Dear Reader,

In October, the Blesbokspruit project was honoured with the visit of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima from the Netherlands as part of their state visit. It was hectic and exciting. But above all, the royal visit is a recognition of the good work done by the Blesbokspruit local team and its partners. And a booster for the future.

There were highlights in the other Blue Deal projects as well. A delegation from Theewaterskloof Municipality attended the first International Water Association Non-Sewered Sanitation Summit. Pilots with innovative technologies will be started in our project area. The project in KwaZulu-Natal has reviewed its plans for phase 2. It now has a focus on improving climate resilience in the Msunduzi-uMngeni catchment area.

In Vredefort Dome an assessment of the impact of climate change was started to help secure the UNESCO status. Climate change is also the theme of the Blue Deal webinar that will be held in February/March 2024. Under the leadership of CoGTA and IUCMA, the Crocodile River local project hosted the milestone first annual Blue Deal Crocodile River ‘MOU Oversight Committee’ event.

Blue Deal South Africa participated in the biennial REMCO conference on transboundary water management. Important steps have been made regarding data management with the water authorities and Blue Deal partnerships in eSwatini and Mozambique. The discussion on women and youth in the water sector was inspiring and will be continued during the WISA conference next year. And what a joy to see our Young Expert Professionals (YEP’s) contributing at the conference.

On a programme level the annual plan for 2024 has been established. And last but not least, we can celebrate the appointment of the Boards for the Pongola/Umzimkhulu and the Vaal Orange Catchment Management Agencies by cabinet, a milestone for the South African water sector.

Please enjoy reading this newsletter. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year for yourselves and your dear ones. And we look forward to continue our inspiring collaboration next year.

With kind regards,

Marion Wierda (DWA Chief Executive Blue Deal South Africa, The Netherlands) Eustathia Bofilatos (DWS Director of Institutional Oversight, South Africa)

PS. Feel free to forward this newsletter to someone who might be interested!

Royal visit for Blue Deal project Blesbokspruit

His Majesty the King of the Netherlands and Her Majesty Queen Máxima were proudly received at the Blesbokspruit wetland on October 18, in the presence of Mr Senzo Mchunu, Minister of Water and Sanitation. The visit by the King and the Queen focused on many aspects, including the cooperation between South Africa and Netherlands on water management. The Majesties visited the wetland and engaged with representatives of the Blue Deal project, local entrepreneurs and Wetskills alumni.

Read the press release of the Department of Water and Sanitation.

Zama Ngcobo, Young Expert Professional: ‘It’s all about turning problems into creative solutions’

During the state visit of the royal couple to South Africa, Ms Zama Ngcobo, one of our Blue Deal South Africa Young Expert Professionals, guided the royal couple through recent developments in the Blue Deal Blesbokspruit project, one of the five Blue Deal South African local projects.

Read the interview she gave to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Blue Deal webinar on Climate Adaptation

Get ready for an upcoming Blue Deal webinar on Climate Adaptation! We're addressing climate change's impact on South Africa and the Netherlands, especially in water-related challenges. In February-March 2024 we'll discuss policy insights, real-life consequences and best practices. The exact date will be announced soon, so stay tuned for more details. Open to everyone.

Interview: Jan van Staden of Breed Olifants Catchment Mangement Agency (BOCMA)

Please tell the readers about yourself and BOCMA and how you and BOCMA are involved in the Blue Deal South Africa Partnership.

I am Jan van Staden, the acting CEO of the BOCMA. Recently we signed a Blue Deal local project MOU with key local role players of the Theewaterskloof region. This MOU gives structure to the Theewaterskloof Blue Deal project. Since the Theewaterskloof local municipality falls within the management area of the BOCMA, it made perfectly sense to get involved with the Blue Deal, as some of the objectives of the project are aligned with that of the BOCMA. An example of this is the reduction of surface water pollution emanating primarily from rapidly increasing Informal Settlements.

What do you like most about the Blue Deal Partnership? Please, give an example.

The fact that the project could be tailor-made to suit specific areas. In the case of the TWK project, it identified the need for collaboration with critical stakeholders very early in the process. The very same collaboration has led to the identification of two community based “seedlings of hope” from within the informal settlements. These seedlings of hope are low hanging fruits, enabling communiity enrolement as co-management of the Blue Deal within the towns of Villiersdorp and Grabouw. Even though the TWK project mainly focuses on Informal Settlements, the assistance and acknowledgment of commercial agriculture, industry, the environment and most importantly, faith based groupings including the church, have been prioritized to achieve maximum output.

What is your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) for the Blue Deal South Africa collaboration? And what, do you think, is the most critically important first step towards this ambition?

To have meaningful impact on people and the environment. For the Blue Deal TWK project, this would mean that people within Informal Settlements should have a voice and an effective communication channel, culminating in peaceful, cooperating communities, in sync with the goals and objectives of the TWK municipality and other stakeholders. Another goal is the improvement of the water quality around the TWK dam, as well as reduction of solid waste pollution within the town of Grabouw. To achieve this, the first step would be to acknowledge that communities vary, and that the immediate needs for such communities may vary too. Therefore, building solid relations with communities through the so-called ‘gatekeepers’ may provide the critical linkage between the project lead and the community.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with us?

I hope that tangible output can be achieved with this project. The BOCMA remains committed to the goals and objectives of the project and would like to see meaningful change happening in TWK municipal area, which could be rolled out to other areas too.

