Gauteng Department of Cooperative Governance, Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements MEC Jacob Mamabolo today formally launched the Gauteng City Region Water and Sanitation Forum at Mapungubwe Conference Centre, Joburg CBD. The Forum was formed to address water supply challenges that recently hit Gauteng province.
The Forum, which is comprised of the National, Provincial, Local Government and other relevant stakeholders such as Rand Water and Eskom, will be responsible for proactively tackling water and sanitation challenges in the province and implementing strategies tabled by all relevant stakeholders.
“Recently the province experienced water shortages and challenges, and the Water and Sanitation Forum is one of the interventions by Gauteng Provincial Government to deal with such challenges,” MEC Mamabolo said adding that the province appreciates the intervention of the National government in tackling these challenges “and we are confident that with this forum we will improve our performance in terms of water supply and sanitation and render proper services to the communities of the province especially the informal settlements.”
MEC Mamabolo highlighted that his department appreciates that the Forum is an Inter-governmental Relations (IGR) forum between all government spheres. “This means all relevant stakeholders who are part acknowledge that the water supply and sanitation challenge affects everyone in the country and is not a Gauteng Province’s issue only. Together as spheres of government we can ensure that these challenges remain a thing of the past,” MEC Mamabolo mentioned.
In his keynote address to the Forum and attendees, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said that the province appreciates the support by Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane and her department and for being part of the management of the water supply and sanitation challenges in the province. “We have made significant progress in the matter although we acknowledge that there are areas that still need attention,” Premier Makhura mentioned. He highlighted that the province is at 92% of access to water and 85% of access to sanitation. “We have done very well in the provision of these basic services. What is a challenge now is ways to sustain the progress made,” the Premier said.
Premier Makhura also announced that the province has new mega human settlements project in the pipeline. “These new projects should be of high quality standards and located within transport nodes and economic opportunities. We thus need proper infrastructure such as water supply and sanitation to sustain these new developments as well,” the Premier highlighted adding that “the Forum will help in terms of putting measures in place to ensure that proper infrastructure is being budgeted for and in place.”
“South Africa is a water scarce country and we must treat water as a scarce resource. We hence have to find ways to ensure that we preserve water as a major source of life. The good thing is that in Gauteng we are organised in dealing with water supply and sanitation challenges as evidenced by this Forum which will ensure that we turn what is currently a threat into an opportunity,” Premier Makhura concluded.
For more information contact:
Motsamai Motlhaolwa
Cell: 079 897 2240
