Japan hands over a water training centre to Minister Sisulu
The Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Ms Lindiwe Sisulu, today received the multi-million rand Roodeplaat Training Centre from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Republic of South Africa, H.E. Maruyama Norio,
The event took place at the Water and Sanitation’s Roodeplaat Training Centre outside Pretoria this morning. It was also attended by the Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Deputy Minister David Mahlobo of Water and Sanitation, President of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and Polokwane Local Municipality Mayor, Cllr Thembi Nkadimeng, and the MMC for Infrastructure in Tshwane, Councillor Phillip Nel.
The Japanese Government, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), funded the construction of the training facility at the Roodeplaat Training Centre of DWS. The Training Yard covers the basics of training artisans to deal with water losses in communities. The designs of the training yard were conducted by the DWS engineers with technical support from JICA.
The training of artisans comes against the background of growing concerns about the huge amounts of water losses – estimated at R9 billion a year – in South Africa.
A South African company was contracted by JICA to construct the Training Yard. DWS Engineers will handle all the activities including the maintenance of the Training Yard to ensure sustainability of the programme. Sisulu has taken ownership of the Training Yard on Non-Revenue Water Management built by the Government of Japan from Ambassador Maruyama.
Ambassador Maruyama said the objective of his government’s assistance in South Africa’s water sector was to give support for skills development of local municipalities who are faced with challenges of water losses known as non-revenue water.
“The area of non-revenue water is one of the major challenges Operation Vulindlela will drive in the economic reform of South Africa. The Japanese assistance will help municipalities to improve their performance in water services and to address challenges of economic reforms at grass root level.”
The Ambassador described the training centre as “more than a skills development project we provide to the municipalities. It’s a skills development that enables economic reform.”
Minister Sisulu said water was under extreme threat from a growing population, increasing demands of agriculture and industry and the worsening impacts of climate change.
“The Department and SALGA are faced with a similar challenge regarding the state of Non-Revenue Water in South Africa. The Municipalities do not have the capacity and opportunity to train their officials on Non-Revenue Water and the country does not have a specific functional facility available to offer training on Non-Revenue Water. It is clear that the Japanese model of non-revenue water management is the easiest in that it focusses mainly on the practical side of dealing with non-revenue water than theory. We’ll continue to work with SALGA, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, SETAs and the Metros in ensuring that this project delivers on its intended objectives.”
She said lack of access to water was very personal to women, especially rural women. They were responsible for carrying water for their families to survive. They stood in long queues to wait for water and walked long distances to collect the precious resource. As a sector, this was a direct challenge to all to change and strengthen the systems towards water use efficiency.
“Access to water and sanitation is recognized by the United Nations as human rights, reflecting the fundamental nature of these basics in every person’s life. Lack of access to safe, sufficient and affordable water, sanitation and hygiene facilities has a devastating effect on the health, dignity and prosperity of billions of people, and has significant consequences for the realization of other human rights. We have all noticed the importance of ensuring water access and availability to our people during this period of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Minister Sisulu said.
Minister Dlamini Zuma said her department was part of a process to establish an non-revenue structure which she hoped would bear fruit. She attributed the problem of water scarcity to the effects of Climate Change. Water leakages and damaging infrastructure also contributed to water scarcity in South Africa. She called for the revival of the culture of payment for services which she said would contribute towards the improvement of water supply.
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