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HEALTHY WATER,
FOR ALL, FOR EVER
Delivering safe, healthy water
and decent sanitation to all South
Africans has been one of the greatest
challenges for the government during
its democratic era.
There has been significant effort to redress the imbalance of previous discrimination
in this sector, at the same time as serving a growing urban population. However,
rural and township areas continue to pose significant challenges in bringing service
delivery to disadvantaged, poor communities.
15.9 MILLION
SOUTH AFRICANS DID
NOT HAVE ACCESS TO
SAFE WATER SUPPLIES
IN 1994
FACTS
Historical imbalance
In 1994, at the time of South Africa’s transition to a multiracial
democracy, the distribution of water-related services to the country’s
39 million inhabitants was skewed to serve the white minority. Around 15.9 million
South Africans, many in rural areas, did not have access to safe water supplies, while
only 59% had access to basic levels of water service – usually a communal tap.
In 1992, a standing committee on water and sanitation helped to develop a strategy
to transform the water sector to one of greater social equity and ecological integrity.
Ultimately, it has meant extending the water supply system to the whole population,
while at the same time maintaining its supply to industry and agriculture as part of
the cornerstone of South Africa’s economic development.
FIGURE 5.1: PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER
Water Facts & Futures: Rethinking South Africa’s Water Future | Page
63