Sello Tang
3 March 2006
The European Union (EU) has committed about R1-billion to support South Africa's water and sanitation provision programmes between 2007 and 2013.
Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Buyelwa Sonjica and EU commissioner Louise Michelle announced the new grant during a visit to a water and sanitation project in Winterveldt in North West province on Monday.
Since 1994 the EU, through its European Programme for Reconstruction and Development, has donated more than R1.6-billion to water and sanitation projects in South Africa.
According to the 2005 White Paper on Basic Household Sanitation, nearly one million households in South Africa still have no access to sanitation, while a further two million have inadequate sanitation.
The government has set itself the ambitious target of halving the water and sanitation backlog by 2008 and 2010 respectively.
The first phase of the government's water and sanitation provision programme - dubbed Masibambane - was implemented from 1994 until 2004. The second phase is still being implemented, with nearly R22.5-billion committed.
The EU's new grant has been secured for the third phase, scheduled to begin in 2007.
The programme, Sonjica said, embraced infrastructure provision, capacity building in local government, health and hygiene, environmental management and monitoring and evaluation.
Since 1994, about R30-million has gone into the Winterveldt project, which includes skills training and assistance in setting up of small enterprises.
Of the 22 000 households in the community, about 2 473 have been provided with ventilated improved pit (VIP) latrines, while more than 1 200 newly established urine diversion system (UDS) toilets have been constructed in the area.
VIP toilets have one pit, while UDS toilets have double pits to separate urine from faeces.
The project has created about 3 255 job opportunities and benefited more than 150 small businesses in the area.
Source: BuaNews
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