DM`s Sasol Water Sense Speech - Department of Water Affairs and ...

SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE HONOURABLE DEPUTY
MINISTER OF WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL
AFFAIRS, MS REJOICE MABUDAFHASI, MP, DURING
THE LAUNCH OF THE SASOL WATER SENSE
INITIATIVE AT THE EMERALD HOTEL AND
CONFERENCE CENTRE IN VANDERBIJLPARK,
GAUTENG
FRIDAY, 26 APRIL 2013
Programme director;
Mayor of Emfuleni Local Municipality, Cllr Greta
Hlongwane;
Acting Executive Mayor of Sedibeng District Municipality:
Cllr Simon Maphalla;
MMC for Project Management and Public Works: Fezile
Dabi District Municipality: Cllr Lucy Hlapane;
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Representative from the Free State Department of
Education;
CEO of Water Research Council: Dhesigen Naidoo
Executive Director of Sasol Limited, Ms Nolitha Fakude;
Senior Government officials;
Sasol Colleagues;
Distinguished Guests;
Members of the media;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Good morning
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This august event of the launch of the SASOL Water
Sense Initiative takes place just on the eve of Freedom
Day. Government continues to make strides in ensuring
that South Africans both young and old enjoys the benefits
of this freedom. As we celebrate this freedom we remain
steadfast in ensuring that all citizens are afforded access
to clean drinking water and that they are liberated from the
shackles of poverty.
Programme director, allow me to pay tribute to our heroes
and heroines who dedicated their lives to the struggle to
liberate this country, Isithalandwe Olivier Reginald Tambo,
Tata Nelson Mandela, Chris Hani, Charlotte Maxeke,
Lilian Ngoyi, Bertha Qgowa and many others.
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The United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as
the year of International Water Cooperation. This further
gives impetus to our partnership with SASOL on Water
Conservation and Demand Management which heralds a
new era in the fight against water loss, hence it is said that
water conservation is everybody‘s business.
To this end, through the Water Sense Initiative, Sasol has
indeed heeded the call made by the honourable President
of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency, Jacob
Zuma that private sector have a responsibility to partner
with government to solve challenges faced by our society.
You have supported the notion that government cannot do
it alone.
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The Department of Water Affairs has been extensively
engaging with Business/Corporate to create private/public
partnerships platforms for business to support and invest
in municipal infrastructure to reduce water risks. SASOL
has indeed taken forward the call and have partnered with
Emfuleni Local Municipality focusing on initiatives to
reduce water loss in prioritised areas, education and
awareness in the community and schools with regards to
water conservation issues and on the development of new
or support of existing community plumbing entities.
The cumulative savings that will be realized through these
initiatives are expected to trigger reinvestment in the water
conservation activities of Emfuleni Local Municipality.
Furthermore, positive results are envisaged with respect
to job creation for unemployed youths.
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Working together with municipalities and the private
sector, the Department continues to implement War on
Leaks Project which aims to eradicate leaks at household
level, educate users about water conservation, fixing
leaks, creating jobs for young people and skills
development.
On the same breadth, the Department of Water Affairs
maintains the focus on meeting water loss reduction
targets, managing South Africa’s scarce water resources
for long-term sustainability, improving the regulatory and
institutional environment, spearheading transformation in
the water sector and supporting the development of water
resources infrastructure.
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Urgent attention and efforts needs to be geared towards
promoting water efficient practices in all sectors in order to
prevent the repercussions of a serious water crisis which
will be exacerbated by the effects of global warming and
climate change.
Through our public awareness and education we are
implementing the 2020 Vision Programme which is a
school based and community outreach programme. This
programme continues to educate grades R to12 learners
about integrated water resource management, climate
change and environment including water related careers.
The efficient water use ensures a reliable supply, which in
turn improves the quality of life of all South Africans, and
promotes local economic development.
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The economic benefits are a reduction in loss and
wastefulness. This adds to the saving on the costs of
providing new infrastructure to treat and prepare more
water
The Department of Water Affairs adopted the Integrated
Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach, which
provides a more holistic approach to water management.
The IWRM requires intensive planning to ensure efficient,
equitable and sustainable management of water
resources.
Programme director, today also marks the formalisation of
the partnership between Sasol Technology and the Water
Research Commission (WRC) which will see both parties
collaborate on finding new technologies and opportunities
to conserve water in South Africa.
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The development of products and services for economic
development is an area in which the Water Research
Commission has been involved for 42 years, and this
partnership will galvanise Sasol’s expertise in water and
the WRC’s expertise in water Research and Development
to form the ultimate water-energy nexus for the South
African water and energy sectors!
Sasol Technology will offer the use of some of their
Research and Development (R&D) Piloting facilities in
Sasolburg and Secunda to researchers and academics
from the WRC for research in conjunction with Sasol
Technology teams. This partnership will fortify the WRC’s
science, technology and innovation partnership to ensure
a higher input of knowledge and workable technologies to
empower Responsible Water Citizenship at all levels to
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ensure a Water Successful Future for our beautiful
country. The WRC can also be sure of constant support
from the DWA to guarantee the right partnership formula
to ensure its sustainability.
This partnership will also see the creation of a Joint
Research Commission (JRC) which will oversee and
monitor the partnership and seek out new opportunities for
collaboration on other water conservation matters.
Let me end by the words articulated by the President of
the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Jacob Zuma
during his response to the debate on the state of the
nation address,
I quote.
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“As we move to the 20th anniversary of freedom, there
should emerge a common thread of patriotism that binds
us. We should put South Africa first. All of us have a
patriotic duty and responsibility to build and promote our
country. Rhetoric and grandstanding is a luxury the
country cannot afford”.
Working together with the Municipalities, private sector,
NGO’s, churches and other entities in the country we will
be able to reduce water loss by half in 2014.
As government we will continue to protect and conserve
this precious resource.
We will not rest until a water saving culture is instilled on
every citizen. We aspire a culture that would advocate that
every drop counts!!!!
I thank you.
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