Republic of South Africa

A questionnaire survey of over 3 000 recreational users of inland waters in the greater Pretoria and Cape Town areas was conducted during 1987/8 for the purpose of quantifying, as far as possible, the perceptions of the public towards water quality and water pollution in South Africa. Respondents indicated that excessive aquatic plant growth and other visually aesthetic factors were the principal determinants of water quality, regardless of demographic background. These results are comparable to results obtained in similar studies in north America and appear to be indicative of a rising awareness of environmental issues in South Africa. There was a general willingness among respondents to meet the higher costs associated with the achievement of improved standards of water quality and the elimination of the perceived problems enumerated above. Om vas te stel hoe bewus die publiek is ten opsigte van waterkwaliteit en waterbesoedeling in Suid-Afrika is 'n ondersoek gedurende 1987/8 met behulp van 'n vraelys van meer as 3 000 binnelandse watergebruikers in die groter Pretoria en Kaapstad distrik geloods. Proefpersone het aangedui dat oormatige akwatiese plantegroei en ander visuele estetiese faktore die belangrikste bepalende faktore was van waterkwaliteit, ongeag demografiese agtergrond. Hierdie resultate is vergelykbaar met resultate wat verkry is in soortgelyke studies in noord-Amerika en dui op 'n toenemende bewustheid van ekologiese vraagstukke in Suid-Afrika. Daar was 'n algemene bereidwilligheid onder proefpersone om hoer koste wat qeassosleer word met die verhoging van standaarde van waterkwaliteit en die uitskakeling van die bepaalde probleme wat hierbo uitgewys is, tegemoet te kom. *To whom correspondence should be addresse