August marks the commemoration of Women’s Month in South Africa. It has been 55 years since 9 August 1956 when dedicated women from all over the country marched in their great numbers through the streets of Pretoria to the Union Building to hand over their memorandum of grievances.

While the day is celebrated annually, it is clear that much still needs to be done to incorporate women into both the public and private sector.

Research conducted by the Department of Labour in 2010 indicated that in 1945, there were no women in the field of engineering in South Africa; but by 1974, more women were gradually entering this male-dominated profession.

In 1996, about 16.21% of engineering professionals who participated in the South African labour market were women. In 2005, this figure decreased to only 10.51%.

The declining trend is not only alarming in the context of the critical shortage of engineering skills in South Africa, but also highlights the continued under-representation of women in engineering.

In a 2009 press statement, the Engineering Council of South Africa noted that there was a marked increase in the number of women registered in the engineering profession in recent times. A true testimony to this is a leader such as Edna Molewa, who has been serving as the minister of Water and Environmental Affairs since 1 November 2010.

Formerly, she was the minister of Social Development (2009–2010); and, since 2003, she has been a member of the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) National Executive Council.

Molewa also serves as chairperson of the ANCWL in the North West Province and has been a member of the Provincial Executive Committee since 1996.

A champion for women’s rights by virtue, she has served in different institutions addressing women’s rights issues.

Molewa has a number of accolades to her name, having completed a course in Economic Leadership for the New Millennium and Administration Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States; a course in Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School of Governance; and is currently studying toward a BCom degree with the University of South Africa.

In her Budget Vote that was delivered on 20 April 2011, she indicated that as a department, it presented the budget to Cabinet fully aware of the responsibility it carries as the Department of Water Affairs to contribute to the national effort to build a more just and equal society, focused on the creation of more and sustainable decent job opportunities.

Molewa reiterated the importance of saving water as a nation to build more sustainable communities. “Indeed, if we do not change the way we use our water resources, our ability to meet the objectives of the New Growth Path – key among them is the creation of decent work – will not be achieved,” she said.

The department is key to increased trade and investment, and a number of investments have been made in water schemes to assure water supply in the country.

On 13 December 2010, the European Investment Bank announced that it was to provide €50 million to the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal to expand its water infrastructure. The municipality provides water and sanitation services to nearly four million people in the greater Durban area.

The Bank will provide this long-term loan – representing 15% of the total investment cost of the programme – to Rand Merchant Bank, the investment banking arm of FirstRand Bank Limited in South Africa, to allow it to fund this project at reduced rates.

“There is a need for the department to strengthen its focus on water conservation and water demand management, especially since a very basic cost analysis shows a better return on investment from water-loss control and water-use efficiency measures than from additional supply-side interventions,” Molewa said.

According to the minister, the phrase “water for development” refers to the critical role of water in poverty alleviation and people’s constitutional right to have reliable access to safe drinking water.

“The department is deeply concerned about the persistent backlogs in certain parts of the country. By 2005, it had already achieved the Millennium Development Goal of halving, by the year 2015, the proportion of people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water,” said Molewa.

With Eskom being one of the key institutions driving trade and investment in the country, a number of initiatives have been implemented to ensure the state power utility caters to the needs of society and, most importantly, trade and business.

“[T]he Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority has procured funding in order to implement the Mokolo and Crocodile River (West) water augmentation project phases 1 and 2, with total cost of about R2 billion, in order to deliver water to Eskom’s new Medupi Power Station and other industries in the area as well as domestic water to the Lephalale Local Municipality,” indicated Molewa.

The estimated cost for completing the construction of the De Hoop Dam, which began in 2007, is approximately R3.1bn. Of this amount, R2.1bn has been spent up to the 2010/11 financial year, and R926m will be spent over the next three years to complete the dam. The distribution network will be constructed concurrently with the completion of the dam.

Molewa stated that all the work is intended to improve the water infrastructure in our country, in line with the department’s overall commitment to make more water available for economic growth and the creation of decent jobs.

The department is currently working on rehabilitating water schemes that have suffered great damage through acid mine drainage (AMD), with one of South Africa’s economic hubs, Gauteng, suffering greatly.

“During this financial year, we will focus more on monitoring of groundwater resources, especially acid mine drainage, transboundary aquifer systems, climate variability and municipality systems,” said the minister.

In order to rehabilitate the AMD problem, the government would have to spend R1bn.

Gauteng is the heaviest affected province due to the mines having been operated from some time back; but it touches on the North West, the Free State and the Northern Cape as well.

South Africa is a country that is bereft by a water security dilemma; while on the economic front, it is driven by a strong mining industry.

The department reported that as a member of the World Health Organization International Network of Drinking-Water Regulators, it participated in deliberations where the Blue Drop Certification was presented and well received.

“This development proves the assertion that South Africa’s drinking water compares favourably to the best in the world. This once again made a call to all South Africans to contribute toward upholding this standard by not polluting the country’s sources of water,” said Molewa.

One of the most recent debates that she has had to deal with, and which has been in the media spotlight, is the issue of fracking in the Karoo.

Hydraulic fracturing is a technique for extracting shale gas from deep under ground by pumping a pressurised mixture of water, sand and chemicals down drill holes. Oil company, Shell – controversially – is planning to do this in the Karoo, with critics saying this will damage the fragile environment of the area.

Residents and others are up in arms over Shell’s plans, saying, among others, that hydraulic fracturing poses a chemical risk to groundwater in the region; while those who are for it, say the benefits in terms of trade and employment far outweigh the risk.

The Department of Water and Environmental Affairs recently hosted what it deems a very successful World Water Day in Cape Town, which coincided with the national Water Week from 20 to 22 March 2011. The event was held in partnership with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and the African Ministers’ Council on Water, over which South Africa presides.

“It is our intention that by the time we hand over the baton of leadership of the African Ministers’ Council on Water, we will leave behind a legacy of a solid, well-functional Specialized Technical Committee of the African Union,” said Molewa in her Budget Vote. “This will go a long way toward ensuring that the African Ministers’ Council on Water continues to provide political leadership that will assist to monitor and guide efforts to achieve the water and sanitation targets of the Millennium Development Goal.”

The department has long been championing for women empowerment, with accolades such as the Women in Water Awards. With a focus on water-related projects, these awards have in the past become a major element on the department’s Women’s Month calendar.

The Women in Water Awards are aimed at recognising, honouring and encouraging women who have played a significant role in water management in South Africa; they furthermore serve to honour women of stature who have excelled in their field and who have made a significant contribution to the water sector.

The ceremony will take place during Women’s Month in August, and will be presented to groups of women, community-based organisations and non-governmental organisations with the best water-related projects that are truly initiated and managed by women in municipalities.

Molewa further stated that as a department, it realised the importance of sharing resources with our neighbours: “Water knows no boundaries. It is for this reason that we will continue to share our resources with our neighbouring countries,” she said.

Bongani Evans Mtlhavani