The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs has on Wednesday, 11 September 2013, made a public statement challenging recent media reports that the new water review policy “was aimed at taking water from farmers.” The Minister emphasised that authorised users who use their current water allocations productively and efficiently, will be able to continue with their activities.

Explaining the policy positions unveiled at a media briefing a week ago, the Minister made it clear that the proposals were not in any way targeting any specific water user group. She said “any authorized water use, including Existing Lawful Use, which was not utilized for a period or within a period of time, which she will determine in future, should be re-allocated to the public trust managed by the Minister as a custodian of the nation’s water resources”.

“It is a fact that 98% of the water available in South Africa is already allocated, while many people do not have access to water for basic human needs such as drinking, cooking and personal hygiene, as well as for food security and productive use,” she added.

The Minister continued that it was therefore necessary for the Minister of Water Affairs, as custodian of the national water resources, to ensure that water is distributed more equitably and to the benefit of all people in South Africa. “There are various mechanisms through which this can be done, for instance water conservation/demand management programmes, which are already in place,” she said.

According to a statement released by the Department of Water Affairs spokesperson, Mava Scott, the current policy proposals on water trading and the use-it-or-lose-it principle are aimed at identifying water, which is allocated, but not productively and efficiently used.

“The Minister will therefore prioritise people who did not have access to water previously with the aim of achieving social and economic equity. There will be proper and transparent process through which the available water will be identified and reallocated.”

One of these processes is already underway, according to the statement, namely the verification and validation of water use. “There is no need for people to start distorting the position as to create confusion in the sector and in South Africa generally. Therefore it is disingenuous for some in the media to seek to create panic in the farming community by giving an impression that this policy is aimed at taking water away from farmers,” stated the statement.

The Minister concluded by inviting all stakeholders to take part in the public comments process that is currently underway.