Water challenges under spotlight

LIMPOPO – “THE convening of this summit breaths life to the commitment we have made during the state of the province address that we would spare neither strength nor effort until we have resolved the water challenges that we face as a province”, said Stanley Mathabatha, premier of Limpopo, at the water and sanitation summit last Thursday at the Karibu leisure resort in Tzaneen.

“Water is life, sanitation is dignity,” was the theme of the water and sanitation summit hosted by the Limpopo provincial government, read a media statement by Limpopo provincial government. The Summit saw stakeholders from the mining sector, the farming fraternity, academia, water users associations, traditional leaders, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations as well as the private sector deliberate on solutions to issues around this scares commodity and sanitation.

The summit was officialy opened by Mathabatha, while Nomvula Mokonyane, minister for the department of water and sanitation, delivered a keynote address.

Mathabatha added that the summit has brought together various role players in the water and sanitation sector to respond to identified challenges of water and sanitation in Limpopo.

The provincial summit is a culmination of district water summits which focused on mining and agricultural in the context of water needs and usage.

The summits were outlined to create platform for government to amongst others derive inputs from respective stakeholders”, said Mathabatha.

The minister said it was time to go back to basics, “given the fact that we are dealing with a scarce commodity and also with climate change adding to the challenge of rain”.

She told delegates that it cannot be business as usual and urged them to come up with Limpopo water infrastructure master plan.

“We need to move beyond policies and strategies”, she added.

“Limpopo is home to more than five million people and as the custodian of water resources in the country, we are mandated by the constitution and the national water act to ensure that the citizens of South Africa, including Limpopo, have access to water and descent sanitation.

“Through water, we are able to eradicate inequality, fight poverty, create jobs and promote peace and prosperity. Water must contribute to emancipation of women”, minister Mokonyane said.

According to the statement, delegates went into four commissions consisting of provision of bulk infrastructure, water and sanitation provision to households, water to support economic development (agriculture and industry) and waste water treatment works.

The following resolutions were taken at the summit:

•Circulate a draft of Limpopo’s water infrastructure master plan for stakeholders inputs.

•Develop a provincial sanitation plan, including alternative technology and target rural areas.

•Establish a dedicated technical team to consider approval of technical reports.

•Develop an implementation plan for focusing on water service hotspots (Polokwane, Mogalakwena and Mopani).

•Filling of vacant technical services managers.

•Develop a sustainable plan for the existing river systems.

•Develop a comprehensive waste-water treatment works plan, including refurbishment, further capital investment, alternative technology and regulatory compliance matters, sectors skills development plan for implementation.