An analysis of the water crisis and its impact on sustainable development in Cape Town, South Africa

Abstract

The access and availability of water have been South Africa’s challenge for millennia. Cape Town has experienced a severe water crisis, never witnessed since its establishment in 1652. The city’s water problems began in 2015 when below-average precipitation was received. Consecutive droughts were experienced until 2018 when water problems reached its peak and became a crisis as taps were expected to run dry. The systems theory and sustainable development concept guided the research process. The study was exploratory and descriptive, following a qualitative approach that used interviews and documentary sources. The study explored the causes and impacts of Cape Town’s water crisis and the implemented strategic interventions, and the role of public participation for improved access and availability of water to a population nearing 5 million. Purposive sampling was used because units were sampled strategically according to their relevance to the research problem. Snowball sampling was also used where the researcher asked for referral to other participants. Data-rich participants were selected for interviews, particularly from government, business, industry and institutions. Forty-two participants were interviewed for the required data. Climate change and governance issues were established as critical factors causing the crisis. Impacts were severe across agriculture, tourism, industrial and retail sectors. Local to national level economy as well as individual and households were impacted. Diversification of water sources, especially by desalinisation, reuse and groundwater, as strategic intervention, was established, although with some challenges. Public participation has gained support in alleviating water problems and establishing cohesion in a racially divided Cape Town. The study advances critical lessons, knowledge and understanding required for effective policy reforms, preparedness against climate change, design and implementation of strategic interventions, excellent governance, and the role of public participation in advancing the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ukutholakala kanye kwamanzi kanye nokubakhona kwamanzi sekwaba sitjhijilo sesikhathi esingangemileniyamu eSewula Afrika. Idorobha leKapa (Cape Town) lihlangabezene nomraro omkhulu wokutlhogeka kwamanzi, okumtlhago ezange lakhe lahlangabezana nawo solo lasungulwa ngomnyaka ka-1652. Imiraro yezamanzi yedorobha leKapa yathoma ngomnyaka ka-2015 lokha izulu elingaphasi kwesilinganiso esifaneleko nalinako. Ngemva kwalokho kuye kwaba nesomiso kufikela ngomnyaka ka-2018 lokha imiraro yamanzi nayifika ezingeni eliphezulu khulu kanti lokho kwaba mraro khulu, njengombana iimpompi zazilindelwe bona zome kere. Igama elithi umqondo wamasistimu (systems theory) kanye netuthuko esimeleleko ngiwo arhola phambili ihlelo lerhubhululo. Irhubhululo belingelinqophe ukuvumbulula nokuhlathulula, lilandele indlela yelwazi (qualitative approach) esebenzise iinhlolombono kanye nemithombo yemitlolo (documentary sources). Irhubhululo lihlole abonobangela kanye nemithintela yemiraro yamanzi edorobheni leKapa kanye namahlelo amizamo yamano asetjenzisiweko, kanye nendima yokuzibandakanya komphakathi ahlose ukwenzangcono imizamo yokutholakala kwamanzi kanye nokubakhona kwamanzi kunani labantu ababalelwa kumamiliyoni ama-5. Ihlelo lokuthatha isampula i-Purposive sampling lisetjenziswe ngesizathu sokobana amayunidi asampulwe ngokwamano, ngokhambisana kwawo nomraro werhubhululo. I-Snowball sampling nayo isetjenziswe lapho umrhubhululi abuze khona ukobana akhonjiswe abanye abadlalindima. Abadlalindima abanothe ngedatha/abanedatha enengi bakhethelwe iinhlolombono, ikakhulukazi kusukela kurhulumende, kezebhizinisi, kezamabubulo kanye namaziko. Abadlalindima abamasumi amane nababili bakhethelwe ukobana kutholakale idatha efunekako.. Iindaba zokutjhuguluka kobujamo bezulu kanye nezokuphatha zisungulwe njengemithintela eqakathekileko ebangela imiraro. Imithintela ibemimbi khulu kuyo yoke imikhakha wezokulima, wezevakatjhobukela, wezamabubulo kanye nezeentolo zegrowuzari. Ubujamo lobu bezomnotho bube nomthintela kusukela ephasini loke kufikela eendaweni zemakhaya kanti kwehla kwaya phasi esigabeni semizi kanye nesigabeni sabantu. Ukwehlukaniswa ngeengaba kwamahlelo wemithombo yezamanzi, ikakhulukazi ukusungulwa kwamahlelo wokutsengwa kwetswayi emanzini (desalinisation), ikakhulukazi, ukusetjenziswa kanengi kwamanzi kanye namanzi avinyilika phasi, lokhu kusungulwe njengamano wokungenelela, nanyana bekuneentjhijilo. Ukuzibandakanya komphakathi sekuthole isekelo elikhulu ekulweni nemiraro yezamanzi kanye nokusungulwa kwetjhebiswano labantu edorobheni leKapa elihlukaniswe ngokobuhlanga. Irhubhululo libeka ngaphambili iimfundo eziqakathekileko, ilwazi kanye nokuzwisisa okufunekako ukobana kube namatjhuguluko asebenzako womthethomgomo, ukuzilungiselela ukulwa nokutjhuguluka kobujamo bezulu, idizayini kanye nokusetjenziswa kwemizamo yamano, ihlelo elihle khulu lezokuphatha, kanye nendima yokuzibandakanya komphakathi ekufikeleleni iinRhuluphelo eziSimeleleko zeTuthuko (Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

