Investigating the causes and impact of infrequent water supply on the wellbeing of communities : a case Greater Tzaneen Municipality, Limpopo Province

Abstract

The provision of clean water and water scarcity are the most critical impediments to sustainable development in municipal water supply. Adequate water supply and sanitation services are essential for health, economic development, and environmental protection. Recognizing the importance of access to a safe and adequate water supply has become the core business of many South African municipalities. Among the major challenges facing local government regarding basic service provision in South Africa are acute problems of institutional capacity, maintenance of existing infrastructure, mismanagement of funds, high levels of corruption, political interference and a lack of public anticipation. There has been public outcry in South Africa about poor performance of municipalities in service delivery. Moreover, a good proportion of service delivery protests relate to municipalities‟ “failure to carry out” the supply of “basic” services like water.” It is against this” backdrop “that the” aim of this “study” was “to investigate the” causes of” infrequent “water” supply “on the” wellbeing “of” communities “in” the Greater Tzaneen Municipality, “Limpopo province. Although local municipalities in South Africa are regarded as the providers of essential services, such as water, to date most of the municipalities still lack the capacity to provide water services to community members across the country.” Greater Tzaneen “Municipality finds it challenging to provide water services to communities within its jurisdiction. To achieve this objective, the researcher utilised a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies with a semi”- structured “questionnaire. The” study finds that the municipality is a water service provider and not as such has no authority in the provision of water to the villages. Moreover, it is found that the infrequent water supply has negative impact on the wellbeing of communities’ as water is a basic need and without it, it deprives the citizens of their dignity as enshrined in “Chapter two of the Bill of Rights of the” South African “Constitution.”