Year: 2008
Type: dissertation
Abstract: ABSTRACT \nSouth Africa, like numerous other developing countries throughout the world, faces increasing \ndemands for public services in urban areas (Rondinelli and Kasarda, 1993). South Africa’s access \nto basic services such as water has clearly become part of social security/ citizenship. The research \nreport investigates and elucidates the role of privatisation in the basic service delivery context. It \nargues that the GEAR policy framework blocks the resources required to achieve social citizenship \n(Cock 2000). This gave rise to community struggles concerning prepaid water meters in Phiri, \nSoweto. These struggles are examined and competing discourses surrounding public versus private \nsector participation in basic service (water) provision are also explored. \nThe argument in this research report is two-fold. First, it establishes a view of water as an \neconomic good, with the democratic government reducing the municipal problems of delivery to \neconomic markets or private corporations. Second, it examines the perspective that water is a \nhuman right issue contained in the Bill of Rights. These two counter-arguments perpetuate \nstruggles in relation to access, affordability and supply of water. The research seeks to examine \nthese opposing arguments and further explores the impacts these struggles have on future delivery \nand access of such ‘life need’ as water. This exposure is done through the collection of Secondary \ndata and empirical evidence obtained using various qualitative data gathering techniques. \nAlthough the advantages of prepaid water meters are recognised, the dominant argument in this \nreport is in line with Dependency Theory. This maintains that the socio-economic inequalities as \nwell as the socio-environmental injustices widespread in the policies of privatisation exclude \nvarious sectors of the population from full access to essential necessities such as water. These \ninjustices are rooted in the fact that water is treated as a commodity to be sold and not as a basic \nhuman right (Maema 2003). To deny water to people reduces their citizenship and therefore the \nachievement of full citizens’ rights for the community of Phiri has become one of the crucial \nbarometers for the realisation of the depth and sustainability of South Africa’s democracy (Khunou \n2000). The research findings obtained suggest that the government does realise its responsibility to \nprovide basic water services. Nevertheless, it delegates this responsibility to private institutions; \nhence making it an individual responsibility to gain access to water at a cost. This form of attempt \nin South Africa gives a clear reflection of Adam Smith’s “commercial society” which is \nviii \nencompassed and endorsed by privatisation and the capitalist endeavours. However, this is in \ncontrast with the principles enshrined in the constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which \nmandate the government to ensure the progressive realisation and maintenance of access to \navailable basic services. The research report, however, suggests that some educational programmes \nneed to be developed and promoted to inform and equip the public on how best to preserve water. \nThis endeavour is gradually envisaged under the auspices of emerging corporatised utilities.
Author: Piet Mamatsha Legodi
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2231857109