The Department of Water and Sanitation announced that a contingent of water and sanitation stakeholders would meet at Gallagher Estate in Midrand from February 18 to 19.
Water and sanitation experts, industry leaders, non-profit organisations, environmentalists, the government in all spheres, water boards, and international partners have all responded to the call by the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, to convene a national water and sanitation summit for the benefit of the country.
There are eight themes that will be covered throughout these two days, ranging from financial sustainability of the sector and institutional reform.
The call by Mchunu came as a result of provincial working sessions that he undertook upon his assignment to the water and sanitation portfolio, wherein he sought to understand the core challenges that hindered the provision of water and sanitation services.
During his provincial working sessions, Mchunu met with provincial governments, various water services authorities, water boards, stakeholders, and he was appraised of several challenges in various provinces.
To this end, the two-day national water and sanitation summit will be solution-driven and it is set to draft immediate actions to be taken as far as water and sanitation services provision is concerned.
Various ministers of other sister departments are expected to attend and participate in various thematic sessions affecting services in the departments they lead. Mchunu has dubbed the summit as ‘solution- and action-driven and debunked any suggestions that it is bound to be another government talk shop.
“Our people are tired of us talking and making endless promises, they want concrete solutions, they want clean water, they want dignified sanitation from us, and we are constitutionally mandated to provide these basic services to them”, Mchunu said.
Moreover, Mchunu reiterated that government would not work in isolation, the views and inputs from experts and other stakeholders were critical in coming up with an inclusive and comprehensive plan.
