Midrand: The need for an urgent and high-level national turnaround plan on water security that is aligned to the Government of National Unity’s Medium-Term Development Plan 2025 to 2029 has been underscored by President Cyril Ramaphosa. The President made the call during the Water and Sanitation Indaba, currently underway at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng.
According to South African Government News Agency, President Ramaphosa delivered his keynote address at the opening of the two-day Indaba, highlighting that Operation Vulindela has prioritized reforms in the water sector. The reforms aim to improve water quality, catalyze investment in the construction and maintenance of water infrastructure, and strengthen regulation in the sector. Under the sixth administration, the drop water quality monitoring system was reinstated as an essential incentive, particularly important in areas where water resources are key to tourism, agriculture, and other sectors.
As part of the structural reform process in the water sector, the government has significantly reduced the turnaround time for issuing water use licenses, with 75% of applications currently processed within 90 days. An additional 110 technical and scientific staff have been hired to support further process improvements. Last year, the Raw Water Pricing Strategy was published to promote efficient water management, following a process initiated in 2022 under Operation Vulindlela. This strategy aims to promote transparency in raw water pricing and instill business and investor confidence by creating an enabling legal and regulatory framework for water stewardship.
President Ramaphosa also discussed interventions such as the Water Services Amendment Bill, which will introduce a licensing system for water service providers and revoke licenses where providers fail to meet quality drinking water standards. By next year, the government aims to finalize the establishment of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency, a significant reform intended to bring strategic alignment, consistency, and accountability to the various institutional arrangements for water stewardship.
The President highlighted strategic interventions to enhance water services delivery in municipalities and support them in addressing water and sanitation challenges. Among these interventions is the sustained progress in the Presidential eThekwini Working Group in KwaZulu-Natal, with ongoing oversight work by the Presidential Water Task Team to augment these efforts.
President Ramaphosa emphasized the need for deepened collaboration among all stakeholders in the water resources management ecosystem to resolve the country’s water and sanitation challenges. Greater cooperation between national and provincial government, water resource management entities, and the private sector is necessary to support the turnaround in water stewardship. The focus must be on supporting service delivery at the local government level, where it matters most. Structural reforms in the water sector cannot be effectively implemented without strengthening local government.
Local municipalities are encouraged to leverage financial resources like the Urban Settlements Development Grant and Municipal Infrastructure Grant to improve service provision. Local government leadership is urged to prioritize turnaround strategies for their respective Water Services Authorities. The President emphasized that the Indaba should not merely diagnose problems but also focus on course correction and a comprehensive plan to expand access to water and sanitation services, improve infrastructure quality, and bring stability and good governance to all entities involved in South Africa’s water stewardship.