Vision for the Western Cape - Adequate, Safe, Appropriate and Affordable Water

Extracts From Speech By Cobus Dowry, Minister Of Local Government - Opening Address To The Western Cape Water Services Forum
Lord Charles Hotel, Somerset West 23 February 2004.

The Water Services Forum is attended by:

Officials from Local and District Municipalities and the City of Cape Town
Organised Local Government
Representatives from various Provincial Departments
Representatives from the National Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Pretoria, Eastern Cape and Western Cape)
Civil Society organisations
Academics

Extracts from Speech
A gathering such as this, designed to bring together all stakeholders to consult on how to improve our services to the people of the Western Cape, is truly a blessed gathering

There is no greater cause in the world than the cause of service to humanity

While we may be more fortunate in the Western Cape, in terms of the number of people without access to water services, it is estimated that there are still some 300,000 people without access to adequate and clean water and a further 500,000 people without access to hygienic sanitation.

Our mission as the water services authorities, government departments and civil society organisations should be - not to rest until all our people enjoy access to these basic services, whether they are in a large City or forgotten in some farmland or informal settlement For us to deal with the major challenges of:

• Backlogs in basic services
• Poverty and unemployment
• Transformation of our organisations and society
• Bringing into the mainstream of political, social and economic life, those previously disadvantaged, but in particular, the women with whom we need to work together;

I therefore encourage you to work together in this sector, and look for opportunities to develop even more multi-sectoral forums. Working together makes good business sense, saves resources and allows us to focus our energies on what is truly important

The main objective of local government is the provision of municipal services that are viable, affordable and sustainable. There are an increasing percentage of households who can't afford to pay, but who are depending on these services for a better quality of life. The Provincial Government's iKapa elihlumayo: Hope, Delivery & Dignity for the Next Decade has made a commitment of bringing dignity to households living in poverty. It is therefore our aim to ensure that at least a basic level of services is provided free to them and so contributing to the fight against poverty.

In the Western Cape all municipalities have already implemented free basic services in terms of Council resolutions. To date the main focus on free basic services has been free basic water and free basic electricity. In the Western Cape all 30 municipalities provide a certain amount of free water to their indigent households. The new water services sector strategy - now distributed to all of the participants, goes a long way in focussing our attention on key issues such as:

• Eliminating water and sanitation backlogs
• Improving sector collaboration
• Ensuring effective and continuously improving water services institutions

The achievement of the above strategic objectives and long term sustainability of services should take into account other success factors such as:

Encouraging greater participation of civil society in the water sector

Ensuring gender issues are given high priority in our programmes and that participation of women are entrenched in policies, practices and projects

Using appropriate approaches and technologies when planning and implementing water and sanitation projects

Protecting our precious water resources and the environment which sustains these resources

I share with you the vision you have set for the sector, namely: All people in the Western Cape are provided with adequate, safe, appropriate and affordable water and sanitation services by a well-capacitated, vibrant, environmentally sensitive, accountable and unified water sector and institutions.

In conclusion, Chairperson, many of us living in the Western Cape fall into the trap of forgetting how good life is in our province. We forget that the inflow of people from all parts of South Africa, and from around the world, is testimony to our ongoing success. We forget that we have every right to be proud of the Western Cape and that we should be proud to live and work here. That said, we must always remember that much work remains to raise the standard of living for thousands in our poorest communities.

On behalf of our Government and the people of the Western Cape, I would also like to thank you for the invaluable contribution that your efforts have made to the continuing success of our province. You have our undertaking that we, as government, will continue striving to create the best possible environment for growth, development and prosperity in the Western Cape. This is iKapa eliHlumayo- our agenda for Government as we work to build our World Class Province which Cares.

Enquiries: Jan Bosman
Cell: 083 775 5312