The Changing Practice participants were grouped according to provincial water caucuses. Each group worked on a collaborative change project which they wrote up as a case study. These are the participants final case study booklets.

‘Devices put livelihoods at risk in Dunoon’ by Thabo Lusithi and Manelisi James

This is the change project developed by Thabo Lusithi and Mangaliso James. It tracks how water management devices are experienced by the community of Dunoon in Cape Town particularly in relation to small scale businesses. It also documents the difficulties of mobilising communities when local spaces for engagement are closed down because of local politics.

‘Saving Moholoholo’ by December Ndhlovu, Patricia Mdluli and Dr Alex Mashile

This is the change project developed by December Ndhlovu, Patricia Mdluli and Dr Alex Mashile. It explores how the eucalyptus plantations that cover the Moholoho mountain effect the stream flow of rivers that run through Bushbuckridge. They particularly explore how this affects the practice of traditional healers by destroying sacred pools and reducing the availability of medicinal plants. Another interesting aspect of this work is that the land under eucalyptus is also under land claim. There are tensions around this process which also exacerbate the problem of finding a solution.

‘Water and Tradition’ by Mduduzi Tshabalala, Thandiwe Ngcanga and Samson Mokoena

This is the change project developed by Mduduzi Tshabalala, Thandiwe Ngcanga and Samson Mokoena of the Vaal Justice Alliance.  The focus of this case study is how spiritual practitioners are excluded from water management decisions both because their ‘use’ of water as an integral part of their spiritual practice is not acknowledged in any real way. Many practice in rivers and streams that are highly polluted or struggle to get access to rivers at all. This group argue that spiritual practice has a particular relationship to water which, if further explored may help us move away from the way water is only valued as an economic good and rather embrace water as a living being that gives us life.

Last Modified: Wed, 19 Apr 2017 11:28:39 SAST