Latest news with #SelloSeitlholo
eNCA
12-05-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Orange Senqu river commission seeks to raise awareness to tackle climate change
Conceptual illustration of droughts and desertification in Africa. POTCHEFSTROOM - Deputy Minister of water and sanitation, Sello Seitlholo has led a delegation to the ORASECOM Climate Resilient Investment Conference in Lesotho. WATCH | Climate change | KZN plans to streamline disaster response This comes amid a water crisis in various parts of the country largely due to failing infrastructure, pollution and increasing demand. The conference aims to raise awareness and attract investment by promoting sustainable development and water security in the Orange-Senqu River Basin.
Zawya
09-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo calls for bold investment to Secure Southern Africa's Water Future
The Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mr. Sello Seitlholo, has called for intensified investment in the water sector to secure Southern Africa's future in the face of climate change and growing water demands. Speaking at the ORASECOM Climate Resilient Investment Conference in Maseru, Lesotho on Thursday, 08 May 2025, Deputy Minister Seitlholo highlighted that resilient water infrastructure and cross-border collaboration are critical to the region's economic development, environmental sustainability, and long-term water security. As a proud and committed member of the Orange-Senqu River Commission (ORASECOM), South Africa continues to champion regional cooperation for the sustainable and equitable management of shared water resources. Deputy Minister Seitlholo reaffirmed the country's support for the Commission, noting South Africa's role as host country and consistent contributor to its operations and basin-wide studies. 'Water is the foundation upon which our economies, communities, and ecosystems rest. In Southern Africa, it also binds us together across borders. Our shared future demands that we invest boldly and wisely in securing this most precious resource,' he said. South Africa is undertaking major reforms to create an enabling environment for water investment. Deputy Minister Seitlholo said that these include legislative amendments to strengthen water governance, reduce inefficiencies, and attract private-sector involvement through improved regulatory certainty and streamlined project processes. He pointed to multiple opportunities for investors, ranging from bulk infrastructure and wastewater treatment to innovative technologies in reuse and smart metering. Public-private partnerships are being pursued with urgency, including through the Water Partnership Office in collaboration with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). 'Investing in water is not just a necessity; it is a generational imperative. Our policy reforms, institutional innovation, and partnerships demonstrate that we are ready to work with all stakeholders to make water investment a success story,' he emphasised. The Deputy Minister highlighted sustainability, technological advancement, and climate adaptation as key pillars of the country's water strategy. He emphasised the need for robust risk management to address droughts, floods, and pollution, backed by government funding instruments such as the Water Services Infrastructure Grant and the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant made available by the Department of Water and Sanitation. Deputy Minister Seitlholo stressed that communities must be at the heart of water solutions. South Africa's water governance model prioritises public participation and inclusive development, particularly through forums supporting youth, women, and civil society engagement. Partnerships with NGOs, research institutions, and the private sector continue to drive innovation and ensure evidence-based planning. In closing, Deputy Minister Seitlholo reaffirmed South Africa's unwavering commitment to regional leadership and global engagement in the water sector. He announced that South Africa will proudly host the Africa Water Investment Summit in August, a strategic platform aimed at unlocking large-scale investment and galvanising multi-sector partnerships for water infrastructure development across the continent. Furthermore, as South Africa has assumed the G20 Presidency, the Deputy Minister committed that water financing will be elevated as a key agenda item, positioning water not merely as a development issue but as a central pillar of economic resilience, climate adaptation, and sustainable growth. 'South Africa stands ready to lead by example, mobilising political will, catalysing investment, and fostering cross-border cooperation to build a water-secure future for Africa and beyond,' he affirmed. 'Let us seize this moment to mobilise the partnerships, political will, and financing needed to ensure a climate-resilient and water-secure future for our region. What we decide today must shape a legacy of inclusive growth and sustainable prosperity for generations to come,' concluded Deputy Minister Seitlholo. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Department of Water and Sanitation, Republic of South Africa.
