An analysis of South Africa public entity performance using biomatrix systems thinking theory : a case of South African water boards
Date
2022-04
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: The performance of South Africa’s water boards as public entities is increasingly receiving both private and public attention. Firstly, this is due to their character as service-orientated entities expected to rise to the occasion as the state strives to meet its constitutional obligation in the distribution of world class bulk potable water everyday pf the year to various water customers and municipalities. Secondly, there are areas of concern regarding the functioning of water boards as they are perceived at times as not adding value when fulfilling their roles and responsibilities. Even though there is no scholarly definition of what constitutes ‘adding/added value’, one can conclude that not adding value refers to a number of factors, including an inability to be self-sufficient, an inability to be in agreement with the South African Constitution and failure to meet performance targets. The water boards are no exception. It does not seem that the concerns will disappear soon, as water continues to be regarded as a strategic natural resource that is under tremendous pressure due to issues such as access, quality, quantity, and climate change.
Whilst the South African Constitution makes it clear that the provision of reticulated water services is the responsibility and the domain of local governments or municipalities, there is a continued reliance on the national water boards to provide the same services on behalf of the municipalities concerned. Moreover, there is an ever-increasing public demand for better water services in terms of water quality and quantity and assurance of supply. Balancing the reliance of world class bulk potable water distribution (services provision) on the water boards and the ever-increasing public demands for better bulk water resources management (services) requires systems thinking approach that understands the interconnectedness of various components of integrated water resources management systems for socio-economic growth and development. It was therefore deemed appropriate to evaluate the water boards’ performance in terms of systems thinking. Generally, systems thinking is regarded by scholars as an integrative and systematic planning theory that ultimately improves and enhances performance in both private and public entities. There are various models and proponents of systems thinking. However, for this study, only the biomatrix systems thinking model of Elisabeth Dostal, in collaboration with Anacreon Cloete and György Járos, is/ was used in the evaluation of the water boards’ performance. The biomatrix model was chosen because it is an approach that integrates all essential key concepts of the whole field of systems thinking into one systemic approach. The biomatrix systems thinking model is viewed by its proponents as an integrator of concepts and theories developed by other systems thinkers. It was thus appropriate to test it in the evaluation of the water boards’ performance to determine the strategy required to improve performance in line with the requirements of the South African Constitution regarding water services provision. The argument was that water services was a constitutional matter and that the Bill of Rights made it compulsory for the state to ensure water access to all residents of South Africa.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the South African water boards in terms of systems thinking. The intention was to determine the extent to which the biomatrix model as one of the systems thinking models could be used to improve performance and assist in developing the performance strategy of the water boards. The research method used was the qualitative method. The research was carried out in terms of a case study approach by conveniently selecting Umgeni Water, Amatola Water and Overberg Water, three of the nine national water boards. The case study was conducted in an interactive dialogue format on a diverse group of participants with emphasis on water as the leader of the socio-economic growth and development and ecological sustainable developmental agenda. Given the importance of water distribution for South Africa by Water Boards, it is suggested that all the recommendations presented in Chapter 8 be considered for implementation at a national as part of water boards’ performance enhancement. Whilst the study interrogates water distribution by water boards using system theories, it does suggests that the solution of the water distribution by water boards lies in the perpetual search for a discursive point of equilibrium to be found in implementing water distribution using system theory by water boards, by organs of developmental state, the private sector, and the participation of the institutions of civil society such as research think tanks and academic institutions in the water distribution delivery process. The latter is due to the fact that water boards as supposedly financially sound state-owned entities are critical in the same way that water is essential catalyst to the development of the country and the growth of its economy as implicitly and explicitly reflected on the National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (28 November 2018) and the National Water and Sanitation Resource Strategy III being under review. World class bulk potable water or water distribution is a core function of water boards and water services is a core function of Water Services Authorities in South Africa. As the thesis is focusing on water boards, the main focus is water distribution not water services. Through consultation with the WSAs and the Minister of Water and Sanitation (a shareholder, trustee or custodianship) , the water boards are often mandated to provide specific water services across the WSAs or municipalities and the country on behalf of the Departments of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA).
The results of the study further revealed the following:
• Systems thinking theory and the biomatrix model are both relevant and applicable to the water boards’ water distribution core policy mandate and environment.
• There is one conceptual water board framework adopted by the democratic administration and management system in post-1994. For purpose of unique distribution in various catchment management system in terms of water business cycle, hydrology and distribution approaches, the national conceptual water board system managed by the national Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is divided into various water boards aligned to both catchment management agencies (CMAs) per water management area and provincial legislatures as far as possible. There is actual one water board in South Africa and the concept is unnecessarily divided into a number of entities that should be gradually merged into one (review).
