MATJHABENG – residents fed up with recurring water and sanitation failures have been given a direct opportunity to tell government what is going wrong on the ground – as a major review of the country’s water and sanitation framework reaches the Goldfields.
The call for municipalities to strengthen and enforce their water and sanitation by-laws comes at a critical time for Matjhabeng, where communities continue to raise concerns about ageing infrastructure, sewer problems, maintenance backlogs and unreliable municipal services.
Against this backdrop, Welkom was one of four Free State centres where the Department of Water and Sanitation held public consultations from 28 September to 1 October as it reviews the Strategic Framework for Water and Sanitation Services (SFWSS).
The Department of Water and Sanitation in the Free State and various stakeholders used the consultations to engage directly with municipalities, water sector bodies and communities on how water and sanitation services can be improved.
Discussions are significant
The discussions are particularly significant for communities such as those in Matjhabeng, where ageing infrastructure, maintenance problems and service interruptions have repeatedly placed pressure on residents and municipal authorities.
Water Services Authorities, consisting mainly of local and district municipalities, were among those attending the consultations, together with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Vaal Central Water Board, Maluti-a-Phofung Water, the Electoral Commission of South Africa, the South African Human Rights Commission, water and sanitation forums and community members.
The proposed review of the SFWSS aims to create a more coordinated approach to some of the sector’s most persistent problems and strengthen the delivery of safe water and dignified sanitation.
The framework places particular emphasis on improving service delivery, strengthening infrastructure planning and maintenance, improving water resource management and building the capacity of municipalities and other stakeholders.
The department and stakeholders said effective municipal by-laws are an important part of this process.
Effective municipal by-laws are important
By-laws can provide municipalities with mechanisms to regulate water and sanitation services within their areas, while helping to establish clear responsibilities and standards for users and service authorities.
The consultation process also comes against a backdrop of ageing infrastructure, rapid urbanisation, climate-related risks and persistent service delivery gaps, particularly in rural communities and informal settlements.
The first SFWSS was published in 2003 and helped define institutional responsibilities, establish service standards and guide investment in the water and sanitation sector.
More than two decades later, the department says the sector has changed significantly, creating the need for the framework to be reviewed and strengthened to address current and emerging challenges.
The public consultations are intended to ensure that the revised framework reflects the experiences of communities and the practical realities faced by municipalities.
Public consultations
Stakeholders and members of the public were given an opportunity to raise concerns, share experiences and make recommendations directly to department officials.
The submissions received during the consultation process will be considered as part of the review and are expected to contribute to a framework that better responds to the water and sanitation needs of communities across the Free State.
For municipalities such as Matjhabeng, the challenge will ultimately be turning policy, by-laws and consultation outcomes into reliable services on the ground.