Zawya
08-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
South Africa: Orasecom Climate Resilient Investment Conference to drive funding for vital water infrastructure
Water and Sanitation Deputy Minster, Sello Seitlholo will lead the South African delegation to the upcoming Orange-Senqu River Commission (Orasecom) Climate Resilient Investment Conference, scheduled to take place at the Avani Maseru Hotel, Lesotho. The Orasecom Investment Conference is a critical platform for uniting stakeholders in advancing water infrastructure projects that drive socioeconomic development, improve water quality and access, and build climate resilience across Southern Africa. Established in November 2000, Orasecom is the custodian of one of the largest river systems in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The Orange-Senqu River Basin spans approximately one million square kilometres, covering all of Lesotho and significant parts of South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia. The Commission was established to promote integrated water resource development and management across this vital transboundary basin. Climate Resilient Investment Plan The conference, which is taking place on Thursday, aims to raise awareness and mobilise investments to implement priority actions outlined in the Climate Resilient Investment Plan, which promotes sustainable development and water security within the Orange-Senqu River Basin. 'The event will provide a high-level platform for dialogue and collaboration between private investors, government representatives, Orasecom member states, international financial institutions, and water resource experts to drive funding and partnerships in support of vital water infrastructure projects,' the department said in a statement on Wednesday. The conference is hosted by Orasecom, in collaboration with government of Kingdom of Lesotho, through the Ministry of Natural Resources and the four basin states, including Lesotho, South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. The department noted that South Africa strongly values its longstanding and strategic partnerships with fellow Orasecom member states. These regional collaborations reflect a collective commitment to climate resilience, sustainable water management, and regional integration. Through Orasecom, the region has developed an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Plan, followed by the Climate Resilient Investment Strategy. The strategy identifies 36 priority infrastructure projects that are critical to the basin's future. Highlighted projects include: - Orange River Project and Noordoewer-Vioolsdrift (NVD) Intervention Options - Lesotho to Botswana Water Transfer Scheme - Integrated Vaal River Intervention System - Caledon to Greater Bloemfontein Transfer - Greater Bloemfontein Internal Resource Improvements - Gariep to Greater Bloemfontein Transfer Seitlholo has highlighted the importance of regional collaboration and the relevance of the conference to South Africa's water sector. 'Water knows no borders, and neither should our cooperation. The Orasecom Investment Conference is more than a funding event, it is a reaffirmation of our shared vision for sustainable development and regional integration. 'South Africa remains firmly committed to Orasecom's mission and values, and we look forward to strengthening partnerships that will ensure lasting water security for all basin states,' the Deputy Minister said. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Government unleashes tiny insects to combat full-blown public crisis: 'The solution is laws addressing this source'
The South African government has a new weapon in its fight against invasive water plants: a tiny aquatic weevil from Florida, Devdiscourse reported. The salvinia weevil is named for its favorite food. It eats massive quantities of common salvinia, a plant that is creeping across South Africa. This water weed is an invasive species — a species that has traveled beyond its native environment to a new location where it is multiplying at a destructive pace. Left alone, it will take over, crowding out and killing off a wide range of other species and destroying the natural balance that has existed in that area for millennia. In the case of salvinia, it was first sighted at Hartbeespoort Dam in 2011. Since then, it has spread as far as the Limpopo River, to the edge of Botswana. It clogs the water, interfering with the livelihoods of everyone who relies on the river as well as the diversity of water plants and the quality of the water. The weevils are expected to multiply just as fast to address the problem. Crucially, they only eat salvinia. "This biological control programme will be closely monitored to assess the weevil's progress and effectiveness in reducing common salvinia. Importantly, these weevils exclusively target the salvinia minima plant and do not pose risks to other aquatic vegetation, crops, or ornamental plants," said professor Julie Coetzee, deputy director of the Rhodes University Centre for Biological Control and principal scientist at the National Research Foundation's South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, per Devdiscourse. Water and Sanitation Deputy Minister Sello Seitlholo emphasized that a major cause of salvinia's spread, and one that must be addressed, is the excess nutrients in incorrectly processed wastewater. "What is also important is for us to have serious discussions with municipalities in the upper catchment areas. The inadequate treatment of wastewater leads to high nutrient levels in the water, which in turn fuels the spread of invasive aquatic plants, degrading the ecosystem, affecting recreational activities, and hampering the local economy," Seitlholo said, per Devdiscourse. The solution is a law to address this source of pollution — which will lead to cleaner, healthier water for all. Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Absolutely It depends on the species I don't know No — leave nature alone Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
