Water Services Sector Support Strategy

1. Water Services Sector Support Strategy Presentation for Masibambane Co-ordinators 6 March 2007 Petunia Ramunenyiwa

2. Why do we need a Support Strategy? • Local Government requires support from the water services sector to fulfill its water services responsibilities • The Strategy outlines what support will be provided and how it will be provided • The Strategy is a tool for all stakeholders to give direction as to how support will achieve our sector goals and targets

3. Why do you as Masibambane co-ordinators need to understand the Support Strategy? • You are a key role player in the ‘business of support’ • Masibambane is a sector wide initiative • The Support Strategy is a sector strategy which gives direction to Masibambane objectives and support • The Strategy explains how to implement a sector wide approach to support

4. Linkages of your role to the Sector Support Strategy Councillor training Support to WSAs Ensure that sector wide approach supports all components of the Support Strategy Sector-wideapproach Leadership development Support to WSPs Trainingcoordinators Peer networks HRD 2025vision Co-ordination Knowledge management Masibambane Co-ordinators

5. Where does the Support Strategy direct its attention? • Firstly, it focuses on water services, however it also deals with water resource management in so far as it impacts on water services • The primary target of support is municipalities that are water services authorities and water services providers • It provides direction to sector partners in terms of how they can support local government • It addresses skills shortages • Last but not least it explains how co-ordination, sector collaboration, networking and knowledge management will take place

6. Purpose of the Support Strategy • To achieve the water services sector vision • To achieve the sector goals • To achieve the sector targets • These are spelt out in the Strategic Framework for Water Services (SFfWS) • The SFfWS is our water services policy • The SFfWS informed the entire Support Strategy

7. How does the Support Strategy aim to achieve the sector vision, goals and targets? • By supporting the establishment and functioning of capable, effective and efficient water services institutions • By ensuring the development of adequate skills and competencies required in the water services sector • By enabling all sector role-players and partners to fulfil their roles effectively

8. What is the approach of the Support Strategy? • It builds on existing support and it introduces new initiatives Existing support …. make more effective New support initiatives …. Within a sector wide approach (SWAP) with improved collaboration and better co-ordination

9. Challenges Unemployment Poverty Meeting the basic infrastructure targets Getting the water services institutional environment right Municipal capacity constraints Ensuring efficient effective and sustainable services Skills shortage Achieving local economic development Financial and resource constraints

10. How do we address these challenges • Our President frequently reminds us that officials in the national and provincial spheres must “work together with the elected representatives of local government, to implement our government-wide programme of action” • The challenge for us is to improve the way we “work together” so that we achieve the targets of our programme of action • This is part of the work of a Masibambane co-ordinator – it is a very key role in implementing our Support Strategy

11. Key principles that inform the Strategy Principle 1: Provide practical support to be measured in terms of outcomes Principle 2: Operational support will be provided only by persons with the necessary and relevant operational competence and experience Principle 3: Separate governance and operational roles Principle 4: Create clear accountability for performance Principle 5: Ensure water services is managed as an integrated business Principle 6: Build leadership to achieve performance excellence

12. Key principles Principle 7: The fulcrum of support to water services authorities and providers will be the senior manager/s responsible for the performance of the organisation Principle 8: Support will contribute towards building of a learning culture in all institutions across the sector Principle 9: Support will be responsive to demands but also mediated by issues of national strategic importance Principle 10: Putting the consumer first

13. Key principles Principle 11: Support will be strategic with a view to maximise the outcomes for a given set of limited resources Principle 12: Support resources will be concentrated Principle 13: Capacity will be institutionalised Principle 14: Support will be holistic Principle 15: Support will be transformative Principle 16: A sector-wide approach will be followed

14. The Support Strategy – an overview

15. Objective 1: establishment & functioning of capable, effective & efficient water services institutions 1B 1A Direct operational support to WSPs Programmatic support to WSAs Objective 3: role-players effective Objective 2: development of skills 2A 2B 3A 3B Councillor training Leadership development Sector-wideapproach Co-ordination 3C 3D 2C 2D Trainingcoordinators HRD 2025vision Peer networks Knowledge management = new initiative

