Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry
The agreement to establish the Limpopo Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM) was signed by the Ministers responsible for Water Affairs of Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe on 27 November 2003.
Mozambique and Botswana have already ratified the agreement. It is only after the Agreement shall have been ratified by the four countries that it can come into force. In the meantime the countries still meet as the Limpopo Basin Permanent Technical Committee (LBPTC).
The main objectives of LIMCOM are to:
§ Advise the Parties and provide recommendations on the uses of the Waters of the Limpopo river;
§ manage aspects related to the efficient and effective collection, processing and dissemination of data and information with regard to the Limpopo;
§ develop water infrastructure and the major investment in infrastructure programmes such as dams;
§ promote regional co-operation and strengthen relationships amongst the four countries;
§ act as an instrument to facilitate the sharing of benefits amongst the four countries;
§ Institutionalisation of cooperation in the integrated management of shared watercourses; and
§ Promote stakeholder participation in decision-making within the basin.
4. Anticipated benefits
The anticipated benefits of the LIMCOM are the following:
§ The Joint Limpopo Basin Study, a water resource assessment study of the whole basin.
§ Provision of advise to Parties on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
§ Interfacing with other bilateral structures dealing with the basin like the Joint Permanent Technical Committee (JPTC) between South Africa and Botswana.
§ An instrument of leveraging Official Development Assistance (ODA) into the Limpopo Basin
5. The Secretariat
The government of Mozambique has offered to host the Secretariat of the LIMCOM. The cost of hosting the Secretariat is R1.6 million per annum to be shared among the four countries. The purpose of establishing a Secretariat is for the effective implementation of the Agreement itself.
6. Current Projects
The following projects are currently underway within the basin:
§ Scoping phase of Limpopo Basin Study;
§ UN Habitat supported project on land use planning, flood warning and flood mitigation; and
§ Groundwater assessment.
7. Conclusion and recommendation
The ratification of the Limpopo Watercourse Commission will be in the interest of South Africa in so far as the “sharing the benefits” from the shared Watercourses.
On the basis of the above, it is recommended that the Portfolio Committee on Water Affairs and Forestry consider and support the ratification process.
DIRECTOR GENERAL
DATE:
Enquiries: MF Ngoatje Ref: 7/3/1/11