Ladies and gentlemen of the media, this morning I will be delivering the 2013/14 Budget Vote for the Department of Water Affairs. This budget will serve as a guide for how we move forward toward the achievement of the goals we have set out in our plans to meet the evergrowing demand for water in our country and the fulfilment of the responsibility placed on us by our Constitution.
Ensuring water security remains a key focus area of the work of this department. In the past year we have stepped up our planning toward maintaining a steady and assured supply of water well into the future.
Our work towards a transformative water policy, legislative framework and a requisite national water resource strategy will ensure not only a water secured future but a future guaranteed of an equitable and distributive water regime in our country. Our approach towards a sustainable future of water security and security of supply will thwart the speculative predictions about South Africa running out of water into the near future.
As I said before, we will not run out of water in this country if we make sure that we all commit to the full implementation of our future plans and with that, invite the participation of all stakeholders in the water business. Our strategic plans are sound and geared towards a sustainable future water security but they require that everyone of us make their small contribution at every turn to guarantee a water secure future for generations to come.
Added to our efforts to maintain security of supply, our leading research institution, the Water Research Commission is spearheading initiatives aimed at securing the future of the country’s water assets, with studies such as the Water Resources study which will be complete in 2016. This study will among others, provide a national water resource assessment of all surface and groundwater in the country.
The issue of the functionality of municipal infrastructure and sustainable service delivery is another area in which we will sharpen our focus in the 2013/14 financial year. Census 2011 confirmed that only 86% of our households have functional services.
We are concerned that statistics show that at least 9 to 10% of existing services are dysfunctional and a further 24% experience serious services challenges. But being concerned is of course not sufficient as we need to address these challenges and do all within our power to turn these figures around to reflect progress and growth.
Improving the skills base in the water sector is the key to the success of our efforts and ensuring security of supply. We appreciate the work done by the Water Research commission in this regard. During 2012/13 close to 500 post‐graduate students were actively involved in WRC‐funded projects.
I am also encouraged by the fact that, of these, 42% were female and that most of the projects fall within the engineering or science categories of research. More than half of WRC‐funded students are Previously Disadvantaged Individuals.
The announcement by the Government of the Strategic Integrated Projects (SIPs) last year has given further impetus to our work and the advancement of issues of equity and service delivery. As you are aware, SIP 18 speaks to the delivery of water and sanitation services to all South Africans ‐ the Department of Water Affairs is the lead department in this program and we are therefore compelled to prioritise, among others, infrastructure development going forward.
The De Hoop Dam is in its final stage of completion. I am glad to announce that the storage of water has already started and the dam is currently at 16.85% full with approximately 58, 55 million cubic meters of water stored.
The work on the first pipeline which connects Water treatment Works at Steelpoort from the De Hoop Dam has already started and is expected to be complete by September of next year. Certain areas in Jane Furse will already be supplied with water by July this year. The pipeline to Sekuruwe in the Waterberg and Pruissen in the Capricorn areas is also planned to start during this year.
These bulk water pipelines are the veins to get domestic water to the most needy communities and the mines in the area. Once complete, our government would have invested in excess of R4.5 billion on the project, and will benefit more than 2 million people in the Sekhukhune Capricorn and Waterberg areas.
We have successfully completed the Komati Water Augmentation Project providing water for Eskom’s Duva and Matla power stations and later for the new Kusile Power Plant currently under construction.
Significant progress has also been made in the construction of the Spring Grove Dam in KwaZulu Natal. The first water storage in the dam has also already commenced in March of this year, this project will benefit the economic hub that includes, the municipalities of EThekwini uMgungundlovu, Msunduzi and Ugu District Municipality.
In addition the contract for the raising of the Hazelmere dam will be awarded in this year with construction scheduled to get underway toward the end of 2013. The additional water that will become available from this project is aimed at ensuring the supply of water as well as supporting the development in the housing sector, the King Shaka Airport and the Dube Trade Port.
What I’ve mentioned are just some of the infrastructure projects that are underway, there are others which due to time constraints I will speak about in greater detail in my budget speech later this morning.
Not to be underestimated is the work done by our water boards which constitute the key strategic pillars in socio economic development. During the 2011/12 financial year alone, Water Boards generated R10.5 billion from water sales and after funding their own
operational costs, they invested R2.1 billion in infrastructure development and are investing a further R3.3 billion during the 2012/13 financial year which ends in June this year.
The investment programme could be further accelerated if the Municipalities paid their current debt of R1,9 billion which is owed to Water Boards. Our Regional Bulk Infrastructure program at municipal level is largely being implemented by the Water Boards on behalf of the department. They also continue to provide assistance for
Municipalities to comply with the Blue/Green Drop certification thus improving the standard of their drinking water and effluent quality.
Honourable Chairperson, in my speech I cover just a few areas where we are making significant progress on the implementation and planning of projects:
In KwaZulu‐Natal, a number of water projects were implemented. Just a few weeks ago the R 186 million water supply project in the Maphumulo area of the Ilembe District benefiting 150 000 people was inaugurated. In the Ugu District a further 100 000 people benefited from Mhlabatshane water scheme. A new project, the Richmond Pipeline, will be developed at a cost of R134 million and will provide water to 200 000 people.
In North West, the first phase of the R1.2 billion Pilanesberg scheme is being implemented. The project developed in partnership with the mines will provide a further 100 mega litres of water per day for the benefit of local municipalities and mines. At least 700 direct jobs will be created and 6000 indirect permanent jobs through new mining developments.
In the Free State, R156 million will be invested in two new pipeline projects providing additional water to Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu municipalities and the Mangaung Metro.
The department is in the process of drafting reforms to the National Water Act which are necessary for the National Water Act to serve as an enabling legislative framework to meet the aspirations of our people to provide access to water to all.
The draft National Water Act Amendment Bill 2013 will among other things make it possible for the reallocation of water resources to settlements across the country; in addition the new legislation will address the critical issue the so called “trading with water” which continues to hinder our efforts at equitable water allocation.
The review of the National Water Resources Strategy, over the past year has been hugely successful. Following an intensive process of consultation with stakeholder and the public at large the final inputs have been consolidated and it is expected that we will gazette the final product in June this year.
I want to again call on all South Africans to work with us in our drive to eradicate the unacceptable wastage of water. If we are to avert water shortages in any shape or form, water conservation remains the key. Water conservation efforts in our country demand of us a serious and urgent behavioural change.
I am certain you are aware of the recent report published by the Water Research Commission, according to which we are losing about 36% of our clean drinking water in the distribution system due to leaking pipes, dripping taps and illegal water use. This has got to change. All our plans, efforts and initiatives will amount to naught if this blatant disregard for the value of this precious resource is not arrested immediately.
I thank you!
