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SOUTH AFRICA. MANAGING THE WATER QUALITY EFFECTS OF SETTLEMENTS, PHASE 1 AND 2
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15/08/2005 |
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Phase 2 of the “Dense Settlements” project was an extension of Phase 1 and the Bridging Phase. These earlier Phases resulted in the development of the 1st edition of the National Strategy to Manage the Water Quality Effects of settlements. Phase 2 aimed at testing the participative problem analysis approaches developed in the Bridging Phase, in nine Test Cases, one per province. The experiences learnt from this process were used to update the National Strategy.
However, the project also placed considerable emphasis on assessing the constraints to the nation wide implementation of the Strategy. In particular this addressed the financial constraints at a local government level, as well as social and political constraints that may limit the efficacy of the Strategy. As such the project focussed on the capacity of local government to implement the Strategy, and the role of non-payment, social attitudes and political pressures for the highest levels of services have on this capacity.
The project also included considerable capacity building and dissemination both within DWAF, as well as within communities in the Test Cases and in local government. Project materials were disseminated via workshops, formal training sessions, and as a CD-ROM.
Project Management and supervision of the Test Cases:
This entailed the production of draft Inception, Progress and Completion Reports for verification by the counterpart. Quarterly Newsletters were also produced and mailed to stakeholders. The CTA also provided supervision and financial management of the Test Cases, as well as ongoing mentoring of the Test Case implementation process by local Test Case Steering Committees.
Assess the capacity at a local government level with respect to implementation of the Strategy:
This required financial and economic assessments of the impacts of pollution on local government. This work also included an analysis of the links between local government’s financial status and pollution. The social, environmental and economic costs of pollution were also estimated, and the role of non-payment for services on local government capacity was investigated. This was used to provide compel-ling arguments for support to local government.
Dissemination and Capacity Building:
Dissemination of the project materials was also handled by the CTA. This included arranging and executing workshops, training sessions, and the printing of project materials. The CTA also arranged for the production of an interactive CD-ROM for the project, which stakeholders could use as an implementation aid for the National Strategy. Grontmij | Carl Bro staff also provided an assessment of current capacity building programmes for local government in South Africa, and made recommendations regarding the integration of capacity building with respect to this project, with existing programmes. Training materials were also prepared to assist stakeholders with the implementation of the Strategy at a local level.
The legislative environment and settlement planning:
This entailed an assessment of the legislative instruments that could be used to help implement the National Strategy, and how settlement planning could ensure proactive implementation of the National Strategy. The integration of the National Strategy with water resources planning and management, as outlined in the National Water Act, was also highlighted.
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