PROFESSIONALISATION must be implemented in 2023

While many municipalities are teetering on the brink of collapse, cabinet is still considering the implementation of a framework geared towards the professionalisation of the entire public service.

By Lester Goldman, CEO, WISA

The quality and reliability of water and sanitation services – particularly in the poorer, more rural municipalities – are inadequate. While this is due, in part, to financial constraints, it has become evident that the absence of sufficient and sufficiently skilled personnel to oversee and operate these services has been an important contributor to these problems. According to the Green Drop Report 2022, more than a third – 334 wastewater treatment works (39%) out of 955 systems –are classified as critical. Again, this is largely caused by a lack of skills and accountability.

Municipalities face asset management, revenue collection, load-shedding, non-revenue water and climate change challenges. The call for the professionalisation of key posts within national and local government in the water sector is no longer a luxury but an absolute necessity. It will mitigate nepotism and corruption immediately.

Professionalisation a means to protect the public Attorneys, doctors and engineers are classic examples of professionalisation. They require extensive training and have formal barriers to entry (a degree, passing a bar exam, registration with a professional body like LSSA, HPSA and ECSA). They can claim to perform work that people outside the profession cannot do (e.g. represent a client in court, operate on a patient, approve a structural design). If they behave unprofessionally, they risk being deregistered as an attorney, doctor or engineer, and will no longer be able to work in that occupation. This should apply to the provision of water.

Professionalisation standardises the education and training required for an occupation. This means that the public can at least anticipate the standard of the service provided. Professionalising key positions within the water sector will ensure that the right person is in the right job and, once they are in that job, they are professional. It will narrow down nepotism and political appointments. This can be done by simply identifying key legislation that needs to be changed.

I am in no way advocating a guillotine approach. There are people in posts that are highly competent with no qualifications. In those cases, we can use the RPL (recognition of prior learning) process with the professional bodies. We cannot professionalise overnight, but let’s see some action to the words in 2023.

I’d like to wish all WISA members a prosperous and rewarding year. Here is to hoping that 2023 is the year in which we all partner with government to fix these water issues and avert a crisis. Let’s clean up the water space; let’s deal with all areas of concern. We cannot wait until it is too late. May this year be filled with less talk and a lot more action. That is my wish for 2023.