VELD SANITATIONGOOD PRACTICES FOR WATER, LIVESTOCK AND
PEOPLE IN RURAL SOUTH AFRICA

Excerpt:
The “WASH in Watersheds” initiative integrates water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
activities with livestock improvement and conservation programmes to improve the healthof people, animals and the environment. Conservation South Africa (CSA) is applying thisframework in rural areas to improve water resource sustainability and the resilience ofwater in vulnerable water-scarce areas.
This manual is the basis for a capacity building programme for peer-to-peer education.

Acknowledgements:
This document is based on Veld Sanitation: Good Sanitation and Hygiene Practices forHerders in the Veld (March 2018), produced by Conservation South Africa and Conservation
International with support from the Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group (ABCG) andthe United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Alfred Nzo District
Municipality (ANDM) and World Vision South Africa (WVSA) also contributed to this version.
Following the pilot project in the uMzimvubu catchment, Eastern Cape, the material wasadapted for use in other rural areas.
This third edition was made possible through the generous support of a private donor.

Reference:Rose, C. (November 2018). Veld Sanitation: Good Sanitation and Hygiene Practices forHerders and Livestock Owners in South Africa. Mpumalanga and Eastern Cape, South Africa:Conservation South Africa.

Contents
Veld sanitation ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 2
Facilitator information���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
South Africa’s biodiversity hotspots ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
Veld����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9
Where does water come from?���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10
Water for life������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 11
Water storage���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12
Key messages: Veld sanitation������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 14
Key message sections�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15Message 1: Know what germs are and what they can do��������������������������������� 16
Message 2: Wash your hands properly���������������������������������������������������������������� 20
Message 3: Remember the critical times for handwashing������������������������������ 23
Message 4: Clear water is not necessarily clean water�������������������������������������� 14
Message 5: Store water safely������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27
Message 6: Prevent rubbish from being dumped in water channels�������������� 28
Make a water system in a bottle�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 311

VELD SANITATIONWATER, LIVESTOCK AND HEALTH ARE CONNECTED
Humans and livestock
need clean water to behealthy. One way to beaware of the connections
between water, livestockand health is throughpractising good sanitation andhygiene, especially when you are out
in the veld. Healthy people, healthy
animals and a clean and healthyenvironment allow people to leadhealthy, productive lives.

2

Hello, my name is Lwazi and I work forConservation South Africa. I teach people
about the natural environment and how we
can work together to protect it.
Water, especially clean water, is scarce.
People can play a role in safeguarding
themselves, their livestock and theircommunities from harmby following the six key
messages in this guide. Action
must be taken to protect humanand livestock well-being.

Hello, I am Mbaliand I work with Lwazi at
Conservation South Africa. I teachpeople about how they can keep
themselves healthy.
You will see us throughout this guide as
we share information with you about veld
sanitation and how to keep yourenvironment and yourselves
healthy.

3Facilitator Information
Awareness and knowledge about veld sanitation is important as our actions
as humans can harm the environment and can also make us and our livestock
sick. This guide contains information to build knowledge around veld sanitation
and why this is important.
There are two parts. The first part introduces and explains some information
about the environment and the natural resources – such as water, soil andplants – that we depend on every day to sustain us. It also explains why it isimportant to protect and conserve the environment.

IN THE FIRST SECTION, YOU WILL LEARN ABOUT : The concept of veld sanitation
	South Africa's biodiversity hotspots and veld types or biomes
 Climate change The importance of veld

The second part contains six key
messages to inform communities on
how to improve sanitation, hygiene andland use practices for both human andlivestock health.
These six messages can be discussed indifferent workshops.

With education and awareness, these
impacts can be reduced through behaviourchange around hygiene practices andan understanding of how sanitation andhygiene practices relate to the naturalenvironment.

4

THERE ARE ‘LET’S TALK ABOUT IT’ QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THE GUIDE.
Suggestions on how participants can work on the questions include: Personal reflection, work in silence.
	
Quick buzz discussion. Participants turn to the person next to them and share
information.
	Small group discussions. Four to six participants in each group is usually a goodsize.
	Whole group discussions with all participants. These can occur as a result offeedback from personal reflection, buzz groups or small groups, or at any stage
in the workshop. Questions are marked like this:LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
Do you boil your water before storing it?
TAKING THE NEXT STEP : When you get home,make sure all your containers are covered with a clean
lid or cloth.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR FACILITATING WORKSHOPS :	
Encourage active participation in a way that helps participants to see that they
have valuable contributions to make to the discussions.
	
Use the comics to encourage questions and to encourage storytelling of theirown experiences.
	
