United Nations Public Service Awards Case Studies

Masibambane water sector support programme is nominated to UNSPA due to its innovative role towards achieving transparency, accountability and responsiveness through the establishment collaboration structures incorporating Public, Private and Civil Society Sectors with donors, towards achieving the MDGs for water and sanitation.

CPSI Innovation Award 2006 was granted to this programme for transforming the water sector which can be replicated in others sectors in South Africa and beyond.

Transformation of the state posed three enormous challenges. First, transformation not only meant integrating the old with the new, but also shifting the paradigm from the apartheid government serving the white minority to an equitable government serving its entire people. One government with nine provinces, each with its own Parliament, was formed from the old White South Africa and previous homeland governments. Civil servants needed to adopt an approach consistent with the new government’s ambitious development agenda and to work together.

Second, it has been a challenge to put into practice the progressive specification of the South African Constitution (1996), which calls for cooperative governance across national, provincial & local government spheres...

Finally, local government had to be established from scratch in the ex-Bantustans and previously white-only municipalities had to extend their functions and borders to serve all. The most acute challenge was to address the vast discrepancies between developed and under-developed localities. With the aim of bringing local government close to the people, 804 transitional municipalities were legislated. However, discrepancies in economic bases and capacity levels meant that 284 municipalities were ultimately established through a demarcation process completed in 1999.

These challenges have been strongly evident in the water services sector and Masibambane’s sector wide approach (SWAP) has been pivotal in addressing them. While water resource management is a national competency, local government is mandated to provide water services. Given that bureaucracies all over the world tend to work in silos, it has been a real challenge for the water sector to work together across the spheres of government.

Masibambane went beyond being a SWAP in the technical sense of budgetary support through the pooling of donor funding, to building a common sector identity and sense of ownership, Masibambane reflects a new way of working together that will continue far beyond donor support. It means joint policy formulation, strategising and planning, collaborative implementation, and collective accountability.

Moreover structures, mechanisms, and processes that allow sector members across government and outside of government to genuinely work together were established. Transforming the state into democratic and accountable government can only be achieved through the participation of civil society and by ensuring citizens’ voices are heard. It is local government that reaches and serves local people. Therefore a critical focus has been local government support.

The DPSA established the CPSI in order to promote and recognise innovation and to share and spread good practice. Its nomination recognises that Masibambane’s experiences and lessons have direct relevance for other sectors and government departments in South Africa, while also being instructive for other developing countries facing the challenge of delivering on the MDGs.

What is the initiative about? (the solution)
Given the nature of Masibambane - supporting the sector to deliver on its goals through a sector wide approach-- its achievements are those of the sector, all of which cannot be captured here. This submission will focus on a few examples of successful collaboration and sector achievements that were undoubtedly advanced through a sector wide approach. Masibambane enabled the water sector to collaboratively and proactively manage the transformation agenda and 19 targets agreed by the sector and endorsed by the government. MDG for halving the water backlog was reached 14 years ahead of target. Decentralisation of the water services function from national government to Water Services Authorities (WSAs) entailed supporting municipalities as part of deepening democracy towards adopting their new authority, powers, and functions and to determine and establish appropriate institutional arrangements for water and sanitation provision. Sector structures were established comprising of public, private & civil society sectors and donors, providing a basis for reporting from parliament to ‘grass root’ levels, and implement efficiently and effectively through collaboration, not mere consultation. Collaboration resulted in setting targets within a common framework, developing strategies and plans to meet these goals, coordinating implementation, and learning from each other. Masibambane spearheaded improved planning: the joint development of policies, strategies and plans. Comprehensive monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework was developed and rolled out as an essential component of sustainability thus promoting responsiveness. The donor requirements were harmonised with government and sector requirements and programmes implemented using national and international best practice thus minimising transaction costs. Plans are reported against on a quarterly and annual basis throughout the sector. This has led to a holistic and comprehensive view of the sector by the sector. The M, E & Reporting system was presented to the 4th World Water Forum in Mexico in March 2006 and was adopted as best practice. The following achievements emanated from improved planning and organisation: • Delivery exceeded the government target in the three provinces on which Masibambane focused by such a wide margin that it raised the average in the other six provinces that fell below the government target. From 2001/2 to 2003/4, the sector delivered water to nearly 3.2 million people and sanitation to nearly 229 000 households, exceeding the government targets by 7.8% and 9% respectively. • The sector was prepared for the transfer of funding directly to municipalities with the result that water services were best able to utilise the funds, accounting for 52% of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) expenditure in the first year. Masibambane Programme is now replicated and adopted in Water Sector in Sri Lanka as part of South African Water Sector Support to Tsunami affected countries to enable them to use disaster to get the governance right. This approach is also offered to SADC for implementation

Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
1994- 1997 DWAF takes on ex-Bantustan schemes & WS role Drives national community based infrastructure projects CWSS for basic services to provide water to 14m and sanitation to 24m people mainly in rural areas Wall to wall transitional LG – 804 municipalities Huge variance in capacity SALGA (organised LG body) established 1997- 2000 Transition to programmatic approach. Top slicing for Institutional Dev & sustainability BoTT – Build Operate, Train & Transfer Partnership with Private and NGOs to accelerate delivery LG legislation for new structures & systems 1999 Demarcation process and 2000 elections 2000- 2003 Masibambane funds and drives sector collaboration with Local Govt at its centre WSA* focus Transfers & preparing for decentralisation Free basic water LG legislation for new structures & systems 1999 Demarcation process 2000 Elections 2000-2001 Gearing up for Masibambane Programme with assistance from Netherlands 2001-2004 Masibambane Phase 1 launched in 3 provinces with greatest need. Focus: • Sector orientation • Service Delivery • Institutional development & support • MDG for halving water backlog met in 2001 284 municipalities established 3 categories:- ▪ Metro ▪ District ▪ Local …still capacity variance New Powers & Functions led to 155 WSAs 2003- 2006 DWAF restructured for regulatory role Strategic Framework for WS developed and adopted by the sector and SA Cabinet Sept 2003 Sector Approach Extended Institutional Reform Masibambane phase 11 2004-2007 launched extended the programme to cover all 9 provinces. Culture of Collaboration & sharing entrenched Consolidated Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) launched – DWAF capital program migrates to MIG Project Consolidate: integrated focus on strengthening LG & service delivery as political priority Determining WSP arrangements 2005-6 Masibambane programme adopted in Sri Lanka as part of SA support to Tsunami affected countries 2006 Masibambane approach offered to SADC to accelerate delivery of MDGs November 2006- Centre for Public Service Innovation South Africa -Innovation Award -2006 was granted to Masibambane Programme 2006 Vuna award for best local Government Support programme

Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
a. What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
Masibambane was started as a means of strengthening and accelerating water services delivery by building collaboration with private, public and civil soceity sectors and with donors. Its innovative approach created a paradigm shift in the way the sector – as led by DWAF – worked together. At the birth of our new democracy, DWAF took over responsibility for water and sanitation delivery in the absence of local government, especially in the ex-bantustans. This gave rise to a nationally driven programme and centralized approach. Institutionally this created significant problems for two reasons. First, authority and responsibility for the delivery of water was the constitutional mandate of municipalities. Second, there are a range of government departments and other organisations that are not only relevant, but critical to planning and implementing water and sanitation projects. Furthermore donors were providing funds for a myriad of uncoordinated projects that supported their area of interest. Dealing on an individual basis with many donors, over and above the existing focus and work of DWAF, was exacerbating the already fragmented nature of DWAF’s work with heavy transaction costs. Masibambane, is a R2,2 billion water services sector support programme that was initiated in 2000 and launched in 2001. Over the last five years, it has instituted a “sector wide approach” that not only addressed the two tendencies discussed above, but significantly built a more organised sector with informed members able to fulfil their roles. The EU worked with DWAF to initiate an approach in which donors pooled their contributions and put them toward the Department’s budget, thereby ensuring the objectives and outputs were government-led. At the same time, the planning and budgeting processes were changed to ensure that they were driven by the sector as a whole, rather than by DWAF alone. From 2004 Masibambane was extended countrywide, making it possible to describe Masibambane as truly sector-wide. Masibambane structures are innovative in bringing together participants from all three spheres of government, donors, and non-government organisations from across the political and executive divide in a forum. Donors bring in their experiences and knowledge; donors are one of many partners, laying to rest any concerns about donors asserting control of the process. The Water Services Sector Leadership Group (WSSLG) gives strategic guidance and coordination to the sector and, although they are not legislated, provincial sector fora come together with local role-players to identify their needs and to develop strategies and plans. This has resulted in a dramatic improvement in sector effectiveness and efficiency, which is evident in improved service delivery. Moreover, government is able to focus on strengthening its institutional capacity and ensuring accountability to citizens instead of running parallel processes and projects. Through this process Masibambane has created a platform for addressing “soft issues” related to the quality and sustainability of delivery, which are commonly noted but frequently fall by the wayside. These include appropriate technology, environmental impact management, gender mainstreaming, and greater civil society engagement. Importantly the challenge of HIV/AIDS in the water sector is being taken up seriously, looking at its impact in sector workplaces and on future need and planning, ensuring affected persons and communities hardest hit are prioritised for water services.

