Govt takes aim at farm dams

2006-05-23 10:50

Cape Town - Some South African farmers could soon see dams on their land being demolished as part of government's Water Allocation Reform (War) programme.

This would happen on farms where there was excess disposable water that wasn't being properly utilised, Water Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica told a media breakfast briefing at parliament on Tuesday.

War, launched last year, aims to reallocate water to historically disadvantaged communities. The programme has been earmarked by government for accelerated growth, to keep pace with its Land Reform Programme.

"We will be looking at breaking the dams if needs be, but there is a clause in the Constitution that provides for compensation... we will follow that constitutional provision.

"We are trying to ensure that we do this having an understanding with the workers - in other words, we're looking for consensus in the process."

Outcry from farmers

However, if it was necessary "to then enforce the law as we pursue this, that we will do", Sonjica warned.

She admitted there had been an outcry from farmers on the issue.

"Yes, there has been an outcry. When we launched the project, Agri South Africa... complained we will be disadvantaging them (farmers) if we take the water away from them. It will affect their production.

"These are things we have to be sensitive to because definitely we wouldn't want to... kill the hen (sic) that lays the golden egg.

"The idea is not to take away from those utilising the quantity (of water) that is at their disposal. But those who have excess must give to those who do not have.

"This is the idea of the re-allocation. We won't just take for the sake of taking, but we will take what is in excess and what is not being utilised."

On compensation to farmers, she said where this was necessary "we will definitely compensate".

Transformation highlights

On the number of farmers effected, and in which areas, Sonjica said she was awaiting a report on the matter from a departmental internal workshop, and the information was not immediately available.

Opening debate on her budget vote in the National Assembly later on Tuesday, she said the War programme was one of her department's transformation highlights.

"It aims to re-allocate water to historically disadvantaged communities and individuals in order to address the racial and gender biases that still exist in accessing water for productive purposes," Sonjica told MPs.

Tuesday's briefing to journalists is the last Sonjica will deliver in her capacity as water affairs minister. As part of a recently-announced Cabinet reshuffle, she is set to swop portfolios with Minerals and Energy Minister Lindiwe Hendricks.

- SAPA