Freshwater

Tugela river

South Africa’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan indicates that 82% of our rivers are threatened, while 44% are considered critically endangered. However, for the most part our freshwater ecosystems are not yet showing the wide spread systemic loss of ecosystem functioning that is typical of rivers in many other rapidly developing countries. Groundbreaking legislation and policies put in place since 1994 are starting to have positive effects, and South Africa can become a model for sustainable development for poor and developing nations.

However, demographic changes, urbanisation and a growing middle class society, with higher water, food and electricity demands, create a whole new set of challenges for the country. Climate change poses a further level of complexity, with projections of up to 10% reductions in river flows in the Western Cape by 2015, gradually moving eastwards. Changes in rainfall patterns, with shorter more intense rainfall events, will also influence both water quantity and quality, as well as risks of flood events. These challenges place all of us at risk, and we must act together to address them.

We can only prevent collapse of our threatened freshwater ecosystems, and sustain use of our limited water resources with concerted, coordinated and proactive action on a number of fronts. This requires intervention from all three spheres of government, the private sector – including agriculture and industry, as well as the involvement of civil society. The time for this action is now.

WWF-SA builds a more water secure future for South Africa in partnership with communities, business and government through our water programmes and projects.

WWF is a founding member of the Alliance for Water Stewardship and we work with the private sector to enable them to build water stewardship in their business and in their catchments. Our Water Balance Programme enables companies to review their water use, minimise impact and invest in replenishing catchment health and removing thirsty alien vegetation. Our Enkangala Grasslands Programme works in the headwaters of the Vaal, Pongola and Thugela to protect these remote areas from threats to water and biodiversity, including poorly planned mining. The Mondi Wetlands Programme works around the country with communities and local government to protect and restore wetland health.”