Challenges facing the Water Services Sector

1. Challenges facing the Water Services Sector Presentation to WSSLG Strategic Retreat 4-5 December 2002 Trevor Balzer on behalf of DDG Junior Potloane

2. Presentation Approach • Cabinet Medium Term Strategic Objectives (MTSOs) – as base for strategic discussion • Sector has to work together to contribute to achievement of these MTSOs • WSSLG may want to determine Water Services specific Key Focus Areas to align with the MTSO’s. DWAF has identified 5.

3. Transforming the State - Challenges • Been a constant focus since 1994 … however need to continue to forge:- • Policy, legislative and strategic coherence • WS White Paper key for long term sector vision & goals • National Water Resource Strategy • Free Basic Water and Sanitation • Joint Transfer Policy • DoRA agreements and deadlines • Powers and functions of municipalities

4. WATER SERVICES WHITE PAPER TRANSFER POLICY FREE BASIC WATER BASIC HOUSEHOLD SANITATION ETC CONSTITUTIONlegal framework to direct & enable policy implementation LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEMARCATION ACT WATER ACT WATER SERVICES ACT DORA MUNICIPAL SYSTEMS ACT MUNICPAL STRUCTURES ACT – AMENDMENT BILL OF RIGHTS • MILLENIUM TARGETS; NEPAD; NATIONAL TARGETS • CABINET MEDIUM TERM STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES • SECTOR OBJECTIVES AND GOALS • CONSOLIDATION OF SECTOR PLAYER STRATEGIES HOUSING POLICIES HEALTH POLICIES FINANCE POLICIES LOCAL GOVERNMENT POLICIES WATER RESOURCE POLICIES POLICY FRAMEWORK “The vision and direction” LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK “The enabler” NATIONALWATER SERVICES SECTOR STRATEGY“to give affect to policy” DWAF WS STRATEGY STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK “The doing” NATIONAL SANITATION STRATEGY DPLG / SALGA LG SUPPORT STRATEGIES LG & WS SETA STRATEGY OTHERS PROVINCIAL WS STRATEGIES

5. Transforming the State - Challenges 2. Institutional & Role Clarity - WSAs • Developmental local government marked by constant transformation. Now new powers and functions (P&F) • WS Authorities – policy clarity but failure to fully comprehend. Roll out of P&F is key • Local Government/WSA establishment & institutional development support critical – especially with treble amount of WSAs. (84 receiving municipalities (including 2 Metros) for transfers alone)

6. Transforming the State - Challenges 2. Institutional & Role Clarity (cont) • Performance monitoring (Sector target: 90% of water services authorities have adopted a set of key performance indicators by 2005.) • Challenge to: • To integrate with DPLG led LG support programmes – consolidated into CB Grant • Determine roles and responsibilities – DPLG, DWAF, SALGA, Province, Municipalities … • Establish management & monitoring systems and coordination mechanisms

7. Transforming the State - Challenges 2. Institutional & Role Clarity - WSP • WS Provision needs greater focus • Appropriate institutional arrangements to ensure effectiveness, sustainability & viability • Contract management & monitoring • Need to look at regionalisation for economy of scale • Partnerships • Role of Water Boards • Support requirements

8. Transforming the State - Challenges 2. Institutional & Role Clarity(cont) • Clarity and inter-relationship with WR Institutions – especially CMAs and WUA’s. Ultimately ONE sector • Better defined roles of district and provinces – given change in P&F and for long term support, coordination and monitoring functions • Much greater clarity of national government – especially developmental regulatory support

9. DWAF WS in transition • PRESENT FOCUS • Restructuring • Decentralisation • Policy framework • Addressing WS & S backlog • Transfers • Building sector • LG Support • FUTURE • Sector Leadership • Policy • Support thru cooperative governance • Regulation • Information PAST FOCUS Nationally driven CWSS Inheritance & running of ex-Bantustan schemes Transformation Building WS capacity & development paradigm in DWAF

