Senzo Mchunu Calls for New Water Management Approach at WISA Conference

The three-day conference, held in collaboration with uMngeni-uThukela Water, aims to address pressing challenges and devise lasting solutions within the sector.

Water and Sanitation Minister Senzo Mchunu has called for a new era in water management to ensure sustainable water resources and secure future water security for South Africa. Speaking at the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA) Conference in Durban, attended by over 1,500 experts, academics, and policymakers, Mchunu emphasized the need for transformative measures in the water sector.

The three-day conference, held in collaboration with uMngeni-uThukela Water, aims to address pressing challenges and devise lasting solutions within the sector. Mchunu highlighted the critical state of water quality in South Africa's rivers, attributing pollution to mining, industrial activities, agriculture, and malfunctioning municipal wastewater systems.

To combat this, Mchunu announced the establishment of a national anti-pollution structure dedicated to safeguarding the country's rivers and dams. He stressed that managing water resources is not merely a technical issue but a societal imperative crucial for health, the economy, and environmental sustainability.

During the conference, Mchunu inaugurated four new Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs): Limpopo-Olifants, Vaal-Orange, Pongola-Umzimkulu, and Mzimvubu-Tsitsikamma. These agencies, aligned with the National Water Act and National Water Policy, aim to decentralize decision-making in water resource management at the local level. They will oversee the protection, development, conservation, and governance of water resources within their respective catchment areas.

Mchunu underscored the role of CMAs in promoting participatory management, enhancing water governance, and fostering integrated planning to meet national water policy objectives and improve service delivery. He highlighted the agencies' pivotal role in building resilience against climate change impacts through localized water management strategies.

The Minister expressed confidence that these initiatives would uphold the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and contribute to transforming South Africa's water sector into a more equitable and accessible service for all stakeholders.