Water has been on the minds of South Africans since the full extent of the drought took effect in many regions of the country, which weighed down heavily on many related sectors in the country, such as agriculture and trade.

Water infrastructure is one of South Africa’s priorities at this stage, not only to deal with the effects of the recent drought, but also to negate the effects of similar situations in the future.

The Department of Water and Sanitation stated that it currently provides water and sanitation to 80% of the South African population, but has also highlighted that there is an urgent need to improve this figure. The Department has identified water infrastructure as a key strategic activity, which will help to stimulate the economy and open up new industries within the water sector.

“The transformation of the water sector is at the center of the mandate of our department to promote equity and radical socio-economic transformation. We seek to use water and sanitation services infrastructure projects to create opportunities for the empowerment of communities in particular women, youth and people with disabilities,” said Pam Tshwete, Deputy-Minister of Water and Sanitation.

The national treasury and the state also demonstrated their support in furthering the water infrastructure agenda, when Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan stated early in 2016, that R15-billion has been allocated for water and sanitation infrastructure.

At this stage the budget allocations will particularly be focused on the special needs of drought-affected areas. The aim is to lower the demand for water in all urban areas, implement water use and efficiency, as well as help relieve other sectors such as agriculture and mining, by the year 2030. However, strategic partnerships and collaborations are necessary to accelerate this vision and to unlock the South African economy.

The Vision 2030 Summit is a platform for members of the Presidency, key government dignitaries and private sector leaders to share insights, engage and discuss the vision for the National Development Plan. It highlights key aspects around Vision 2030 and how key organisations and individuals can contribute to make it a reality.

This year, the Summit is proud to host esteemed figures and companies in South African society, including Jeff Radebe and Matthews Phosa. The Mega Water Corporation will sponsor the Water Infrastructure Development breakaway session on 8 June.

“Sub-Saharan Africa and South Africa face daunting service delivery and management challenges, with water scarcity and the supply of reliable, treated and clean water among the most pressing. While there are many active players involved (governments, non-governmental organisations and the corporate sector) and many plans in development, the infrastructure framework remains largely fragmented, with numerous inefficiencies. The situation calls for consolidation and above all, viable levers for successful delivery of government, multi-lateral and corporate funded water services to the people of Africa.” – The Mega Water Corporation

Topco Media is proud to once again host the Vision 2030 Summit, at Emperors Palace, in Johannesburg on 8 and 9 June 2016. This Summit promises to be an informative and productive experience for members of both the public and private sector. Attendees will gain practical insight, with opportunities to network and form partnerships.

For more information about the Summit, the accompanying publication, or how you can be involved in this exciting initiative, please contact Micheline Frantz:

Micheline.frantz@topco.co.za – 086 000 9590