact on groundwater recharge, quality, and availability. In addition, the complex geology of the area has an impact on the aquifers’ productivity resulting in variability in borehole yields throughout the study area. To achieve the aims of the research project, a three-dimensional steady-state numerical model of groundwater flow was implemented using MODFLOW NWT and ModelMuse v graphical user interface. The model domain covers an area of 5896 sq. km and was discretised with a grid cell size of 200 m by 200 m. The MODFLOW Packages used include DIS, UPW, RCH, EVT, WEL, GHB, RIV and UZF as well as the ZONEBUDGET. The conceptual model of groundwater flow consists of two layers, and it was developed based on drillhole logs, hydrochemical data, environmental isotopes, geological, digital terrain models, and other spatial data relevant for the conceptualisation of boundary conditions and hydrological stresses. The results of the steady-state simulation of groundwater flow show that recharge contributes 99.6% of inflow, followed by river leakage (0.36%) and GHB (0.08%). Among the outflow components, surface runoff takes the lion’s share (83.3%), followed by evapotranspiration (16.6%) and river leakage 0.02%. The zone budget was implemented to evaluate the interaction between surface water and groundwater by quantifying the amount of water that flows from one zone to the other. This was achieved by assigning zone numbers to the objects that represent boundary conditions (e.g., aquifer, river and dam). Zone 1, 2 and 3 were assigned to the aquifer, river and dam, respectively. The results indicate that the rivers gain more water than they supply to the aquifer. Similarly, the Glen Alpine Dam gain more water from the aquifer than it supplies to the aquifer. This implies that the interaction between surface water bodies such as rivers and dams have a significant impact on the aquifer, which consequently partly contributed to the shortage of water in the area. A predictive analysis of the aquifer’s response to an increase in abstraction rate, evapotranspiration rate and a decrease in recharge was carried out to investigate the future fate of water availability in the study area. The results suggest that as recharge decreases, the river inflow slightly increases to compensate for the declining water level due to the river stage exceeding the piezometric surface. In addition, the decrease in recharge rate is accompanied by a slight decrease in both surface runoff and evapotranspiration rate. Thus, a decline in recharge causes a significant drop in piezometric surface relative to the evapotranspiration extinction depth, which ultimately decreases the rate of evapotranspiration. Similarly, a decrease in recharge rate lowers the depth of the water level below the river stage, which consequently triggers water vi exchange from Mogalakwena River to the aquifer. In general, the water balance shows that as recharge decreases by 20% or more, the outflows exceed the inflows resulting in a continuous drop in water level, which may ultimately risk the availability of groundwater in the area. / Council for Geoscience (CGs)

Water is an indispensible and yet a difficult resource to be renewed, thus water scarcity has become one of the major challenges faced worldwide, with the Southern regions of Africa being the most impacted and affected, especially the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa where rural communities depend on receiving waterbodies that are often negatively impacted by wastewater final effluents. This present study was conducted between August and December 2010 to assess the physicochemical and microbial qualities of the final effluents of peri-urban and rural communities based wastewater treatment plants in the Eastern Cape Province. The physicochemical parameters were determined on site and in the laboratory, while bacteriological qualities were determined using culture based techniques. The virological qualities were determined by molecular methods using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for the target RNA virus and the conventional polymerase chain reaction for the target DNA virus. For both wastewater treatment plants, the physicochemical parameters ranged as follows: chemical oxygen demand (5.95-45 mg/L); total dissolved solids (114.5-187.0 mg/L); salinity (0.12-0.20 psu); temperature (14.2-25.7oC); pH (6.0-7.6); nitrate and nitrites (1.55-6.7 mg/L and 0.023-1.15 mg/L respectively); biological oxygen demand (3.5-7.8 mg/L); turbidity (1.49-6.98 NTU); and chlorine residual (0-2.97 mg/L). Feacal indicator bacteria counts ranged as follows: feacal coliforms (0-1.25×104 cfu/100 ml); total coliforms (0-3.95×104 cfu/100 ml); and enterococci (0-5.0×103 cfu/100 ml). xviii Seventy five percent of the rural community based plant and 80 percent of the peri-urban community based plant were positive for coxsackie A virus, while hepatitis A virus was detected in all the rural community based plant 80 percent of the peri-urban community based plant. This study suggests the need for intervention by appropriate regulatory agencies to ensure regular monitoring of the qualities of final effluents of wastewater treatment facilities in the Eastern Cape Province and ensure compliance to established guidelines.

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2018 / The purpose of this study was to determine the challenges that hinder the Greater Tzaneen Municipality from rendering water service delivery to Mokgolobotho villagers and the villagers’ perceptions of their livelihoods without adequate municipal water supply. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research. Two groups of respondents participated in the study. The data was gathered from 100 respondents from Mokgolobotho village, and of the 100 respondents, 90 were residents from 30 households, 1 chief, 3 indunas, 1 ward councillor,3 ward committee members and 2 NGOs. The respondents from the community (households) were randomly sampled and a questionnaire was administered to them ,while those who participated in the interview were purposefully sampled. The scarcity of water at Mokgolobotho village has a negative impact on a number of aspects; the economic development of the village, the academic performance of learners, health of the community members is also at risk as they share water with animals (Mopani Herald, 2014:3) and it also increases the death rate caused by car accidents as villagers cross the R36 Lydenburg main road to get water at the Dan Extension 2 (Reconstruction and Development Programme Settlement). The Department of Water Affairs is very aware of the anomalies in water distribution, where people reside adjacent to water sources and yet have no access to a source of safe and reliable drinking water. Section 27 of the Bill of Rights in the Constitution states that everyone has the right to have access to sufficient water, and the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures to achieve the progressive realization of this right. The Greater Tzaneen Municipality has failed to implement this section of the Bill of Rights at Mokgolobotho Village. The study recommends that the fulfilment of the constitutional mandate by the Greater Tzaneen Municipality and the active involvement of all the stakeholders will solve the water service delivery problem in Mokgolobotho Village.

