TUESDAY, 5.00PM:
WATER Affairs and Forestry Minister Kader Asmal on Tuesday unveiled a far-reaching new Water Bill that puts an end to private ownership of water.
Asmal said in terms of the proposed new law, the right to use water will no longer be allocated primarily on the basis of land ownership, with allocations to be based instead on the beneficial use of water in the public interest.
Asmal said the far-reaching and radical Bill will ensure that all South Africa’s water resources will be managed in an integrated manner. “In a water-stressed country, we cannot afford to have any water exclusively classed as ‘private’ and subject to a different set of rules from the rest of water resources,” he said.
In future, water allocations will be based on licences that will be issued for a limited period of up to 40 years, depending on the water use. The licensing authority could take into account factors such as job creation when deciding whether to allocate water to an applicant.
The Bill provides for assistance to emergent farmers who cannot afford water. Certain charges might be waived, and water users will be able to apply for grants, loans and subsidies.
In terms of the Bill, government is not the owner of the country’s water resources, merely the trustee. “We are not nationalising anything,” Asmal said. “No part of the water resources of South Africa will be regarded as private property.”
The Bill was approved by Cabinet last week and will be tabled in Parliament next month. If enacted, the new legislation will be implemented within five to seven years, Asmal said.