Honourable Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces
Honourable Members
Ladies and gentlemen
Introduction
In the manifesto which outlines the programme of the term of the current government, the ANC has also committed to the people of South Africa that we will "ensure that the best quality of water resources reach all our people, especially the poor" and that all schools and health facilities have access to basic infrastructure such as water and electricity by 2014.
In carrying out this mandate, we are mindful of the expectations of the poor majority in this country and what the ANC stands for in relation to the fulfilment of that mandate. We are delighted honourable members to repeat the achievement that in 1996, 62% of the population had access to running water. Today, 91% do.
We are committing to work together to do more to increase access, to build infrastructure, to improve the quality of our water and embark vigorously on a campaign to reform water allocations so as to benefit poor and emerging farmers and households. In this regard, the ANC reaffirms our objective of realising universal access to free basic water, electricity and sanitation by 2014.
Water management is becoming increasingly complex and demands an urgent review to ensure sustainable service delivery and contribution to economic growth to meet present and future needs. Water scarcity and uneven distribution and allocation of the resource make it difficult.
Water allocation reform for empowerment, equity and fairness
Chairperson, South Africa faces significant inequities in the allocation of water for productive purposes. Water allocation is one component of a wider government mandate to address the inequities of the past. Integrated water resource management (IWRM) is not an end in it itself but a means to achieve the objectives of efficiency, equity and environmental sustainability in water resource management The South African national government, as public trustee of the nation’s water resources, is required to give effect to its legal obligation to ensure equitable access to water. In accordance with the NWA, there is a requirement to redress the effects of previously discriminatory legislation, while minimising the impacts on existing users and the economy of the country.
Drinking water quality is key for a healthy and prosperous nation
The right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe and accessible water, especially the poor. We do this so that as government we continue to make sure that we improve the quality of life of all our people and especially the rural poor. As a regulator, we will also play our part in ensuring the capacitating of rural municipalities to meet the required level of service quality as mostly the better capacitated municipalities meet the required water supply quality. We will also not hesitate to act harshly on those who neglect this responsibility as annunciate in the national water act. Our strategic objectives for these 5 years are to continue maintaining existing water resource infrastructure and enforcing raw and drinking water quality standards.
It is necessary therefore, to ensure that we work together with municipalities in ensuring that they perform optimally in the maintenance of good drinking water quality standards. The role of our water boards, water user associations and catchments management agencies together with our Water Research Commission will remain crucial in this regard. The Blue Drop Certification programme which recognises municipalities whose Drinking Water quality meets the set criteria for excellence and enjoins the citizens in monitoring municipal performance, must be intensified.
Honourable members, let me once again congratulate those 22 municipalities who have achieved in terms of the Blue Drop Certification programme and the 93,3% national compliance reported. I would like to clarify a potential misunderstanding with regard to those who have not achieved the standard. The 93% national achievement does not mean that the water in other areas is unsafe to drink all it means is that the municipalities either have not satisfied all of the technical specifications. Let me reiterate that our drinking water rates amongst the best in the world and most municipalities play a significant part in this regard and I am sure that working together with municipalities and provinces we will maintain that drinking water quality standard.
Enforcement and compliance is very high on our agenda
Honourable members we have now reached collision point with wrongdoers! The commitment we made during our address in the national assembly on the enforcement of the "polluter pays principle" and that we are adopting a zero tolerance on environmental crimes is not an empty threat.
We would like to add that to achieve this we would need to increase our efforts on public education and awareness to encourage compliance. We will not succeed, unless we educate, educate, educate!
I would like to repeat the fact that we are in the process of expanding the mandate of environmental management inspectors to include the water aspect. Together with the prosecuting authorities, the courts, the police, local government and Provinces we will step up our efforts to clamp down on illegal activities. Chairperson the role of members of this House and all our citizens in supporting us in our efforts cannot be overemphasised; we need you as partners, and fellow activists to curb pollution and associated crimes.
Building infrastructure for social and economic development
Infrastructure remains an important contributor to the supply of water for both economic development and domestic consumption. It is also a key driver in job creation which helps to improve the living conditions of our people.
The ANC has resolved that we must Increase the infrastructure construction timelines to allow more labour intensive construction. Our infrastructure projects continue to create work opportunities for the poor and the marginalised and with the new injection and investment into more construction work; we will contribute positively to this strategic objective.
Accordingly our R500 million investment in the accelerated infrastructure programme aimed at intervening in high risk areas where there are water challenges will also assist in creating work opportunities. We will also be investing an additional 2,9 billion rand over the next three years, in the Bulk Infrastructure Programme to increase access to those localities where there is dire need.
Chairperson, over the next five to eight years, we will also spend in the region of R30 billion on the construction and establishment of fifteen (15) mega water resources infrastructure projects, increasing the capacity of existing water resources infrastructure to provide water to strategic installations such as the energy sector (Eskom), the industrial sector (Sasol) and the mining sector and for domestic purposes.
Security of supply and the need for conservation
Honourable members I cannot conclude this address without raising this most important matter of our behaviour towards water use. It is time that South Africans behaved appropriately to the fact that we are ranked amongst the 30 driest countries in the world. As a water-scarce country, SA can no longer afford water losses. It is imperative therefore to focus on strengthening water conservation and demand management measures, especially as there is a greater return on investment through water loss control and water use efficiency.
The draft Water for Growth and Development Framework which was approved at the January 2009 Cabinet Lekgotla will be finalised before the end of the calendar year. However it is important to know that some key aspects of this framework that will ensure water security initiatives, like expanding the water mix to include desalination, expand the use of groundwater, recycling of effluent, amongst others are implemented.
Working for water
The working for Water programme has cleared and undertaken follow-up clearing of over 775 000 hectares of invasive alien plants, with significant benefits for water (modelled to be 49 million cubic meters/annum), biological diversity, the productive use of land and other outcomes, over the past five years. It has provided 8,6 million person days of training and employment to over 27 000 previously unemployed people, with a particular focus on opportunities for women (54%), youth (over 40%) and the disabled (almost two percent).
The working for water programme and other associated programmes still remain the key vehicle for job creation, poverty eradication and community empowerment. In the next five years further work on creation of decent work, downstream beneficiation and the creation of small scale industries as a contribution to rural development would be further explained.
Addressing the skills gap is Critical for social and economic growth
The ANC honourable members has committed to the "building of the technical capacity of the state to engage with, understand and lead the development of dynamic and globally integrated economic sectors." Building the capacity of the state to deliver on its promises has never been more urgent.
Accordingly, the water sector has its own set of challenges with regard to skills and capacity especially at municipal level. The sector is hard hit in the areas of engineering services and other technical skills in water sciences. The state of our waste water treatment, infrastructure maintenance capability etc needs serious attention.
To try to address this, we established a Learning Academy to develop scarce high-value technical skills for the sector. Through this Academy we have provided 82 external bursaries for engineering and other scientific fields. We continue with mentorship and on the job training of graduate trainees and experiential learners.
Going forward we want to form partnerships with academic and research institutions to optimise the skills development initiative. Working together we can make sure that the much needed skills are acquired for the performance of the sector.
Conclusion
To conclude, working together as a nation we can ensure the provision of safe drinking water for all South Africans. We will continue to play our part toward realising the government imperative of alleviating poverty, growing the economy and improving the lives of our people. I must reiterate the role of this house, provinces and municipalities in ensuring that we ensure water security for the current and future generations.
Chairperson I urge the house to support this budget policy review
Thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Water and Environmental Affairs
7 July 2009
