Politics of water flow in Maputo

Abstract

This article examines a contemporary issue affecting Maputo’s water sector: the emergence of informal water providers within the peri-urban areas of the city. On this topic, the paper will explore not only the causes for the proliferation of such kind of service and its characteristics; but also in what way did these agents came to be an integral part of the water sector’s framework, transforming the general landscape of access to water. Lastly, it will also reflect upon which outcomes were propelled by this new configuration at a state, water operators and consumer level. Research here presented derived from two fieldwork trips, semi-structured interviews, published and unpublished reports from several organisations, local conferences and governmental workshops.