Minister Mchunu consults municipalities on establishing a single water entity in KwaZulu-Natal – African Business

Mr Senzo Mchunu was the Minister of Water and Sanitation. He consulted with Water Service Authorities in KwaZulu-Natal about reconfiguration of two Water Boards within the province, Umgeni and Mhlathuze Water. The goal was to establish a single Water Board.

The consultation held at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban on Monday, 22 August 2022, was attended by various Mayors of the KwaZulu-Natal province who echoed each other’s sentiments in support of the proposal, adding that this move would transform the water sector and ensure effective delivery of water services.

Minister Mchunu explained that the main goal was to reconfigure the two Water Boards. He said that the main objective was to ensure sufficient capacity in the water sector with skilled engineers and quality water management in order for the province’s water security. Minister Mchunu emphasized the importance and restructured the Water Services Authorities so that they could meet the growing water demand in the province.

“The single Water Board that we envisage needs to have the capacity to sustain itself with financial muscle, where it can raise money to render services on its own. The truth is that the cost of implementing projects is too high and the demand for services is too high. However, delivery by Government institutions is inadequate. We need to address this urgently. The reconfiguration of Water Boards is a result of the National Water and Sanitation Summit that we held earlier this year and this is part of the resolutions and we are implementing”, he emphasised.

Minister Mchunu stated that the review of the Water Boards was done to address financial sustainability, servicing areas not currently served and institutional confusion that can result from multiple Water Boards serving the same region.

 The purpose of the reconfiguration of Umgeni and Umhlathuze Water Boards is to:

 • Strengthen the capacity and capability of the entity in Province (leveraging on existing technical skills)
 • Improve and enhance institutional efficiencies and rationalise the number of institutions in the water sector to ensure economies of scale
• Maintain financial viability and enhance the ability to raise capital from the market for infrastructure projects
• Enable Water Boards to better support Water Services Authorities
• Ensure transformation and improved governance
• Reconfiguration must not result in job losses

One Water Board in KwaZulu Natal is expected to address the transformation challenges of the province, increase water accessibility to rural areas, improve market capitalisation for infrastructure projects, and reduce the skewed water supply.

Consultation with Water Services Authorities is the first step in establishing a single entity for water in the province. It will be followed by the appointment a Transactional Advisor to oversee the reconfiguration and other processes.

Minister Mchunu took over the portfolio for water and sanitation a year ago. He was immediately seized by the desire to transform the sector and solve all the problems that are preventing the provision services to the people.

To achieve this, he has traveled across the country mobilizing water and sanitation stakeholders. His goal is to ensure efficiency so that communities can have access to basic services.

Distributed by APO Group for Department of Water and Sanitation Republic of South Africa