Local Government looking forward: The Bushbuckridge Local Municipality Water Indaba

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By: Mbali Mashele

On the 17th of February 2020, I delivered a presentation on Kruger National Park’s Ecological Reserve Water Management, at the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality (BLM) Water Indaba, in Hazyview.  This also included the socio-ecological collaborative projects with various stakeholders as interventions aimed at building resiliency for catchment security in the Sabie Catchment. 
The water indaba was themed Futuristic thinking of current water challenges.  Municipalities, as mandated to play a vital role in the provisioning of basic services such as water, has faced various challenges. In order to understand, plan and provide solutions to these challenges the following organisations; Inkomati Usuthu Catchment Management Agency (IUCMA), Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), SANParks, Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region, and innovative water and sanitation technology companies participated in the 2-day Indaba.
The Indaba predominately discussed various water challenges and solutions in the following areas: a) water infrastructure and planning, b) water conservation management and demand, and lastly c) revenue.  The main challenges highlighted were high vacancy rate, water loss, illegal connections, water pricing, non-compliance to standards. Resolutions amongst others that were decided upon were to increase water communication and awareness, meter installations, effective cost recovery, implementation of bylaws, and the removal alien plants.  
The challenges and solutions gathered in the Indaba will form part the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality Strategic Planning and inform the IDP for 2020-2021 financial year.

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