The Municipal Benchmarking Initiative (MBI) has made significant strides in improving water management at the local level since its establishment in 2011.
“The MBI signifies the right direction when it comes to improving water services delivery in South Africa. It is an innovative and inclusive approach to tackling service delivery issues. It has also established important tools for change,” said South African Local Government Association (Salga) national executive committee member, Cllr Pinky Moloi. In April 2011, Salga in partnership with the Water Research Commission (WRC) and the institution of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa (IMESA) initiated the water services benchmarking in South Africa through the launch of the national MBI for Water Services. Six key pillars of the MBI are:- Water conservation and demand management
- Human resources and skills development
- Service delivery and backlog eradication
- Operational management and maintenance
- Product quality and financial management
“Through this exchange between stakeholders from across the spectrum, all those involved in municipal water affairs can become more informed and the MBI can be increasingly relevant and context sensitive in the future.”
Using technology, Salga has ensured that the MBI is transparent and all municipalities are able to access the necessary information. Salga chief executive Xolile George said: “The MBI aims to improve effectiveness in water service delivery through comparative performance benchmarking and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. “We will also vigorously market our initiative to external stakeholders both private and public with a view to sharing ideas and continuously improving water services performance.” Executive Manager: Water Use and Waste Management at the Water Research Commission, Jay Bhagwan, said: “After years of pursuing benchmarking in the water services sector in South Africa, it makes me proud of the progress and innovations achieved to date.” (SAnews.gov.za)