Bilateral Technical Cooperative Agreements with African Countries: briefing by Department of Water Affairs

Meeting report

The Chairperson said that the documents for the presentation had been received at the time of the meeting and she asked for guidance from Members as to whether the presentation should proceed.

Ms B Mabe (Gauteng, ANC) said that since it was a relatively short presentation, it should proceed. Her proposal was seconded by Mr D Worth (Free State, DA). The Chairperson appealed to the DWA to submit documents within time for the Committee to be informed on the content before engaging with the DWA.

Overview of the Bilateral Cooperative Agreements with African Countries
Ms Lindiwe Lusenga, Deputy-Director General: International Relations and Cooperation; Department of Water Affairs apologized for the documents not being submitted to the Committee earlier as the DWA relied on input and guidance from the Committee. The objective of the presentation was to give an overview on the bilateral cooperation with African countries as outlined in the strategic plan 2010.  The International Relations and Cooperation branch of the DWA had been in existence for one year and it addressed the challenges faced by the South African water sector by developing, promoting and managing strategic international relations on water resources between countries. Going forward it would ensure that future collaborations would involve input from civil society, the Water Board and business opportunities in the water sector. DWA also engaged in multilateral agreements in globally, but for the purpose of the meeting would focus on the bilateral agreements in Africa only.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Botswana were currently engaged in bilateral collaboration agreements with South Africa. Lesotho had signed an agreement with South Africa in August 2011. Botswana, Tanzania and Uganda required update and renewal of agreements. Other countries in Africa were in collaboration with South Africa but would not be included in the presentation.

The heart of the bilateral agreements was in the Southern African Developing Communities (SADC) where rivers systems were shared. It was important to decide jointly on infrastructure, sanitation, climate change and other issues which affected the water sector. Rwanda and the DRC were on the Presidential Programme which supported the Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development of those countries.

Mozambique
In 1996, Mozambique had agreed on the establishment and functioning of the Joint Water Commission (JWC) which acted as an advisor to both countries on all technical matters to alleviate short term problems resulting from water shortages during drought and floods and for peaceful regional integration to manage relations during these crisis periods. The way forward was to support the implementation of the proposed solution with regard to the rehabilitation of the Usuthu River; information exchange in the completion of the Corumana Dam; and implementation of the Joint Maputo River Basin Study (JMRBS) through the 12 Interim Inco Maputo Agreement projects for water and energy security. This would include cooperation with the Department of Energy. 

Swaziland
In 1992, the JWC was signed. The Komati Basin Water Authority (KOBWA) acted as the secretariat and reported to the JWC on land claims and capital repayments on loans, operation and maintenance of the Driekoppies and Maguga Dams. The way forward was to finalise alternative land for communities with the Land Claims Commissioner and to engage with National Treasuries of both countries to assist with better ways of repaying loans as quickly as possible. An agreement on Cross Border Water Supply had been signed in 2010.

Namibia
In 1992 an agreement had been made on the establishment of a Permanent Water Commission (PWC) to alleviate short-term problems resulting from water shortages. Joint studies were addressing issues around water allocation to benefit both countries. The Joint Lower Orange Management study had been completed and a Joint Irrigation Authority and feasibility study on Vioolsdrift Dam had been established. The draft Water Sharing Agreement was expected to be finalized before the end of the year.

Rwanda
The Joint Programme of cooperation on capacity building and training in the water sector was signed in 2009. South Africa offered training on hydrology, planning, design and development as well as in policy and legislation around the water sector. The challenge was non-commitment of funding from DWA and administrative and logistical challenges from the Rwandese.

Democratic Republic of Congo
An MOU was signed on water resources in July 2011. DRC was a strategic country and at the first joint meeting on 25 August 2011 areas of collaboration had been identified. The DWA had contributed to the relationship by securing R22 million through the African Renaissance Fund (AFR) to assist with the Katanga project on water (Rand Water, South Africa and REGIDESO, DRC). A business plan had been developed and implementing agents were being appointed. The Department of Energy would engage on energy securement from the DRC.

Botswana
A joint study on climate change had recently been completed and it was hoped that Botswana would renew its agreement with South Africa.

Discussion
The Chairperson thanked the DWA for their presentation.

Ms B Mabe (Gauteng, ANC) said that it appeared that the biggest problems with sister countries was the quality of water. She asked how, in terms of the agreements, South Africa would contribute in addressing this problem. She also said that while she appreciated what South Africa was doing in other countries, there were still areas up country where the rural community were not benefiting from clean drinking water.

Ms Mabe then advised DWA that a presentation should include what was in the handout. She was aware of cooperation with Botswana and Lesotho, yet there was nothing in the handout on those countries. 

She further asked what had been learned from international countries which had superior water quality compared to that in South Africa and what business opportunity programmes in the DWA were available for empowerment of women.  Water-bottling was a highly contested market but currently did not favour the previously disadvantaged. Rather than bead-work and catering, she felt that women should be given the opportunity to export bottled water to other countries.

Mr D Worth (Free State, DA) asked how bilateral agreements were handled prior to 1992 and what policy was involved with renewal of agreements. He then asked if, in addition to Botswana, Zimbabwe would renew a bilateral agreement. There had been no information offered in the presentation regarding Zimbabwe.

He also asked whether there was a bilateral agreement with Mozambique regarding the De Hoop Dam impact on Mozambique’s water supply. Also was the quality of water in the Limpopo River checked as mining developments may affect health and agriculture downstream of mining activity in neighbouring countries?

Mr Worth commented that waterpower from Congo River alone could light up the whole of Africa and that a pipeline from Congo to South Africa could address water shortages.

Mr G Mokgoro (Northern Cape, ANC) said that in terms of democracy and systems over and above water issues, a great deal could be learned from Botswana, as indicated by the International Rating Agencies on Botswana. He asked if successful systems in other countries, such as Botswana’s success with empowerment of women, were also investigated.

The Chairperson asked what the cost allocation was for the projects in each of the bilateral agreements. She also requested that the Committee be included in the invitation to go to Egypt. The document would be interrogated by Members and written questions submitted. The answers would be expected in writing by Friday. She thanked the delegation for their presentation.

Ms Lusenga said that she appreciated the guidance of the Committee and that Members questions would be responded to in writing.

Consideration and adoption of minutes was postponed, as the Committee did not constitute a quorum.

The meeting was adjourned.

[Apologies were received from Ms N Magadla (KZN, ANC), Mr M Makhubela (Limpopo, COPE) and Mr S Plaatjie (North West, COPE).]