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Urban Water Governance for More Inclusive Development: A Reflection on the ‘Waterscapes’ of Durban, South Africa

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  • Catherine Sutherland

    (University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa)

  • Dianne Scott

    (University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa)

  • Michaela Hordijk

    (University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Post-apartheid policies have tasked Durban’s municipal actors with the responsibility of achieving both inclusiveness and economic growth. However, they are confronted with the deep spatial and socio-economic inequalities resulting from apartheid, as well as the pressure generated by rapid urbanisation. This article analyses Durban’s water governance regime and its spatial expression or ‘waterscape’. eThekwini Water and Sanitation Unit’s (EWS) approach to water and sanitation provision has gained international recognition for its inclusiveness. This article argues that the resulting ‘waterscape’ – understood as the outcome of the interaction of actor coalitions and their power relations, discourses and knowledges, technologies and infrastructures, which are embedded in multiple spaces that come together simultaneously – exemplifies and challenges the notion of inclusiveness. This article reveals that almost universal access to basic water and sanitation has been achieved through incremental transformation, but that this has produced a highly uneven waterscape in Durban.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine Sutherland & Dianne Scott & Michaela Hordijk, 2015. "Urban Water Governance for More Inclusive Development: A Reflection on the ‘Waterscapes’ of Durban, South Africa," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 27(4), pages 488-504, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:27:y:2015:i:4:p:488-504
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Heiberg, Jonas & Truffer, Bernhard & Binz, Christian, 2022. "Assessing transitions through socio-technical configuration analysis – a methodological framework and a case study in the water sector," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(1).
    2. Senzo Mpangase & Ntokozo Amanda Xaba, 2022. "Understanding the impact of policy adherence and implementation on streams in the Umlazi River System," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 11(3), pages 195-205, April.
    3. Jonas Heiberg & Christian Binz & Bernhard Truffer, 2020. "The Geography of Technology Legitimation. How multi-scalar legitimation processes matter for path creation in emerging industries," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2034, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Aug 2020.
    4. Jonas Heiberg & Christian Binz & Bernhard Truffer, 2020. "Assessing transitions through socio-technical network analysis – a methodological framework and a case study from the water sector," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 2035, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised Aug 2020.

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