10. Transforming the State - Challenges 3. Democratisation & Decentralisation • Local level delivery and accountability (DoRA) • CWSS + CMIP  MI & CB Grants • Transfer of DWAF schemes by 2005 + continued support & HR &Operational funding incorporated into ES by 2011 • Regulatory framework – both national and WSAs • Gender mainstreaming • Involvement of civil society

11. Building the economy - challenges • WS underpins the economy & development • Challenges: • Focus on WS as a whole, looking at water services for:- • Economic good – commerce, industry, agriculture, mining etc • Broader development – schools, clinics, housing, public works etc • Water quality, waste water management & environmental sustainability • Choice of appropriate & higher levels of services • Appropriate technology and practices

12. Building the economy - challenges • Challenges: • Integrated planning – WSDPs & IDPs – LEDs & infrastructure planning linking in with provincial, national & global economic growth strategies • Based on WSDPs sector strategies at provincial and national level incorporating all WS programs & projects – not just DWAF’s • All WSAs report annually on progress against WSDPs by 2005 • Accessible & reliable WS data & management information system – for planning, M&E and state of the nation reporting

13. Building the economy - challenges • Challenges: • Financing and investment • Effective funding channels & strong financial management • Pricing & tariff policies, benchmarking, standards • Efficient services and consumer orientation [charters in place by 2005, 90% payment rate (of billed invoices) is achieved by 80% of WSAs by 2008.] • Effective regulation of sector

14. Meeting basic needs - challenges • Access to Services • Current water supply backlog of 7 million served by 2008 • 18 million (3m h/h) served with at least basic Sanitation by 2010 – through accelerated national programme • All schools & clinics to have basic WS by 2005 • Education and health • Hygiene education and the wise use of water are taught in all schools by 2005 (Department of Education). • 3 million households served with a basic sanitation service have received hygiene education by 2010 (Department of Health).

15. Meeting basic needs - challenges • The free basic water services policy is applied to all people with access to basic services by 2004. • Ensuring quality delivery and monitoring of MIG • Developing a WS investment plan to meet need • Integration with IRD & Urban Renewal programmes

16. Developing human resources - challenges • Estimated 70,000 people in the sector – but imbalance of competencies • Education & Training • Alignment – eg work place & sector skills plans, learnerships, standards, certifications within NQF • Skills audit & training needs analysis • Sector skills plan & integrated CBT&E program, with clear leadership & coordination • Support and mentoring • Performance monitoring – linked with DPLG’S municipal performance management & CB Grant • Planning for the impacts of HIV/AIDS

17. “Building a better world & Africa” AFRICASAN - to be promoted as a concept to accelerate sanitation delivery globally DELEGATES 140 invited delegates from Africa (90%), Europe, Asia and the Americas - representatives from the public and private sectors, civil society, external support agencies, academia and the media CONFERENCE GOAL To accelerate sanitation and hygiene work in Africa in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES • Assess state of sanitation and hygiene in Africa, share experiences and lessons learned by people and organisations working in field • Raise the profile of sanitation and hygiene in Africa, both at and after the WSSD; and • Strengthen leadership and advocacy for improved sanitation and hygiene in Africa.

18. AFRICASAN - African Sanitation and Hygiene Conference Johannesburg 29 July - 1 August 2002 CONFERENCE OUPUTS AND WAY FORWARD • Africasan contributed to raising the profile of sanitation and hygiene at the WSSD and the inclusion of sanitation in Millenium Development targets • Participating countries agreed to an Action Plan process at Africasan. • These Action Plans require an institutional home or they will not be a useful tool for accelarating sanitation delviery in Africa. • It is proposed that the Action Plans to be institutionalised in AMCOW and NEPAD.

19. Working as a sector • Common vision • Clear and agreed strategic direction & targets • Common identity and joint decision making • Strong leadership • Many voices – consistent & coherent message • Communication, information dissemination & feedback • Synergy within partners – especially local government sector

20. Working as a sector • Extending Masibambane to all provinces (building the sector) • Collaborative programmes • Knowledge management - lesson learning & research • More consistent & structured support to provinces and sector • IT enabled – for accessible information & data • Advocacy and resource mobilisation Masibambane! Let’s Work Together!