The water situation in South Africa is dire.

According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, South Africa is classified as a water-stressed country that receives an annual average rainfall of 465mm with high evaporation rates that result in only 8% of the rainfall being converted into runoff.

Figures released by the Department of Water and Sanitation that quantify water losses are equally disturbing — they put non-revenue water losses at 47.4%, with pipe leaks accounting for a staggering 40.8%.

Water insecurity has a far-reaching and devastating impact on many communities, particularly those who reside in townships and rural areas and lack the requisite resources to invest in alternative water retrieval and purification solutions such as boreholes.

The Negative Impact of Water Supply Shortages on Education 

As an organisation committed to building resilient communities and empowering and uplifting individuals to live with financial confidence, we are acutely mindful of school interruptions and the adverse impact of water shortages on educational outcomes, particularly in vulnerable communities.

For this reason, we have embarked on an initiative to install water storage tanks at schools around Gauteng to mitigate the critical challenge of unreliable water supply, which disrupts learning in many township schools. 

The rollout of the water storage tanks initiative complements our Kas'lam programme, which is Sanlam's initiative seeking to foster broader township development and empower and uplift the township economy. 

Water scarcity is an existential risk threatening many communities' sustainability and economic viability. Access to clean water can mean a difference between a thriving local community that is an incubator of innovation and a regressing society defined by the prevalence of societal ills such as crime and grime. 

Girl Children Bear the Biggest Brunt of Water Scarcity 

Studies by the World Bank have found that water insecurity disproportionately affects female learners. The gendered burden of water collection takes valuable time away from school, with girls worldwide spending 200 million hours each day collecting water, especially in the Global South.

Drawing a correlation between girls' empowerment and access to clean water, the World Bank found that girls who lack access to safe water and sanitation at home or school face significant challenges.

The report found, "Compounded by the fact that their safety and health are at risk when they have no choice but to defecate in the open, menstruation poses another reason why girls in impoverished, water-insecure communities do not go to school — access to water and sanitation changes this. For every year a girl stays in school, her income as an adult is expected to increase by 20%."

Water security is more than a necessity. It is a critical lever for unlocking social and economic progress. Sanlam's commitment to sustainability extends beyond environmental stewardship. It's about creating a meaningful impact where it matters most and in the lives of ordinary South Africans. Through Kas'lam, we also address water insecurity in township schools, demonstrating that care and leadership can drive transformational change.

The Kas'lam initiative represents Sanlam's belief that sustainable progress starts by investing in underserved communities. In the past year, we have prioritised water security in township schools by installing water tanks in institutions like Rebongwe Primary School in Soweto. This initiative ensures learners can continue their studies uninterrupted, even during municipal water shortages.

Water security, however, is about more than just infrastructure. It's about creating an enabling environment. From our vantage point, the impact of these interventions is multifaceted. Reliable water access supports sanitation and hygiene, which are essential for the health and dignity of learners. It also ensures that school nutrition programmes, often the only reliable meal for many children, can continue without disruption.

By sourcing installation services locally, this initiative to roll out water storage facilities has positive ripple benefits as it stimulates enterprise development at the local level, which aligns with the ethos of the Kas'lam initiative. This collaboration model is central to driving sustainable growth through inclusivity, co-creation and long-term commitment.

Way Forward — Call to Action

As a responsible corporate citizen, we remain mindful of the critical role that the private sector can play to contribute meaningfully to addressing the social and economic challenges facing the communities in which we operate. The magnitude of our society's challenges is immense but not impossible. Pressing social commitments means that the government’s expenditure is limited.

By working in concert with the government, like-minded non-governmental organisations, companies and local leaders, we can help mitigate water scarcity challenges. 

South Africa continues to reel from the negative impact of climate change, and nowhere does this become apparent than in the crippling droughts and scorching temperatures we are witnessing.

The United Nations forecast that by breaching the 2°C temperature rise above pre-industrial levels, approximately 15% of the global population will experience severe decreases in water access, and the number of people living in absolute water scarcity will increase by 40%.

We need to forge strategic partnerships and act in unison to insulate our children against the far-reaching impact of water shortages on their education and ensure that no one is left behind. Access to safe drinking water and sanitation is a prerequisite to developing a healthy child and foundational to children's education worldwide.

For more information, visit www.sanlam.co.za. You can also follow Sanlam on Facebook, LinkedIn or on X. 

*Image courtesy of contributor