16. Support to Local Government Water Services Institutions 1 Water services authority support 2 Water services provider support Development of skills 10 focus areas 3 Councillor development in water services and resources 4 Leadership and management training for water services 5 Training support managers 6 Skills development, education and training (HRD 2025 vision) For implementation purposes, the different parts of the strategy have been structured into 10 focus areas. Enable all sector role-players to fulfil their roles effectively 7 Sector-wide approach 8 Co-ordination 9 Peer networks 10 Knowledge management

17. Water Services Providers Water Services Authorities We need to achieve adequate, safe, appropriate and affordable water and sanitation services (SFfWS) • Local government is the sphere of government responsible for providing these services – so our first target of support is WSAs and WSPs Objective 1: establishment & functioning of capable, effective & efficient water services institutions

18. Focus Area 1 Support to WSAs Support to WSAs Support to WSAs aims to put the necessary support mechanisms in place so that every WSA is able to fulfill their authority functions whereby they: • have their policies and bylaws in place • are able to plan water services for their area of jurisdiction • are able to set tariffs and allocate equitable share for sustainable and efficient water services • are able to project plan and implement their infrastructure targets (capital projects • have the capacity to regulate their water services provides To be strong and effective authorities of water services

19. WSP Support Focus Area 2 Support to WSPs The purpose in supporting WSPs is to ensure the provision of efficient and effective water services that meet regulatory standards There are two thrusts under this focus area: To provide direct operational support to high risk poor performing water services providers To ensure that all other water services providers have access to appropriate support to address their support needs

20. WSP Support Focus Area 2 New The purpose of direct operational support to WSPs is to: Prioritise under-performing WSPs to turn around their performance so that they: . a) Direct operational support to WSPs • Address strategic operational priorities • Achieve significant improvement in performance within a short timeframe • Are able to access the resources necessary to improve performance on a sustainable basis

21. WSP Support Focus Area 2 b) Develop capacity of WSPs In addition to direct operational support, other WSPs will also have access to support. The purpose of this support is to: . • Assist WSPs to identify their support needs • Ensure that WSPs have access to the resources, expertise, systems, procedures and other inputs they require to address capacity or performance gaps • Improve WSP business planning as well as another other WSP functional areas that require attention • Provide easy access to a co-ordinated one-stop-shop approach

22. Focus Area 3 4 Focus Area What does the Strategy aim to achieve in skills development? Councillor development in water services and resources Councillors are able to make good and informed decisions where they are empowered to provide leadership to water services within the local government sphere Leadership development Water services managers and other officials in the water sector have the necessary leadership and management skills and vision to realise strong and effective water services institutions and sustainable water services As Masibambane co-ordinators, there may be elements within both of these skills development areas from which you can benefit

23. Focus Area 5 6 Focus Area What does the Strategy aim to achieve in skills development? Training of Support Managers This training and mentoring programme is to ensure that regional support managers are able to properly manage, co-ordinate and target support to the needs of WSAs and WSP HRD 2025 Vision Human resources initiatives under HRD 2025 vision are geared towards increasing human resource capacity for the water services sector as a whole Masibambane co-ordinators could also be included in parts of the , there may be elements within both of these skills development areas from which you can benefit

24. Enable all sector role players to fulfill their roles effectively Sector Wide Approach The sector wide approach will result in common objectives, the pooling of resources and the targeting of support so that support is properly aligned and streamlined Focus Area 7 Co-ordination Co-ordination is aimed at ensuring that WSAs and municipal WSPs receive the support they need, when they need it and that ‘supporters’ provide the right type of support 8 Focus Area Both these areas are very key areas within which Masibambane co-ordinators will be involved. Your role will compliment the regional support managers and ensure that the different sectoral forums are operating effectively to ensure a sector wide approach

25. Enable all sector role players to fulfill their roles effectively Peer networks Peer networks will strengthen the sharing of lessons and knowledge between WSAs and WSPs through ensuring full ownership by participants and ensuring they are adequately resourced Focus Area 9 Knowledge management Knowledge management will ensure that water services institutions have access to the water services and water resources knowledge they require in an accessible form 10 Focus Area These are also areas that Masibambane Co-ordinators will interface and fulfill a facilitating role.