b. What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
The focus of the water sector has been on ensuring democratic, accountable government to deal with the apartheid legacy in which people were not served. Underlying this focus was the conviction that citizens must participate but that spaces need to be created. This is precisely what Masibambane has been doing by including all sector partners, not simply at national and provincial levels but most importantly local government, in working together toward the provision of sustainable water and sanitation to all. By widening participation through the sector wide approach and new collaborative structures, Masibambane is helping to transform the government to be accountable to its citizens. Masibambane’s prioritisation of local government is apparent in each of its focus areas: • sector orientation Masibambane has empowered local government by replacing a top down or formally consultative approach with one in which decisions are decentralised through participative processes; • service delivery Masibambane has prepared Water Services Authorities to take transfer of water schemes and implement their own infrastructure development through direct funding; and • institutional development and support Masibambane has prioritised support to local government, especially recently established District Municipalities in rural areas. This focus has meant levelling the playing field with local government taking central stage while DWAF fulfils its leadership role through policy development, support, regulation, and monitoring. The municipal voices are heard in the provincial sector fora and through their representative structure SALGA on national fora. Masibambane funds and supports SALGA’s water services unit, which has been critical to mobilising municipal councillors and officials, bringing them on board, and supporting them to engage in sectoral decision-making processes. SALGA plays a prominent role in the sector: no decision about water services is made without SALGA’s participation. Masibambane also supported councillor training as well as the formation and running of the District Water Services Managers Forum and the Water Service Provider network. Finally, it has supported local government to access funds, become better informed, share lessons, and identify support needs and develop appropriate responses.

c. What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
Given Masibambane is primarily a vehicle for change, ushering in a new way of working together, strategies are those of the sector, developed and implemented by sector partners. However there is one strategy that can be seen as that of Masibambane per se: the manner in which Masibambane was introduced, managed, and inculcated into the sector. From the outset the over-riding intention was to ensure that Masibambane was not perceived as a separate programme and the preserve of a directorate or a department. Nor could Masibambane be seen as a conduit for donor funding. To succeed it was also essential to avoid the temptation of establishing a Masibambane entity with its own capacity. Rather it was vital to identify and support champions and drivers within the sector organisations and, through them, unleash a new paradigm and culture of working. Clearly this was to ensure institutionalisation and ownership so that support was determined by and met the needs of the sector. The measure of success in this strategy is the fact that Masibambane – meaning “Let’s Work Together” in isiZulu –has become the slogan of the sector rather than a programme. Masibambane’s sector wide approach created an enabling environment for policy and strategy development. The overarching Strategic Framework for Water Services developed by all key role-players in 2003 provides a common vision for the sector for the next ten years and sets specific targets and Key Performance Indicators that need to be met. Masibambane’s collaborative structures are responsible for formulating strategies for priority areas, taking a programmatic approach. While the extensive number of programmes developed by the sector cannot be listed here, key among the national strategies are Sector Support, Regulations, and Institutional Reform, which are led and driven by DWAF. Under SALGA, municipalities themselves are involved in a national benchmarking programme, which is identifying standards and means of measuring performance, the results of which are shared through peer review. All programmes focus on local realities, but the local level is particularly central to Provincial Water Sector Plans. In formulating these plans, local government works with local and provincial role players to develop strategies that address the particular needs of local areas within the economic and social development framework of the province. DWAF offers support through the creation of one-stop shops, municipal support plans and joint response teams. Strategies that engage directly with basic service delivery include the provision of sanitation and water supply infrastructure to respond to backlogs through MIG, Operation Gijima for sanitation delivery, and bucket eradication. They have also focused on implementing the free basic water policy of providing six kilolitres of free water to each household as well as the improvement of sanitation, health, and hygiene. Institutionally, the strategic focus has been on building the capacity of WSAs and transferring schemes from DWAF to them. Municipalities have implemented the “Section 78” process, the legislative section that requires municipalities to review existing institutional arrangements and decide on an appropriate institution to act as a local Water Service Provider. Water sector partners have also embarked on institutional reform to decide on institutional arrangements that have economies of scale for sustained service. Masibambane’s sector collaboration ensures joint action on strategies established by each of these programmes. As sector leader, DWAF ensures that this happens.

