The Department of Water and Sanitation is on a drive to shake up the water sector by changing the role of women in relation to water.

“We want to shake the water and sanitation sector to say that women are not just those that must go and collect water from the rivers and bring water that you share with animals, said Water and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane.

“They must also be suppliers of the pipes, they must manage reservoirs and help us look after this scarce resource. It’s all about making women part of the entire water and sanitation value chain,” she explained.

She was speaking during the National Women in Water Consultative Conference 2015, currently taking place at the CSIR International Convention Centre.

She announced that for the next three years, the department will identify two or three dams that will specifically be built by women owned companies.

“Many of the dams, starting from the design, feasibility, costing and construction have been done by male-owned companies. Part of how we break away from issues of inequality is to dedicate some of the projects to women owned companies.

“They will be incubating others for growth, working with others that are established and affording those who are studying in tertiary institutions an opportunity to be part of the project,” Mokonyane noted.

30% of resources allocated to women

She said one of the key things that the department will do is to allocate 30 percent of its resources to women owned companies.

The Minister emphasised that the country has gone beyond policies and what has been lacking is boldness.

“South Africa needs a long term water plan and we can’t exclude women with bright ideas we need women in those different categories. We also want to create prosperity and wealth through women owned companies,” Mokonyane concluded.