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The Draft National Spatial Development Framework (NSDF) 2019 is a long-term strategic planning instrument for South Africa, mandated by the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) and aligned with the National Development Plan (NDP). It aims to dismantle the spatial legacies of colonialism and apartheid by transitioning the country toward an integrated, inclusive, and sustainable national space economy by 2050.

This 2013 report by WWF South Africa identifies and describes the country's Water Source Areas (WSAs), highlighting that a small fraction of land provides the majority of the nation's surface water. It emphasizes the interdependence between engineered water infrastructure and the ecological infrastructure (catchments, rivers, and aquifers) that feeds it, while detailing the threats facing these critical regions.

This report reviews the second phase (2012-2014) of the WWF Sanlam Partnership, focusing on securing South Africa's freshwater ecosystems. The partnership integrates conservation efforts with corporate sustainability, targeting the protection of strategic water source areas, the implementation of water stewardship in business, and the integration of water risk into financial investment and insurance practices.

This report details the first phase of the 'Building Capacity for Ecological Infrastructure Investments in the Red River Basin' initiative, a partnership between the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the Red River Basin Commission (RRBC). The project aims to develop a Decision Support System (DSS) to help municipalities and counties in the Red River Basin (RRB) evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ecological infrastructure investments—such as restoring natural environments—compared to traditional 'hard' infrastructure for flood control and water quality management.

This report identifies and maps National Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) across South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland, defining them as areas that supply a disproportionate amount of mean annual runoff relative to their land area. The document evaluates the ecological condition, protection levels, and threats to these areas—including land cover modification and mining—while also providing an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine in Mpumalanga.

This guide by the Centre for Environmental Rights outlines the critical importance of South Africa's 22 water source areas (WSAs), which provide 50% of the country's surface run-off despite covering only 8% of the land. The document details the threats facing these areas—including mining, agriculture, and climate change—and proposes a 'legal toolbox' of statutory mechanisms to protect these essential ecological infrastructures.

This fact sheet by WWF South Africa describes the Boland Groot Winterhoek Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSA) Collective, a multistakeholder platform established in 2022 to secure critical water-rich catchments in the Western Cape. The Collective coordinates efforts to rehabilitate ecological infrastructure, manage invasive alien plants, and align governance between national and local levels to ensure water security for millions of residents and regional agriculture.

The uMhlathuze Water Stewardship Partnership (UWASP) is a multi-stakeholder platform established following a severe drought in 2016 to improve water security and sustainable management of ecological infrastructure in the uMhlathuze catchment of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The partnership coordinates businesses, civil society, and local government to address risks such as water scarcity, deteriorating infrastructure, and increasing demand from urban and industrial sectors.

This WWF South Africa fact sheet outlines the critical role of strategic water source areas (WSAs) in ensuring South Africa's water security and proposes the implementation of Water Source Partnerships to address a governance crisis and land degradation.