U swikelela na u wanala ha madi yo vha yone khaedu khulwanesa lwa mileniamu. Cape Town yo tshenzhela thaidzo khulwanesa ya madi, ine ya sa athu u vha hone u bva tshe ya vha hone nga 1652. Thaidzo ya madi kha dorobo khulwanesa yo thoma nga 2015 musi hu tshi tanganedzwa mudzikiso u re fhasi ha mbalotshikati. Gomelelo line la khou tevhekana lo tshenzhelwa u swika 2018 musi thaidzo ya madi i tshi vha nthesa na u vha thaidzo musi phaiphi dzi tshi lavhelelwa u sa tsha bva madi. Musi thiori ya sisiteme dzo fhambanaho na mutalukanyo wa u dzudza mveledziso zwi tshi endedza kuitele kwa thodisiso. Ngudo yo todisisa na u wanulusa hu tshi khou tevhedzwa kuitele kwa khwalithethivi kwo shumisaho zwiko zwa inthaviwu na rekhodo dza vhathu dzi kwamaho matshilo avho. Ngudo yo wanulusa zwivhangi na masiandaitwa zwa thaidzo dza madi Cape Town na zwitirathedzhi zwo shumiswaho kha u dzhenela, na mushumo wa u shela mulenzhe ha tshitshavha kha u khwinisa u swikelela na u vha hone ha madi zwa vhathu vhane vha swika milioni thanu. Ho shumiswa tsumbonanguludzwa dzo sedzaho kha zwitaluli zwa vhathu ngauri yuniti dzo nanguludzwa nga ndila ya tshitirathedzhi u ya nga u tea hadzo kha thaidzo ya thodisiso. Ho dovha ha shumiswa na tsumbonanguludzwa dzine mutodisisi a livhiswa kha munwe muthu nga mudzheneli hune mutodisisi a humbela u livhiswa kha vhanwe vhadzheneleli. Vhadzheneleli vho pfumaho ndivho ya data vho nangiwa kha inthaviwu, nga maanda u bva muvhusoni, mabinduni, ndowetshumo na kha zwiimiswa. Vhadzheneli vha 42 vho inthaviwu kha data ine ya todea. Tshanduko ya kilima na mafhungo a kuvhusele zwo bveledzwa sa zwitaluli zwa ndeme zwine zwa khou vhanga thaidzo. Masiandaitwa o vha o nanaho kha vhulimi hothe, vhuendelamashango, ndowetshumo na sekhithara dza mbambadzo. Masiandaitwa o vha kha levele ya ikonomi yapo na ya lushaka na vhathu na mita. Tshanduko ya zwiko zwa madi, nga maanda nga u bvisa muno kha madi, u shumisa hafhu na madi o tou bwiwaho, sa tshitirathedzhi tsha u dzhenela, yo thomiwa, naho hu na dzinwe khaedu. U dzhenela ha tshitshavha ho wana thikhedzo kha u khwinisa thaidzo dza madi na u bveledza vhuthihi Cape Town ho fhandekanywaho nga mirafho. Thodisiso yo bveledza ngudo dza ndeme, ndivho na u pfesesa hune ha todea kha u khwinisa mbekanyamaitele dzo teaho, u lugela u hanedzana na tshanduko ya kilima, u bveledza na u shumisa tshitirathedzhi tsha u dzhenelela, kuvhusele kwa mathakheni, na mushumo wa u dzhenelela ha tshitshavha kha u bvela phanda na u swikelela Zwipikwa zwa u Dzudza Mveledziso (dzi SDG).