Farmer body Grain South Africa (GSA) on Wednesday warned farmers against the illegal use of water in terms of the National Water Act No 36 of 1998.
“Approximately 60% of total water use in South Africa can be attributed to the commercial agricultural sector that utilises this water for irrigation purposes. In a country poor in water resources, this places a considerable responsibility on all in the agricultural sector to operate within the National Water Act,” said GSA chairperson Bully Botma.
The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry estimates that up to 70% of water use along the mid and lower Vaal river system is illegal, Botma said.
Over the past few years, irrigation schemes have sprung up across the country often without the necessary water rights being granted or without an environmental impact assessment being conducted, as is prescribed by law, he added.
Besides the fact that such actions are transgressions of the National Water Act, and duly punishable with stiff fines, they directly infringe on the rights of law-abiding water users, he said. – I-Net Bridge