SA is no longer the poster child for providing access to safe water
Not only is the country failing to meet the new set of goals set by the UN for 2030, it is actually going backwards
SA was rightly proud of its water supply achievements in the first decade of democracy after the 1994 elections. The country was cited as a global leader in the provision of water supply and sanitation. Way ahead of the 2015 deadline, it proudly claimed the achievement of the Millennium Development Goal for water. The number of people without access to safe water was more than halved. Even the more difficult sanitation target was reached. But progress will now be measured by new standards in the future and the country will have to face up to some bad news. Not only is SA failing to meet the new set of goals set by the UN for 2030. It is actually going backwards. Achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in water will be much more difficult. First, the goal is that water and sanitation will be available for everyone. But providing infrastructure will not be enough. The goal is not just availability but also "sustainable management". Successful interventions In the first deca...
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