SA youth at UN Water Conference

As a co-host of the UN 2023 Water Conference, the Netherlands places importance on inclusiveness in the preparatory activities of the conference as well as meaningful participation of all groups, particularly those voices that are usually underrepresented in global processes and decision-making on water-related matters. Therefore, five of the delegates chosen to officially represent RSAYPW were fully funded by the Netherlands to attend the conference through the South Africa Youth Water Campaign project. This was done through the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) Stakeholder Engagement Subsidy framework.

South Africa Youth Water Campaign

There were three planned activities to take part in the UN Water Campaign:

1) South African Youth Water Action Plan (Call to Action): A call to action was developed and submitted to the

Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). This was a collaborative effort from several youth organisations in the water sector in South Africa where one joint message/statement was formulated, which revolved around the theme and objective of the UN Water Conference – ‘#WaterAction’.

2) Video Campaign Preparation Activity: This video covers water issues in South Africa. Community members (and available local government officials, where necessary) were interviewed about their water security experiences in South Africa. The video is divided into three parts: a. Too much water – flooding in KwaZulu-Natal. b. Too little water – droughts and day zero (Port Elizabeth – TBC). c. Too polluted water – man-made pollution in natural water bodies (Pretoria). a. The Transformative Futures for Water Security (TFWS) initiative have convened multistakeholder dialogues among the science, policy, business

This activity has been partially concluded in KwaZulu-Natal and Pretoria; Port Elizabeth local government is being engaged to shoot that part of the documentary.

3) Collaboration in local and regional pre-conference activities: There were a number of regional activities in preparation of the UN 2023 Water Conference.

SOUTH AFRICA YOUTH PARLIAMENT FOR WATER (RSAYPW)

The South Africa Youth Parliament for Water (RSAYPW) is a voluntary youth organisation, which is a country chapter of the World Youth Parliament for Water (WYPW). The WYPW is a network of passionate young people from over 80 countries. The South African chapter was formed last year January, and was formally launched in March 2022 during the 5th General Assembly of the WYPW, prior to attending the 9th World Water Forum. Members take action on water issues at all levels – from concrete actions in local communities, to advocacy for youth leadership in the water sector at the UN General Assembly.

and development communities to create mission-driven alliances to catalyse and deliver high-ambition, future-ready innovation and inclusive, science-based action for water security. TFWS aims to ensure that progress towards more urgent and coherent policies and action on water security is better supported by scientific progress. Missions target the priorities of youth, equality between women and men, and communities and countries that are most vulnerable to water insecurity.

b. Southern Africa Hub for Revitalisation of the 55 African Youth Policies, where RSAYPW and various stakeholders from different countries in Southern Africa took part in five hybrid regional events. The events were hosted across the continent as one of the key initiatives by African Youth Parliament for Water (AYPW) in tackling policy and magnifying the youth’s impact in the water and sanitation sector.

c. Attendance of UN 2023 Water Conference: Delegation from RSAYPW attended the conference in New York, USA. They participated in a side event inside the UN Headquarters to showcase the project and the video. They also attended various networking events and speaking engagements inside and outside the UN Headquarters.

RSAYPW and World Merit South Africa also signed ‘Water Action Agenda Commitment – A South African Youth Community for Water Action’, with Wavemakers United. Wavemakers United, in collaboration with several partners, is committed to imparting water education to 1 million youngsters through its participation in the water action agenda.

This undertaking holds significant importance, as it seeks to engage the brightest minds in addressing the multifaceted complex water-related issues that are of global concern.

RSAYPW officially signed a commitment to adopt a Wavemakers Challenger idea: Team Oceanic from South Africa, who will be tackling plastic pollution in our oceans.

The main side event of RSAYPW, entitled ‘Transformed and Inclusive Water Sector’, took place inside the UN headquarters. On the panel were youth members from South Africa, wider Africa and South America, all sharing their perspectives on the South Africa Youth Water Campaign and what water issues loom in their countries and regions

South Africa youth delegation at the conference, inside the UN headquarters (L-R): Mbali Sibiya, Karabo Mokoena, Akhona Xotyeni, Odwa Mtembu, Mendy Shozi, Sbusiso Khuboni, Sibusiso Mhlongo, Thobekile Gambu, Zintle Mbeka

Delegation at the airport, heading to the conference, with representatives from RSAYPW and World Merit South (L-R): Sbusiso Khuboni, Karabo Mokoena, Zintle Mbeka, Odwa Mtembu, Mbali Sibiya, Mendy Shozi

Local municipalities are going through many tough challenges. They are experiencing significant income slumps as crucial revenue streams, such as electricity sales, come under pressure. At the same time, the worsening state of water infrastructure has made service delivery much more challenging, and urbanisation and climate change keep adding more pressure.

Metros of all sizes are struggling to keep up with the costs of managing water infrastructure. According to GreenCape’s 2022 Water Market Intelligence Report, billed water revenue in South African metros totalled R12.8 billion against an expenditure of R13.9 billion. That is a worrying gap. Water security is also a considerable concern, and the same report predicts a 10% supply shortfall by 2030.

Water authorities need ways to close those gaps and enhance delivery with their current resources. They need insights that they can use for planning. They want to reduce their risks for unplanned downtime, use their workforces and resources more efficiently, and gain more control over their operations.

Data

Data is the answer. The right data can help address several common challenges, including:

• preventative maintenance

• leak detection

• accurate billing

• reliable forecasting.

Many municipal managers work with challenging legacy systems. They don’t have the financial means to make replacements or must still see a good return on investment from new improvements.

Fortunately, modern data-capturing equipment connects comfortably with established water infrastructure,