Drought

The ongoing drought and lowering dam levels has necessitated the imposition of water restrictions in a number of provinces. Government is urging South Africans to use water sparingly.

In view of this disastrous reality, it was fitting that lawmakers heard from the National Planning Commission on the Water Security Plan for the country. The NPC reported that only 35% of the water used is captured and reused. Once people used water for irrigation it was not reusable and 65% was used for this and 35% was spread over urban and rural residential use, mining, industrial and power generation. Current legislation is only focused on the 35%, and this is a shortcoming. Over 60% of small towns rely on ground water. This is very important when looking at drought-stricken areas, because the tendency is to drill more bore holes when there is little rain, without taking into account other areas which are also dependent on ground water. The drilling of bore holes without a comprehensive plan has the potential to disadvantage others.

In light of this, the NPC is placing more emphasis on planning into the future as well as addressing current needs. The Water Security Plan is a work in progress, and the Commission is working with the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) and others to ensure it is successful. The overall approach is to take into account the natural phenomena, consider all competing water requirements from all sectors, look at water from neighbouring areas, rain precipitation and sea water desalination.

The expected outcomes include radical change, better technological advancements and greater water governance. Allocation for irrigation use must be reformed and structured as to the quantified livelihood benefits per volume allocated, from basic services to livelihood and economic development levels. This will not be limited to employment created, but will also look at revenue from produce, food security, the efficiency achieved in the water use index and the contribution to GDP. Water has no substitute and is thus a finite commodity that must be preserved and protected for future generations. Planning is central and is connected to every other programme.

A key theme in the questions by MPs was about water ownership but the NPC asked that it be allowed to address this in a completely separate session. Other questions included how the NPC planned to help with dilapidating water infrastructure, water pollution, water silting, the construction of small dams and a switch to technological innovation for irrigation. It was stressed that not only short term solutions were needed, but there had to be water security into the future. Spatial justice was also raised and the NPC conceded that the Executive would need to respond to this political issue. When speaking to the water value chain, the Green Drop report of 2014 had looked at 824 waste water treatment plants. These plants released 5 000 mega litres of sewerage per day into a system which was designed for 6 500 mega litres which meant there was only 22% capacity left. Most of the country's sewerage plants were running either on capacity or over capacity, and 84% of sewerage plants were either in a critical, high or medium risk category. This meant that only 16% of plants releasing water into the river streams were aligned to the Green Drop report. There was a need to stop this source of pollution.

In a written reply to a parliamentary question, the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries indicated that it is monitoring the impact and effect of the recent drought throughout the country. The drought is causing higher food prices in South Africa. Food inflation rose to 11% year-on-year in April 2016. The Department continues to monitor retail food prices and the impact on the poorest people through the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC). The cost of the basic food basket as a share of the average monthly income of the poorest 30% of the population (mostly residing in War on Poverty sites) increased from 48.3% in April 2015 to 56.2% in April 2016. A Food and Nutrition Security Drought Response Plan has been developed and costed. The plan includes interventions such as social relief measures, household food production support, enhancing access to drought-tolerant seeds, expansion of the National School Nutrition Programme, health and nutrition responses to drought and a water sector response to drought in the affected areas.