Perceptions of the causes of poor water supply in the Makause Informal Settlement in Germiston, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality

Abstract

Water is a basic need and an essential resource for life. The provision of water in informal settlements is generally poorly managed in the whole world. Inadequate access to water supply may result in detrimental environmental health risks and economic impacts. In South Africa, the supply of adequate basic water services is a constitutional human right. Everyone has the right to basic clean water. This research investigated different role players perceptions of the causes of poor water supply at Makause informal settlement located in the City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) Metropolitan Municipality, Gauteng. The primary aim of the research was to investigate the factors which caused poor water supply and how these affected the lives of the residents of Makause informal settlement. Literature confirmed that the establishment of Makause informal settlement dates back to the apartheid era and is closely linked to de-industrialisation, push and pull factors, rural-urban immigration and closing of mining industries in Germiston. Previous researchers acknowledged the presence of unspecified issues relating to poor water supply services in the informal settlement. A probability and purposive sampling method was employed with 39 participants comprising of three key role players: community residents, municipality official and community leader. A combination of in-depth interviews, questionnaires and observations were employed to collect data over a period of two months to explore the perceptions of different groups. Data was analysed using coding, and thematic data analysis where open coding was broken down into smaller categories or classes. Findings illustrated that people’s lives in the community of Makause informal settlement were negatively affected by poor basic services delivery such as inadequate water supply. The causes of these challenges are interconnected and ii range from illegal connections of water supply by community members, vandalism of infrastructure by the informal settlement dwellers themselves, lack of infrastructure maintenance and management from the municipality side, lack of service delivery, lack of communication and marginalisation. The research recommends that all key stakeholders be involved and work together to implement various programmes such as accelerating the reblocking programme, water conservation awareness campaigns, community participation and partnerships, capacitating of municipality officials, making water funds available and the re-establishing of ward committees.