Question NW3810 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation

Reply:

(1)(a) Inkomati-Usuthu and Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agencies has been delegated to issue water use licenses.

(1)(b) The delegations are subject to conditions set out below:

1. Access to the WARMS and any other system that might be required to support the functions hereunder and can readily interface with the Department’s systems;
2. A protocol/an action plan to coordinate water user’s activities and foster cooperation between institutions;
3. A Job descriptions of positions, that will be implementing the process contained in this delegation, are in place; and
4. CMA, must ─
5. submit quarterly reports to my Department; and
6. report any change in the capacity and skills referred to in condition (a) above

(2)(a) If an applicant intends to apply for a water use license or has submitted application forms, the process for issuing water use application is as follows:

• The applicant is to be consulted by a Technical Officer to ascertain the water uses and the activities that need authorization and to determine the extent of the activities.
• A pre-application consultation meeting is conducted by the Water Use Licence Application (WULA), and the applicant is advised on the different water uses.
• Applicant submits application to a Technical Officer, where after it is referred to a WULA assessor to check it for completeness and correctness. If the application is incomplete, it is returned to the applicant, if complete a reference number is generated, the application is acknowledged and registered on the licensing system.
• A WULA Assessor assesses the application and prepares a draft Record of Recommendation (ROR).
• A draft ROR and draft licence/decline letter is presented to the Provincial Water User Authorisation Assessment Advisory Committee (WUAAAC) for input. Comments are incorporated into the draft ROR and drance licence/decline letter. The key function of the Provincial WUAAC is to advise Assessors and will minimum meet twice per month.
• A final ROR and licence/decline letter is drafted and referred to a Reviewer for quality control. The Reviewer checks the quality of the documentation and whether the Business process was followed as prescribed.
• If approved the licence/decline letter is posted to the applicant by the Technical Officer and forwarded to the Water Authorisation Registration Management System (WARMS) for registration in the system.

(2)(b) The process for water use licensing for the CMA and the Department is the same process outlined in number 2a

(3)(a) Berg-Olifants, Pongola-Umzimkhulu, Vaal, Olifants, Limpopo-North West, Orange and Mzimvubu-Tsitsikamma Catchment Management Agencies.

(3)(b) Refer to (2)(a) above.

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