Department of Water and Sanitation transition from Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address modern-day water and sanitation challenges
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has expressed plans to eradicate the country’s water and sanitation backlogs by incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The plans were shared with members of the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation by Acting Director-General (DG), Mr Sifiso Mkhize at a meeting in the parliament premises today, 07 September 2016.
Some of the key challenges set to be addressed include those of pollution of fresh water resources, degradation of ecosystems, managing shared water courses and basins and also improving disaster management and climate change.
During his presentation, Acting DG said that the key priority of the SDGs is the need to ensure and facilitate access to basic water services, and such has been the key priority of the department for the past two decades. He further admitted that DWS alone cannot fulfill its mandate without collaborating with other relevant departments and stakeholders such as COGTA and that the transition will improve on existing partnerships and create new ones.
Members of the committee present agreed that although there remains a big challenge and backlog where water and sanitation are concerned, DWS has made visible improvements in the supply of water in the last 22 years.
Enquiries:
Sputnik Ratau
DWS Media Liaison Director
Cell: 082 874 2942 or 072 024 6794
