Resilience and Sustainability of the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountain System: A Case Study on the Upper uThukela Catchment

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Significance Statement The chapter describes the conflicting interests of water users in the uThukela catchment of the Maloti-Drakensberg (MD) mountain system, including the implications of poor management on ecosystem health and livelihoods. As this is a strategic water resource area for both Lesotho and South Africa, effective management towards sustainability is critical, but is currently retarded by the complexities of shared but disputed boundaries, and competing land uses. Improved rangeland management practices, backed by education and awareness, can improve the resilience of the system. However, this requires the buy-in of all stakeholders to reduce degradation and invest in improvement of the catchment. Otherwise, degradation will exacerbate water shortages in an already water scarce region – especially during El Nino-linked droughts, predicted to become more intense with climate change.

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