#86: Lower Olifants sub-basin - below the Olifants-Steelport confluence

The lack of a responsible

Water management refers to the activities of analysing and monitoring water resources, as well as developing and implementing measures to keep the state of a water resource within what has been negotiated as desirable bounds (Pahl-Wostl, 2015).

Pahl-Wostl, C. (2015). Water Governance in the Face of Global Change—From Understanding to Transformation. Wiesbaden: Springer International Publishing.

agency (CMA) in the catchment is a main problem in the area. Due to the lack of

Governance can be defined as the various institutionalised modes of social coordination to produce and implement collectively binding rules, or to provide collective goods (Börzel & Risse, 2010,p. 114).

Börzel, T. A., & Risse, T. (2010). Governance Without a State: Can It Work? Regulation & Governance, 4(2), 113–134. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-5991.2010.01076.x

through the responsible department (lack of funds and capacity), local actors try to manage the water resources (and literally try to keep the river flowing) as best as they can through informal agreements and committees. Main actors are SANParks (Kruger National Park), AWARD (local NGO funded by USAid until the end of 2019), and big local mining companies amongst others. Several

"[A]ny person, group or organisation with an interest or ‘stake’ in an issue, either because they will be affected or because they may have some influence on its outcome. Stakeholders may include other government bodies.” (Ridder et al. 2005).

fora have been established, e.g. LOROC (Lower Olifants River Operation Committee), OLLI (Olifants, Levuvhu, Letaba, Inkomati Technical Operation Committee), ORF (Olifants River Forum) consisting of different actors and stakeholders including representatives of the department of water and sanitation.