WATER THEFT IN BARRYDALE: Klein Karoo farmer fingered for extracting more than fair share of water.
Statement by Mark Rountree, National Policy Officer for GOOD
15 March 2020
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A case of over-extraction of water from a river in the Klein Karoo by a commercial farmer, with no regard for the environment or the rights of farmers downstream, is under investigation by the Department of Water and Sanitation.
The matter was first brought to public attention in December 2019 by GOOD’s National Policy Officer, Mark Rountree, a specialist water use consultant.
“What really got me about this case was the unfairness of a commercial farmer using more than his fair share of water while a land restitution beneficiary down of the commercial farmer’s dam hasn’t had flowing water in the river for years,” Rountree said.
“After doing some research I discovered that the Breede Gourtiz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA) had illegally approved the additional water use of the upstream commercial farmer. The farmer was permitted to dig a new borehole much closer to the river than the rules permit.
“With one hand, government effects restitution by transferring land to citizens dispossessed in the past, while with the other it signs water extraction agreements that literally leave restitution beneficiaries high and dry.”
South Africa is a dry country and the beneficiaries of agriculture land reform who are unable to access water are guaranteed to fail.
“BGCMA’s approval was not just unethical; it was illegal,” Rountree said.
“GOOD therefore welcomes the enforcement blitz on the 9th and 10th March 2020 undertaken by the National Department of Water and Sanitation and National Department of Environmental Affairs. The enforcement blitz is to investigate the alleged contraventions of water and environmental authorisations by land owners in the catchment. We have provided evidence of illegal approvals in our possession to the National Ministers of Water, Sanitation and Human Settlements, and of Environmental Affairs,” he said.
The evidence shows that the BGCMA approval of this water use contravened the conditions of Sections 2.3 of the Department of Water and Sanitation’s General Authorisation for the Taking and Storing of Water, published in the Government Gazette on 15 April 2016. The approval also appears to have disregarded Section 27 of the National Water Act.
“Sustainability and equitable sharing are the underlying principles of the National Water Act” said Rountree. “It is really a very simple principle. If upstream commercial farmers are allowed to use all the water, the river environment and downstream farming activities collapse.”
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*** Media enquiries: Mark Rountree, markr@forgood.org.za, 0828804393. Copy of letter and evidence submitted to National Minister of Water, Sanitation and Human Settlements and National Minister of Environmental Affairs is attached.