Management of water resources in South Africa : a review

Abstract

Water is the commodity of life and is a vital need for everyone globally. Without water, many lives are being threatened as it is required for human economic and social needs. There are many challenges regarding water management in South Africa. This is mainly due to inadequate rainfall, hence mismanagement of water resources due to political breakdowns and racial groups also contribute to the problem. Some of the other challenges may include: limited physical resources, a long cycle of inadequate rainfall, a rapid growing population, and stagnant economies. Complex challenges such as these, dictate a critical need to manage and conserve water resources properly. The current trends in South Africa indicate that, water problems will continue becoming more and more complex, conflicting or interfering with other developmental sectors such as: agriculture, mining and energy, industry, transportation and communications and with social sectors including education, environment, health, rural and regional development. This review aims at discussion some of the challenges on water scarcity and management in South Africa and the role of institutions on integrated water resources management.