Following the conclusion of the national and provincial elections, Agri SA looked at important issues of water governance that made headlines in the last administration and what is needed for the next five years.
In a statement, Agri SA reflected on the initiatives taken by the government with different ministers and the impact it had on the agricultural sector.
A lot has happened since the previous general elections in 2019. In taking stock of its achievements, the sixth democratically elected administration since 1994 has been particularly active, especially concerning water governance, said Agri SA.
Changes in water department
“Soon after elections in 2019, minister Lindiwe Sisulu was appointed to lead the then newly constituted department of human settlements, water and sanitation. In November of that year, minister Sisulu presented a National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (NWSMP) for implementation.
“At the time, the plan was praised for its sobering factual account of South Africa’s water situation. It contained a comprehensive collection of actions required in relation to water infrastructure development, institutional reform and capital and financial investment, with specific timelines by which specified actions needed to be performed. The NWSMP was widely consulted upon, and the agricultural sector actively participated in its creation,” Agri SA said in the statement.
According to Agri SA, following the separation of the water and sanitation and human settlements cabinet portfolios in 2021, a few things in terms of governance were noted with the appointment of Dr Sean Phillips as director-general of the department of water and sanitation (DWS).
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Water issues still unresolved
“The following year (2022), saw a range of important legislative and policy developments with respect to water governance. This included long-awaited Blue and Green Drop reports on water quality (with highly disturbing results), a business case for the creation of an independent water regulator.
“As well as a transformation charter (later renamed guidelines) for the conversion of irrigation boards to water user associations. This was followed by further draft regulations for the use of water for fracking and underground gasification.”
However, Agri SA said the unfinalised verification and validation of existing lawful water uses (ELUs) remained.
“Since 1998, when South Africa’s current National Water Act came into effect, registered ELUs have been allowed to continue as a transitional mechanism whereby water users may continue using water until such time as compulsory licensing is called for.
“Until such time as verification and validation of such ELUs are finalised (as expected to be done in 2026), government will arguably not have the most important piece of the South African water governance puzzle. This is significant since without verification and validation of existing lawful water uses being completed, government cannot conclusively show that it knows which water uses are lawfully exercised, by whom, and where,” the organisation stated further.
Agri SA said the sixth administration will be remembered as a particularly vigorous one when it comes to water-related governance and legislative and policy development in South Africa.
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