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Cited by 65Water Governance and InfrastructureWater Resource Management and QualityEnvironmental Science and Water Management

Water policy in South Africa: trust and knowledge as obstacles to reform

Goldin, Jaqueline Ann·2010·Review of Radical Political Economics
DOI 10.1177/0486613410368496
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Abstract

The historical patterns of access to water and other areas of public service delivery in South Africa have been markedly skewed. Despite the reversal of the regime and the fact that South Africa is a middle-income country, there are a significant number of people who are water-poor and poor in governance and institutional capacity to manage water. The recurring themes in integrated water resource management, reticulation pipes, weirs and pumps, stream flow regulations, and ecological requirements are dominant in water sector discourse and are alienating for those who do not master the language. There are constraints determined by racial, economic, or social structures that retain and reproduce dominant power relations. The paper considers the relationship between knowledge, agency, and shame and posits that unequal relations of power and knowledge restrict agency, jeopardize the building of trust, and may perpetuate feelings of shame. The role of the state in opening up water policy networks and redressing issues of knowledge, power, and agency is critical. JEL codes: Q25, Q34, Q28, H75

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Crossref · 10.1177/0486613410368496

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43 of 43 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Prior studies found that community members experience increased bother and emotional distress due to altered water availability, water shortages and insecurity.

    “Prior studies (Mushavi et al., 2020; Goldin, 2010; Khodarahimi et al., 2014a; Stevenson et al., 2016) found that community members experience increased bother and emotional distress due to altered water availability, water shortages and insecurity.”

    From Psychological effects of water scarcity on community members: a case study of Lephalale municipality, Limpopo province, South Africa (2025) · cites this paper as Goldin, 2010

  • In racially mixed municipalities, adequate water and sanitation services were restricted to the white population.

    “However, in racially mixed municipalities, adequate water and sanitation services were restricted to the white population (Goldin 2010: 2).”

    From Exclusion and invented water scarcity: a historical perspective from colonialism to apartheid in South Africa (2024) · cites this paper as Goldin 2010: 2

  • During apartheid, the National Party government prioritised the provision of water for residential use in designated white areas, while predominantly white municipalities received significant investments in water services infrastructure and reticulation systems.

    “During the apartheid era, the government led by the National Party prioritised the provision of water for residential use in designated white areas, while predominantly white municipalities received significant investments in water services infrastructure and reticu -lation systems (McDonald 2002; Goldin 2010: 2).”

    From Exclusion and invented water scarcity: a historical perspective from colonialism to apartheid in South Africa (2024) · cites this paper as Goldin 2010: 2

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Related

Authors
Goldin, J. A.
Affiliations
University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA,
Venue
Review of Radical Political Economics
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2010-04-29
Volume
42
Issue
2
Pages
195-212
ISSN
  • 0486-6134 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-8502
DOI
10.1177/0486613410368496
OpenAlex
W2072865076
Cited by
65
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
FWCI
12.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
  • Review of Radical Political Economics (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Water Governance and Infrastructure
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Water Resource Management and Quality
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Water Science and Technology › Environmental Science and Water Management
Keywords
water policy, South Africa, water governance, integrated water resources management, water access, water poverty, power relations, knowledge inequality, agency, shame, trust, institutional capacity, post-apartheid South Africa, ecological requirements, public service delivery

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