The new Minister of Water and Sanitation says she will upgrade water infrastructure, work with residents to conserve water and ensure that rural communities have access to water.

Nomvula Mokonyane was announced as the minister of the newly established Ministry of Water and Sanitation on 25 May. “We have made an undertaking to significantly improve the provision of water and sanitation to our communities in the new term. In this regard, we have established the Ministry of Water and Sanitation,” President Jacob Zuma said during the announcement of the new National Executive.

Mokonyane told SANews.gov that, “Both issues of water and sanitation are a priority because we have to ensure that people in the rural areas have access to water including in the areas where you find that there is economic development and water goes across those villages, we have to deal with that.”

Mokonyane said water must be sparingly and in an effective manner, and her department will look at issues of preservation and recycling. She believes that it will be important for government and communities to work together. Mokonyane said her department will be addressing all affected communities to mobilise them to become partners in finding solutions to the problem of access to water.

The minister added that old bulk water infrastructure also requires attention, especially in informal settlements, and her department will work closely with the Department of Human Settlements in this regard.