The Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ms Nomvula Mokonyane, will today, 03 July 2015, attend the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Water Ministers Meeting to be held in Harare, Zimbabwe on invitation from the Zimbabwean Minister of Water, Environment and Climate, Honorable Saviour Kasukuwere.
Ministers representing the fifteen (15) member states of SADC will be reviewing the progress with regards to the implementation of the third phase of the of the Regional Strategic Action Plan on Integrated Water Resources Management and Development (RSAP III) 2011 - 2015.
It is expected that the Ministers will further provide strategic and political guidance on the fourth (4th) phase of the SADC Water Programme (RSAP IV) which is currently under development.
Several meetings have been held amongst senior government officials representing the 15 members states of SADC in preparation of the meeting of Ministers.
South Africa has over the years promoted cooperation within SADC on the sustainable management of water resources in the region and their use to unlock both social and economic development. Water is an economic and social asset that must be harvested and utilised to provide adequate water supply, sanitation, energy, food security and industrial and infrastructure development across SADC.
In this regard, our country has several bi-lateral agreements with our neighbouring states and SADC member states on water management, security and provision, including the recently signed agreement with Zimbabwe, signed on the occasion of the State Visit to South Africa by the Zimbabwean President in April 2015.
The Minister will be accompanied by senior officials of the Department of Water and Sanitation some of whom have been engaged in the pre-negotiations in preparation for the Ministers meeting.
For media enquiries:
Mlimandlela Ndamase, Ministerial Spokesperson
Cell: 083 480 0014
E-mail: NdamaseM@dws.gov.za
