

Chapter 5


WATER RESOURCES

The present situation

South Africa is a dry country. The western and middle parts of the country get very little rain. There is not much water underground, so rivers are an important source of water. South Africa often has droughts. These can last for many years. Because of this, the management of water is very important in South Africa.

The demand for water is getting more every day. The RDP promises water and toilets to all South Africans. To do this, more water must be taken from rivers and dams. Water is also needed for watering crops, growing trees, industry, mining, and for making electricity. As more water is used for each of these, there is less water left in rivers and lakes. This means that the plants and animals that usually live in these areas find it hard to survive.

The biggest use of water in South Africa is for crops. Making electricity and mining can use a lot of the water in one area. This can have a bad effect on the local environment. Industry, ESKOM, and the mines are trying to find ways to use less water and to re-use water.

The PWV (Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging) area needs a lot of water for industry and for the people living there. It doesn't have any big rivers. It is difficult to get enough water for this area.

South Africa has made agreements with Lesotho and Swaziland to get water from them.

South Africa makes a lot of money by selling wood overseas. Growing trees (forestry) can help stop soil erosion. But it uses a lot of water. Since 1972 you have had to have a permit to grow a lot of trees. This is to make sure that there is enough water left for other people in the area to use.

We need to use about one eighth of all the water in the country to keep our wild plants and animals alive. At the moment, we are taking so much water out of rivers that the plants and animals are struggling to live. This has been made worse by pollution in the water from cities, industry and farms. We must be extra careful to protect the areas where rivers join the sea (estuaries). These areas are very important for fish to breed. If they do not get enough fresh water, the fish and other animals can't live there.

BOX 5:

ST. LUCIA

Conflict over land use

St Lucia is just south of the Mozambican border. It includes Africa's biggest estuary, and a string of lakes and wildlife reserves. It has rare mangrove forests, turtle breeding areas, tropical forests, and coral reefs. For almost a hundred years, its wildlife areas have been managed by the Natal Parks Board.

In the 1960s part of the area was set aside for testing weapons by the army. Plantations have been planted on the eastern side. Local communities were forcibly removed from their land.

Some years ago the government gave prospecting rights on the Eastern Shores to Richard's Bay Minerals (RBM). The company wants to mine for titanium in the dunes. Titanium is used, amongst other things, instead of lead in paint.

The CSIR did an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for RBM. The EIA looked at the effects of two possibilities for the area: (1) mining and ecotourism together, and (2) ecotourism by itself. Various experts helped with the study.

Many people were consulted during the process. Some groups in the NUM and the ANC wanted mining to go ahead. Some groups said mining should not be allowed. The local community were only consulted at the end of the process. The land which RBM wanted to mine is part of the traditional lands of a community which was removed in the 1970s.

Instead of waiting for the new government, the process was rushed so that De Klerk's cabinet could make the decision. In December 1993 the Review Panel decided that mining should not be allowed. But by March 1994, the De Klerk cabinet had not yet made their decision even though the Minister for Mineral and Energy Affairs had promised to agree with the Review Panel.

The Review Panel felt that mining would only last for 17 years. After that time, it would take many years for the area to heal. They felt that ecotourism could start much sooner and last much longer. The Natal Parks Board should work with local communities and the private sector to set up an ecotourism project in the area.

But the ownership of the land has still not been resolved. Will the displaced communities go back to their land or will they be given other land instead? Do they have the right to invite mining companies to St. Lucia? Will ecotourism bring jobs to the local people?

Many of the issues are still to be solved. It is up to the new government to make the decision about what happens now.

How is water managed?

In 1956 the Water Act was passed. This gave the government some control over water. But under South African law, water belongs to the person on whose land the river runs. The government only has control over water which is not used by this owner.

The national Department of Water Affairs and Forestry makes policy on water management. This policy is put into practice by regional offices of the Department. These offices each manage one catchment area.

Problems facing the new government

Four million people in towns and cities don't have clean water. These are mainly black people. Many black families in rural areas have to get their water from shared taps or pumps. Often they have to walk a long way to get water. A lot of children get sick from dirty water. At the same time, white families have lots of water for their gardens. And white farmers waste water on their crops. Because they are farmers, they pay less for this water.

The new government must make sure that each person gets enough clean water to stay healthy.

A second issue is how much water is used for different things. The government must make sure that there is enough water for crops and for industry. But it must also make sure that there is enough water for wild animals and plants to survive. These plants and animals are necessary for our survival as well. Wetlands are important areas. They clean pollution out of water in a natural way. We must protect these areas.

The government must make sure that people do not waste water. Where possible, water must be re-used. The cost of water is too low for industry and farmers. But the cost of water is high for poor families. The government must make sure that poor families can afford the water that they need to live. People and industries that use a lot of water should pay more. The cost of water must include the cost of protecting the ecosystems which clean the water, and which put water back into dams and rivers.

Another issue is water quality and pollution control. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry has developed new ways to measure and control pollution. But rivers and dams are still very polluted. The government needs to take a stronger stand against people or organisations that pollute water. The polluters should be made to pay to clean up rivers or dams that they pollute.

The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and the Department of Environment Affairs need to work together better to protect our rivers and dams and make sure that our water is clean. Provincial and local governments should also work with these departments.

Recommendations

1.  The government should develop a national plan to protect our rivers, dams and wetlands. The plan must try to cut down pollution. The plan should look at water supply, soil erosion, forestry, fisheries and protecting the plants and animals. The plan must protect our wetlands.
2.  The government must change its approach to water management. It must make better laws to protect our water. It must organise the government departments better. Different rules and standards must be set for different users of water. All rules and standards must protect the natural environment.
3.  The laws about using water and protecting the environment must be changed. These laws should take into account the needs of all South Africans. These laws need to be put into practice more efficiently. Each government department must know clearly what it is meant to do to protect our water.
4.  The catchment area should be the basic unit for planning and managing water resources.
5.  The government must mobilise communities for community based water management. Women should be involved, especially in stopping damage to the environment and pollution of water. The government must also educate the community. Communities should be involved in policies around protecting wetlands and catchment areas. They should also help to control water pollution in their area.
6.  The government should study what the best kinds of toilets are to use in informal settlements and rural areas. These toilets must protect the health of the community and the environment.
7.  The government must make sure that it can measure the quality and quantity of water that we have in the country. This must be done at national, regional and community levels. We must make sure that we don't take too much water out of our rivers and lakes. If we do, the plants and animals in and near the rivers and wetlands could die.
8.  An environmental impact assessment should be done for any big water development project. Any project that might drain a wetland must have an environmental impact assessment. The EIA must look at the effect on the environment as well as the costs and benefits to local people and to the country as a whole.
9.  Water policy at all levels of government must look at environmental issues. It must make sure that there is enough water left in rivers, in wetlands and in the ground to protect our ecosystems. Our wetlands need special protection.
10. The government should look at changing the price of water. The price should show what water really costs, including costs to the environment. Higher costs would encourage people to use less water and to recycle water.





