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Telephone: 012 336-7277
Reference: 2/1/5/1
MINISTER OF WATER AND SANITATION
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: QUESTION 590 FOR WRITTEN REPLY
A draft reply to the above mentioned question asked by Mr L J Basson (DA)
is attached for your consideration.
DIRECTOR-GENERAL (Acting)
DATE:
DRAFT REPLY APPROVED/AMENDED
MRS NP MOKONYANE
MINISTER OF WATER AND SANITATION
DATE:
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 590
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 18 JULY 2014
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 5)
590. Mr L J Basson (DA) to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation:
(1) How many (a) water licence applications did Project Letsema
receive in (i) 2010, (ii) 2011, (iii) 2012, (iv) 2013 and (v)
2014, (b) were approved in each year, (c) are still pending in
each year and (d) were declined in each year;
(2) is there a backlog in the processing of applications; if so, (a)
why is there a backlog and (b) what steps has her department
taken to resolve it? NW673E
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REPLY:
(1)(a) (b) (c) and (d) The number of water use license applications
(WULAs) received by the Department over the years to 2010, 2011,
2012, 2013 and 2014 was 6208. Details on applications that were
finalised, authorized, in progress and were declined are
summarised in the table below.
|Â STATUS |Totals to |2011 |2012 |2013 |2014 |Totals |
| |December 2010| | | | | |
|WULAs Finalised|3630 |674 |311 |260 |36 |4911 |
|WULAs |2303 |512 |264 |191 |36 |3306 |
|Authorised | | | | | | |
|WULAs in |160 |330 |331 |365 |111 |1297 |
|progress | | | | | | |
|WULAs declined |1327 |162 |47 |69 |0 |1605 |
|or files closed| | | | | | |
|due to lack of | | | | | | |
|information in | | | | | | |
|the | | | | | | |
|applications | | | | | | |
(2)(a) The backlog arises due to delays arising from submission
of outstanding information by applicants, and the additional
time required to conduct rigorous technical analysis of complex
water use applications in the face of scarce water resources in
South Africa.
(2)(b) The Department has instituted a two pronged process of
tackling the applications. There is a dedicated team dealing
with the backlog, priority applications, the complex and
integrated applications whilst the regional office teams are
dealing with other applications. The Department has therefore
made progress in resolving the backlog. Overall 79 % of
applications received have been finalised. The remaining 21 %
are in various stages of assessment, at various ages from date
of submission
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