Maravi

Mwandila calls for economic relations with S/Africa

COMMENT - This coincides with my idea of devolving responsibility for utilities to local government - see my Manifesto.

Mwandila calls for economic relations with S/Africa
Written by Mwila Chansa in Mufulira
Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:29:43 AM

MUFULIRA town clerk Charles Mwandila has said bilateral relations should not just be restricted to politics but should be extended to economic sectors.

Speaking when a two-man delegation from Midvaal Water of South Africa and officials from Mulonga Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) paid a courtesy call on him, Mwandila said extending bilateral cooperation to economic sectors such as water was important in meeting some of the Millennium Development Goals.

Mwandila noted that MWSC could learn a lot from Midvaal in terms of improving water supply and provision of clean and safe water to customers.

He further said there was need for Zambia to consider learning from Midvaal’s approach of sub-contracting municipalities to supply water on their behalf as opposed to the current trend where water utility firms produced, distributed and supplied water to their customers.

And Midvaal Water board chairperson Dikoko Matshedisho observed that although MWSC and his company had similarities in their operations, he was surprised that Mulonga was responsible for producing, distributing and supplying water to customers.

“For us, we are 100 per cent recovery based because the municipality is the one that distributes water on our behalf. They are the ones who deal with collection of money,” he said.

Matshedisho said Midvaal had a big challenge in supplying clean water to its customers because by the time the water reached the river Vaal, contamination and pollution increased unlike Mulonga which tapped water locally.

Meanwhile, MWSC managing director Manuel Mutale said although Matshedisho’s observations regarding water supply were valid, he believed the current Zambian arrangement where water utility firms produced and distributed water was the best for now.

Labels: CHARLES MWANDILA, ECONOMY, MWSC, SOUTH AFRICA, UTILITIES, WATER

posted by MrK @ 9:31 AM