Encourage participants to apply the information to theircontext in a way that is practical and is easy to continue doing.
	Emphasize the importance of education of both men and women.
Promote discussions about gender issues in a sensitive way.
Encourage contribution and discussion from both male andfemale participants.
	Include all group members, even those who are notable to read well. Ask the participants questions about
the comics or to retell the story to ensure everyone
understands the messages. Some groups may enjoy roleplaying the situations to illustrate the messages.
	Encourage the participants to go through their guides at home.
They can explain the pictures and messages to family members
and encourage them to learn.
5SOUTH AFRICA’SBIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS
All living things depend on one another. In nature, these dependencies create anetwork. When the system is in balance, we say it is sustainable. When certain
animals or plants are removed, other species that depend on them may die –and the biodiversity of the area is harmed.

Bio =
Life

South Africa has threebiodiversity hotspots.
These areas have great
biodiversity that is under
threat – most often
from human activity :Cape Floristic
RegionDiverse =Different

Biodiversity =A sustainablenetwork of a numberof different living
things that live
together

SOUTH AFRICA

The Succulent
Karoo(shared with Namibia)

Maputaland Pondoland Albany(shared with Mozambiqueand Swaziland)

INDIAN OCEAN

SOUTH
ATLANTIC
OCEAN

Finding ways for humans to live in harmony with nature is crucial. Veld sanitation
challenges can be linked to biodiversity hotspots. Your community has a role to play inaddressing these. Learn about the challenges facing your area and be an example
for others. Your actions have an impact on the biodiversity of your area.
6

Threats to biodiversity
Our biodiversity is under threat, most often from human activity such as overgrazing,
human development, increasing populations, farming, unplanned and uncontrolled veld fires
and plantations.
Climate change is another threat to biodiversity that is caused by human activity
through the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal.

WHAT IS CLIMATECHANGE?
Climate change refers to long-termchanges in the average weather ofdifferent regions throughout the world.
This is generally seen as a change in theweather patterns we have come to expect.
As the earth is getting hotter, the weather
is changing and there is an increase in
the frequency and intensity of droughts,
floods and other extreme weather events.
Climate change is affecting everyone andeverything. We can all play a part in helping
to reduce the impacts of climate change.

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
1.	What changes in weather patterns have you noticed inyour area in the past few years?
2.	What effect has this had on your community’s activities
such as farming?
3.	How can you protect the biodiversity in your area?
7

Why is veld important?
	Veld and rangelands are home to most of South Africa’s communal
farmers and most of the rural communities in the country.
	Healthy veld ensures a source of income for livestock farming andagriculture. Healthy veld prevents soil erosion and boosts rainwater
infiltration into the ground so that things can grow.
	Rangelands provide food, medicine and materials for shelter so people cansurvive. They store water so we can drink. They absorb harmful gases fromthe atmosphere so that we can breathe clean air and have blue sky.
	It is important to understand the relationship between people and thenatural environment and the benefits it provides. These benefits ensure
the well-being of the livestock that graze on the veld and the communities
who depend on them for their living.

VEGETATION BIOMES OF SOUTH AFRICA8VELD
There are different types of vegetation or veld in South Africa that makeup typical landscape types known as biomes. Each biome has specificenvironmental conditions, plants and animal life. There are eight biomes inSouth Africa, but in this guide we shall focus on three:

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
1.	What type of landscape do you live in, and can you think of some waterrelated issues that are a problem in your area?
2. Can you describe any water-related challenges in your landscape?
3. How do these issues affect the biodiversity of your environment?
9Where does water come
THE WATER CYCLE
The earth's atmosphere is a closed system. No water gets in or out.
All water is continually moving around in the water cycle.

We can see in the water cycle that the same water moves
around and around from the ocean to the clouds and backdown to the ground.

10

from?
WATER FOR LIFE

Water is life. All life
– plants, animals andhumans – needs it.
People have many uses
for water like drinking,cooking, washing,growing crops andsustaining livestock.

There are many ways
we can collect water,
but we must remember
to ensure that we only
consume clean waterthat is good for ourhealth.

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
1. Discuss the water cycle.
2.	Where do you get your water from? Do you think it is clean?
TAKING THE NEXT STEP : For schools and youth that meet
regularly, you can make a water system in a bottle. Check out
the activity at the end of the guide.

11

WATER STORAGE

12

Alien plants and water sources

13

Key messages:
VELD SANITATION
Now that we know about the areas we live in andthe water cycle, let's talk about veld sanitation byfocusing on six key messages.

message 1

message 2

Know whatgerms areand whatthey do.

Wash
your hands
properly.

message 3

message 4

Remember
the importanttimes forhandwashing.

Clear water
is notnecessarily
clean water.

message 5

message 6Storewatersafely.
14

Prevent rubbish
from being
dumped inwater channels.

Key message sections
Remember, there are three sections as
discussion points for each message.

WHY IT MATTERS?
Offers an explanation

WHAT TO DO?
Focuses on practical actions that can be taken

KEYWORDS
Helps trainers to remember key concepts

15

Message 1: Know what germs
are and what they do
WHY IT MATTERS?

