13
October 2006
COMMENT ON THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY
2005/2006
Foreword:
Honourable Minister, members of the portfolio committee and the Department
water Affairs and Forestry. It is an honour for us to comment on your annual
report. In the light of the comprehensiveness of the report, we wish to focus
on the context of emerging farmers in rural areas in terms of water and
agrarian reform.
Surplus People Project (SPP) is an NGO that facilitates land reform in the
Northern and Western Cape. SPP's main objective is to work toward
transformation in the rural areas to ensure that poor, black women and men get
access to and ownership of natural resources to better their socio-economical
circumstances. SPP currently works with 61 emerging farmer groups and farm
workers.
BACKGROUND:
Land and water are important natural resources to address the issue of poverty.
The right to water is a component that is not always justified in the debate of
land reform. The distribution of water across class, race and gender is still a
big challenge.
ACCESS TO WATER:
Why land and water reform?
White commercial farmers are still the biggest water users in South Africa
(about 70%). This fact is made stronger by the fact that less than 4% of
agricultural land is handed over to black people at this stage.
Experience in the Northern and Western Cape showed that emerging farmers and
farm workers still do not have access to sufficient water.
1. Nuwehoop - A farm situated between Klawer and Vredendal on the West coast.
The owner refused Farmdwellers access to water. The local municipality had to
supply drinking water to the dwellers when the irrigation canal was not
flowing. In 2004, the Portfolio committee on Water Affairs and Forestry visited
the farm. The owner refused them entry to the farm and did not respond to any
of their questions. The report of the committee clearly highlighted the issues
and was presented to
2. Clanwilliam - Access to water influences the sustainability of projects and
emerging farmer development. The shortage of water' and infrastructure will
influence the growth of projects and land use options
3. Bergrivier - Projects in the area are unsure of their rights to water
despite their aspirations in agricultural development. Initiatives are
currently focused on exploring underground water. The town of Porterville used
indigenous knowledge systems to find underground water. Projects take initiatives,
with the help of supportive individuals to develop water resources.
INSTITUTIONAL:
Public participation in the management of water resources is set out in
different acts, e.g. the National Water Act and the Constitution to ensure that
the resources are used and managed effectively and in a sustainable manner.
Different water management institutions (like the WUA's and CMA's) were
established to ensure transformation and democratic processes. In practice,
these institutions became a terrain for conflict because it was made up of
users with competitive interests. An example would be the fact that while
emerging farmers are wanting access to water and productive resources, white
commercial farmers who already are water users want to gain access to more
water to expand their enterprises.
We would shortly want to highlight a few issues in terms of institutional
transformation:
·
Representation on water and management institutions does not necessarily
mean effective participation
·
Participation of emerging farmers is hampered by limited knowledge and
technical skills and the lack of information.
Therefore
we suggest that the department launch systematic capacity building programmes
for emerging farmers and previously disadvantaged people to ensure transformation
of water management institutions. In the Olifantsdoorn WMA, the department has
already attempted a capacity building process. Although this was a good start,
it is not sufficient given the socio-economic and historical context.
Jan Fortuin - Chairperson of the Matzikama Emerging Farmers' Forum
Pieter Esau - Chairperson of the Bergrivier Emerging Farmers' Forum