The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and the University of South Africa’s (Unisa’s) College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) have partnered to boost the provision of clean and safe drinking water in South Africa.

Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister David Mahlobo encouraged Unisa to use its voice and expertise to collaborate with the department to solve South Africa’s water challenges and to assist municipalities through its use of technology, such as nanotechnology, to bring sustainable solutions to address the country’s shortcomings, particularly on issues of water quality.

“As the DWS, we are already using technology to analyse water quality at municipalities through the Blue and Green Drop programme. Therefore, Unisa can also make a remarkable contribution to resolve water quality issues through its research and technology,” he said.

His comments followed a meeting with CSET, led by the university’s principal and vice-chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula at the Unisa Science Campus, in Florida, on October 28.

Unisa’s Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability is a strategic research niche at Unisa’s CSET and it addresses the current and emerging issues related to water quality and water scarcity.

The collaboration with Unisa will also strengthen municipalities to ensure safe and drinkable water is supplied to communities.

“Our weakness is in municipalities, but I believe with partnerships like this, water quality in the country will be improved,” said Mahlobo.

He further highlighted the department’s learning academy under the career management directorate, which offered bursaries for full-time graduate and postgraduate studies to students who pursue water and sanitation fields.

Following their graduation, the students join the DWS as graduate trainees and are exposed to the workplace in order to register professionally with respective institutions.

The academy is the department’s vehicle to respond to specific scarce and technical skill-related issues that are affecting the department and the entire water sector.

“We further call on Unisa that, through our partnership, we should strive to produce more graduates that will bring their knowledge to the department. Unisa is the best institution in water research and innovation, and it can produce leaders in the water and sanitation field,” he added.

Mahlobo reiterated the significance of the partnership which would improve the lives of South Africans, as far as water provision was concerned.

“Our partnership will be instrumental in building a country we all yearn for. We are here to join hands and to partner with you to improve the lives of our people," he concluded.