Hindrances of Sustainable Water and Sanitation Provision Within Capricorn District Municipality in the Democratic Dispensation

Abstract

South Africa is a water scarce country, the provision of water and sanitation is a basic need and a right that must be provided to the populace by the municipalities either subsidised by government through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant or through own municipal resources. Capricorn District Municipality is composed of Polokwane Local Municipality, Molemole local municipality, Lepelle Nkumpi Local Municipality and Blouberg Municipality. Amongst all these municipalities there is high rural domination and the inability to provide water daily in most jurisdictional areas.  In ensuring that the research methodology applied and adopted by the study addresses the epistemological and ontological phenomenon the following were adopted, public choice theory, the rational model of reasoning and participatory research paradigm because the study is addressing societal issues affecting mostly marginalized groups. The study used a mixed method research methodology dominated by qualitative method. The quantitative method justified the availability of water and sanitation to the civilians of Capricorn District while the qualitative method was used to investigate the cause and effect of non-provision of sustainable water and sanitation. The study established that some hindrances found in the focus (Capricorn District Municipality) is because of illicit activities, poor infrastructural maintenance, and the need to establish an enabling environment by politicians to officials with no interference in the running of the administrative affairs.