A sustainable governance model for water, sanitation and hygiene provision: The case of Capricorn District Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa

Abstract

Access to safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services is fundamental to promoting public health and well-being. The provision of WASH remains a central strategy for mitigating public health risks, psychosocial challenges and socioeconomic inequalities, particularly in rural communities. Despite international commitments, an estimated 2.1 billion people still lack access to basic sanitation; 673 million practice open defecation; 1.3 billion rely on limited or unimproved sanitation facilities; and 1.7 billion remain without basic hygiene services. This study examined the provision of WASH services in the Capricorn District Municipality (CDM) of Limpopo Province. Specifically, it evaluated the extent to which WASH implementation aligns with the objectives of the 2001 White Paper on Basic Household Sanitation and integrates behavioural frameworks such as the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Risks, Attitudes, Norms, Abilities and Self-regulation model (RANAS) in promoting hygiene education. Particular attention was given to psychosocial well-being and gender-transformative approaches, especially for women and adolescent girls in the CDM, to assess whether sustainable governance strategies are in place to ensure effective WASH service delivery. Consequently, the primary objective of the study was to develop a sustainable governance model to enhance WASH provision in rural informal settlements within the CDM. The study focused on constituencies experiencing WASH disparities in rural informal settlements. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, incorporating a literature review, questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, document analysis and Participatory Rural Appraisal(PRA) techniques such as Photovoice and Transect Walks. In addition, the Delphi Technique was employed to refine, triangulate and validate the proposed governance model. The findings indicated that governance structures within the municipality are largely ineffective, contributing to grossly inadequate WASH service delivery. The study proposes a sustainable governance model that integrates topdown oversight with bottom-up community engagement, especially facilitated through WASH Community Forums. This approach would address community concerns regarding infrastructure availability, facility conditions, privacy, water treatment practices and handwashing facilities. The study concludes that inclusive participation, particularly involving women, adolescent girls and men, is essential for the successful implementation of the proposed sustainable WASH governance model at the CDM.