WASH News Southern Africa
News feed maintained by information specialists from IRC and partners.
Lesotho, Maseru: new World Bank project to provide reliable water supply
07 Oct 09
The Kingdom of Lesotho signed a US$25 million financing agreement signed with the World Bank (with a US$8.5 million grant component) for a project that will provide reliable water supply for the people and industry in Maseru, the capital city and adjoining areas.[...] “The Government of Lesotho is committed to meeting the challenge of water [...]
South Africa, Cape Town: basic services needed to save babies
07 Oct 09
Toddler Sanele Qaqa should have been running around his home by now. Instead, his family is grieving his death, which could have been prevented. Sanele, the youngest of six children, died in March [2009], just two weeks ahead of his second birthday.[...] A shocking 37 city children younger than five died of diarrhoea in February, [...]
Gates Foundation funds US-African urban water and sanitation twinning project
17 Sep 09
Sister Cities International has announced that seven U.S. cities and their African counterparts have been chosen to perform projects to address sanitation, health, and water issues in urban areas of Africa. The African Urban Poverty Alleviation Program (AUPAP) is a three-year project funded by a $7.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. [...]
Zimbabwe: in pictures – clean water flows again after Harare cholera outbreak
16 Sep 09
A year after the outbreak of Africa’s worst ever cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, communities across the country are starting to clean water.A BBC slideshow in 8 pictures,15 Sep 2009.
Malawi, Nkaya: Mayi Chambo, “We have destroyed a lot in a short period”
13 Sep 09
Degradation of the environment is reaching alarming levels in Nkaya in southern Malawi, where people have to walk ever greater distances to collect firewood and water. Mayi Chambo, a village head in Nkaya, blamed charcoal makers for the deforestation. “”Women have to travel over 15 kilometres to Rivirivi River to fetch water. Once we had [...]
Zimbabwe: building user-friendly toilets for the disabled
01 Sep 09
THE Disablement Association of Zimbabwe (DAZ) has started building user-friendly Blair Toilets for people with disabilities. It also plans to improve access to ablution facilities in Bulawayo after a realisation that the authorities were taking too long to act. Insiza and Matobo districts in Matabeleland South have been chosen for the programme which is supported [...]
South Africa: Water Affairs DG suspended
23 Jul 09
Water Affairs director-general Pam Yako has been put on “special leave” pending the outcome of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities within the department. “No charges have been levelled against Ms Yako or any official of the department and, until informed otherwise by the outcome of the investigation, the director-general remains innocent,” Water Affairs Minister [...]
Swaziland: just add water and stir – multiple use water services in Maplotini
20 Jul 09
The Swaziland Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (SWADE), a government parastatal, has injected new life into the community of Maplotini using an integrated water resources management approach.When SWADE assessed the area in 2006, it found much of the land was being used to graze cattle, with some sugar cane farming, and small plots of vegetables [...]
Mozambique: positive results claimed for delegated water management
17 Jul 09
The Mozambican Minister of Public Works, Felicio Zacarias, said on 29 June 2009 that the reforms in water supply that began in 1995, and which have led to delegating the management of urban water supply in major cities to private consortia, have produced positive results. Investments in water systems have lead to an increase in [...]
Angola: country to have institute for water resources
16 Jul 09
Angola will have a national institute of water resources and an office of hydro-graphic basins for Zambeze region, the secretary of State for water affairs, Luis Filipe da Silva, announced on 6 July 2009. The two institutions will serve as a tool for the rational and sustainable management of waters.Angola aims to assure the supply [...]
