An investigation into stakeholders’ perceptions on the use, sharing and management of transboundary water and ecosystem services in Limpopo River Basin. A case of the Upper Mzingwane Sub-Catchment in Zimbabwe

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dc.contributor.advisorWaddel, Joyen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorMalgas, Rhodaen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorMaciejewski, Kristineen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMasaya, Jeremiahen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-11-05T14:39:04Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-16T12:41:44Z
dc.date.available2022-11-05T14:39:04Z
dc.date.available2023-01-16T12:41:44Z
dc.date.issued2022-12
dc.descriptionThesis (MScConsEcol)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Southern Africa has significant natural resources, yet there is an incapacity when it comes to the management thereof. This research investigates the insights of key stakeholders with regards to the use, sharing and management of transboundary water and ecosystem services in Upper Mzingwane Sub-Catchment (UMSC) in Matebeleland South Province, in Zimbabwe. Upper Mzingwane is a sub-catchment of Mzingwane Catchment, a Limpopo River Basin location in Zimbabwe. These natural resources are shared among several riparian countries thereby resulting to an acute scarcity as well as a weaker and fragmented legislation. The weakening of the legislation complicates the achievement of a meaningful sustainable management that ensures the continual supply and an increased access to safe drinking water and sanitation services together with the provision of ecosystem goods and services. The unprecedented scarcity of transboundary water and ecosystem services across the region has become one of the greatest threats. The scarcity is a result of factors that include but they are not limited to climate change, uncontrolled population growth, poor governance and anthropogenic activities that are detrimental on the environment. These factors motivate people to venture into informal and unsustainable activities that eventually compromise the management of resources. The scarcity of these resources calls for practical strategies that help to secure, encourage and equip the people to become resilient and to safeguard the rich- biodiversity ecosystems. The aim of this study was to investigate various opinions of key stakeholders who control the affairs as well as in positions of overseeing the use, sharing and management of transboundary resources in UMSC. Moreso, the researcher investigated crucial policies that guide the use, sharing and governance of the resources in question. The study area was chosen based on the disequilibrium that is prevailing on the use, sharing and management of transboundary water and ecosystem services. The stakeholders were drawn from the public and private domains and their opinions were obtained using semi-structured interviews. Key themes from stakeholders’ responses emerged after thematic and policy analysis procedures were carried out. Themes that emerged include but they are not limited to corruption, financial constraints, poor governance, unemployment and competition on the use of resources. The research findings suggest that there are several loopholes within the public institutions and sectors that are governing the resources. These loopholes necessitate the inequitable use, sharing and management of transboundary water and ecosystem services. The use, sharing and management of transboundary water and ecosystem services is complicated by the public sector that is deserting the private sector in policy and decision making and minimal public consultation. Furthermore, lack of human and financial resources to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and the general poor maintenance of existing infrastructure are other principal drivers of resource scarcity in UMSC. The study recommended the Government of Zimbabwe (GoZ) and the governing institutions to review governance issues to modify the current status quo of resources in UMSC. Over and above, the private sectors that are affiliated to natural resource management should be incorporated in policy and decision making processes. This study was carried out to contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the importance of and the need to improve transboundary water and ecosystem services management.