Former water affairs minister Ronnie Kasrils has is now in charge of the intelligence portfolio.
In an opening address to a Water Institute of Southern Africa conference in Cape Town, Sonjica's director-general, Mike Muller, outlined the department's priorities moving into the second decade of democracy.
Prime focus will be the provision of adequate sanitation facilities, and bringing an end to the ubiquitous bucket system.
"The first (priority) will be to help local government to fulfil its responsibility to deliver quality water services. Within that, there is a special role for sanitation, which must be a focus over the next five years," he said.
Municipalities would be expected to use their increased funding from the municipal infrastructure grant to achieve government's goals.
These included ending the bucket system by 2006; eradicating the water supply backlog by 2008; and bringing an end to the sanitation backlog by 2010.
"A particularly important focus – already confirmed by Minister Sonjica – will be to ensure that sanitation is given the priority it deserves." The importance of sanitation was highlighted by the recent cholera outbreaks.
"There can be no doubt that the current cholera outbreak in Kanana in Klerksdorp is a result of the fact that people are still using bucket toilets," Muller said.
Sonjica, unlike her counterpart in the environment portfolio, has a strong background in the portfolio she has been appointed to manage.
She chaired Parliament's water affairs and forestry portfolio committee from 1999 to 2003. - Sapa
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