LAPSES IN WATER SERVICES MANAGEMENT WITHIN GAUTENG PROVINCE- A SCOPING REVIEW OF HAMMANSKRAAL WATER WOES

Abstract

Sustainable access to safe drinking water depends on effective water services management to consistently deliver potable water to South African residents. In Gauteng, recurring breakdowns in potable water supply and quality persist despite a robust policy framework and major bulk water infrastructure, such as the Integrated Vaal River System (IVRS). Hammanskraal remains a high risk case, marked by unstable supply and unsafe water outcomes despite extensive policy commitments and provincial capacity investments. An adaptive resilience approach can strengthen WSM by translating infrastructure and policy into safe, reliable potable water by reducing service disruptions over time. Consequently, this study examined the Hammanskraal case through a PRISMA ScR scoping review (July 2025), with record screening conducted in Covidence and thematic coding undertaken in NVivo and ATLAS.ti
networks. Bibliometric mapping (Biblioshiny) complemented the analysis by tracing patterns of evidence over time. Triangulated findings identified five themes and indicated that structural, procedural, and behavioural disruptions necessitate a practical improvement plan. Accordingly, the study developed a sequenced six step adaptive resilience improvement plan to strengthen WSM tailored for Hammanskraal, Region 2 of the City of Tshwane, which is comparable to vulnerable urban municipalities