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Studies dui daarop dat Suider-Afrika aansienlike natuurlike hulpbronne in vergelyking met ander streke regoor die wêreld het, maar daar is onvermoë wanneer dit kom by die bestuur daarvan. Hierdie natuurlike hulpbronne word onder verskeie oewerlande gedeel, wat lei tot swakker en gefragmenteerde wetgewing. Die swakker wetgewing bemoeilik die bestuur van natuurlike hulpbronne soos water. Volhoubare bestuur van water is nodig om die voortdurende voorsiening en verhoogde toegang tot veilige drinkwater en sanitasiedienste te verseker tesame met die verskaffing van ekosisteemgoedere en -dienste. Die ongekende skaarsheid aan oorgrenswaterbronne regoor die streek het een van die grootste bedreigings geword. Die skaarste is die gevolg van klimaatsverandering, onbeheerde menslike bevolking en werkloosheid, alluviale mynbou, korrupsie, onregverdige gebruik en deel, en swak bestuur. Hierdie faktore motiveer mense om informele aktiwiteite aan te durf wat uiteindelik die bestuur van waterbronne in die gedrang bring. Die skaarsheid van hierdie natuurlike hulpbronne vereis onmiddellike strategieë wat kwesbare mense beveilig, aanmoedig en toerus om meer veerkragtig te word. In dieselfde trant word kollektiewe bestuur vereis om biodiverse ekosisteme te beskerm. Hierdie navorsing ondersoek die insigte van sleutelbelanghebbendes rakende die gebruik, deel en bestuur van oorgrenswaterhulpbronne en ekosisteemdienste in die Bo-Mzingwane Sub-opvanggebied (UMSC) in die Matabeleland-Suid Provinsie van Zimbabwe. Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om verskeie menings van sleutelbelanghebbendes te ondersoek wat die gebruik, deel en bestuur van oorgrenswaterbronne in UMSC beheer en daaroor toesig hou. Hierdie studie het deurslaggewende beleide ondersoek wat die bestuur van hulpbronne in Zimbabwe rig. Die studie-area is gekies op grond van die ongelykheid wat voorkom rakende die gebruik, deel en bestuur van oorgrenswaterbronne en ekosisteemdienste. Die belanghebbendes is uit die publieke en private domeine betrek en hul menings is verkry deur van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude gebruik te maak. Sleuteltemas wat uit die belanghebbendes se antwoorde na vore gekom het, sluit in korrupsie, finansiële beperkings, werkloosheid, mededinging oor die gebruik van hulpbronne en swak bestuur. Hierdie bevindinge dui daarop dat verskeie skuiwergate in die openbare sektor die onbillike gebruik, deel en bestuur van oorgrenswaterbronne en ekosisteemdienste noodsaak. Sommige van die groot nadele van die doeltreffende gebruik, deel en bestuur van oorgrenswaterhulpbronne en ekosisteemdienste sluit die verlating van die private sektor in beleid en besluitneming en minimale openbare konsultasie in. Verder is ’n gebrek aan bewustheid en gewilligheid om die Volhoubare Ontwikkelingsdoelwitte (SDG's) teen 2030 te behaal en die swak instandhouding van bestaande infrastruktuur bykomende drywers van hulpbronskaarste. Die studie het aanbeveel dat die regering van Zimbabwe bestuurskwessies hersien om die huidige status quo van hulpbronne in UMSC te wysig. Boonop behoort privaat sektore wat met natuurlike hulpbronbestuur geaffilieer is by besluitnemings- en beleidmakingsprosesse geïnkorporeer te word. Hierdie studie is uitgevoer om by te dra tot die liggaam van kennis rakende die belangrikheid van en die behoefte om oorgrenshulpbronbestuur in Suider-Afrika te verbeter.en_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extent159 pages : illustrations (some color), mapsen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125929
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectWater resourcesen_ZA
dc.subjectWater managementen_ZA
dc.subjectEcosystem services -- South Africa -- Limpopo River Basinen_ZA
dc.subjectEcosystem services -- Law and legislationen_ZA
dc.subjectEcosystem management -- South Africa -- Limpopoen_ZA
dc.subjectWatersheds -- Boundaries -- Zimbabwe -- Upper Mzingwaneen_ZA
dc.subjectWatersheds -- Boundaries -- South Africa -- Limpopo River Basinen_ZA
dc.subjectTransboundary water -- Managementen_ZA
dc.subjectUCTDen_ZA
dc.titleAn investigation into stakeholders’ perceptions on the use, sharing and management of transboundary water and ecosystem services in Limpopo River Basin. A case of the Upper Mzingwane Sub-Catchment in Zimbabween_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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Masters Degrees (Conservation Ecology and Entomology)