• There are four (4) dimensions of biomatrix model as discovered in this study than popular three (3) dimensions in literature. The fourth one being the legislation which includes the area of jurisprudence. • The aspects of the biomatrix systems thinking model are not seven (7) but actually eight (8). The eight one is about law, governance and regulations as incorporated into the Republic of South Constitution.
• The performance model is appropriate to enhance and improve water boards’ performance.
The study further confirmed the role of human resources in bulk water services provision. Given the importance of water services for South Africa, it is suggested that all the recommendations presented in Chapter 8 be implemented nationally as part of water boards’ performance enhancement.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om Suid-Afrika se waterrade te beoordeel aan die hand van stelselsdenke. Die oogmerk was om te bepaal tot watter mate die biomatriksmodel, een van die stelselsdenkemodelle, gebruik kan word om die watterrade se prestasie te verbeter en kan help om ‘n prestasiestrategie vir die rade te ontwikkel. ‘n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gevolg met ‘n gevallestudiebenadering op drie van die nege nasionale waterrade in Suid-Afrika, naamlik die Umgeni, die Amatola en die Overberg Waterrade. Die gevallestudie is uitgevoer in die vorm van gespreksvoering met ‘n diverse getal deelnemers, met die klem op water as toonaangewende faktor op die sosio-ekonomiese en die ekologiese agenda. Vir die doel van hierdie studie is slegs die biomatriks-stelselsdenkemodel van Elisabeth Dostal, Anacreon Cloete en György Járos gebruik om die prestasie van die waterrade te evalueer. Dit was dus toepaslik om die model te toets in die prestasie-evaluering, om te bepaal watter strategie nodig is om die prestasie te verbeter en in lyn te bring met die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet se vereistes rakende waterdienstevoorsiening. Die uitgangspunt is dat waterdienste ‘n grondwetlike kwessie is en dat die Handves van Regte die staat verplig om toe te sien dat alle inwoners van Suid-Afrika toegang tot water het. Die prestasie van die land se waterrade as openbare instellings kom toenemend onder die vergrootglas, en met rede. Eerstens moet die waterrade, as diensgerigte instellings, aan die verwagtinge voldoen met die staat se pogings om sy grondwetlike verpligtinge na te kom in waterdienstevoorsiening en om drinkbare water aan eindgebruikers te lewer. Tweedens heers daar kommer oor die funksionering van die watterrade weens die opvatting dat die rade met tye nie waarde toevoeg wat hulle rol en verantwoordelikhede betref nie. Hoewel daar nie ‘n wetenskaplike definisie bestaan van wat presies die konsep ‘waardetoevoeging’ behels nie, kan die gebrek daaraan in ‘n paar faktore gesien word. Dit sluit in die onvermoë om selfversorgend te wees; die onvermoë om in ooreenstemming met die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet op te tree; en die onvermoë om prestasieteikens te haal. Die waterrade is wat hierdie faktore betref geen uitsondering nie. Dit wil voorkom asof die kommer nie in die afsienbare toekoms gaan verdwyn nie. Water word steeds beskou as ‘n strategiese natuurlike hulpbron wat onder enorme druk verkeer, weens onder meer die toegang daartoe, die hoeveelheid water beskikbaar, die gehalte van water, en klimaatsverandering. In die algemeen word stelselsdenke deur wetenskaplikes beskou as ‘n geïntegreerde en stelselmatige beplanningsteorie wat uiteindelik prestasie verbeter en stukrag gee. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie bevestig dat stelselsdenke nie net relevant is tot die waterrade nie, maar dat dit ook die rade se prestasie kan versterk. ‘n Prestasiemodel met ‘n stelselsdenkebenadering word dus aanbeveel, aangesien dit ‘n oplossing vir swak prestasie kan bied. Die studie toon verder dat hoewel die biomatriksmodel relevant is, dit uit vier dimensies bestaan waarvan die vierde dimensie, soos deur hierdie studie voorgestel, die wetmosfeer is. Verder word aangevoer dat die biomatriksmodel agt aspekte bevat, en nie sewe nie, soos aangedui in die boek van Dostal et al. Alhoewel Suid-Afrika se Grondwet dit duidelik stel dat geretikuleerde waterdienste die verantwoordelikheid is van en onder die domein van plaaslike regering en/of munisipaliteite val, word daar toenemend staat gemaak op die nasionale waterrade om hierdie dienste namens die betrokke munisipaliteite te lewer. Belangriker nog, daar is ‘n immer-toenemende vraag na beter waterdienste deur die publiek rakende watergehalte, die hoeveelheid water beskikbaar, en die versekering dat water gelewer sal word. Om ‘n balans te vind tussen die afhanklikheid van waterdienstevoorsiening deur die waterrade aan die een kant, en die groeiende vraag na beter waterdienste deur die publiek aan die ander kant, vereis ‘n stelselsdenkebenadering. Hierdie benadering verg verder ‘n begrip van die onderlinge verwantskap tussen die onderskeie komponente van waterdienstevoorsiening.