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Achievements of Masibambane

Updated - Tuesday 06 October 2009

The South African Masibambane or Let’s work together programme demonstrates achievements in each of the three phases so far. Each achievement required planning, technical support, consultation, mechanisms for collaboration and joint decision making, dedicated resources, and political commitment.

Outputs

Outputs from Masibambane I pilot from 2001 to 2003 included:

  • strategic Framework for Water Services approved by Cabinet September 2003
  • national sanitation policy finalised and approved by Cabinet
  • joint policy on transfer of water service schemes finalised
  • national water services leadership group established
  • provincial Sector Committees established in each region
  • nearly 3 million people served with water infrastructure and 1 million people served with sanitation infrastructure
  • capacity support to sector stakeholders.

Highlights from Masibambane II from 2004- 2007 included:

  • to strengthen the water services sector
  • to support local government
  • continued as support to water services only (sub-sector support)
  • expanded from 3 provinces to entire country
  • included establishment of collaborative water sector structures country wide
  • ran from 2004 to 2007 with a budget of Euro 60 million.

Evaluation findings

Findings of an evaluation of Masibambane II in 2007 included:

  • successful programme and exemplary (it has won a number of awards)
  • unique in pro-active setting up of sector-wide programme
  • overall indicates value for money
  • incremental success in decentralisation
  • varying success with regards to efficiency and effectiveness
  • it is very relevant to the needs of the sector
  • there are significant challenges in relation to changing roles of local government and integration of cross-cutting issues

Some areas of concern included: sustainability – too much focus on infrastructure and not enough on O&M, the quality of sanitation services; the monitoring system and dependency on consulting support.

Now in Masibambane III until 2010

Some of these concerns are addressed in the third sector support porgramme:

  • Theme - Water for growth and development
  • Its purpose is to promote IWRM in the water sector – so the programme has been expanded to include water resources
  • It runs from 2007 to 2010
  • It also covers the whole country
  • The budget is Euro 107 million
    .

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