Water and Sanitation Minister, Senzo Mchunu, says a new dispensation is needed in the water and sanitation sector to certify proper water management and propel the country to greater heights that will realise water security for future generations.
Mchunu was speaking at the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA) Conference, currently underway at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, Durban.
The three-day WISA Conference has brought together over 1 500 academics, professionals, industry experts and law makers in the water and sanitation fields to discuss key issues and challenges in the water sector.
The 2024 conference, held in partnership with uMngeni-uThukela Water, aims to discuss and come up with sustainable solutions to the challenges within the water sector.
Mchunu said the current state of water and sanitation services has challenged government and its partners to turn things around, and set high standards for the water and sanitation sector.
“To a certain extent, water resource management has not received the attention it deserves, and the reality is visible with the deterioration of the water quality of our rivers.
“This is mainly due to pollution emanating from mining activities, industry, agriculture and to a greater extent, from dysfunctional municipal wastewater systems,” Mchunu said.
In an attempt to address this problem, Mchunu said the department has established a national anti-pollution structure that will work with the department to curb pollution of the country’s rivers and dams.
The Minister emphasised that water resource management is more than just a technical challenge, but a societal imperative.
“Water resources are the lifeblood of our nation, underpinning our health, our economy, and our environment,” Mchunu said.
Catchment Management Agencies
During the conference, Mchunu launched four Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs).
They are the Limpopo-Olifants, Vaal-Orange, Pongola-Umzimkulu, Mzimvubu-Tsitsikamma Catchment Management Agencies.
They will be working alongside the already existing Breede-Olifants and Inkomati-Usuthu CMAs.
The establishment of the CMAs is in line with the provisions of the National Water Act (NWA) and the National Water Policy for South Africa to enhance decentralised decision-making in managing water resources, in an integrated manner, at a local level.
The agencies will be responsible for the protection, use, development, conservation, management, and control of all the water resources in a water management area (WMA) at the catchment level.
They also ensure participative management, good water governance and integrated planning, and improving co-operative governance of the country’s water resources in order to achieve the objectives of the National Water Act, equity, accessibility and government’s commitments to improving service delivery.
These responsibilities require that all spheres of government, water users and communities in the water management area work with CMAs as partners.
In acknowledging the effects of climate change, Mchunu said the department is an important contributor to building a climate-resilient future through continuous strategising and effective provision of water and sanitation services.
“CMAs, at local level, will bring together stakeholders to build capacity around creating a climate resilient environment. We are confident that the rationalisation will still achieve the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) principle of decentralisation of water resource management to local level and contribute to the transformation of the water sector,” Mchunu said. - SAnews.gov.za
