DWS Western Cape sets wheels in motion for the Provincial Sanitation Task Team
The establishment of the Western Cape Provincial Sanitation Task Team (PSTT) led by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), is set to accelerate the efforts to deliver adequate and equitable sanitation to the citizens of the Western Cape.
Andre Van de Walt, Chief Director responsible for the National Sanitation Services Support, says the primary responsibility of the PSTT is to provide strategic leadership and technical advice to the sanitation sector and to promote integrated planning, monitoring, and reporting on delivery of sustainable sanitation. In addition, he says the aim is to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 6.2 target which is in line with the aspirations of the National Development Plan (NDP), 2030 vision, of achieving universal, sustainable, and reliable water supply and sanitation provision for all.
“With the rapid mushrooming of informal settlements, it is important to note that Provincial Sanitation Task Team will work as a vehicle to drive integrated Planning, monitoring, reporting implementation of sanitation programmes & projects in a coordinated manner. The PSTT must monitor the delivery of sanitation services and ensure compliance to norms and standards including all the relevant policies and strategies. This should happen simultaneously whilst sharing best practice/ lessons learnt amongst sector stakeholders and municipalities.,” says Van de Walt.
In addition, through the PSTT, DWS is leading the development of The National Sanitation Integrated Plan (NSIP), a 10-year roadmap for achievement of universal access to sanitation and ensuring that no one is left behind, hence improved coordination and planning between responsible sector stakeholders is crucial.
Providing highlights on the status of the sanitation services, Mchumane Hlazo, Co-ordinator of the DWS Western Cape Sanitation says according to STATS SA 2022 General Households Survey Report, about 94% of the Western Cape households have access to sanitation, however more work has to be done to cover the 6% shortfall. He says, the development of the National Sanitation Integrated Plan which seeks to analyse and confirm the status of sanitation provision, identify contributors to poor sanitation delivery performance along the sanitation service chain and ultimately, identify high level strategic Actions that the Western Cape PSTT will focus on addressing.
“Water is Life, Sanitation is Dignity”
Source: Government of South Africa