South Africa has fielded a multi-faceted team, including water professionals and politicians, to the 7th World Water Forum in South Korea, the largest international event on water, aimed at addressing water and sanitation challenges across the globe.
Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane is leading the country's high-level political efforts at the six-day event, which ends on Friday. She is also representing the Southern African Development Community (SADC), acting as a message carrier for the G77, and, together with fellow ministers from the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW), will be conveying an African voice for that organisation.
Accompanying the Minister are 19 water experts and officials from her Department. Also present are three officials from the Lepelle Northern Water Board and two from Rand Water.
The Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority, the state-owned entity tasked with financing and implementing bulk raw water infrastructure, has four officials at the forum. The LesothoHighlands Water Commission has sent six of its staff.
Three MPs, including the chair of Parliament's Water and Sanitation Portfolio Committee, Mlungisi Johnson, have also made the journey. The parliamentary team includes a researcher.
Business is represented by the Chamber of Mines and Coca-Cola SA. There is also an official from the Water Research Council, and an academic from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Four journalists from South Africa are also covering the event.
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