Water and Sanitation hosts final public consultation on Water and Sanitation Services Infrastructure Grant Management Policy, 31 Mar

Hot on the heels of the National Water and Sanitation Indaba, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) will on Monday, 31 March 2025, host the final leg of stakeholder engagement and public consultations to garner input in its process to develop the Water and Sanitation Services Infrastructure Grants Management Policy (WSSIGM). The policy seeks to ensure an effective development and management of regional bulk and water services infrastructure through the use of the grants.

DWS manages Water Services Infrastructure Grants (WSIG) and Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grants (RBIG) to support municipalities (Water Services Authorities), and over the years, the programme has relied on National Treasury Regulations, Division of Revenue Act, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), grant frameworks and other legislations for implementation of these grants, however, some of the challenges encountered persisted.

The Department then undertook a socio-economic impact assessment to determine what tool could best assist in addressing these challenges and the outcomes of this assessment indicated that a supportive policy that would highlight problem areas and provide relevant solutions would greatly assist the Department in addressing the challenges identified.  As such, a supportive policy was indeed developed.

To ensure inclusivity and stakeholder engagement, the Department has been conducting public consultations nationwide.

The final national consultation will take place in Gauteng, providing stakeholders an opportunity to voice their perspectives on the policy. This policy aims to enhance the management of grants for water infrastructure projects across South Africa.

As part of the policy development process, it is important to engage with stakeholders to gather their input and feedback on the proposed policy. By engaging with stakeholders, the Department can gather valuable insights, identify potential issues, and ultimately create a more effective and inclusive policy.

Members of the media are invited as follows:
Date:               Monday, 31 March 2025
Venue:            Premier Hotel OR Tambo
Time:             08:30

For media confirmations, contact Sinethemba Madolo on 063 501 0223/ MadoloS@dws.gov.za

Media enquiries:

Wisane Mavasa, Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 060 561 8935
E-mail: mavasaw@dws.gov.za 

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