REMCO conference: transboundary cooperation is a must

In November the 7th REMCO conference was hosted in Mbabane by the eSwatini colleagues. REMCO stands for River and Environmental Management COoperation. This is a biennial meeting around transboundary water management in Mozambique, eSwatini and South Africa. These countries share the Maputo and Inkomati river basins. Climate change impacts the region through the greater frequency and severity of floodings and droughts. In order to meet these growing challenges, transboundary cooperation is a must.

This conference had a focus on improving collaboration on operational water management challenges. Topics discussed included:

• the participation of women and youth
• data management and exchange
• and the importance of water for a growing economy and vibrant communities (agriculture, tourism, industry, energy, etc).

My REMCO Experience By Angel Mgwenya, Young Expert Professional (YEP)

'The REMCO Conference was an opportunity to bring together delegates from South Africa, Mozambique, Germany, the Netherlands as well as Eswatini, to engage on transboundary governance.

Day 1 of the conference kicked off with the 4th Inkomati Basin Women & Youth in Water Conference. The day highlighted not only the importance of youth and women in water but also in addressing the large gaps that still exist in the inclusion of youth and women in water governance.

The remainder of the conference was an exceptional example of transboundary governance and cooperation. Interweaved in the technical display of the work done, was the storytelling of the success and hardships of communities that are beneficiaries of the water and the land. These stories brought together the importance and the effect of the work and research undertaken to promote the provision of clean, safe and sustainable water to the larger shared catchment.

The conference was a brilliant opportunity for the personal and professional development of the YEP’s. The event further promoted shared knowledge and expanding networks that will lead to renewed and stronger relationships within the REMCO community.'

Navigating achievements and challenges: insights into the Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership’s progress in the journey to Green Drop Certification

A recent important chapter unfolded for the Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership during the November 2023 work visit in Mpumalanga, South Africa, emphasising sustainable wastewater treatment.

the Blue Deal Crocodile River Memorandum of Understanding. This newly established committee creates a platform where the progress made by the partnership is formerly reported to the Heads of partner institutions. This latest development is also significant progress in ensuring buy-in and support for the Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership program by the leadership of the partner institutions. In the future, the meetings of the Oversight Committee will sit annually to appraise the progress made by the Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership program. During this work visit, the Blue Deal Crocodile River Memorandum of Understanding “Oversight Committee” was formally established, and its inaugural meeting was hosted on 16 November. The Oversight Committee is comprised of the heads of all partner institutions that are signatories to the Blue Deal Crocodile River Memorandum of Understanding. This newly established committee creates a platform where the progress made by the partnership is formerly reported to the Heads of partner institutions. This latest development is also significant progress in ensuring buy-in and support for the Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership program by the leadership of the partner institutions. In the future, the meetings of the Oversight Committee will sit annually to appraise the progress made by the Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership program.

The support from the Head of Department (HOD) at the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) is deeply valued. The HOD CoGTA has accepted the role of Chairing the newly established Oversight Committee. His guidance and support directly assisted in the hosting of the committee's inaugural meeting.

Inaugural Oversight Committee meeting: progressing towards Green Drop Certification

During the inaugural meeting, each task team reported progress through the lense of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s Green Drop certification for the participating Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTWs). The Water Quality and Data-sharing Task Team presented a detailed examination of wastewater treatment plant discharge, emphasising the need for thorough data compliance and as to how the same would improve Green Drop scoring. Communication and intergovernmental relations Task Team reported significant strides, with a recognisable partnership logo symbolising its growing presence. The Technical Capacitation and Wastewater Treatment Works Optimisation Task Team set stretching targets for annual improvements in Green Drop scoring such as to ensure Green Drop certification by 2030. The Business Planning and Finances Task Team highlighted the key importance of business planning and finance in support of enabling WWTWs performance, and hence Green Drop certification.

Projections anticipate significant Green Drop Score improvements across the various WWTWs locations of the partner Municipalities (Mbombela LM, Nkomazi LM, and Emakhazeni LM), emphasising the partnership's concerted efforts. A key recommendation proposed and adopted by the Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership is to establishi ring-fencing of municipal budgets for the respective WWTWs, and most especially as regards operation and maintenance.

Harnessing Collective Learning Power: who is your buddy?

Internationally, the collaboration includes a peer learning"buddying" approach for exchanging wastewater treatment expertise and experiences between Dutch and South African WWTWs superintendents. The partnership’s “buddying” is embarking on a structured programme of collective peer learning, fostering a dynamic environment of reciprocal exchange both amongst South African Blue Deal municipalities, and also internationally with the Dutch Water Authorities.

In conclusion, all parties have agreed that whilst early indications are that progress is promising, unwavering commitment is crucial. The Blue Deal Crocodile River Partnership Oversight Committee will serve as a sentinel, providing an accounting platform for annual feedback and progress reporting to signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding.

Theewaterskloof: first International Water Association Non-Sewered Sanitation Summit

A delegation from Theewaterskloof Municipality attended the first International Water Association Non-Sewered Sanitation Summit. The Summit, which was co-hosted by the Water Research Commission, was held in Johannesburg.

It was an ideal opportunity to kick-start the local Blue Deal Theewaterskloof project. This project seeks to be an incubator for innovative sanitation technologies in rapidly growing, unplanned, informal settlements via a community enrolment driven process. The attendees included both management and technical staff, and a community representative.

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