Managing water supply systems using free-market economy approaches: a detailed review of the implications for developing countries

Decision makers in developing countries are often confronted by difficult choices regarding the selection and deployment of appropriate water supply governance regimes that sufficiently take into account national socio-economic and political realities. Indeed, scholars and practitioners alike continue to grapple with the need to create the optimum water supply and allocation decision-making space applicable to specific developing countries. In this paper, we review documented case studies from various parts of the world to explore the utility of free-market economics approaches in water supply governance. This is one of the major paradigms that have emerged in the face of enduring questions regarding how best to govern water supply systems in developing countries. In the paper, we postulate that increasing pressure on available natural resources may have already rendered obsolete some of the water supply governance regimes that have served human societies very well for many decades. Our main findings show that national and municipal water supply governance paradigms tend to change in tandem with emerging national development frameworks and priorities. While many developing countries have adopted water management and governance policy prescriptions from the international arena, national and local socio-economic and political realities ultimately determine what works and what does not work on the ground.We thus, conclude that the choice of what constitutes an appropriate water supply governance regime in context is never simple. Indeed, the majority of case studies reviewed in the paper tend to rely on a mix of market economics and developmental statism to make their water governance regimes more realistic and workable on the ground.

Interface Between Research, Development and Local Actors in Enhancing Sustainable Forest Resources Management: Lessons from Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe

Environmental sustainability is a key area of focus in academic and development circles mainly because of the role that the environment plays in sustaining livelihoods. For sustainable environmental stewardship to occur in areas such as forest, land and water management, it is generally accepted that different actors must interface. This paper analyses the interface that took place between academic researchers, development practitioners, district institutional actors and local communities in a project that aimed at enhancing forest resources management in Chimanimani district of Zimbabwe. The paper notes that in order to involve and accommodate the interests of the various actors, methodologies used included quantitative and qualitative action research strategies as well as participatory geographic information systems approach. The project analysed the state of forest resources, impact of human migrations on forests, contribution of forest resources to livelihoods, and related governance systems. This enabled all the actors involved to devise strategies aimed at enhancing sustainable forest resources management through the formation and strengthening of appropriate local institutions, legislation awareness, and enhancement of livelihood activities based on exploitation of forest resources. The paper concludes by stressing that the social interface of different actors, though complex, is not only necessary but crucial in enhancing sustainable forest management

Antimicrobial resistance control efforts in Africa: a survey of the role of Civil Society Organisations

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing public health threat in Africa. AMR prevention and control requires coordination across multiple sectors of government and civil society partners. Objectives: To assess the current role, needs, and capacities of CSOs working in AMR in Africa. Methods: We conducted an online survey of 35 CSOs working in 37 countries across Africa. The survey asked about priorities for AMR, current AMR-specific activities, monitoring practices, training needs, and preferences for sharing information on AMR. Further data were gathered on the main roles of the organisations, the length of time engaged in and budget spent on AMR-related activities, and their involvement in the development and implementation of National Action Plans (NAPs). Results were assessed against The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance (2018–2023). Results: CSOs with AMR-related activities are working in all four areas of Africa CDC’s Framework: improving surveillance, delaying emergence, limiting transmission, and mitigating harm from infections caused by AMR microorganisms. Engagement with the four objectives is mainly through advocacy, followed by accountability and service delivery. There were limited monitoring activities reported by CSOs, with only seven (20%) providing an example metric used to monitor their activities related to AMR, and 27 (80%) CSOs reporting having no AMR-related strategy. Half the CSOs reported engaging with the development and implementation of NAPs; however, only three CSOs are aligning their work with these national strategies. Conclusion: CSOs across Africa are supporting AMR prevention and control, however, there is potential for more engagement. Africa CDC and other government agencies should support the training of CSOs in strategies to control AMR. Tailored training programmes can build knowledge of AMR, capacity for monitoring processes, and facilitate further identification of CSOs’ contribution to the AMR Framework and alignment with NAPs and regional strategies

The Sasol Oil case – Would the present South African GAAR stand up to the rigours of the court?

Some of the sections of this work are based on the author's thesis, which was submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Accounting at Rhodes University in 2018.South Africa finds itself vulnerable to exploitation by the measures taken by multinational enterprises (MNEs) who seek to enter into tax avoidance schemes that artificially shift profits to low- or no-tax jurisdictions. While common law, specific and general anti-avoidance measures may be used as a defence against these schemes, there has been no judicial consideration of the current South African general anti-avoidance rule (GAAR) since its replacement in 2006. In this context this paper makes two contributions. First, the paper applies the current GAAR to a recent case where the predecessor to the current GAAR was applied to a scheme entered into by an MNE. This is done in order to determine if the current GAAR (unlike its predecessor) is able to stand up to the rigours of court when presented with similar facts. In doing so it demonstrates how the untested GAAR may be interpreted and applied. Second, the paper makes suggestions for amendment to the current GAAR in order to improve its efficacy in an international context.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rsar20hj2021Taxatio