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om Suid-Afrika se waterrade te beoordeel aan die hand van stelselsdenke. Die oogmerk was om te bepaal tot watter mate die biomatriksmodel, een van die stelselsdenkemodelle, gebruik kan word om die watterrade se prestasie te verbeter en kan help om ‘n prestasiestrategie vir die rade te ontwikkel. ‘n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode is gevolg met ‘n gevallestudiebenadering op drie van die nege nasionale waterrade in Suid-Afrika, naamlik die Umgeni, die Amatola en die Overberg Waterrade. Die gevallestudie is uitgevoer in die vorm van gespreksvoering met ‘n diverse getal deelnemers, met die klem op water as toonaangewende faktor op die sosio-ekonomiese en die ekologiese agenda. Vir die doel van hierdie studie is slegs die biomatriks-stelselsdenkemodel van Elisabeth Dostal, Anacreon Cloete en György Járos gebruik om die prestasie van die waterrade te evalueer. Dit was dus toepaslik om die model te toets in die prestasie-evaluering, om te bepaal watter strategie nodig is om die prestasie te verbeter en in lyn te bring met die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet se vereistes rakende waterdienstevoorsiening. Die uitgangspunt is dat waterdienste ‘n grondwetlike kwessie is en dat die Handves van Regte die staat verplig om toe te sien dat alle inwoners van Suid-Afrika toegang tot water het. Die prestasie van die land se waterrade as openbare instellings kom toenemend onder die vergrootglas, en met rede. Eerstens moet die waterrade, as diensgerigte instellings, aan die verwagtinge voldoen met die staat se pogings om sy grondwetlike verpligtinge na te kom in waterdienstevoorsiening en om drinkbare water aan eindgebruikers te lewer. Tweedens heers daar kommer oor die funksionering van die watterrade weens die opvatting dat die rade met tye nie waarde toevoeg wat hulle rol en verantwoordelikhede betref nie. Hoewel daar nie ‘n wetenskaplike definisie bestaan van wat presies die konsep ‘waardetoevoeging’ behels nie, kan die gebrek daaraan in ‘n paar faktore gesien word. Dit sluit in die onvermoë om selfversorgend te wees; die onvermoë om in ooreenstemming met die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet op te tree; en die onvermoë om prestasieteikens te haal. Die waterrade is wat hierdie faktore betref geen uitsondering nie. Dit wil voorkom asof die kommer nie in die afsienbare toekoms gaan verdwyn nie. Water word steeds beskou as ‘n strategiese natuurlike hulpbron wat onder enorme druk verkeer, weens onder meer die toegang daartoe, die hoeveelheid water beskikbaar, die gehalte van water, en klimaatsverandering. In die algemeen word stelselsdenke deur wetenskaplikes beskou as ‘n geïntegreerde en stelselmatige beplanningsteorie wat uiteindelik prestasie verbeter en stukrag gee. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie bevestig dat stelselsdenke nie net relevant is tot die waterrade nie, maar dat dit ook die rade se prestasie kan versterk. ‘n Prestasiemodel met ‘n stelselsdenkebenadering word dus aanbeveel, aangesien dit ‘n oplossing vir swak prestasie kan bied. Die studie toon verder dat hoewel die biomatriksmodel relevant is, dit uit vier dimensies bestaan waarvan die vierde dimensie, soos deur hierdie studie voorgestel, die wetmosfeer is. Verder word aangevoer dat die biomatriksmodel agt aspekte bevat, en nie sewe nie, soos aangedui in die boek van Dostal et al. Alhoewel Suid-Afrika se Grondwet dit duidelik stel dat geretikuleerde waterdienste die verantwoordelikheid is van en onder die domein van plaaslike regering en/of munisipaliteite val, word daar toenemend staat gemaak op die nasionale waterrade om hierdie dienste namens die betrokke munisipaliteite te lewer. Belangriker nog, daar is ‘n immer-toenemende vraag na beter waterdienste deur die publiek rakende watergehalte, die hoeveelheid water beskikbaar, en die versekering dat water gelewer sal word. Om ‘n balans te vind tussen die afhanklikheid van waterdienstevoorsiening deur die waterrade aan die een kant, en die groeiende vraag na beter waterdienste deur die publiek aan die ander kant, vereis ‘n stelselsdenkebenadering. Hierdie benadering verg verder ‘n begrip van die onderlinge verwantskap tussen die onderskeie komponente van waterdienstevoorsiening.
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Water-supply -- South Africa, Water-supply -- Management -- Case studies, Water quality management -- South Africa, UCTD