208
C. H. Vhumbunu
While a few respondents (10%) were not sure whether community-based water
management strategies were effective, there were, however, some respondents (20%)
who were of the view that community-based water management strategies would
have achieved better results if they were well-coordinated by municipalities and
well-resourced by NGOs, Government, and other community-based organizations.
It is highly likely that their views were based on the limitations of the communitybased water management strategies. A response from a University of Cape Town
researcher as follows:
Community based water management strategies rarely achieve their objectives by themselves
given the obvious capacity issues that affect most community initiatives, especially in rural
areas. Are communities in Western Cape capacitated enough, be it financially, resource-wise,
technically, and organizationally? If municipalities, Department of Water and Sanitation,
NGOs, etc. were to fill in these gaps and assist communities in implementing community
based water management strategies, no doubt the results would have been far much better
and more visible.
In all, community-based water management strategies were judged to have been
effective in the overall in as far as managing and reducing the risks of drought effects
and impacts on the socio-economic and political lives of the people of Western Cape
Province is concerned.
11.6 Conclusions and Recommendations
From the responses gathered in the research, it is clear that all in all, communitybased water management strategies attempted with notable success to facilitate not
only the responsible use of water resources but also presenting a strong case of how
natural disaster risks can be well-managed from a grassroots level, itself a paradigm
shift from the traditional practice of waiting for Government and NGOs to manage
and reduce the risk of natural disasters.
Challenges were indeed faced in implementing community-based water management strategies across most of the n = 22 municipalities covered in the research. These
related to conflicts among community members; the lack of financial resources,
organizational skills, and technical skills needed to mobilize resources for repair
and maintenance of water supply infrastructure; the absence of effective rules for
conflict resolution and dispute settlement; the lack of complementary assistance
from Government and NGO actors. It was also established that community-based
water management strategies implemented in the rural areas, mostly Rietpoort,
Genadendal, Ebenezer, Haarlem, Saron, Mamre, Zoar, Kranshoek, Slangrivier, Pniel,
Friemersheim, and Suurbraak suffered most from lack of finances and technical skills
needed for the success of most community-based water management strategies.
C. H. Vhumbunu
While a few respondents (10%) were not sure whether community-based water
management strategies were effective, there were, however, some respondents (20%)
who were of the view that community-based water management strategies would
have achieved better results if they were well-coordinated by municipalities and
well-resourced by NGOs, Government, and other community-based organizations.
It is highly likely that their views were based on the limitations of the communitybased water management strategies. A response from a University of Cape Town
researcher as follows:
Community based water management strategies rarely achieve their objectives by themselves
given the obvious capacity issues that affect most community initiatives, especially in rural
areas. Are communities in Western Cape capacitated enough, be it financially, resource-wise,
technically, and organizationally? If municipalities, Department of Water and Sanitation,
NGOs, etc. were to fill in these gaps and assist communities in implementing community
based water management strategies, no doubt the results would have been far much better
and more visible.
In all, community-based water management strategies were judged to have been
effective in the overall in as far as managing and reducing the risks of drought effects
and impacts on the socio-economic and political lives of the people of Western Cape
Province is concerned.
11.6 Conclusions and Recommendations
From the responses gathered in the research, it is clear that all in all, communitybased water management strategies attempted with notable success to facilitate not
only the responsible use of water resources but also presenting a strong case of how
natural disaster risks can be well-managed from a grassroots level, itself a paradigm
shift from the traditional practice of waiting for Government and NGOs to manage
and reduce the risk of natural disasters.
Challenges were indeed faced in implementing community-based water management strategies across most of the n = 22 municipalities covered in the research. These
related to conflicts among community members; the lack of financial resources,
organizational skills, and technical skills needed to mobilize resources for repair
and maintenance of water supply infrastructure; the absence of effective rules for
conflict resolution and dispute settlement; the lack of complementary assistance
from Government and NGO actors. It was also established that community-based
water management strategies implemented in the rural areas, mostly Rietpoort,
Genadendal, Ebenezer, Haarlem, Saron, Mamre, Zoar, Kranshoek, Slangrivier, Pniel,
Friemersheim, and Suurbraak suffered most from lack of finances and technical skills
needed for the success of most community-based water management strategies.