CEO’s comment

For me, the WISA 2022 Biennial Conference will be remembered as one full of emotion, where our humanity was laid bare. By Lester Goldman, CEO, WISA

What a joy to witness the happy faces and heartfelt reunions. As a sector, we have come through the Covid-19 pandemic, perhaps a little battered and bruised, but we have survived. For many, it has been four long years (since our last inperson conference) since people have physically seen each other.

It is obvious that the water and sanitation sector is like a family – and like a family, there are times when we agree or disagree with each other. Sometimes, there may be absent members; at times, we may not speak to each other for a while; but, at all times, we pull together when needed and support each other, working towards a common cause. The passion between everyone and the industry they work in was obvious.

This family was relieved and energised that leadership was present in the form of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Minister Senzo Mchunu and Director-General Sean Philips. Our leaders were transparent, fully acknowledging the difficulties we face and plotting a way forward. There was a commitment to make improvements. WISA looks forward to this leadership filtering down to the various entities within the sector.

I was pleased to see an increase in presentations and workshops around the social science of water and sanitation. Water and sanitation is mostly a social enterprise, requiring dozens to thousands of people working together to build, operate and maintain a complex technical system, often under changing conditions.

There were presentations highlighting how our work deeply affects able-bodied persons and is often a life and death situation for disabled persons. It again highlighted how a lack of water and sanitation will always have a greater impact on the most vulnerable than anyone else.

Awards When presenting awards at the Gala Event, it was clear to me that the water and sanitation sector deeply cares about its own people and about the public. As a sector, we willingly and proudly carry the responsibility, providing water and sanitation services that are essential for human health and well-being, economic development and the realisation of the constitutional rights of all South Africans. There was a lot of emotion from the award winners.

The water and sanitation sector puts the community first. We have committed leadership, inspired professionals, and I look forward to seeing many papers showcasing the successes and positive change taking place over the next two years at the WISA 2024 Biennial Conference.