38
S. Liphadzi et al.
change as a process to operationalise the WEF nexus [56]. Research results have not
only benefited South Africa but have had huge global impacts as evidenced by the
high number of citations of its WEF nexus-related publications. South Africa and
southern Africa are now acknowledged as well ahead of other countries and regions,
respectively, in terms of WEF nexus research, development, operationalisation, and
implementation [43, 59].
The importance of the WEF nexus is earnestly being recognised in tandem with the
evidence from research results, but real implementation has been slow, particularly
because of the current prevailing sector-based governance and institutional arrangements where the three sectors sit in three different departments [39]. Current sectoral
governance structures where each has its own policy documents that normally take
opposite priority programmes to meet their target unintentionally threaten the security
of essential resources due to conflicting priority programmes, which usually results
in duplication of activities [51, 61]. Each sector pursues its mandates and policies at
the detriment of the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030 and SDGs [56].
However, it is imperative to note that the approach does not intend to create a mega
“Nexus Ministry”, but rather build a strong stakeholder platform for the coordination and facilitation of policy dialogues that would translate into the identification
of priority areas for intervention. With evidence from science, such dialogues allow
stakeholders to prioritise optimal projects that give the overall trade-off solutions for
all sectors involved.
The need for a systematic, holistic, and integrated approach in resource management in South Africa is influenced by serious challenges of water, energy, and food
insecurity. Fifty percent of the South African population does not have enough food
as the country is food insecure at the household level, ninety-eight percent of the
country’s water supply is already allocated, and the country currently faces instability in the energy sector [86]. The distribution of natural resources in South Africa
and the location of economic development hubs are uneven, a situation that further
complicates management constraints and exacerbates inequality in the access to the
resources [51]. The emphasis on the security of water, energy, and food is based on
the fact that the three resources form the basis of a resilient economy [48]. Apart from
the water scarcity challenges, South Africa also faces limited arable land (yet 20%
of South Africans are food insecure) [22], highly depends on condemned coal-fired
power (86% of the country’s electricity is generated from coal, posing serious health
risks), and depends on oil imports [26]. Estimates show that by 2030, 65% of South
Africa’s electricity will still be generated from coal and the population would have
increased to more than 60 million, and as early as 2025 the country will face a water
deficit of 1.7% [86]. At the same time, the National Development Plan (NDP) targets
an increase of more than 50% of land under irrigation [69]. Indications are that the
country’s resources will be stretched to the limit in the near future, and this calls for
urgent integrated solutions that promote resource use efficiency.
On the other hand, climate change is exacerbating the existing challenges of
resource insecurity [18]. Thus, risk and vulnerability will only worsen if resources
continue to be managed in sectors [56, 86]. Thus, ensuring resource use efficiency through transformative approaches is a priority for South Africa and southern
S. Liphadzi et al.
change as a process to operationalise the WEF nexus [56]. Research results have not
only benefited South Africa but have had huge global impacts as evidenced by the
high number of citations of its WEF nexus-related publications. South Africa and
southern Africa are now acknowledged as well ahead of other countries and regions,
respectively, in terms of WEF nexus research, development, operationalisation, and
implementation [43, 59].
The importance of the WEF nexus is earnestly being recognised in tandem with the
evidence from research results, but real implementation has been slow, particularly
because of the current prevailing sector-based governance and institutional arrangements where the three sectors sit in three different departments [39]. Current sectoral
governance structures where each has its own policy documents that normally take
opposite priority programmes to meet their target unintentionally threaten the security
of essential resources due to conflicting priority programmes, which usually results
in duplication of activities [51, 61]. Each sector pursues its mandates and policies at
the detriment of the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030 and SDGs [56].
However, it is imperative to note that the approach does not intend to create a mega
“Nexus Ministry”, but rather build a strong stakeholder platform for the coordination and facilitation of policy dialogues that would translate into the identification
of priority areas for intervention. With evidence from science, such dialogues allow
stakeholders to prioritise optimal projects that give the overall trade-off solutions for
all sectors involved.
The need for a systematic, holistic, and integrated approach in resource management in South Africa is influenced by serious challenges of water, energy, and food
insecurity. Fifty percent of the South African population does not have enough food
as the country is food insecure at the household level, ninety-eight percent of the
country’s water supply is already allocated, and the country currently faces instability in the energy sector [86]. The distribution of natural resources in South Africa
and the location of economic development hubs are uneven, a situation that further
complicates management constraints and exacerbates inequality in the access to the
resources [51]. The emphasis on the security of water, energy, and food is based on
the fact that the three resources form the basis of a resilient economy [48]. Apart from
the water scarcity challenges, South Africa also faces limited arable land (yet 20%
of South Africans are food insecure) [22], highly depends on condemned coal-fired
power (86% of the country’s electricity is generated from coal, posing serious health
risks), and depends on oil imports [26]. Estimates show that by 2030, 65% of South
Africa’s electricity will still be generated from coal and the population would have
increased to more than 60 million, and as early as 2025 the country will face a water
deficit of 1.7% [86]. At the same time, the National Development Plan (NDP) targets
an increase of more than 50% of land under irrigation [69]. Indications are that the
country’s resources will be stretched to the limit in the near future, and this calls for
urgent integrated solutions that promote resource use efficiency.
On the other hand, climate change is exacerbating the existing challenges of
resource insecurity [18]. Thus, risk and vulnerability will only worsen if resources
continue to be managed in sectors [56, 86]. Thus, ensuring resource use efficiency through transformative approaches is a priority for South Africa and southern