The Water and Sanitation Sector Leadership Group (WSSLG) is the highest non-statutory strategic sector partnership forum for the South African water sector. The WSSLG serves as a think tank for the water sector and prepares an overarching national action agenda for implementing the National Water and Sanitation Resource Strategy 2 (NWSRS2) and ensures that sound policies, laws, strategies, programmes and institutions are developed to achieve the goals outlined in the NWRS2. The WSSLG also actively facilitates dialogue between the Department of Water and Sanitation, government departments, civil society and the private sector for input, support and contributions to joint strategic and coordinated actions to improve the implementation of water sector policies, strategies and programmes. In its advisory role, the WSSLG provides recommendations on policies, legislation, programmes and strategies and serves as credible forum for stakeholder consultation and involvement in the development of sector policies, legislation, programmes and strategies.

As such, to facilitate the involvement of the water sector in the SDG6 programme the Water Sector Leadership Group: SDG 6 Task Team has been established as one of the SDGWG Task Teams.

Members of the WSSLG, initiated by DWS, include representatives from the sectors who are encouraged to join the effort through the WSSLG Task Team created for that purpose. Critical partners such as the private sector, civil society, research institutions, three tiers of government, agriculture and the mining sector for example, are already on board and making valuable contributions to the process.

A further need has been identified to bring in the Water Research Commission to support the other Task Teams and ensure that they are informed of the most appropriate best practices and tools to deliver on their mandate. As such, the SDG working group has also initiated a Research And Innovation Task Team to support the other task teams in this way.

The fundamental structure is now in place, components of the structure are operational in pursuit of the 2030 goal and individuals within the structure are fully committed to make this programme work. The ongoing challenge is to mobilise institutions in the sector and get them active to help close the gaps and deliver on the SDG 6 programme. The sector must work as one unit; all stakeholders perform within the same team that will overcome the 2030 expectations, and together they must work in unity.