Fluid Rights: Water Allocation Reform in South Africa

Presenting a thoughtful and incisive analysis of South Africa’s high-profile water allocation reform process, this study explores how policy and practices shape the way that water use rights are accessed and governed by society and the state. The investigation contends that it is easier to understand how water rights are formulated and applied by examining how they are construed through policy language. Considering how equity, efficiency, and sustainability are deeply contested and contain powerful meanings, the analysis reveals the impact of assumptions regarding underlying policies, illustrating how translating rules into practice is an exercise fraught with pitfalls.