Analysis of interventions to enhance access to safe drinking water in Mashau Rural Village in Vhembe District Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

This study aims to analyse interventions to enhance access to safe drinking water in Mashau village, in Vhembe District Municipality. Providing adequate, clean, safe drinking water to local communities has become a global challenge that dominates the government agenda in many African countries. Accessing clean drinking water is a fundamental human right safeguarded by international agreements and national laws. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, recognizes access to basic services as a fundamental right of every citizen and places an obligation on municipalities to provide communities with a safe, reliable, clean, and potable water supply. However, the literature review reveals that most of the municipalities in South Africa continue to face significant challenges in providing quality water to their communities. Challenges include population growth, inadequate municipal capacity, leaking pipes, ageing infrastructure, vandalism of water infrastructure and limited community involvement. The Vhembe District Municipality is also not immune to these challenges as over the past two decades, it has faced service-delivery protests due to limited or a lack of access to water. Communities in Mashau village developed community-based interventions to ensure that water is accessible to community members. This study employed a Systems Theory as its guiding framework, providing a structured lens for understanding the complex interactions between communities and municipal water service delivery. In addition, this study adopted a Pragmatic Research Paradigm and used a descriptive research design. The target population consisted of municipal officials from Vhembe District Municipalities and the selected community members in Mashau village. Data collection used a Mixed-Methods research approach, enabling the researcher to capture trends, patterns, and perceptions regarding water access and service provision in Mashau village. This study employed a Convergent Data analysis and the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for quantitative surveys, and thematic narrative analysis for qualitative interviews. The findings of this study confirmed that the Mashau village community has inadequate access to potable water. This study concluded by recommending intervention strategies to promote access to potable water in Mashau village.