10 February 2000
On poverty alleviation
The provision of basic water supply and sanitation is a very direct, practical means by which we improve the life of the poor. It improves their health and lessens the day to day burden of carrying water. The jobs we create with every project further contribute to reducing poverty. For instance,the R750 million spent by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry in the past financial year created around 60 000 jobs. But we must recognise that there is more to service provision than counting the number of taps and toilets delivered. What matters is that they continue to work so that people continue to benefit.
I have conducted an audit of the work of my Department as well as of the achievements of government as a whole in this field. since 1994. The real story of delivery in water and sanitation is that we have achieved both more and less than we have previously stated. I must also emphasise that much has been achieved by agencies other than the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.
Since 1994, we estimate that Government has served 9.2 million people with basic water supplies. In rural areas, the proportion served by infrastructure is up from 33 % - 50%. Around four million people received new supplies to RDP standards; a total of over 6 million benefited through improvements to the reliability and quality of supplies. In urban areas, the proportion served rose from 84% - 92%.
About half of the water supply improvements were achieved through the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry's programme. The rest has been achieved in housing programmes, through local government and other organisations. In sanitation, the picture is even more dramatic. While in rural areas little has been achieved beyond the first pilot projects, substantial progress has been made in urban areas. Approximately 5 million people have benefited from improved sanitation through the Department of Housing's programmes. With housing support focusing increasingly on rural areas, we hope that household sanitation will become an important focus of investments for housing improvement.
This experience demonstrates the need for all sectors of government to work together as a team, something that will characterize our efforts over the coming year. The challenge of keeping services working is one that that we will all be focusing on through intensified programmes of support to local government since it is at local level that the day-to-day work is done.
On the basis of the audit already conducted, I am reviewing the strategy of my Department to find ways to further accelerate service delivery in rural areas without compromising sustainability. Linked to this, we will be developing new approaches to ensure that safe water is affordable for all South Africans. We note that innovative approaches to water supply management in places like Durban have enabled the municipality there to supply the basic needs of all their residents for free; only consumption above the basic minimum is charged for.
Over 20 million rural people have no acceptable sanitation. Pilot projects have been run by my department. A key thrust of our effort will now focus on improving this situation. It is clear that this approach must be a co-ordinated effort between the Departments of Housing, Health, Education,and Water Affairs and Forestry.
Job creation and poverty
Job creation projects, another important tool for attacking poverty, can also meet other objectives such as the protection of our environment. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry's Working for Water programme has, for instance, is employing over 18,000 people in 280 projects. Again, partnerships are important and the programme is co-operating with the Department of Welfare to run a child care programme for its workers as well as a partnership to reintegrate 120 ex-offenders into society. This year's budget for the program is over R250 million
Integrated rural development
In the focus area of integrated rural development, the importance of water and forestry to our rural communities have been highlighted. In the Eastern Cape, there is close collaboration between national and provincial government in the rehabilitation of irrigation schemes at Tyefu, Ncora and Qamata. From Ceres in the Western Cape to Arabie in Northern Province and Shemula and Mbazwana in Northern KwaZulu/Natal, collaboration on development projects is underway. Aside from the widely publicised sale of large commercial forests, there are important developments in the transfer of smaller woodlots to communities which will have equally important impact on the lives and opportunities of the rural poor.
World Water Forum - Water Security for the World
Water continues to be an international priority. Next month, a World Water Forum and Ministers meeting is to be held in The Hague, Netherlands. More than eighty countries will be participating and South Africa has been actively involved in the preparations for the Forum.
A key theme will be the challenge of ensuring "water security" for all the world's people. This involves not just ensuring adequate water supplies and sanitation but, very topically, protection from floods and droughts. There is also emphasis on the need to increase the agricultural productivity of water, to "get more crop per drop", to ensure that the expanding population can be fed. Introduction of economic measures to promote conservation and the efficient use of water will be a high priority as will the establishment of integrated management approaches and sharing by agreement between countries.
I am pleased to say that South Africa's involvement, working closely with SADC countries, as well as with others such as Egypt, India, China and Brazil, has helped to ensure that the conference will focus on the needs of the developing countries rather than the interests of the First world or the campaigns of international NGOs.
Milestones
Meanwhile, across the country, new projects continue to be inaugurated. I have opened a Schools sanitation project in Nkowakowa, Northern Province, the water supply project in Kwazulu/Natal, the Rusfontein water works supplying ThabaNchu and Botshabelo in Free State and the Baviaanspoort wastewater works serving Mamelodi in Gauteng.
In addition, key milestones have been celebrated in the Odi public-public water service agreement in North West and the Umtata peri-urban water supply project in Eastern Cape.
Summary of DWAF programme outputs 1994-1999
Rural people with services below RDP benefiting from DWAF 2,63 million people served to RDP level 1,65 million people served by El-Nino and other projects to agreed levels below RDP, had rudimentary infrastructure such as handpumps on shallow boreholes
Total people served 4,28 million Plus 0,6 million people benefited through agreed provision of bulk supply, with distribution to follow, such as at Arabie where 50 villages are involved and this number will still be expanded
Total benefiting from new infrastructure: 4,86 m
Total benefiting from DWAF : 6,8 million people
Plus 1,9 million people (with infrastructure at RDP or higher, but service problems) benefited from upgrades: services are now more reliable. An example of this are the 1 million people at Purandibele with pipes into the community, but not enough water in the pipes, therefore there is a need for developing sources of water. There is a bulk water transfer from Bronkhorstspruit sown to Kwandebele.
Funds spent
Issued by Ministry of Water Affairs and Forestry,
10 February 2000