Deputy President voice water concerns, while AfriForum tackles crisis

It’s encouraging to see that the government is finally tackling South Africa’s ongoing water crisis by establishing a public-private partnership model in the sector. Deputy President Paul Mashatile made this announcement on Tuesday after AfriForum sent him a letter months ago with practical steps to involve the private sector and civil society to improve water supply and the management thereof in communities. Although Mashatile provided no formal feedback to enter into a partnership, AfriForum is still ready to face the water crisis together with the government.

AfriForum once again calls on the Deputy President to review the civil rights organisation offer to act as a partner in the water sector so that this vital resource can be sustainably managed. The civil rights organisation strives to, among other things, supplement the knowledge deficiencies in the management of water and sewage treatment plants by training experts together with its existing partners. These experts have the necessary skills to operate the plants effectively.

Lambert de Klerk, Manager for Environmental Affairs at AfriForum, says it’s especially in remote and rural communities where a partnership with the government will have the greatest impact. AfriForum has on several occasions held discussions with the Ngwathe Local Municipality about Parys, Schonkenville and Tumahole’s desperate water situation. These areas suffer from serious service delivery problems and are for days without water. When water flows freely from the municipality, it is often unfit for human consumption.

“These areas have been struggling with their water supply for years, but with the government’s resources, AfriForum can deal with the serious water problems once and for all. AfriForum is convinced that if competent local community members are empowered to assist the municipality with service delivery, the water quality and efficiency of service delivery can significantly improve,” says De Klerk.

“The challenges facing South Africa’s water sector are too great for one entity to tackle alone. Only through dedicated cooperation can we build a future where all South Africans have access to clean and safe drinking water,” concludes De Klerk.

AfriForum looks forward to receiving feedback from the Deputy President on the matter and together with other role players build a sustainable and safe water future.