WHAT TO DO?
 Wash your hands properly using soap and clean water.
 Prevent germs from spreading by practising good hygiene.
 Know the critical times for handwashing.
 Do not drink dirty or untreated water.
 Cover food and plates/utensils to prevent contamination
by flies.
 Build toilet structures away from water sources. Do notpoop near water sources.
 If you need to go to the toilet when you are away from aformal structure, dig a hole and cover it. If the soil is toohard, cover the faeces with leaves, twigs or stones.
 Be aware of water-related diseases.

KEYWORDS: DISEASE GERMS SPREADING DIRTY
16

Staying healthy with water17

What are water-related
insect vectors?

18

What is diarrhoea?

NOTE: WATERBORNE DISEASES IN YOUR AREA
SAVANNA, GRASSLANDGRASSLANDS(Mpumalanga, Limpopo)(Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal)

Malaria and bilharzia

Cholera and diseases causing diarrhoea

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
1.	Can you name some water-related diseases in yourarea?
2.	What good personal hygiene habits can help prevent
spreading germs and these diseases?
TAKING THE NEXT STEP : Check that all your food andplates are covered at home. If not, find lids to cover them.
19Message 2: Wash your hands
properly
WHY IT MATTERS?
Knowing the ‘proper way’ to wash your hands ensures that yourhandwashing is effective and your hands are clean.

WHAT TO DO?

20

KEYWORDS: HANDWASHING SOAP ASH WATERHow to make a tippy tap
If you don't have running water at home, you need to ensure you still haveclean water available for washing, cleaning, drinking and cooking. Having
clean water helps to prevent germs from spreading and prevents
you from getting sick.
Clean water should be stored in containers, and a tippy tap can help
with keeping water for handwashing clean.

21

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
1. D
 o you think about washing your hands at home orwhen you’re in the veld?
2. What do you use to wash your hands?
TAKING THE NEXT STEP : Teach your family to singthe Happy Birthday song twice when washing theirhands to make sure they wash properly.
22Message 3: Remember thecritical times for handwashing
WHY IT MATTERS?

Prevent the spread of germs and protect yourself from diseasewith handwashing. There are 5 TIMES that are critical for protecting
yourself and others from germs.

WHAT TO DO?

KEYWORDS: PROTECTION 5 CRITICAL TIMES HANDWASHING23

It is critical to wash hands before and after we eat food. Thisis important when we are eating with family and friends bothat home and at ceremonies where food is shared.

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
How can you best share this information withothers?
TAKING THE NEXT STEP : Be an example toothers by remembering to wash your hands atthese important times.
24

Message 4: Clear water is notnecessarily clean water
WHY IT MATTERS?
Water can be contaminated when pollution or germs make it dirty. It canlook clean but still be harmful. Water contamination can happen when: Toilets are built next to water sources or channels.
 Faeces wash into streams when it rains.
 Rubbish, including nappies and dead animals is dumped into water channels.
 Gravesites are located too close to water channels.
 Livestock defecate in or near water.
 Cattle dip tanks are not maintained.

WHAT TO DO?

KEYWORDS: CONTAMINATION TOILETS RUBBISH
25

NOTE: ISSUES IN YOUR AREA
SAVANNA,GRASSLANDSUCCULENT
KAROO(Mpumalanga, Limpopo)(Northern Cape)

Erosion, littering,
dumping rubbish
and nappies in waterchannels, alien plants,
sand mining and brokentaps

Old infrastructure,leaking sewage plants,
erosion and alien plants

GRASSLANDS(Eastern Cape)

Dumping of rubbish,
carcasses and nappies,
alien plants, oldinfrastructure, toilets
too close to water
sources, and erosion

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
1. What issues can you think of in your area?
2. What can you do about these issues?
TAKING THE NEXT STEP : Make sure your toilet isn’t neara water source. If it is, work with your family to move it.
26

Message 5: Store water safely
WHY IT MATTERS?
Water that is safe at a collection point can be contaminated at
the water source, while transporting water or inside the home
due to flies and dirty hands.

WHAT TO DO?

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
Do you boil your water before storing it?
TAKING THE NEXT STEP : When you get home, make sure all
your water containers are covered with a clean lid or cloth.

KEYWORDS: STORAGE HANDWASHING CONTAMINATION

27

Message 6: Prevent rubbish frombeing dumped in water channels
WHY IT MATTERS?
Dumping rubbish in water channels can make people and animals
sick and allows germs to spread. It affects plants that grow in andaround the water.

WHAT TO DO?

KEYWORDS: CONTAMINATION TOILETS RUBBISH
28

What is littering?

29

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT!
1. Where do you dump your rubbish?
2. Does your community have designated rubbish dumps?
TAKING THE NEXT STEP : Talk to your community about
having a designated rubbish place that is away fromwater sources and homes.
30

MAKE A WATER SYSTEM IN A BOTTLE
THIS ACTIVITY IS FOR SCHOOL OR YOUTH GROUPS THAT MEET REGULARLYThis is an example of how the water cycle works andhow water moves from the earth up into the clouds
and falls back down to the earth again, cycling aroundin the same pattern.
31