The Kingfisher II Programme (2017-2018) was a bilateral cooperation programme between South Africa and the Netherlands, whereby South African Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs) are supported in their water regulating role and their further development as autonomous entities. The programme was an extension of the previous Kingfisher I Programme (2013- 2016), a government- to- government programme, which was ran by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), the Dutch Association of Water Authorities (UvW) and the cooperation agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG International). The main focus of the Kingfisher II Programme (2017-2018) was to support the CMAs water regulators for improved water management, contributing to sustainable development in South Africa. The programme aimed to do this by bringing together expertise from South Africa and the Netherlands in the sphere of local water management and by providing a platform for other actors (e.g. knowledge institutions, private sector) to participate and contribute to economic development.

Results of the project

• Increased capacity of nine (proto) CMAs to deliver on their water regulating role at catchment level (institutional development (NWB*).
• Increased capacity of (proto) CMAs to enhance its cooperative governance with Local Governments and to engage with economic sectors, like agriculture and mining, thereby exploring the opportunities for Dutch private sector involvement (RVO*).