ICYMI: Agricultural union welcomes new water action plan

The South African government has launched a task team under deputy president Paul Mashatile to confront the country's pressing water issues. The Transvaal Agricultural Union welcomed the initiative emphasising effective sustainable water management and collaboration across sectors

The government has formed a task team that will be led by deputy president Paul Mashatile with the key focus on addressing water challenges in South Africa. The Transvaal Agricultural Union (TLU) acknowledged the initiative and emphasised collaboration across sectors, and a long-term vision for sustainable water management.

Bennie van Zyl, the general manager of TLU, said they acknowledged the proposed involvement of the agricultural sector, AfriForum, and Solidarity in addressing the water crisis.

Long overdue action

According to TLU, urgent attention to water challenges in the country has been raised since the late 2000s and previous government administrations knew about the ticking bomb of the water crisis.

“If experts are not allowed to make the necessary adjustments, this attempt by the government must also be seen as a piece of political play before the election,” he said.

Bennie van Zyl, TLU SA general manager. Photo: Supplied/TLU SA

Henk van de Graaf, TLU SA’s chairman of the northern region, said they would participate in discussions to ensure that the necessary expertise for effective water management was mobilised to defuse the time bomb that has been created over time and to put the water supply back on a stable course.

“It’s about much more than just water management and the recruitment of expertise. As long as the government of the day does not ensure that the borders of the country are properly guarded and thousands of foreigners flow uncontrollably over the borders, there will still be pressure on scarce water resources. Any solutions will thus be constantly thwarted,” he said.

According to TLU, many of the water problems the country and farmers face are because experts have been replaced with individuals who may not necessarily be capable of adequately addressing the complexities of water management.

TLU SA highlighted the urgency of addressing the water crisis in South Africa while emphasising the importance of competent leadership, collaboration across sectors, and a long-term vision for sustainable water management.

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