South Africa is faced with the challenge of delivering priority community services. Research shows that past development policies and practices were "top down" with the planners planning and implementing projects without involving communities. Community participation was generally of a token nature and limited to tHe early phases of the project. It was this lack of interaction between the professionals and the community that was often blamed for project failure. Also planners often produced documents or plans that technically appeared right but were not a priority for the communities. The extensive use of technical terminology and planning jargon resulted in the plans often being inaccessible to the communities for which they were prepared. Due to such failures, the process of community participation in development has become a major influence upon development thinking and practice. It is the subject of continuing debate in modern society. Community participation has been recognised as an effective way of helping rural and urban people to focus energy and resources in solving community problems. This is because, when community members organise, plan or share tasks with the professionals, it contributes financially to the projects and helps them take decisions about formulating activities that affect their lives which better meet their needs. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

Water is an indispensable basic human need which is protected by several provisions within legislation. However, despite extensive legislation access to water is problematic for many rural schools in South Africa. The achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and national goals that are time bound are not possible with the structural barriers that loom. This research study, sketches the experiences of learners and educators who have been exposed to poor access to water within a rural primary school in Jozini, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This research study employs a qualitative research paradigm using a case study method to provide an in-depth understanding of the schooling context where there is poor access to water. The main aim was to explore in-depth how the schooling community is affected and what coping strategies are employed to deal with poor access to water. The research study was approached using ecological systems and social justice perspectives. Findings suggest that the consequences of poor access to water at school level are numerous and become even more complex when there is a lack of water at community level. In a compounding manner the consequences have the potential to, in the long term, have irreversible negative effects on learners and their potential to access quality education. Furthermore educators and management are placed in an invidious position to accommodate the challenges associated with poor access to water at school as part of their everyday teaching routine. Educators are failing to teach and learners are failing to learn thus the education system is rendered dysfunctional. The recommendations echo those of the participants who maintain that the community and the school must have access to water in order to improve the quality of life of all. Changes at the structural level in terms of how access to education is defined are a necessity. Co-operative governance, more stringent monitoring and evaluation of the education system, approaching education from a child-friendly perspective, adopting a human rights approach to fiscal spending and the involvement of chapter 9 institutions to ensure social justice are examples of the structural changes required and are part of the recommendations. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

Through a case study of the Umdoni Local Municipality the study assessed the claims made in the Ugu District Municipality 2008 Report that eMalangeni and eMahlongwa communities have achieved 100 percent water provision. Furthermore, the study used the Rostowrian‟s four of the five-stage model of development to interrogate whether water service provision has improved the standard of living of the people in these two communities. The findings of this study reveal that there is a positive correlation between the installation of water standpipes and an improvement of the standard of living, though it is spread unevenly in these areas. The study concludes that government departments such as the Departments of Water Affairs and Forestry, Agriculture and Rural Development and Land Reform should forge strong relationships aimed at assisting the UDM to achieve its prime objective of improving the quality of life of all who fall under its jurisdiction. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Thesis (M. Sc.) (Hons) -- University of Western Sydney, 2003. / "A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Hons.), University of Western Sydney, Australia, Water Research Laboratory, Centre for Water & Environmental Technology." Includes bibliography : leaves 168 - 183 and appendices.

M.A. (Development Studies) / This study examines water service provision models in KwaZulu-Natal and asks to what extent the intention behind the implementation of a specific model of water service provision correlates with residents’ experiences of the service delivery model that is implemented within their township? Using a case study method this question was examined in two poor communities in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa that were characterised by different models of water service delivery. In the first case, namely Kwadukuza, municipal service provision is the operating model, whilst in the second case, Etete, a Public-Private Partnership governs water service delivery. In examining the different models of water service delivery in the two communities and how they are perceived and experienced by stakeholders, this research primarily expands on existing literature on water service provision within South Africa. It furthermore contributes to broader discussions on decentralisation and citizen participation, whilst building on scholarly debates on water privatisation and partnerships in the context of townships in South Africa. The study begins with a consideration of relevant literature, examining the growing impetus of decentralisation globally, as well as the concurrent emergence of neoliberal thinking and New Public Management strategies. Thereafter, debates on water privatisation are explored, before moving on to a consideration of the policy and practice of water provision in the South African context. At this juncture, the study draws on in-depth interviews as it considers the two models of water service provision within the Ilembe District Municipality – the factors that influenced their implementation and, thereafter, the relationships between and experiences of stakeholders (both implementers and beneficiaries alike) of the service delivery model that operates within their municipality. The study submits that the proposed benefits of decentralisation in the South African context are questionable, specifically as they relate to the delivery of services to the poorest of the poor. It is argued that this is owing considerably to inadequacies at the level of local government. In this respect, it is suggested that existing participatory mechanisms are falling short of the mark. In light of this, the study advances the manifold advantages of multiple stakeholders and partnership arrangements for service delivery models in the South African context. At its core, the study highlights residents’ experiences of water service delivery into their townships in an attempt to measure these against other reported experiences.