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Theorising complex water governance in Africa: the case of the proposed Epupa Dam on the Kunene River

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Abstract

Various multi-dimensional governance models have been suggested by scholars and policy makers alike as suitable conceptual lenses through which to view the complexity of water governance, particularly in international river basins. While these models, most notably, the Government–Society–Science and the Hegemonic Politicians models, do provide more holistic pictures of the multiple actors at play and their interactions, the nature of these actor interactions is overly linear, and make them incapable of explaining the numerous processes within complex governance systems. They assume the dominance of a limited number of actors while ignoring various feedback loops. This paper therefore provides a critical review of the Government–Society–Science and the Hegemonic Politicians models. Our alternative perspective is derived from complexity theory as it pertains to water governance. Explaining water governance through the complexity lens highlights the myriad of actors that act within international river basins and the consequences of their actions; something that is lacking within the traditional models. This holds implications not only for decision-making in river basins and water resources management in particular, but also for theoretical developments that feed back into the policy arena. Complexity theory paints a more nuanced picture for the decision maker. We put forward this view using the proposed Epupa Dam on the Kunene River as a case study where various actors interact in the debate around the suggested dam.

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Notes

  1. The Limpopo River Basin is shared between Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

  2. On 1 July 1926, the Republic of Portugal and the Union of South Africa signed an agreement to regulate the use of the waters of the Kunene River for the purposes of generating power, inundation and irrigation in the mandated territory of South West Africa (Agreement 1926, 1990).

  3. In June 1988, during cessation of conflict negotiations between Angola, Cuba and South Africa, Cuban and Angolan forces launched an attack on the Calueque Dam in a combined land and air strike. The dam suffered considerable damage and the water pipeline to Ovamboland was also destroyed (Die Burger, 29 June 1988; Barber and Barratt 1990).

  4. On 18 September 1990, Angola and Namibia signed two separate agreements—one on the Kunene River and another regarding general cooperation. The Kunene agreement reactivated the 1926, 1964 and 1969 agreements. The other agreement created the Angola–Namibia Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC) dealing with various cooperative endeavours including water (Meissner 2004).

  5. The Epupa Action Committee was formed by the OvaHimba (Meissner 2005).

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Marius Claassen (CSIR) for the review of earlier drafts as well as two anonymous reviewers for their valuable inputs. This material is based upon work supported by the South African National Research Foundation. This paper is the result of research conducted for Richard Meissner's D.Phil. dissertation entitled The Transnational Role and Involvement of Interest Groups in Water Politics: A Comparative Analysis of Selected Southern African Case Studies. Any opinion, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s), and therefore, the National Research Foundation does not accept any liability in regard thereto.

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  1. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), P.O. Box 395, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa

    Richard Meissner

  2. Water Research Commission (WRC), Private Bag X03, Gezina, 0031, South Africa

    Inga Jacobs

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Correspondence to Richard Meissner.

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The Kunene River (Namibian spelling) in Southern Africa is also referred to as the Cunene River (Portuguese spelling). In this paper, Kunene River will be used, although references may cite the Portuguese spelling.

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Meissner, R., Jacobs, I. Theorising complex water governance in Africa: the case of the proposed Epupa Dam on the Kunene River. Int Environ Agreements 16, 21–48 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10784-014-9250-9

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