BY PHUMELELE MKHONTA
MBABANE– Eswatini has been advised to come back to the table with regards to conserving water!
Celebrating World Water Day today, the Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, Jabulani ‘Buy Cash’ Mabuza, said water was becoming increasingly scarce in the Kingdom of Eswatini and there was a need to identify new approaches, strategies, habits and methodologies that we need to change, as individuals, communities and as partners in order to resolve the water and sanitation situation in the country.
He was speaking during the commemoration of World Water Day at Maguga Dam and the theme of this year’s event was ‘Accelerating the change to solve water and sanitation crises.
“Today we take time as individuals, water users, communities and representatives of water institutions to reflect on the importance of water in our lives. We are gathered to appreciate the value of water and its important role in the activities from which we derive our livelihoods and sustenance.”
“This day is also allowing us to intentionally look into our water situation and then determine new ways and approaches on how to improve issues on water supply, water management and on how to live with the impacts of climate change.”
“In line with the theme, I would like to challenge all of us to take time and determine the possible changes that we may need to make individually and as a collective in order to solve our water and sanitation crisis. The theme encourages us to be involved in the water space to think and act differently, to be creative, to change approaches and develop new strategies in order to get solutions,” said Mabuza.
The Minister further said their river systems had become water stressed having more water demands than the available resource for allocation and utilization, saying the flow in their big rivers is gradually reducing and water springs and smaller tributaries which were the source of water supply for communities were drying up.
“Rainfall patterns have changed over the years becoming more erratic unevenly distributed and even more unpredictable. There is now an increased frequency of floods and droughts where the country is either in a flood situation or in drought or coming out of either one of the two extreme events.
“There is inadequate water supply coverage and access to safe water for emaSwati. The water access figures fall far too short of the target of 100 per cent coverage by 2022 as was envisioned by the Government of Eswatini. “Also, the new target of 100 per cent coverage by 2030 as given by the SDG Goal 6 still requires more effort and investment from the Government and the water sanitation and hygiene partners in order for it to become a reality in Eswatini. There is inadequate sanitation coverage in the country which has many negative impacts on the health of the people, productivity and the economy.”
