DWS to revive and sustain Water and Sanitation forums in South Africa

South Africa’s Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in North West is set to revive and sustain Water and Sanitation forums in Mareetsane, Motsitlane and Kraaipan.

The department is in partnership with Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality, Sedibeng Water and Ratlou Local Municipality will host a series of workshops in Mareetsane, Motsitlane and Kraaipan respectively in order to revive and sustain the Water and Sanitation forums in these areas.

The workshops which will be from 20 to 22 October 2021 will serve as a platform to empower the water and sanitation forum members to actively participate in the water and sanitation business processes. This will assist the forum members to be able to make informed decisions affecting water and sanitation services within the Ratlou Local municipality and the communities they serve.

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According to Mr Peter Mogosetso from the Department of Water and Sanitation, the workshops will provide a platform to raise awareness on the importance and need for change in attitude and behavior regarding the use, protection, management, development and conservation of water resources for all South Africans.

“Through this workshop, we envisage enhancing the understanding of and promoting informed decision-making related to water services and water resource management, as well as to revive and sustain the Water and Sanitation forum in Mareetsane, Motsitlane and Kraaipan respectively”, said Mogosetso.

Mogosetso added that during the workshops, there will be presentations by experts in the water and sanitation field, focusing on topical issues like infrastructure asset management, water treatment value chain, water and sanitation business, and water conservation and demand management. It would provide the forum members with knowledge and understanding of different water sector issues.

“Through the workshops, we aim to empower the forum members to disseminate appropriate information to communities and participate in the water business effectively,” said Mogosetso.

The water and sanitation forums are established to ensure public participation in water management and sanitation provision, as well as to ease communication and provision of reliable water and sanitation services’ information to the communities regarding progress, challenges and envisaged developments in the water and sanitation business.