Question NW355 to the Minister of Water and Sanitation
13 April 2023 - NW355
Mohlala, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
(1)Whether he will introduce the Draft National Water Infrastructure Agency Bill in the National Assembly in 2023; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether he has considered the reasonable prospect that the Bill may not be processed before the end of the Sixth Parliament when it is introduced too late in the Fifth Session of the Sixth Parliament and that it would have to be reintroduced in the Seventh Parliament; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. Cabinet approved the publishing of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Bill for public comment for a period of ninety days on 17 August 2022. The NWRIA Bill was published on 16 September 2022 in the Government Gazette notice: 46917 p137, for a period of ninety days which concluded on 16 December 2022. During the ninety days period, the department embarked on an extensive consultation process to solicit comments on the Bill from its various stakeholders.
The period for consultation has been formally extended in the government gazette notice: 48017 p43 published on 10 February 2023, which period will conclude on 17 March 2023. The reason for the extension is to ensure a comprehensive consultation process, by providing the primary creditors of the Trans- Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) with an independent legal and financial opinion on the terms of the loans agreements currently entered with the TCTA in relation to the provisions of the Bill and to allow for the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC’s) chamber to appoint a task team that will be consider the Bill.
2. It is the intention of the Minister of Water and Sanitation, to have the Bill processed before the end of the sixth Parliament.
---00O00---