d. What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
The sector wide approach engendered by Masibambane is a first in the water and sanitation sector and has been highly innovative in its application. There has been a marked difference from the way things used to be done when DWAF treated water services as a national programme that was its responsibility. Now sector partners initiate collaboration and provide leadership around the direction of the sector. This has been a culture change from a top down, nationally driven approach. Sector partners also engage with reports from other departments and programmes that are not water-specific. Examples include as the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG), Municipal Systems Improvement Grant, Project Consolidate to support local government, Presidential Izimbizo to address the people’s needs, and Health and Education departments. This has not only improved inter-departmental coordination, but it has also strengthened the sector’s holistic engagement with water and sanitation. Masibambane has been operating for over five years and is clearly sustainable. It has developed momentum as structures have taken root at all levels and sector partners have developed a deep appreciation of the importance and impact of a sector wide approach. Its only reliance is on the subscription and participation of DWAF, as the sector leader, and of sector partners, which are in no doubt. Masibambane has demonstrated its impact through dramatically improved service delivery figures and the transformation and decentralisation of the sector as well as the stated experience of sector partners and their ongoing commitment to this approach. This has been recognised in Masibambane being awarded the Water Globe Award (2002), the CPSI Innovation Award (2006), and the Vuna Award (2006), through which local government itself recognised DWAF as the best sector department for local government support. One of Masibambane’s successes has been greater coordination of donor funds, minimising duplication and ensuring that donor funding is “harmonised” to support the aim of the sector instead of separate donor driven programmes. This is evident in the sector budget reflected in Masibambane, which was donor R 798 831 143 and DWAF R 3 412 757 591 for the first three years (2001-2004) and is estimated at donor R 563 870 605 and DWAF R 4 364 885 000 for the next three years (2004-2007). About 17.5 percent of funding, a total of R1 362 701 748 over the six year period, was provided by donors to build on existing funds from DWAF. Donor contributions were in the form of a direct contribution to the South African government budget. The main donors included the European Commission (85.3%); Irish Aid (9.8%); and the Netherlands, the Swiss, and Flanders (together 4.9%) of the donor fund contribution. Institutional development and support provided through Masibambane ensures a well performing sector. A key innovation is transferring donor funds directly from DWAF to sector partners: • to manage priority projects (Water Research Commission, Rand Water, Durban Metro, National Community Water & Sanitation Training Institute, and Mvula Trust) and • to fund posts in organisations (SALGA, dplg, and municipalities) to strengthen their water services capacity or, as in the case of DWAF, to reinforce their leadership role in building an organised & collaborative sector… Recipient organisations are expected to absorb these posts and institutionalise this expertise. Masibambane also supports an extensive Civil Society Support Programme that has developed the capacity of a range of NGOs countrywide to help implement water and sanitation projects.

Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
Masibambane has exhibited its growing momentum. It started in three provinces and has been replicated and extended to the entire country. It has not been isolated at one level, but operated at the national, provincial and local levels as well as between them. The way in which Masibambane has been funded has ensured its sustainability. The South African government is the main financial contributor (82.5 percent), so issues of donor reliance are largely inapplicable. Funding that has been provided by donors has gone to the Department to support the aims of the sector. A conscious decision was taken at the outset not to formalise the sector collaborative structures as the ultimate test of their value lay in the fact that participants could ‘vote with their feet’. With the direct transfer of the bulk of the budget to municipalities, the primary incentive of access to funds was removed and the demise of sector structures and processes was feared. However they have grown from strength to strength, which is true testimony to their usefulness and purpose. Sector partners have recognised the value of a sector wide approach, considering the process not just valuable, but essential. Perhaps above all, Masibambane has created a new way of thinking about water and sanitation through a sector wide approach, which has the potential to be replicated in other sectors. Sector participants are better informed through this inclusive process, which results in learning as well as in improved delivery. Sector partners have been convinced by their experiences of the wide ranging effects of a sector wide approach that this not only the best, but also the only way to operate. In this way, the sector wide approach engendered by Masibambane is self-sustaining. A measure of Masibambane’s sustainability is located in its success in giving rise to special interest groups such as the District Water Services Manager’s Forum and the Water Service Providers Network. Even the private sector has become involved, spearheading the placement of engineers in municipalities. Another key initiative supported through Masibambane has been the formation of the Water Information Network (WIN), within which knowledge sharing has significantly helped to share lessons and avoid reinventing the wheel and replicating mistakes. President Mbeki successfully lobbied the G8 Summit in Gleneagles to increase aid to developing countries from $20 billion to $50 billlion per annum. Only by working in a collaborative manner will governments be able to spend these funds. Masibambane is an important example of collaboration in the South African water sector, which is now being scaled up to a South African regional level. Hopefully there are lessons from Masibambane for the donor community. South Africa has been invited to share its Masibambane experience with the water sectors of a number of other countries and on international platforms for replication world wide, including the Mexico World Water Forum and the Dakar WASH Conference as well as in Southern Sudan, Uganda, Egypt and Sri Lanka.

What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
An ongoing challenge for Masibambane is to be responsive and forward looking, ensuring that collaborative structures and processes do not become habitual and staid but remain dynamic and innovative. Allowing flexibility and conducting regular reviews, while checking alignment to Inter-Governmental Relations Framework, has proved worthwhile. The major challenge of the next period is to bridge the divide between water services and water resources and to extend the Masibambane concept to reflect the entire water sector, within the vision of water for growth and development. This needs to be done without weakening current collaboration or sacrificing gains already made. More attention will be given to the water as a resource that underpins economic development and improved livelihoods. It is also crucial to extend the current focus on Water Service Authorities to Water Services Providers and to deepen their inclusion. One of the initial challenges faced by Masibambane was to build an understanding that it was not a mere conduit for donor funding. Fortunately, as Masibambane has become well known and gained wide involvement and commitment, people’s understanding of Masibambane as a sector wide approach and a way of working together has grown. The critical challenges facing the water and sanitation sector are: • continuing institutional reform, moving beyond addressing basic services only, and planning services to underpin economic growth and social development; • meaningfully meeting the needs of the indigent and responding to the massive HIV/AIDs challenge; • ensuring sound regulation of the sector and appropriate benchmarks for quality of delivery; and, • perhaps the most urgent of all, building the institutional and human resource capacity of the sector. Support to build the sector’s capacity can only be achieved through collaboration and a thorough knowledge of the sector’s needs. The challenge is to implement capacity building plans effectively and to address the human resource gaps, which take time to take root. A key lesson learned is to draw upon existing expertise (such as Metros, Water Boards, retired engineers, and academic and training institutions) for hands on support, to retain scarce capacity, and to share lessons across water practitioners. This has highlighted the importance of peer learning, the promotion of a learning culture in the sector, and the growth and progress of the networks. In terms of lessons, a central part of Masibambane has been to systematically measure performance, isolate lessons, and establish a reporting system to ensure improvements are implemented. Since the inception of Masibambane, there have been quarterly reports on progress and targets as well as regular mid-term and end of term evaluations, which make recommendations for improvement that sector partners have to report against. A more general range of lessons have been identified around collaboration as well as peer learning and good practices. This has resulted in the prioritisation of knowledge sharing and the establishment of the Water Information Network (WIN).


Institution Name:		Deapartment of Water Affairs and Forestry
Institution Type:		Government Department
Contact Person:		Kalinga Pelpola
Title:		Programme Manager
Telephone/ Fax:		+27 12 336 8798
Institution's / Project's Website:		+ 27 12 326 3348
E-mail:		paa@dwaf.gov.za
Address:		P.Bag X313
Postal Code:		0001
City:		Pretoria
State/Province:		Gauteng
Country:		South Africa

The Problem

Solution and Key Benefits

Actors and Stakeholders

(a) Strategies

(b) Implementation

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

(d) Use of Resources

Sustainability and Transferability

Lessons Learned

Contact Information