Water access challenges and coping strategies in informal settlements : the case Ofiscor settlement in Pretoria West

Abstract

Discourses on challenges regarding water access in South Africa municipalities are intertwined with the concept of human rights and sustainable development goals. Stakeholders and social scientists continue to debate the plaque of service delivery in regard to water access in the African continent. These debates are framed around discussions to explore suitable governance models that are proficient to promote, protect and rule the right to water access amongst the poor. If South Africa and global curve continue to ignore the pleas of the disadvantaged communities on lack of water access, water scarcity will increase causing droughts and floods. The study investigated the water access, challenges and coping strategies in informal settlements specifically focusing on Iscor informal settlement. The challenges of access to water and coping strategies in informal settlements is a continuous issue of concern in South Africa Municipalities. The study was premised on qualitative approach and employed both the snowball sampling and purposive sampling techniques which refer to key participants in the study area, the government officials and the key individuals interviewed for the research. Data were gathered from a total of 61 participants; interviews were conducted with 20 participants in the study area, 10male focus group and 10 female focus group participants, three key individuals from the study area, three government officials from Department of Water and Sanitation (National and Provincial office), five officials from the City of Tshwane metropolitan Municipality and lastly 10 residents on the impact of research, since the collaboration of the research resulted in the provision of basic amenities to the study area during the course of the research. The study analyses the findings of the stated case studies, with each narrative capturing the themes on Demography; Historical background of the study area; level and impact of water access and coping strategies. The findings from the study reflected the complex range of factors influencing and exacerbating the household resilience to water inaccessibility. The research recommends that the government should implement monitoring programmes and projects which will ensure water accessibility in all informal settlements across the city, provide shelters/RDP houses to the residents, educate and create jobs through support groups and NGOs to the study area.