It is difficult to overstate the good work done by now former Minster of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu. His impact on the sector was felt, and appreciated.
Starting his tenure in new and challenging waters as the Ministry of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation was split to form two distinct ministries. This split turned out to be for the best as Senzo was able to tackle the issues with the water sector head on.
The roadmap
Early on Senzo sought to develop a strategy that would address and reform the sector to meet what many have deemed “insurmountable challenges.” His roadmap included expanding the department’s reach beyond its usual dealings with bulk water and water resource management to directly dealing with the entire water value chain. Noting that the department’s macro view seldom aligned with people’s real need for water, he sought to challenge the department by involving them on the ground level rather than rely on previously held hierarchies that seemed to benefit no one.
One of the key moves issued by Senzo was to give the department “teeth: in dealing with municipalities who are not meeting their water service mandates. Local government was given the responsibility of water provision to households and businesses, with the Minister having limited oversight, but this has proven to be hurdle rather than an alleviation of bureaucracy .
On a practical level he understood that the system, from the department to bulk suppliers to local government to households relied on infrastructure and the efficiency of that infrastructure. Reinstating the drop reports was monumental in terms of monitoring, and intervening in the quality and access of drinking water and sanitation.
Senzo also noted that revenue obtained through water services went to fund other sections of the municipality rather than be reinvested back into water, something he was vocal about changing and we are now seeing in action plans by the likes of City of Johannesburg who wish to use water revenue to expand and increase their water services.
Vaal catchment: under his leadership various Catchment Management Agencies were empowered to ensure decentralised governance
Milestones
- On his duty the department launched new Catchment Management Agencies to facilitate decentralised decision-making and to involve stakeholders in managing water resources, in an integrated manner, at a local level.
- Rand Water Mega Plant: Under Mchunu’s watch, the construction of the Rand Water mega plant and its Station 5A programme ensured an additional 150 million liters of water per day, securing water supply for 18 municipalities in Gauteng and beyond (Infrastructure News).
- Loskop Dam Water Supply Project: Spearheading the project to provide water from Loskop Dam to communities in Mpumalanga and Limpopo, Mchunu emphasised the importance of timely completion and inclusive engagement with local stakeholders (Infrastructure News).
- Masodi Waste Water Treatment Works: Overseeing the progress and upgrade of the Masodi Waste Water Treatment Plant, which is crucial for meeting water demands in Polokwane and other areas in Limpopo (Infrastructure News).
- Hammanskraal Water and Sanitation Initiative: Addressing the water quality issues in Hammanskraal, Mchunu facilitated the installation of a new water treatment plant to provide safe drinking water and improve wastewater management (Infrastructure News).
- Giyani Water Project: Completing the transfer of raw water from Nandoni to Nsami Dam, a significant milestone in the Giyani Water Project, ensuring water supply to villages and planning further capacity upgrades for the Giyani Water Treatment Plant (Infrastructure News).
We wish the minister well in his new position as Minister of Police, and welcome Jemmy Majodina as the new Minister of Water and Sanitation.