JOHANNESBURG: Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister, David Mahlobo, has called for enhanced collaboration between government, the private sector and civil society to use technological innovations to help tackle the sanitation-related challenges experienced in parts of the country. Mahlobo made the call at the Next Generation Water-Efficient Sanitation Technologies Investment Summit held in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
According to South African Government News Agency, the summit, which coincided with World Toilet Day, was hosted by the Water Research Commission (WRC) in conjunction with South African Sanitation Technology Enterprise Programme (SASTEP) to highlight the various innovative solutions for sustainable sanitation and water security. Mahlobo called for the investment of sanitation infrastructure and technological improvements to address sanitation challenges.
Mahlobo said, ‘We need significant investments in modern sanitation infrastructure and creative, forward-thinking solutions. Together, w
e can drive the change required to overcome the challenges in the sanitation sector.’ He acknowledged the WRC for its contribution in initiating innovative projects geared towards finding alternative sanitation solutions.
The innovations include, among others, the aptly-termed Next Generation Sanitation Technologies which will not only address the basic human right to sanitation but also align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives. These reinvented toilets offer significant advantages over traditional sanitation methods such as water-efficient and energy-neutral systems, drastically reducing the environmental footprint of sanitation infrastructure.
The reinvented toilets will also safely treat human waste without the need for conventional sewage systems, protecting communities from waterborne diseases and can be deployed in schools, clinics, and public spaces where sanitation infrastructure is often inadequate. Mahlobo added, ‘Furthermore, adding to the technological innovations, the D
epartment of Water and Sanitation has developed the National Faecal Sludge Management Strategy.’
The strategy is aimed at providing guidance to the sector on safe management of faecal sludge to enhance operation and maintenance of on-site sanitation systems, prevent groundwater contamination, safeguard public health, and protect the environment from pollution throughout the sanitation service chain.
While noting significant progress made towards addressing the sanitation backlog and providing appropriate sanitation to poor households since 1994, Mahlobo said much more work still needs to be done to bring about more dignified sanitation services to the communities. Through government and stakeholders’ efforts, the number of households with access to proper sanitation has improved by 22.4% between 2002 and 2021, an increase from 61.7% to 84.1%, with most improvement made in Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces.
‘Despite the notable work, we do admit as government that we need to keep our sleeves rolled up to e
nsure that all citizens of this country get to experience the pleasure of dignified sanitation facilities,’ Mahlobo said.