Prof A du Plessis

Expertise

• Integrated Water Management
• Water Availability and Scarcity
• Water Quality
• Water and Climate Change
• Water related risks and opportunities

Qualifications

• PhD Geography. Thesis Title - Quantifying and Predicting Hydrological Responses of Water Quality Associated with Land Cover Changes within the Upper Vaal River, South Africa (UJ)
• MSc Geography. Focussed upon the influence of water flow on water quality within the Vaal Dam Reservoir (UJ).
• BSc Honours in Geography (UJ)
• BSc Geography and Environmental Management (UJ)

NRF Rating

Currently teaching

• GGH3701 - State of the Environment in Southern Africa
• Masters and Doctoral Student Supervision – please contact me for supervision requests

Fields of academic interests

Teaching Interests

• Physical geography, hydrology, environmental change and problems, environmental management.

Research Interests

• Water Availability and Demand
• Water Quality and Degradation (Surface and Groundwater)
• Water Security, and Water-related Risks
• Water and Sanitation Services and Delivery
• Recommendation of current Actions and Future Opportunities

Field of Specialisation

• Water Resource Management
• Water Availability, Quality and Context specific Water Challenges
• Water and Climate Change
• Water and Sanitation Services and Delivery
• Water-related Risks and Opportunities
• Water security

Books

Google Scholar Profile Link: https://scholar.google.co.za/citations?user=dzQCQc0AAAAJ&hl=en

• du Plessis, A. 2023. South Africa’s Water Predicament: Freshwater’s Unceasing Decline. Springer Nature. DOI
• https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24019-5.
• du Plessis, A. 2019. Water as an Inescapable Risk: Current Water Availability, Quality and Risks of the Globe with Specific Focus on South Africa. Springer Water Series. Springer Nature. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-03186-2.
• du Plessis, A. 2017. Freshwater Challenges of South Africa and its Upper Vaal River: Current State and Outlook. Springer Water Series. Springer Nature. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-49502-6.

Book chapters:

• Lombard A., Nicolau M.D., Tshabalala S., du Plessis A., Pienaar R., Anderson R. and Khanye B. 2021. The Feasibility of an Environmental Awareness and Responsibility Programme in Rural South Africa: A Case Study from the South. In: Leal Filho W., Pretorius R., de Sousa L.O. (eds) Sustainable Development in Africa. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74693-3_33
• AfDB, UNEP and GRID-Arendal, 2021. Sanitation and Wastewater Atlas of Africa. Abidjan, Nairobi and Arendal: AfDB, UNEP and GRID-Arendal. Contributor to Chapter 1.
• du Plessis, A. 2020. Freshwater and Industries. In: Goldstein, M.I., DellaSala, D.A. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of the World's Biomes, vol. 4. Elsevier, pp. 55–62. ISBN: 9780128160961.
• Pretorius, R.W., Nicolau, M.D., Immelman, J., de Jager, A., Nӧthling, M. and du Plessis, A. 2015. Virtual learning environments for transformation to sustainability: A case study from the “South". Chapter in Integrating Sustainability Thinking in Science and Engineering Curricula: Innovative Approaches, Methods and Tools. Eds. Leal Filho, W., Azeiteiro, U. M.,  Alves, F. and  Caeiro, S. Springer, p. 335-348

Journal articles

• Ngebe S. Malunda KB and du Plessis A, (2022). Utility of geospatial techniques in estimating dam water levels: insights from the Katrivier Dam. Water SA, 48(2 April). doi: 10.17159/wsa/2022.v48.i2.3890.
• du Plessis, A. 2022. Persistent degradation: Global water quality challenges and required actions. One Earth, 5(2), 129-131. ISSN 2590-3322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2022.01.005
• du Plessis, A. 2021. Necessity of making water smart for proactive informed decisive actions: A case study of the Upper Vaal catchment, South Africa. Environmental Challenges, 4, 100100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2021.100100
• du Plessis, A Harmse, J.T. and Ahmed, F. 2015. Predicting Water Quality Associated with Land Cover Change with the Application of the Partial Least Squares Method: Case Study of the Grootdraai Dam Catchment, South Africa. Water International, 1-17.
• du Plessis, A., Harmse, J.T. and Ahmed, F. 2014. Quantifying and Predicting the Water Quality Associated with Land Cover Change: A Case Study of the Blesbok Spruit Catchment, South Africa. Water, 6 (10), 2946-2946.

Professional positions, fellowships & awards

Professional Societies and Involvement

• Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA): Member
• Young Water Professionals: Member
• International Water Association: Member
• International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS): Member

Other

Online articles

• du Plessis, A. 2023. Act now to end SA’s water woes. Available via: https://mg.co.za/environment/2023-01-06-act-now-to-end-south-africas-water-woes/
• du Plessis, A. 2022. Durban coastline: sewage polluted beaches pose threat to holiday makers and the environment. Available via: https://theconversation.com/durban-coastline-sewage-polluted-beaches-pose-threat-to-holiday-makers-and-the-environment-196244.
• du Plessis, A. 2022. South Africa’s biggest cities are out of water, but the dams are full: what’s gone wrong. The Conversation Article. Available via: https://theconversation.com/south-africas-biggest-cities-are-out-of-water-but-the-dams-are-full-whats-gone-wrong-192762#:~:text=The%20biggest%20problem%20lies%20with,keep%20up%20with%20rapid%20urbanisation.
• Meissner, R. and du Plessis, A. 2022. South Africa’s increasing water stress requires urgent informed actions. The Conversation Article. Available via: https://theconversation.com/south-africas-increasing-water-stress-requires-urgent-informed-actions-189659
• du Plessis, A. 2022. Basic water services in South Africa are in decay after years of progress. The Conversation Article. Available via: https://theconversation.com/basic-water-services-in-south-africa-are-in-decay-after-years-of-progress-185616
• du Plessis, A. 2022. South Africa has had lots of rain and most dams are full, but water crisis threat persists. The Conversation Article. Available via: https://theconversation.com/south-africa-has-had-lots-of-rain-and-most-dams-are-full-but-water-crisis-threat-persists-178788

 International and National Media Coverage and/or Engagements

• Live Radio interviews – Cape Talk, Kaya FM, RSG, Power FM, SAfm Radio 702, Eyewitness News, Radio France Internationale etc.
• Recent Live television interviews - eNCA, Newzroom Afrika, SABC news etc.
• Various comments/interviews have been given to different media sources (international and national) including, Bloomberg News, The Guardian News UK, Saturday Star, Sunday Independent, Sunday Times, Engineering News, Mail and Guardian, the Citizen, Daily Maverick, News24 etc.

You are welcome to contact me for future media opportunities and/ or discussions via duplea@unisa.ac.za