Members of the media,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
Thank you for joining us this morning to discuss at a high level matters relating the Budget Vote of the Department of Water and Sanitation which myself and the Deputy-Minister will have the pleasure of presenting to the National Assembly in the afternoon.
On 26 June 2015, we will celebrate 60 years since the 'Freedom Charter' was adopted in Kliptown by our people, as a document expressing the aspirations our people had for a free and democratic South Africa.
Together with the rights and liberties enshrined in the Freedom Charter, this document also expressed the expectations of the people of a democratic government.
The National Development Plan as adopted by our government has infused a new sense of urgency and a people-centred approach in delivering on the promises of a democratic society. Equally, the need for inter-governmental planning and coordination in implementing service delivery and development programmes is emphasised.
The establishment of the Department of Water and Sanitation in the 5th administration is a direct response to the challenges identified in the National Development Plan and a basis for the implementation of programmes aimed at achieving Vision 2030.
As you know, as a country we successfully met the deadlines for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in 2010. However, the challenges of access to water and sanitation continue to characterise the daily life challenges of our people. This is based on increasing needs and growth in population and demand.
Informed by the National Development Plan and indeed the 'Freedom Charter' we have come to state that 'Water is Life and Sanitation is Dignity.'
Over the last financial year, we have made significant strides in ensuring that areas identified for water and sanitation delivery receive services due to them accordingly. Working with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and National Treasury we adopted the Back-to-Basics programme aimed at supporting municipalities with resources accompanied by capacity to bolster performance in the delivery of water and sanitation. Twenty-Seven (27) District Municipalities and the Nelson Mandela Metro have been identified as areas in need of interventions through this programme.
In areas such as the Makana Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, Ngaka Modiri Molema District in the North West province, Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga, Sedibeng in Gauteng and Jozini in KwaZulu-Natal, we have made bold interventions to unlock service delivery and infrastructure developments aimed at providing safe, reliable and adequate water and sanitation, pursuant to this.
Partnering with provincial governments through Premier's we have put in place community based initiatives as part of our people centered approach to ensure communities are a part of the developments in their respective areas.
The establishment of ' Community Water Forums' is a direct result of the interventions we have undertaken in communities and the affirmation we have given to communities and their leaders as partners in our programmes. We have also initiated the 'Adopt a River' programme which we have since launched in a number of provinces as a community driven initiative.
The budget we will present today will layout our future plans for water and sanitation infrastructure development in the country. We have allocated resources for the planning and design of numerous proposed new water supply schemes and sanitation plants. Examples in this regard would be the uMkhomazi Water Project, Lusikisiki Regional Water Supply Scheme and Sedibeng Regional Sewer Scheme.
We have also recommitted ourselves to projects currently underway and those due for commencement which include the raising of the Clanwilliam and Hazelmere Dam walls.
Our water infrastructure commitment includes the Groot Letaba River Water Development Project which involves the construction of a dam in Nwamitwa for the benefit of approximately 425, 000 people in the Greater Tzaneen Local Municipality in Limpopo.
We are also investigating ways to deal decisively with issues of Acid Mine Drainage, especially in Gauteng. Acid Mine Drainage is an economic threat that we must find immediate and cost-effective solutions to address it adequately.
In 2030, our country must enjoy water security and water supply that is reliable and sustainable. To this end, the management of our water resources wisely is paramount. In the current financial year we will seek to conclude a comprehensive Water Plan for South Africa that must assist us in managing and planning for water and sanitation through innovative means and the use of alternative technologies to manage this important yet scarce resource.
We are surely turning a new page from a past where access to water was a privilege enjoyed by a few in South Africa to a future where all South African will enjoy access to basic clean water and sanitation.
In restoring the dignity of our people, the department plans to transform current approaches to sanitation. Our current methods of disposing human waste through flushing toilets that utilize drinking quality water are both unwise and unsustainable.
In this regard, we are currently looking at numerous technologies that will assist us eliminate the use of clean drinkable water to dispose of human waste. We are determined to introduce low-water and no-water solutions as part of our efforts to deliver sanitation.
Dry sanitation solutions must become the reality we work towards in both low and high-income households going forward. We will in the near future announce steps to introduce norms and standards for the provision of sanitation for application in the country.
We are determined to educate our people so that they may know "It's not all about flushing." A decent sanitation solution does not mean flushing, water borne solution. This is a Sanitation Revolution we will lead and champion as a department.
We have made significant strides towards the eradication of the bucket system. In 2014/15 alone, we have successfully eradicated 20, 560 bucket systems and we intend concluding the eradication of the bucket system programme in formal areas by December 2015.
In order to adequately manage and efficiently utilise the water resources at our disposal, we are paying significant attention to our water licensing processes and regulation of the sector. We intend to achieve a 15% reduction in water losses over the current financial year.
We are about delivery! What we are seeking in all our efforts is Impact; and that impact must be measured on the improvement in the quality of life for our people in currently un-serviced communities. We want our budget to significantly change human conditions in the areas we reach.
Job-creation, skills development, economic opportunities for Black Industrialists and entrepreneurs are amongst the key deliverables that characterize our service-delivery models.
The Deputy-Minister and I are confident that the budget we will today present will make the required impact in the lives of South Africans and propel us towards the Water and Sanitation Revolution which moves us towards Vision 2030.
Thank you!
Enquiries:
Mlimandlela Ndamase, Ministerial Spokesperson
Cell: 083 480 0014
E-mail: NdamaseM@dws.gov.za
