SPONSORED | Silulumanzi celebrates 25 years of excellence

Silulumanzi’s journey in its 25 years of existence has been a commitment to excellent service to elevate the effectiveness and efficiency of water provision.

These were some of the words spoken throughout this South African Water Works company’s 25th Anniversary at The Capital Mbombela on November 1.

Silulumanzi’s Group Managing Director, Shyam Misra, said the water giant has overseen capital investments worth more than R1b in water supply and sanitation infrastructure since 1999 through the public-private partnership with the City of Mbombela (CoM). The private entity took full control of the water and sanitation services for the Nelspruit Transitional Local Council, marking the start of the 30-year concession contract with the CoM.

The community of Mbombela and surrounds enjoy a high level of service and quality in product delivered, despite the exponential growth and development of the area.

“While governing our relationship with City of Mbombela, we provide and distribute 120 million litres of safe and clean drinking water to satisfy the demand of an estimated 400 000 residents in its service areas. The community of Mbombela and surrounds enjoy a high level of service and quality in product delivered, despite the exponential growth and development of the area.”

Silulumanzi manages four water treatment plants with a combined capacity of 97ML per day, 71 reservoirs, 44 pump stations and 1 288km of water pipes. Additionally, it manages three Wastewater Treatment Plants with a combined capacity of 44ML per day, 789km of sewer pipelines and 56 sewage pump stations.

It also boasts more Blue Drop and Green Drop accreditations in previous audits from 2009 and an ISO accreditation for health and safety, environmental management and quality management.

Misra said Silulumanzi boasts achievements that prove the essential work done by the company’s proud men and women. “During the 2023 Blue Drop assessments conducted by the Department of Water and Sanitation, Silulumanzi obtained four Blue Drop Awards for all water supply systems operated by the company, being the only service provider to achieve this accreditation in Mpumalanga. It also boasts more Blue Drop and Green Drop accreditations in previous audits from 2009 and an ISO accreditation for health and safety, environmental management and quality management systems.”

He added that Silulumanzi is a 100% South African and majority black-owned company and has a proud track record of training and developing staff, especially women and the youth.

On behalf of the Mpumalanga Premier, Mandla Ndlovu, the MEC for Education, Cathy Dlamini, joined the celebrations. In her address, she congratulated the entity for its recognisable works and achievements. “Silulumanzi has critically addressed issues surrounding basic service delivery. Water and Sanitation provisions determine the success of any municipality, and having to share the responsibility as the government with the private sector, although it seemed taboo in those days, has yielded great results. We wish Silulumanzi more years of excellent service delivery,” she said.

While the 30-year concession with the CoM is coming to an end in five years, the CoM’s MMC for City Planning and Development, Cllr Morris Mazibane, who stood on behalf of the Honourable Executive Mayor, Sibongile Makushe-Mazibuko, said he hoped it would be extended. “The entity has rendered great service delivery and made all of us shine as service providers. We are proud of the performance and successes they have experienced since 1999 and we accept the healthy competition in which Silulumanzi that challenged the CoM as a service provider. In October, the CoM council mandated the municipal manager to engage with the entity about the possible extension of the concession beyond 30 years,” he said.