Chapter 12 - Indigenous knowledge perspectives on water management and its challenges in South Africa

Abstract

The chapter gives a brief history of water resource management in South Africa, including how indigenous communities lost access to the resource. The country has developed policies and legislation to preserve indigenous knowledge, and funding has also been set aside for indigenous knowledge research. However, a few examples of indigenous knowledge systems in water management reflect some shortcomings in the models that are being used. The failure to take an integrated approach in legislative reviews also means that crucial areas such as indigenous knowledge links to water resource management are excluded. There is a need to rethink the approach to indigenous knowledge systems, including increasing the pace of developing hybrid water law, curriculum review, and genuine engagement with indigenous communities.