The Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) recently hosted the Eswatini Water Services Corporation (EWSC), for a three-day benchmarking visit on the water sector in Botswana from August 30 to 31 in Gaborone.
Speaking at the official opening of the visit recently, WUC Chief Executive Officer Gaselemogwe Senai said the relationship between the two utilities started with a visit by WUC to Eswatini in June 2023, which culminated in a twinning agreement and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
He pointed out that the relationship between WUC and ESWC is based on shared values and common interests. “We have through the MoU identified specific areas of strength in our organisations as well as opportunities for mutual support to jointly achieve regional competitiveness and excellence. We have the same customer service value proposition as both organisations endeavor to delight customers through excellent service amidst the water crisis that we must deal with and contend with daily,’’ Senai elaborated.
He told the Eswatini delegation that WUC is building a massive infrastructure countrywide, both at the behest of the government of Botswana, which is financed mainly from government coffers, and from the utility’s own balance sheet. “All these are intended to appease the customer and exceed expectations,’’ Senai stated. WUC has also started discussions with Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater) to bring it on board for a possible tripartite agreement with a view to maximizing utilities for regional collaboration, particularly in staff development and training.
For her part, EWSC Managing Director Jabulile Mashwama said the relationship between the two utilities was based on common goals and values, pointing out that they both wanted to find innovative ways of regionally providing water at the lowest cost possible. She further added that the visit was an opportunity for EWSC to benchmark talent management and development from WUC, which it considers a leader in organisational development. The three-day visit included presentations from both WUC and EWSC on topics such as operational governance, project management and site visits to WUC’s water supply infrastructures and projects.
