Water, Sewage & Effluent September-October 2017 | Page 8

SOUTH AFRICA The saying that ‘Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders’ was given a boost again when Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation Pamela Tshwete presented a media classroom to the Injongo Primary School in Khayelitsha. Last year, Injongo Primary put the Western Cape on the map when the school took the first prize in the Baswa Le Meetse (Youth in Water) national competition. The Baswa Le Meetse initiative is aimed at Grade 6 pupils. By winning, the school is the proud winner of a media classroom sponsored by the MTN Foundation. The MTN media classroom consists of 21 computers connected to the Internet and preloaded with scientific programs. Given that South Africa is a water-scarce country, the department has called for a partnership with communities to participate actively in water resource management; hence, the implementation of various public programmes aimed at educating the young people and communities about integrated water resource management. School pupils are seen as the best educators, as they are able to change the mindset of their families and ultimately, an entire community. u Water-savvy Khayelitsha school rewarded The Department of Water and Sanitation has called for a partnership with communities to participate in water resource management.