29 March 2006
Master of Ceremonies
Honourable Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I would like to thank the Premier, MECs and Free State Stakeholders for the
warm welcome I always receive during my visits to the beautiful Province.
We are here today celebrating National Water Week 2006, which started on 27
March 2006. Our theme for this year is "Water for Growth and Developmentâ.
Water Week is our Departmentâs campaign to sensitise the public, communities
and all other stakeholders about the importance and value of water. In the
World Water Forum IV held recently in Mexico, South Africa shared with the
world how it has progressed in embracing the principle of âWater as a human
rightâ as enshrined in our Constitution.
The importance of water as a catalyst for promoting economic growth in
developing countries was also emphasised in this world forum. For many of us,
it is often easy to take this valuable resource for granted, however, I am here
today to remind you that water is a scarce resource and if we are to adhere to
the above principles, we need to use sparingly to ensure its sustainability
Ladies and gentlemen, focus in our country currently, is on promoting
economic growth. Water is an important ingredient and catalysts for that growth
as no development can take place without this resource, hence our theme this
year. Water therefore is an important component of Accelerated and Shared
Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA). Conservation and responsible use
of water is every citizenâs responsibility. It is in this context that our
Department seeks localise and democratize the management of water resources.
This process requires dedication and training for our communities and our
children as stakeholders and our future.
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry is honoured to have you at this
important event .Today we witness the role water can play in alleviating
poverty, in our needy communities, like communities in the Thaba Nchu
villages.
The Water Research Commission has been involved in funding various water
harvesting projects in the Province. These projects proved to be successful and
the Department of Agriculture and the Water Research Council contracted the
Institute for Institute for Soil, Climate to facilitate a technology exchange
and further implementation.
I would like to commend the work that has been done by the Institute for
Soil, Climate and Water of the Agricultural Research Council on the promotion
of water harvesting project in the Thaba Nchu area. This project which is
titled âIMPLEMENTATION OF EXIT STRATEGY: On-farm application of in-infield
rainwater harvesting techniques in Rural Villages in the Central Free Stateâ is
best practice which should be replicated in other parts of the country. This
initiative contributes to our countryâs vision of sustainable agriculture and
rural development
The research undertaken by the Research Institute over a period of six years
on field rainwater harvesting techniques concentrated on five pillars, i.e.
sustainable agronomic productivity, entrenchment of risk, managing of natural
resources, social acceptability and economical feasibility. Technology exchange
has started and more than a thousand households implemented the in-field
rainwater harvesting technique in forty two rural villages around Thaba
Nchu.
The reality facing South Africa is that 33% of the total population living
in communal rural areas, as well as 40% of the population living in densely
populated informal tenancy and missionary settlements, are progressively
experiencing food insecurity and natural resources are being exploited at an
alarming rate. This reality is the motivating force behind this project as it
seeks to tip the balance towards householdâs food security and natural
resources conservation.
The Free State Province has potential agricultural land; however rainfall is
limited, and seasonal. Unacceptable high percentage of precious water is lost
by run-off and evaporation. Wise water use and nutrients conservation
technologies, such as rainwater harvesting, have the potential to a better use
of precipitation and to contribute to substantially reducing food insecurity,
poverty and unemployment.
Use of appropriate technology like rainwater harvesting techniques is also
happening in other parts of the world. I learnt whilst in Mexico that women
build storage tanks and harvest ground water. This is another option which we
as a country need to exploit in areas that have enough groundwater. Let us use
innovation, science and technology to open new horizons for better water use in
a water scarce country such as South Africa. I would like to call upon
organizations like the Soil and Climate institute and Water Research Commission
(WRC) to take up this challenge in the good spirit they have already
illustrated in this project and investigate the feasibility of this
approach.
There are also basic steps each one of us can take to stretch our available
water fixing leaking taps and pipes, closing a tap properly, using showers more
frequently are contributions we can all make to save water. Such measures will
therefore ensure that there is enough water for both human consumption, our
ecology, reserve and for growth and development.
I hope the number of people benefiting from the rainwater harvesting
technique will increase to help us achieve our theme of âWater for Growth and
Developmentâ.
Programme Director allow me to acknowledge the achievements of youth from
this province, our young ambassadors, Motebele Motshidi, Sechaba Ramabenyane
and Pontsho Moletsane from Sechaba Semaketse Combined School in absentia. These
brilliant young men are the international winners of the Stockholm Junior Water
Prize 2005 and they come from this Province. These learners developed a project
called Nocturnal Hydro Minimiser. This project is designed to use water
efficiently for irrigation by activating the water tap at night when
evaporation levels are very low. It ensures that gardens are only watered when
the soil has lost the necessary moisture needed by plants. This feature makes
it more effective in saving water compared to some commercial models that
provide water regardless of whether plants need it or not.
I also want to acknowledge the national champions of the Baswa Le Meetse
Award 2006, Kgopjane Primary School won 1st prize in the poster category and
they are bringing media classroom, water play pump and a cash prize of R4 000
of which 50% will be shared amongst the learners to spend it on educational
items and the balance on school resources. Thutho Ke Tsela won 2nd prize on
drama category, they are eligible to the R6 000 and consolation prizes. Baswa
Le Meetse is a project of the 2020 Vision Programme which is a school based
education programme educating the society through children about water and
sanitation related issues. The Baswa Le Meetse Award recognises the role of
youth in water and sanitation education and awareness campaigns.
Through these initiatives, government is also stimulating the interest of
youth to choose careers in the water sector, in order to address the challenges
of scarce skills. This programme is in line with the objectives of AsgiSA as it
seeks to develop the much needed skills in our country. Economic growth will be
achieved only if we have the relevant skills, especially in the science and
technical fields. Given the size of our aging population with these skills, we
need to adopt a rigorous strategy that will see our children, especially girl
children, studying science and mathematics. We have to increase the number of
women engineers and scientists in the country. The educators must be empowered
and motivated to be able to guide the children. As a nation, we cannot afford
to rely on foreign expertise.
In conclusion I would like to encourage the society of Free State to
conserve water as it is the essence of life, without water there is no life;
there will be no economic growth and development
I thank you.
Issued by: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
29 March 2006
