How a franchise approach to water services could look based on successes in South Africa

Abstract

Studies undertaken by the CSIR and WRC have found that the concept of social franchising partnerships for the routine maintenance of infrastructure could alleviate and address many challenges in the management of water services. On-going research and pilot implementation has since very much further explored and established the concept of social franchising partnerships for the routine maintenance of water services infrastructure. A substantial body of completed work, of value to water services authorities, potential franchisors and potential franchisees has been published. A pilot project, under way in the Eastern Cape since 2009, has drawn to a successful conclusion. This provided selected infrastructure maintenance services to approximately 400 schools in the Butterworth education district. Irish Aid funded the development of the business model, but the franchisees were paid from the normal Department of Education (DoE) schools operation and maintenance budgets. Despite difficulties arising directly from DoE inefficiencies, the pilot project has proven the value of social franchising partnerships for this kind of work -- the DoE now has a model it can roll out to the rest of the more than 4000 schools across the Eastern Cape which have a similar type of infrastructure. Municipalities in the area have taken up the idea, and have also employed the franchisee micro-businesses to undertake maintenance services. Many opportunities lie in applying the same approach to other operation and/or maintenance activities within the water and sanitation services delivery chain. The time is now ripe to further develop the concept so that it can move up the technology ladder, expanding its range of competencies beyond its current comfort zone.