Member Spotlight

Siyabulela Bashe, Director: Commercial Services – Water and Sanitation – City of Cape Town & SWAN Council Member

The City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate is responsible for delivering sustainable, resilient, and equitable water and sanitation services to approximately 5 million residents. Following the severe drought of 2015–2018, the City has become a global reference point for urban water resilience, demand management, digital transformation, and diversified water supply. The Directorate continues to invest in smart technologies, innovative financing models, and collaborative partnerships to future-proof water services in the face of climate change and rapid urbanisation.

The recent 2nd SWAN Cape Town Workshop, themed “Shaping Africa’s Smart Water Future,” brought together over 200 regional and global leaders from utilities, policymakers, and the private sector. Why are gatherings like this so important for advancing water innovation and resilience across Africa?

Gatherings like the SWAN Cape Town Workshop are critical as Africa’s water challenges are complex and interconnected, spanning infrastructure, financing, governance, and climate resilience and no single institution can address them in isolation. These workshops create a platform where ideas move beyond theory into practical collaboration. It allows us to share lessons, challenge conventional thinking and accelerate the adoption of solutions that are already working in similar contexts. Also, these gatherings help build trust and long-term relationships, which are essential for innovation, investment and collaboration at scale. Importantly, they also ensure that Africa is not just a recipient of global knowledge, but an active contributor shaping the future of smart water through its own innovations and experiences.

During your panel on “Collaborative Financing for Climate Water Resilience,” you discussed innovative approaches to funding water infrastructure. Which financing models do you see as most promising for helping African utilities build climate-resilient systems, and how can collaboration between utilities, investors, and development banks accelerate impact on the ground?

Blended financing models remain one of the most promising approaches for African utilities. By combining public funding, concessional finance from development institutions and private sector investment, we can de-risk projects and make them more attractive to scale of investment required for climate-resilient infrastructure and sustainable service.

Performance-based financing is also gaining traction, particularly in areas like non-revenue water reduction and energy efficiency, where outcomes can be clearly measured. This creates accountability while unlocking funding tied directly to impact. As I mentioned during my talk and emphasised during the world bank keynote – equally important is strengthening utility balance sheets and revenue models because sustainable financing ultimately depends on financially viable institutions.

Collaboration is key. When utilities, development banks, financiers, and investors align early, not just at the funding stage, but already during project design, projects can be implemented faster, with better risk allocation and more sustainable outcomes on the ground.

Beyond the formal sessions, what conversations or ideas from the workshop gave you the most optimism about the future of smart water and digital transformation in Africa?

What stood out most was the clear shift from conversations about why digital transformation matters to how we scale it effectively. Practical implementation experiences were shared not only from South Africa but also from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Ghana. This demonstrated a growing maturity across the sector, with utilities actively deploying smart technologies and openly sharing real-world lessons both successes and challenges.

I was particularly encouraged by the strong openness to collaboration across regions. There is a genuine willingness to learn from one another and to adapt solutions to local contexts, rather than replicating them without consideration of local realities. The energy and engagement of younger professionals and emerging leaders were also inspiring, with their participation signaling a future where innovation, sustainability and inclusivity are deeply embedded in how we approach water management across the continent.

Finally, the clear value participants placed on this type of engagement was very encouraging. There was strong support for hosting these workshops more frequently, with Nairobi volunteering to host the next event and with an agreement to launch the SWAN Africa Alliance at this workshop, both of which reflect growing momentum and commitment across the African smart water community.

As a member of the SWAN Council, you help shape the direction of the global smart water ecosystem. What role do you believe networks like SWAN can play in supporting African utilities as they navigate digital transformation and climate challenges?

Networks like SWAN play a critical bridging and enabling role in the ecosystem. They lower the barriers to innovation by connecting utilities with trusted technology providers, peers who have already tested solutions, and financiers looking for credible opportunities.

For African utilities, SWAN provides global exposure, benchmarking opportunities and access to knowledge that is often difficult to obtain locally. Importantly, it also helps ensure that African voices, challenges and solutions are represented in global smart water conversations, shaping technologies and approaches that are fit for purpose in our context.

Beyond that, it fosters continuity, moving engagements from once-off event into sustained partnerships and long-term impact.

Finally, many young professionals across Africa are eager to contribute to solving water challenges. What advice would you share with the next generation of water leaders looking to make an impact in the sector?

Firstly, stay curious and be open to learning. The water sector is evolving rapidly, particularly with the integration of digital technologies, climate adaptation strategies and new financing models, and these future leaders must be ready to adapt.

Secondly, build a strong foundation in the basics, but don’t be afraid to challenge traditional approaches. Innovation often comes from asking different questions, not simply finding enhancements to existing solutions.

Thirdly, collaboration is essential. The most impactful work in this sector happens at the intersection of disciplines — engineering, finance, policy and stakeholder/community engagement. These were the very pillars of engagement at the workshop and remain critical to delivering sustainable water solutions.

Finally, remember that water is fundamentally about people. While technical excellence is important, so too are empathy, leadership and the ability to drive change that meaningfully improves lives.

My call to the next generation of water leaders is to step forward with confidence, engage in platforms like SWAN, seek mentors, share ideas boldly and actively shape the future of water in Africa. Your voice, energy and innovation are not only welcome, they are needed now more than ever!