Whatshot
Celebrating 20 years of conserving water and sustaining life
Celebrating 20 years of conserving water and sustaining life
Reflecting on 2 decades of excellence in service delivery, Siza Water celebrated its 20th anniversary with an elegant dinner function at the Fairmont Zimbali Hotel on Friday, August 16.
With Siza Water being a loyal supporter of the local economy, the evening had a scintillating cultural flavour with all corporate gifts and entertainment sourced from local suppliers.
Each guest received a genuine Aranda blanket, made in Isithebe by the same company that supplied blankets used in the Hollywood blockbuster movie, Black Panther. The blankets were neatly rolled up and tied together with colourful sling straps created by Umusa kaManase, a local small business based in Shayamoya. Guests' name tags were attached to exquisitely beaded lanyards also made by Umusa kaManase that Ilembe deputy mayor Dolly Shandu remarked could almost be worn as jewellery.
Siza Water's Chairman of the board of directors, Mark van Wyk said the company started under difficult circumstances when it was formed in 1999. At the time government had for several years not invested in water and sanitation services and Siza Water was handed the colossal task of rectifying massive water losses, a failing sewer network, unreliable water services as well as financing infrastructure upgrades for the area's projected growth.
Today Siza Water not only delivers some of the most efficient water services in the country but also adds value to the community through extensive investment in youth and community development, empowerment of women as well as ongoing staff training and education. Ilembe Deputy Mayor Dolly Shandu praised Siza Water for the fruits the District enjoys as a result of their positive relationship with the company and the great work undertaken by Siza in creating a conducive environment to support economic growth in the Ilembe District.
When South African Water Works (SAWW) recently purchased the entire Sembcorp company share, Siza Water shed its international skin.
"Being 100% owned by South African stakeholders, the rebranding of Siza water and our 20th year of exceptional service delivery are just a few of our recent milestones. These are enormous achievements for us as we continue to adapt and grow under the banner of SAWW. We wish to thank our international shareholders for empowering the local management team and assisting us in running our utility company. We now focus on further enhancing the service delivery to our customers and the Ilembe district," said Siza Water managing director, Shyam Misra.