The Impact of Public Participation Through Invited and Invented Spaces on Water Supply in Urban Informal Settlements

Abstract

Though public participation forms part of the foundation of the South African democracy, insufficient consideration has been paid to the processes of public participation at local government, particularly in the provision of water supply in informal settlement communities. Informal settlements and their leadership structures are continuously excluded and overlooked in decisions and plans around water supply for their designated communities by invited public participation platforms such as ward committees and ward councillors. As a result, this has negative implications on the settlements’ access to water supply. It is within this context that this article demonstrates how the exclusion of informal settlement communities and their leadership structures in water supply decision making processes at local government exacerbate and enforce water struggles in informal settlements. This paper uses a qualitative research approach. The data was collected using field observations, photographic images, in-depth household interviews, in-depth interviews with community leaders and key informants.