Government-Civil Society Alliance Brings Clean Water to Rural Eastern Cape

In a landmark initiative aimed at tackling water scarcity in South Africa’s rural heartlands, Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Sello Seitlholo led a powerful community engagement in Njijini Village, Mount Frere, Eastern Cape. This high-impact event, held in partnership with the Unity Water Foundation, marks a significant step in addressing the long-standing challenge of clean water access for underserved rural communities.

A Collaborative Response to a Community Crisis

The engagement on Friday formed part of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s broader strategy to implement resolutions from the National Water and Sanitation Indaba, convened in March 2025. This strategic shift towards inclusive and community-responsive water service delivery reflects the government’s growing recognition that sustainable development requires ground-level engagement and partnerships beyond government alone.

This latest effort follows up on the Deputy Minister’s earlier visit in December 2024, when community members voiced serious concerns about the persistent lack of clean and reliable water. Those concerns catalyzed a series of immediate interventions and long-term project planning.

Relief Through Partnership: Immediate Interventions

Working together, the Department and Unity Water Foundation have implemented initial relief efforts, which include:

• Construction of protected wells on naturally occurring springs to provide safer, more sustainable access to water.

• Distribution of water hippo rollers, designed to reduce the physical burden of water collection—especially on women, children, and the elderly, who are most affected by long-distance water retrieval in rural areas.

These measures aim to alleviate immediate distress while laying the foundation for more robust infrastructure in the months and years to come.

Deputy Minister Seitlholo: “Transformation Through Partnership”

Addressing the Njijini community, Deputy Minister Seitlholo underscored the transformative power of public-private partnerships in addressing deeply entrenched rural development challenges.

“What we have witnessed here in Njijini is the result of meaningful collaboration between government and civil society. By working with partners like the Unity Water Foundation, we are demonstrating how aligned action can yield real change for communities in need,” he stated.

He also confirmed the department’s commitment to long-term development through the Njijini Village Water Supply and the Ntibane Bulk Water Project, which will serve the greater Mount Frere region. These infrastructure projects fall under the Alfred Nzo District Municipality and are integral to the department’s nationwide rural water supply programme.

Unity Water Foundation: Civil Society Driving Impact

Sarah van Heerden, founder of the Unity Water Foundation, highlighted the partnership as a blueprint for participatory development.

“Access to clean water is not a privilege. It is a basic human right. Our partnership with the Department shows what is possible when civil society and government work together with a shared commitment to dignity, sustainability, and action,” Van Heerden said.

She also commended the resilience and engagement of the Njijini community, whose participation continues to shape the success and scalability of the initiative.

Voices of Hope: Community Response

Local residents expressed gratitude for both the swift relief efforts and the long-term vision laid out by the government and its partners. Community members described the Deputy Minister’s visit as a “turning point”—noting that, for the first time, their voices were not only heard but visibly acted upon.

The engagement also created a vital space for feedback and co-creation of solutions. Stakeholders shared their lived experiences and practical suggestions, helping guide the implementation of upcoming infrastructure efforts in a way that is locally relevant and sustainable.

A Scalable Model for National Replication

This partnership in Njijini exemplifies what coordinated, inclusive development can look like when the state, civil society, and communities are aligned in purpose. With the increasing frequency of drought and climate-related water challenges across South Africa, this model of community-centred planning, immediate relief, and long-term infrastructure development could prove essential for replication in other vulnerable areas.

The initiative also aligns with South Africa’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation for All.

Looking Ahead: A Future of Water Security

The Department of Water and Sanitation reaffirmed its dedication to ensuring that rural communities are not left behind in the country’s development trajectory. With a focus on inclusive planning, capacity building, and sustainable investment, the government aims to transform rural water access from a crisis into a cornerstone of socio-economic progress.

“Transformation is not a once-off event,” said Deputy Minister Seitlholo. “It is a journey we must walk together—community by community, spring by spring, project by project—until every South African has reliable access to this most basic and essential resource.”

The success of the Njijini initiative is a resounding call for collaborative governance and inclusive development. As the partnership continues to deepen, it serves not only as a solution to local water woes but also as a hopeful beacon for rural communities across South Africa.