(1)(a) The delay in the establishment of the Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs) has been for several reasons including (a) reconfiguration and realignment of all entities of the Department of Water and Sanitation in accordance with the Presidential report on the rationalisation of public entities; and (b) opposition to the establishment of new Agencies by labour unions as it is seen as privatisation
(1)(b) Breede-Olifants, Inkomati-Pongola, Mkuze-Mtamvuna, Vaal-Orange, Limpopo-Olifants and Mzimvubu-Tsitsikamma Catchment Management Agencies.
(1)(c) The Mkuze-Mtamvuna, Vaal-Orange, Limpopo-Olifants CMAs will be established by April 2023 and the Mzimvubu-Tsitsikamma CMA will be established by April 2024.
(2)(a) It is anticipated that the Olifants River Catchment Management Agency will be operational by April 2023
(2)(b) Due to reasons provided in 1(a) above, the Department changed its approach to the establishment of CMAs.
(3) The submitted action plan of 30 March 2022 proposed a passive treatment system (a wetland DongaLock system which is being evaluated by the Department’s wetland specialists. If approved, the system would be operational by September 2022.
(4) The existing dosing plant below Kromdraai Mine is active but is only partially treating the mine water as the sulphate quality limits are not being met. Measures will be implemented to continue with the improvement of the liming plant to the required design standard.
Regarding whether the department can provide the reports of the PH levels, the toxic heavy metals, aluminium and salts like sulphates to the Member, it should be noted that third party Information can be made available subject to a Promotion of Access to Information Act application.
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