ATC090707: Report Budget Vote 34

NCOP Land Reform, Environment, Mineral Resources and Energy

Report of the Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs on Budget Vote 34, dated 7 July 2009:

 

The Select Committee on Land and Environmental Affairs, having considered Budget Vote 34 for the 2009/10 financial year, reports as follows:

 

1.             Introduction

 

On 26 June 2009, the Select Committee met with the new Department of Water and Environmental Affairs, specifically the Water Affairs component and the Forestry component of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to engage in discussions on the budget as presented in Vote 34. The Department presented to the Select Committee on the following:

 

·               Overview of the Department

 

Ø                               Vision

Ø                               Organisational Structure

Ø                               Legal Mandate

Ø                               Institutions reporting to the Minister

 

·               Overview of sectors

 

Ø                               Water availability and storage

Ø                               Water allocation and use

Ø                               Access to Basic water

Ø                               Water resources infrastructure

Ø                               Waste water treatment plants

Ø                               Skills in the sector

Ø                               Waste Management Institutions

Ø                               Interventions to date and future interventions

 

·               Overview of the Strategic Plan

 

Ø                               Strategic Goals (alignment of the department to the MTSF priorities)

Ø                               Strategic Objectives

Ø                               Key outputs for 09/10

Ø                               Budget and Finance Overview

 

2.       Discussions and Deliberations by the Committee

 

2.1. The Department alluded to the fact that South Africa is a water-scarce country and that several interventions were being considered to prevent water shortages, including the construction of dams, education in water conservation, recycling and desalination. Currently the dams are about 90% full and more dams are being considered for construction in areas that are struggling with water capacity.

 

2.2. There were extensive discussions on the poor infrastructure of waste management plants and that this needed to be addressed with the respective Municipalities. The Department brought to the attention of the Committee that a municipal indaba was held last year to assist municipalities, and a programme was being written at present to provide further assistance. Plans to develop a learning academy were in the pipeline, in order to improve skills at local government level. Rationalising of support institutions was a further initiative to improve water quality. The Department was also looking to international municipalities for guidance.

 

2.3. The Committee reflected on the high levels of skills and capacity within the sector that was lacking. This was directly linked to the lack of service delivery within the sector. An initiative had been taken to launch an academy, to attract young learners from schools into this sector. They would be taken through training and would register as trainee engineers. The Department would be working on a national strategy to address this.

 

2.4 The committee further referred to the unacceptably high levels of pollution in rivers and said that the solution to the problem started with education on environmental issues in schools. This needed to be built into the curriculum.

 

2.5. The realignment of the forestry component includes oversight of the Forestry sector, sustainable forestry management, fire regulation, enterprise development and securing livelihood in rural areas. The functions were at national level but staffing and units were in place in the provinces.

 

2.6. The Forestry component will be involved in implementing the Forest Sector Charter and establishing sector partnerships with the private sector to address mutual threats such as fires, diseases and pests.

 

3.                   Challenges identified and areas of consideration for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry

 

3.1. There are challenges highlighted with infrastructure, budget allocation for programmes, the bucket system, the condition of assets, wastewater management and illegal water discharge, including effluent.

 

3.2. There is a shortage of technical skills in many municipalities. 3.9 million households were without access to water, and several were relying on unsafe water sources.

 

3.3. There is a need to look at sustainable development, since South Africa was a water-scarce country, and also to look at education.

 

3.4. Members inquired about the qualified audit report of the Department and the explanation provided related to the registration of the assets of the Department. Mechanisms are in place to regulate this.

 

3.5. The Department was asked to give a further written report on plans to upgrade waste water plants, plans to eradicate the bucket system and how environmental application processes were aligned with licensing permits.

 

3.6. Currently there is a problem with poor infrastructure and the major challenge was funding, as local government needed R3.3 billion to achieve the MDG in terms of which all communities would have access to safe water.

 

3.7. Challenges also remained around illegal water discharge. There are serious problems with effluent. Mining and industry continued to discharge non-compliant effluent in to aquatic systems.

 

3.8. The Department should consider a system or process that informed what activities would be allowed, and what would be prohibited, in forests.

 

4.                   Recommendation

 

The Committee, having considered Budget Vote 34: Water Affairs and Forestry, reports that it supports Budget Vote No 34.

 

Report to be considered.