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The document outlines WWF South Africa's strategy to address the historical over-emphasis on surface water by integrating groundwater management into its freshwater initiatives. It assesses current groundwater activities across several Strategic Water Source Areas, identifies gaps in institutional knowledge and governance, and proposes a roadmap for future action. This includes conducting baseline studies, enhancing stakeholder engagement with commercial farmers and corporate partners, and defining WWF's potential roles as a secretariat, implementer, or convener within water partnerships.

The Northern Drakensberg Collaborative (NDC), formalised in May 2023, is a partnership aimed at addressing water insecurity and unequal water access in the Northern Drakensberg Strategic Water Source Area. This region, covering approximately 10,000 km2, is critical for water supply to four South African provinces, including providing up to 30% of the water used in Gauteng. The NDC focuses on the upper uThukela catchment, seeking to improve the stewardship of water and natural resources while enhancing food security and resilience to climate change for local impoverished communities. The partnership includes traditional authorities, NGOs, research institutions, and the private sector, operating across strategic pillars of governance, networking, research, implementation, and resourcing.