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06 October 2020 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied
Dr Kgosi Mocwagae explored the Qwaqwa water crisis because at a young age, he could not understand why the community in which he grew up faced so many water challenges despite a high presence of water from rivers, consistent rainfall, and streams bursting from the ground.

Dr Kgosi Mocwagae, Programme Director and Lecturer: Department of Urban and Regional Planning, received his PhD qualification during the October virtual graduation ceremonies.

His study, titled Exploring the Qwaqwa water crisis for effective planning post-apartheid, focuses on the water crisis in the Qwaqwa area, which commenced on 1 January 2016 and saw people without access to clean drinking water from their taps. The community had to turn to alternative means, such as collecting water from government-contracted water tankers, rivers, emergency hydrants, and wells.

Understanding the water crisis

Dr Mocwagae says the reason why he took up this study was because at a young age, he could not understand why the community in which he grew up faced so many water challenges despite a high presence of water from rivers, consistent rainfall, and streams bursting from the ground.
 
In this study, he aimed to explore the history of water policy in South Africa, together with the water crisis in Qwaqwa. He also documented the lived experiences of the affected Qwaqwa communities to determine the effect of not having access to clean drinking water in terms of quality of water, time, money, and distance travelled, to name just a few. 

Dr Mocwagae furthermore assessed interventions by various actors during the Qwaqwa water crisis, which included accessing water from municipally contracted water tankers, streams and rivers, rainwater harvesting, donations, paying for delivery of water, boreholes, and emergency water hydrants intended for fire breakouts. He also investigated the implications of the Qwaqwa water crisis for effective planning in post-apartheid South Africa.

He states: “Despite reports from the government that the Qwaqwa water crisis was an issue from 2015 and a result of drought, the study proved differently.” 

Water crisis due to poor planning

“Firstly, the water crisis was a cumulative effect of poor water planning since the founding of Qwaqwa as a homeland in 1974. Further to this, Qwaqwa has not been able to sufficiently provide water to the community from 1974 to date.”

Dr Mocwagae continues: “A major contributing factor to the water crisis was that the three dams in the area were still performing their primary functions as established during apartheid. Planning would have to be done to reprioritise water to Qwaqwa.

He also found that the municipality had not planned and invested in the maintenance and development of water infrastructure to provide water. 

The study was also able to demonstrate that there is a form of socialisation in planning that does not prioritise the community of Qwaqwa. In this community, more than 50% of the people live in poverty. According to Dr Mocwagae’s findings, the idea exists that the community first needs to be viewed a worthy economic contributor in order for them to benefit from water that originates from Qwaqwa. 

“Alternative means of accessing water and water-use education are also needed as part of the process of resolving the Qwaqwa water crisis,” says Dr Mocwagae. 

News Archive

Odeion: Brahms song cycle
2006-10-10

 

Brad Liebl (baritone) with Hanna van Niekerk (narrator) and Albie van Schalkwyk (piano)

Sunday, 22 October
Odeion
20:00

Dr. Brad Liebl was awarded a Doctorate in Musical Performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and has for more than 10 years been Associate Professor of Classical Voice and the co-coordinator of that division at UCT.   He has become well-known throughout South Africa as an interpreter of operatic leading roles, art songs and oratorios.  In Germany he has sung operettas and Lieder and in the USA he continues to feature as a principal performer in oratorios and operas.  During the previous two years Liebl sang the male leads in the world premières of two new operas: The Lost Dauphin and Amarantha.   His new CD’s include the recording of the latter and songs by Rajna, Hely-Hutchinson and Chisholm.  In 2003 Liebl received one of only four Distinguished Teacher Awards from the University of Cape Town. 

Liebl will be accompanied by the pianist Albie van Schalkwyk, while the story of the beautiful Magelone will be narrated by Hanna van Niekerk.

Programme
Die schöne Magelone (Brahms)

Admission
R60 (adults)
R40 (pensioners)
R40 (students and learners)

Bookings
Ninette Pretorius at the Department of Music, tel. 051 401 2504.  
Tickets are also available at Izami Florist in Baysvillage and Fascination Books in Mimosa Mall.

 

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