Question NW15 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation
29 February 2024 - NW15
Buthelezi, Ms SA to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
Considering that the Blue Drop report showed that water supply systems across the Republic need an additional 400 qualified persons, consisting of 203 technical staff and 197 scientists, what plans has his department put in place to create internships emanating from the critical vacancies?
Reply:
The shortfall referenced in the Drop Reports are shortages in technical skills at municipal level and it may be that the posts are filled but the staff involved are not appropriately qualified or registered. It is important to note that as much as half of the current shortage of process controllers could be addressed by training of existing staff to enable certification, rather than hiring new staff. The personnel issues are identified as one of the underlying main causes of poor performance in terms of the drop reports.
During the recent Summit held on 18 and 19 Jan 2024, this aspect was raised, and it was clear that there is a direct correlation between performance and availability of skills. The Summit was also attended by of the Energy & Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA), the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA), the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), the Water Service Institutions of South Africa and the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP) which all assist in the development of the necessary skills required in the Water Services Sector. These institutions all presented initiatives to assist municipalities to address some of the aspects around skills and capacity. The Department of Water Sanitation has also requested EWSETA to provide funding for training of process controllers (water and waste treatment works).
National government cannot legally hire staff or interns on behalf of municipalities. Therefore, the municipal leadership must prioritise the filling of positions with appropriately qualified staff and budget for this from revenue.
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