26. How much do you need to know about the Support Strategy • So far the presentation has provided an overview • We will now briefly illustrate how WSP support will take place • It is important that you familiarise yourselves with the entire strategy • Particularly since you will be assisting to implement it

27. Access Support Resources • financial • expertise Report WSA Targets in WSDP 5 4 WSA support at municipal level 1 2 WSA Checklist WSA Internal Assessment Demand responsive approach Refine support plan 6 3 Develop WSA Support Plan DWAF OSS and National Programmes Regional support manager to access and co-ordinate relevant support WSA Support Implementation Critical role to manage support Hands on specialist expertise (either direct or through Regional Co-ordination)

28. Increasing demand responsive approach 1 • WSA Checklist: The results of the WSA Checklist are used by WSAs to identify their own compliance and/or performance gaps • WSAs undertake an internal WSA assessment (linked to dplg assessments) so that they can identify: • the specific support interventions they need and • the estimated resources required for these interventions • Based on the findings of the internal assessment, WSAs prepare a WSA Support Plan with indicators and targets to be achieved 2 3

29. Accessing Support for WSAs 4 • Support will be accessed against WSA Support Plan • The regional support manager will play a key role in facilitating and co-ordinating support through: • Existing national programmes and / or • DWAF One-Stop-Shop and / or • Hands on specialist expertise National Support Programmes: WSDP, FBS, Municipal Infrastructure, Regulatory (demand responsive and supply driven as appropriate) WSA Support Plan Regional support to access and co-ordinate relevant support WSA DWAF One-Stop-Shop Hands on specialist expertise (either direct or through regional support manager)

30. WSA Support Implementation 5 Source appropriate expertise • The Support Plan will specify what expertise is needed • It is the Regional Support Manager’s role to access the expertise, however the WSA may also access expertise as appropriate • Once the resources and expertise are secured the plan is implemented Report WSA targets in WSDP • The WSA targets are recorded in the WSDP • DWAF monitors performance in achieving these targets • Additional support is provided where required 6

31. Role of the Regional Support Managers • The regional support managers are based within the DWAF Regional Offices • They can be thought of as both the ‘director of support’ and a relationship manager • They are responsible for arranging appropriate support for each WSA against the WSA’s Support Plans • They need to have the skills and competencies to interpret support needs, and access appropriate support resources • They are responsible to ensure the right interfaces between sector stakeholders locally, provincially and nationally • Masibambane co-ordinators will link closely with these support managers

32. Municipal Support Plan and Planning Linkages Water Sector Support Cross Sectoral Water Sector Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) National Water Sector Plan Water Sector Support Plan (using SWAP) National Provincial Growth & Development Strategy (PGDS) Provincial Water Sector Plan (PWSP) Provincial Sector Support Implementation Plan (PSSIP) Provincial Integrated Development Plan (IDP) Water Services Development Plan (WSDP) Municipal Support Plan (WSA & WSP) Local

33. Sector Wide Approach • The sector wide approach underlies all the activities of Masibambane co-ordinators • This section of the Support Strategy is important for Masibambane co-ordinators in terms of impact on their work • This presentation provides a broad overview of the important aspects of the sector wide approach within the Support Strategy

34. Sector wide approach ensures: Pooled Funding Sector Sector • Common objectives • Funding that is directed to support objectives • Sector collaboration • Municipal needs inform programme priorities Partner Partner Sector Sector Partner Partner Sector Programme with common objectives Provincial Provincial Provincial Provincial Provincial Provincial Forum Forum Forum Forum Forum Forum Support to water services authorities and providers Support needs inform sector objectives Municipalities ( WSAs and WSPs)

35. Why a sector wide approach? • Bringing resources together allows the water sector, lead by DWAF, to plan longer term programmes that address the real needs of WSAs and WSPs • WSAs and WSPs real needs are identified in their municipal action / support plans which inform the Provincial Water Sectors Plans (PWSPs) • The PWSPs then inform the National Water Sector Plan (NWSP) • The NWSP is a consolidated plan which is supported with the necessary budget and resources • In this way pooled resources are targeted to the support needs to the water services sector

36. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR WATER SERVICES National Water Sector Plan Part of the Provincial Water Sector Plan

37. Demand driven co-ordinated support Support resources: DWAF water services and water resources, dplg, SALGA, peer networks, knowledge management initiatives, training institutes, etc. Masibambane Co-ordinator Regional Support Manager …. prepares Provincial Sector Support Implementation Plan(PSSIP) …. prepares Provincial Water Sector Plan (PWSP) Support request (WSA Support Plan or WSP Support Plan) Support offering WSA manager

38. For more information contactPetunia Ramunenyiwa012 336 6585082 885 3915vgn@dwaf.gov.za