North West MEC for Human Settlements, Desbo Mohono said the National Sanitation and Hygiene Week has achieved its primary goal of raising awareness on hygiene and health among communities, but that more still needed to be done to strengthen the working relationship between government and communities to help eradicate sanitation backlogs in the country.
The National Sanitation Week (11 to 17 May), was meant to raise the profile of sanitation and to highlight government's efforts to ensure that all people have access to sanitation. The awareness campaign sought to target school children in the province as they are the most vulnerable because of environmental health challenges in many schools.
The campaign touched different parts of the province. At Lesung village, near Rustenburg, a sanitation project was launched and toilets handed over to members of the community. This is consistent with government's commitment to expand access to basic services.
In Ipelegeng Township (Schweitzer-Reneke), a door to door campaign focusing on health and hygiene was conducted. The objective was to increase awareness and empower communities to take responsibility for their own health.
At Ditsobotla stadium, near Lichtenburg, Mohono challenged the people of the North West to join government in its efforts to intensify the provision of sanitation in order to help fulfil South Africa's international commitment to eradicate sanitation backlogs by 2015.
She said that sanitation remained a challenge in Ngaka Modiri because of the continuing mushrooming of informal settlements. Addressing more than two thousand people, she said: "We must devote the same energy and attention to sanitation, health and hygiene as we do to the world cup".
She said that she was satisfied that Sanitation Week has succeeded in rallying the whole of society and government behind the agenda of eradicating sanitation backlogs by 2015. On the role of government, she said: "As government across all spheres, especially local government, we must work together to ensure that our South African government's commitment to fulfil the international commitment to eradicate sanitation backlogs by 2015 is translated into reality".
Mohono reminded ordinary members of the community about the critical role they could play in helping to address the challenge of sanitation in their communities.
"I would like to urge our communities to get involved and take leadership in their own sanitation projects and programs such as school sanitation. This is critical if we are to ensure sustained sanitation services and to link sanitation to communities' livelihood programs".
She explained that the aim of all these activities is to encourage community empowerment, research and innovations.
"Our people should be creative and not be passive recipients of government services. A culture of active citizenry will encourage community members to advocate and engage in policy dialogues," she added.
Mohono said that the potential benefits of sustainable sanitation systems in terms of health, improved livelihood, environmental protection, water savings, simplicity, nutrient recovery and energy savings need to be conveyed to all stakeholders.
"At the same time challenges and obstacles need to be analysed to enable us to develop appropriate intervention strategies to overcome these challenges and obstacles," she said.
Across the world, sanitation is a major challenge. More than 2.4 billion people in the world still have no access to sanitation. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 1.8 million people die each year due to diarrheal diseases. South Africa has committed itself to eradicate sanitation backlogs by 2015.
The government seeks to help restore people's dignity through the provision of sanitation.
Enquiries:
Cornelius Tanana Monama
Cell: 082 578 4063
Tel: 018 391 0420
Issued by: Department of Human Settlements, North West Provincial Government
