Water security is central

URGENT: SECURE RESOURCES AND FORTIFY CLIMATE RESILIENCE

- RAMATEU LEFT MONYOKOLO

CRISIS. Coronationville residents fetch water as they have not had running taps for more than 10 years. Nearby Westbury, Newclare and Claremont in Joburg have intermittent supply.

(Nigel Sibanda)

In an era defined by escalating climate shocks, intensifying water scarcity and mounting pressure on natural resources, the global community stands at a decisive moment.

The convergence of themes emerging from the G20 leaders' summit, held under South Africa's historic presidency, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Groundwater Conference underscore the urgency of bold and collaborative action to secure water resources and fortify climate resilience.

In the months preceding these seminal gatherings, SA convened three pivotal platforms: the National Water and Sanitation Indaba, the African Union-AIP G20 Water Investment Summit and the Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions of South Africa (AWSISA), Africa and Global South Water and Sanitation Dialogue 2025.

A consistent and urgent message emerged: water security is inseparable from climate resilience, economic stability and social dignity.

Climate change is demanding that SA and the continent accelerate the transition toward resilient, diversified and well-governed water systems.

For developing countries in particular, water security is a central determinant of economic stability, social cohesion and climate resilience.

Sustainable water management is an economic, developmental and moral imperative.

The National Water and Sanitation Indaba highlighted that SA's water crisis is fundamentally a governance and infrastructure challenge exacerbated by climate variability.