By Ramateu Monyokolo, Chairperson of AWSISA and Rand Water
The future of water security in South Africa will not be secured by infrastructure alone. It will be secured by people. More specifically, it will be secured by a generation of young South Africans equipped with the skills, opportunities, confidence and determination to build, manage and protect our water resources and water services for decades to come. For us in the water sector, youth empowerment is central to our mission and to the long-term sustainability of our country.
As South Africa commemorates Youth Month, we pay tribute to the courageous generation of 16 June 1976. Their sacrifice was not only a struggle against an unjust education system. It was a struggle for dignity, equality, opportunity and a better future for generations to come. The young people who marched through the streets of Soweto understood that education was about unlocking human potential and creating the conditions for a life of dignity and freedom.
Today, as beneficiaries of their courage, we must ask ourselves whether we are doing enough to safeguard that future. One of the most pressing challenges facing young people today is poor water provision. Across many communities, unreliable water supply disrupts schooling, undermines public health, limits economic opportunities and erodes human dignity.
For millions of young South Africans, access to clean and reliable water remains an everyday struggle. Water insecurity threatens not only our present well-being but also our prospects for growth and development. A learner cannot thrive in a school without adequate water and sanitation. A young entrepreneur cannot build a successful enterprise without reliable services. Communities cannot prosper when households face recurring water shortages. Water security is therefore not merely an infrastructure challenge; it is a developmental imperative and a social justice issue.
The generation of 1976 challenged injustice and demanded dignity. The generation of today confronts a different struggle defined by unemployment, inequality, poverty, climate change, technological disruption and growing pressure on scarce natural resources. Among these challenges, water security stands out as one of the defining issues of our time.
The question before us is whether we are preparing young people not merely to inherit these challenges, but to solve them. The answer, increasingly, is yes. Across the water sector, a deliberate effort is underway to position young people at the centre of development, innovation and economic participation. From the Department of Water and Sanitation to water boards, catchment management agencies, municipalities, private sector partners and academic institutions, a growing ecosystem of programmes is opening doors for young South Africans to enter and shape the sector.
This commitment is informed by a simple reality. South Africa’s water sector requires a new generation of engineers, scientists, artisans, technicians, entrepreneurs and community leaders. Large sections of the sector face skills shortages while many experienced professionals are approaching retirement. The sustainability of our water future depends on cultivating new talent today.
The Department of Water and Sanitation has expanded efforts aimed at developing scarce and critical skills. Through bursary programmes, internships, graduate placements, learnerships and experiential learning opportunities, thousands of young people have been given pathways into the sector. These initiatives are not simply about employment. They are about building professional capacity and creating a pipeline of future leaders who will steward South Africa’s water resources.
Water boards have similarly emerged as important platforms for youth development. Across the country, they continue to invest in artisan training, technical apprenticeships, engineering development programmes and graduate recruitment initiatives. These programmes provide practical experience and leadership skills.
The impact of these initiatives extends far beyond the workplace. Every young engineer trained, every artisan developed and every graduate mentored contributes to the resilience of communities that depend on reliable water services. Youth development therefore becomes a direct investment in water security itself.
Equally important is the work being undertaken by catchment management agencies and water management institutions. These entities are increasingly involving young people in environmental monitoring, water conservation projects, river rehabilitation programmes and community-based water governance initiatives. Such programmes cultivate technical competence, environmental stewardship and civic responsibility.
This is particularly important in an era defined by climate change. The future of water management will require innovative solutions to droughts, floods, pollution and ecosystem degradation. Young people bring the innovation and energy needed to address these challenges.
Perhaps one of the most encouraging developments is the growing recognition that youth empowerment cannot be limited to employment alone. Entrepreneurship must become a central pillar of transformation within the water sector. The construction, maintenance and expansion of water infrastructure create significant opportunities for small and medium enterprises. Through procurement reforms, supplier development programmes and targeted support for emerging businesses, increasing numbers of young entrepreneurs are entering value chains that were once inaccessible.
Young people are establishing businesses that support water infrastructure development, from engineering consultancies to technology start-ups. They are introducing innovative approaches to leak detection, smart water management, digital monitoring systems, wastewater treatment and environmental sustainability.
This entrepreneurial ecosystem is critical because economic participation creates dignity, ownership and long-term growth. It transforms young people from job seekers into job creators while strengthening local economies. Importantly, the progress we are witnessing is not solely the result of institutional interventions. Young people themselves have risen to the occasion.
Across the country, young engineers, scientists, artisans and entrepreneurs are leading projects, advancing research, maintaining critical systems and solving practical water challenges. They are reclaiming their place in the economy not through entitlement, but through competence, innovation and hard work. Their achievements challenge outdated assumptions about youth. Far from being passive recipients of opportunity, young South Africans are demonstrating remarkable resilience and determination. They are proving that when given access to education, mentorship and opportunity, they can compete, lead and excel.
Yet significant challenges remain. Youth unemployment remains unacceptably high. Many graduates struggle to gain workplace experience, while funding and access to opportunities remain barriers, particularly in rural areas. These realities demand a renewed commitment from all stakeholders.
Government must continue investing in skills development and employment creation. Water institutions must deepen mentorship and professional development programmes. The private sector must expand opportunities for young entrepreneurs and suppliers. Educational institutions must strengthen alignment between academic training and industry needs.
Most importantly, youth empowerment must be integrated into every aspect of water sector planning and implementation. It cannot be treated as an add-on or compliance requirement. It must be recognised as a strategic investment in the future sustainability of the sector.
The Association of Water and Sanitation Institutions of South Africa (AWSISA) firmly believes that youth development and water security are inseparable objectives. One cannot be achieved without the other. A country that neglects its young people cannot secure its water future. Equally, a country that secures opportunities for its youth strengthens its prospects for sustainable development.
As we reflect during Youth Month, we should challenge ourselves to leave behind a water-secure South Africa. Future generations will inherit our rivers, dams, wetlands and groundwater resources. They deserve infrastructure that works, accountable institutions and policies that protect this precious resource for decades to come.
At the same time, water security is not the responsibility of government alone. As future leaders, young people must embrace their role as custodians of our natural resources. They must use water responsibly, protect the environment and promote a culture of conservation in their homes, schools, workplaces and communities.
The future of South Africa’s water sector is already taking shape in classrooms, training centres, laboratories, construction sites, treatment plants, boardrooms and communities across the country. It is taking shape in the hands of young South Africans who understand that water is life and that progress demands action.
Let us commit ourselves to building a water sector that is inclusive, innovative and youth-centred. Let us invest boldly in skills, entrepreneurship and leadership development. Let us create pathways that enable young people not only to participate in the sector, but to lead it.
If we do so, we will achieve far more than youth empowerment. We will honour the legacy of the generation of 16 June 1976 in a manner worthy of their sacrifice. We will secure South Africa’s water future, strengthen our economy and build a generation capable of carrying our nation forward with confidence. Anything less would amount to a betrayal of the sacrifices made by the generation of 1976.
