Water and Sanitation’s call for professionalism is ‘too late’

Experts are sceptical about the potential impact of Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu’s call for the sector to suspend its ego and prioritise professionalism, pointing out the government allowed incompetence and corruption to cripple the country’s water systems in the first place.

Government, says one expert, was the top polluter of the country’s river systems and corrective action was needed to stop it polluting the environment.

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Mchunu addressed stakeholders at a recent Water Services Authority Summit, emphasising the urgent need for reform within the water and sanitation sector.

The water sector faced challenges, ranging from inadequate infrastructure to allegations of corruption. In spite of various attempts to address these issues, the sector continued to grapple with inefficiency, delayed projects and a lack of trust from the public.

While Mchunu’s call for a “paradigm shift towards professionalism” was applauded and commended by a number of experts, Prof Anthony Turton, a water expert from the Centre for Environmental Management at the University of the Free State, said this should not be accepted blindly and people should ask whether the department was a little too late.

“To a large extent, the procurement process has been hijacked by criminal intent, the intention being to acquire tenders rather than render quality service.

“The No Drop reports show the extent of leakages in the country. And it shows that almost 45% of the water that goes into municipal systems is lost to leaks. And it is getting worse, not better.”

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“The Green Drop report revealed that about 60% of our sewerage works are dysfunctional.

“The Blue Drop report shows that, as a result of the Green Drop report that’s so bad, our drinking water quality standards are failing across the board as well.

“So what we’re seeing is sector-wide water failure.

“In every conceivable aspect of the water, there are changes and failure. And at the heart of that failure is incompetence and criminal intentions.”

Mchunu said in spite of all the support being provided to municipalities, “the drop reports indicate water services continue to decline and fundamental reform is required to arrest and turn around the decline in municipal water and sanitation services”.

“In this regard, DWS [the department of water and sanitation] recently gazetted the Water Services Amendment Bill for public comment.

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“The Water Services Act distinguishes between the roles of Water Services Authority and Water Services Provider in municipalities,” Mchunu said.

Dr Ferrial Adam, WaterCAN executive manager, said Mchunu’s transparency about the challenges acknowledged the gravity of the situation.

“The minister disclosed shocking instances of managers at wastewater treatment plants bypassing proper procedures and discharging untreated sewage directly into rivers because of failing infrastructure,” Adam said.

“It is heartening to witness his forthrightness in acknowledging the challenges faced by our water systems.”

“The admission of untreated sewage discharge by government-operated wastewater treatment plants is a stark revelation, underscoring the urgent need for accountability.

“Government is currently the top polluter of our river systems and corrective action is needed to stop the polluting our environment.”

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Adam also said WaterCAN was happy Mchunu had pledged intervention to rectify wastewater treatment plants contributing to the alarming statistic of more than 50 000 litres of untreated sewage flowing into South Africa’s rivers every second.

“WaterCAN urges municipal leaders to take immediate and decisive action and be aware of the potential criminal consequences of neglecting their responsibility to provide safe and clean water to communities,” Adam added.

“We implore municipal leaders to prioritise the welfare of their communities over political considerations. “The DWS must be allowed to execute its mandate effectively to address this crisis.”