In continuous efforts to ensure a water-secure South Africa, the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu will converge leading water experts in the country in a National Ministerial Water Sector Sustainability Symposium on Thursday, 25 May 2023.

The selected team of experts identified by the Department of Water and Sanitation are expected to take stock of the current state of the water sector and offer expert advice that will form future policy positions of the department.

The symposium is not a consultative meeting with all stakeholders, but a focused and directed engagement with limited topics dealing with specialised experts who will assist the department with proposals on policy directions and reforms to achieve Minister Mchunu’s visions on the sustainability of the water sector.

The National Ministerial Water Sector Sustainability Symposium will focus on the following key areas: water resource security, financial sustainability, service delivery sustainability, pricing and tariffs, and regulation of water services.

Identified water experts will form different commissions on the outlined key areas and make presentations and advise Minister Mchunu on areas to improve on.

The participation of key water experts in the field to obtain their recommendations will assist the department to develop proposals for achieving sustainability in the water sector, prior to engaging wider interest groups and stakeholders regarding the proposals.

This is part of the consultative and collaborative process that Minister Mchunu has undertaken since he took over the water and sanitation portfolio in addressing the myriad of challenges facing the water sector and finding sustainable solutions.