The role of education in shaping the attitudes of Saulspoort region communities towards the utilisation of water as an environmental resource

Abstract

South Africa is a water - scarce country and will be facing a serious water shortage by approximately 2020. The study, that aims to establish attitudes towards the use of water and to examine the role of education in ensuring responsible use of water, focuses on Moruleng village which was selected as representational of the 28 villages of Saulspoort region.

The outcomes of the literature review which examined water consumption patterns in rural areas prompted the conducting of focus group interview with four categories of villagers from the Moruleng village. Personal observations supported by photographs and follow-up interviews with individuals featured in the photographs supplemented the interview data.

The study evidenced that water consumption patterns in rural communities are indicative of attitudes. Villagers' attitudes towards water and its use are ambiguous. The study purposes to examine the possible options to inculcate positive attitudes towards water and its use through the recommendations contained in the study.