DEPARTMENT OF WATER
AFFAIRS AND FORESTRY
ANNUAL REPORT
2002/03
PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
1
STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION

The Department is responsible for the following 3
functions:
 WATER SERVICES
 WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
 FORESTRY
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Key Objectives and successes per functional area
The successes of support functions for the core
business
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WATER SERVICES
“To ensure all South Africans have access to free basic water services”
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By March 2003, 175.6% of all municipalities were implementing a FBW
policy.
The Provincial Support Units established by DWAF are still assisting
municipalities to develop local FBW strategies. During 2002/3 they focused
extensively on providing support to those municipalities that had not yet
implemented the policy.
1 [If
one considers just those municipalities that are designated WSA’s, then this figure rises to 88%]
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WATER SERVICES
“To ensure that WS sector has a sound and enabling legislative and policy
framework”
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In December 2002, a core group to finalise White Paper was established by Water
Services Sector Leadership Group (WSSLG). Its purpose was to ensure that all
stakeholders agree to policy decisions defined in the new white paper.
At the end of 2002/3, the core group was in the process of finalising the White Paper.
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WATER SERVICES
“To ensure effective WS Services Institutions” and “to support
WS Institutions to become sustainable”
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The Department strengthened its role as regulator of water boards
especially around Bulk Water Tariffs.
At the annual review of the Water Board Business Plans, the
Department urged Water Boards to keep water prices below the
inflation rate so as to ensure that inefficiencies by Water Boards
are reduced and not passed on to consumers.
We can assure you that we shall continue to impress on all Water
Boards the importance of keeping bulk water tariff increases
below the inflation rate and in instances where tariffs are above
CPIX it is interrogated and often rejected.
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WATER SERVICES
Water Services Sector Leadership Group (WSSLG)
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Through a collaborative approach the Water Services
Leadership Group (WSSLG) has been established.
At its Strategic Planning workshop in December of 2002
strategic priorities were identified.
 Other initiatives include the Water Information Network focusing
on knowledge management and lesson learning,
 Training and Skills Development strengthening the Local
Government and Water SETA to ensure long term human resource
development in the sector that has around 70,000 personnel and
 Gender Mainstreaming.
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WATER SERVICES
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SANITATION
This is a global phenomenon but South Africa has
been lagging far behind water due to problems in
the policy and strategy.
A new "policy on basic household sanitation
made easy" was drafted and adapted.
R219 million was spent providing 65 105
households with basic sanitation facilities
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WATER SERVICES

Transfers of Water Schemes
The Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo were the first provinces to
successfully transfer departmental water schemes to relevant water services
authorities and providers.
– These first successful transfers have also opened the doors for public-public and
public-private partnership.
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The Eastern Cape transferred five waste water treatment schemes to Buffalo
City Municipality and the transfer of the Strekspruit schemes and all
rudimentary water supply schemes to the Ukuhlamba District Municipality.
Gauteng and Limpopo’s successful transfer of two water schemes to Tshwane
Metro and the Lepelle Northern Water Board respectively have led the way
with public-public and public-private partnership respectively.
These transfers were the first steps towards Tshwane Metro’s partnership with
Magalies Water and Mogalakwena Local Municipalities partnership with
Lepelle Northern Water Board and the Platinum mines in the area.
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WATER SERVICES
Functional Assessment Study
The R 9,5 million functional assessment study was completed.
The purpose of the study was to collect, analyze and report on all information
required to prepare the national and individual transfer plans.
The extent of the transfer programme can be described by the number of
schemes comprising:
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–
–
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316 bulk (large) schemes,
196 new schemes and
1032 rudimentary schemes.
The total present day value of the water services at R7, 13 billion and
replacement value estimated at R9, 95 billion.
The current staff involved in operating and maintaining the infrastructure is
8094 staff.
A total of 8453 infrastructure components require some level of refurbishment
at an estimated cost of R 710 million.
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
The Department is succesfully implementing the National Water
Resource Strategy
 A country-wide public consultation programme, comprising 36
sectoral and public meetings, was undertaken between
September 2002 and January 2003, during which more than 1
800 comments were received from a diverse range of
stakeholders .
 While the raising of the Flag Boshielo Dam is underway, access
to water has been assured by an agreement facilitated by the
Department with emerging farmers who have temporarily ceded
their water allocations in exchange for financial assistance to
rehabilitate their irrigation schemes.
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
International Interactions
 WSSD – SA very involved in fighting for
sanitation target
 Kyoto: Third World Water Forum: high profile
by South Africa
 Signing of Incomaputo Agreement
 Support for development and maintenance of
SADC Hycos system
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Water Resources Planning, Institutions and Information

Publication of National Water Resources Strategy for comment
 1800 comments received;
 wide spread consultation
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Ongoing monitoring of quantity and quality of water resources
Nkomati CMA proposal published for comment
50 irrigation boards transformed
8 new WUAs established
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Infrastructure development to support economic development:
 Dam on Berg River: detailed design begun; implementing agent
appointed;
 Strategy to secure water for social and economic development in
Limpopo – raising of Flag Boshielo; announcement by President
of new dam;
 Nandoni Dam 85% complete
 Raising of Midmar Dam
 Maguga Dam completed and opened on 5 April 2002
 Impoundment of Mohale Dam started in Nov 2002
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Water Allocation
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“Water reform” programme initiated
 Planning begun to introduce compulsory licensing
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R24 million subsidy awarded to 306 emerging
farmers;
Water Use Authorisation and Registration
Management System (WARMS) and new billing
system implemented
Registered water users grew to over 60 000
Verification of water use begun in key catchments
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WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Working for Water
 466 279 hectares initial clearing as at Feb
2003
 523 618 hectares follow up done as at Feb
2003
 Independent evaluation of WfW put in place
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FORESTRY
TECHNICAL AND INFORMATION SERVICE
HIGHLIGHTS

Draft Criteria, Indicators and Standards for sustainable forest
management were produced.

Protected Areas Network Planning : the first, planning phase of
the project aimed at setting aside of new protected areas in terms
of the National Forest Act, 1998 (Act 84 of 1998) is nearing
completion.
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FORESTRY
Restructuring
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The Department has successfully
implemented the transfer of Category A
Forests to external organisations
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We are currently laying a foundation for
the transfer of Category B and C Forests
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FORESTRY
CERTIFICATION OF INDIGENOUS FOREST IN KNYSNA

The indigenous forests of the Southern Cape and Tsitsikamma,
received certification from the Forestry Stewardship Council
(FSC) for its sustainable forest management practices, which is
a great achievement.
 The benefits of this certification include providing
international recognition for the systems of timber and nontimber harvested from forest products.
 It also helps to demonstrate our commitment to meeting the
country’s obligations in respect to international conventions.
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FORESTRY
SADC PROTOCOL ON FORESTRY

Restructuring of Forestry
– HR implications successfully negotiated
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The SADC Heads of States signed the Protocol in October
2002, following almost four years of consultation of
stakeholders by Member States.
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This protocol is at the ratification stage
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CORPORATE SERVICES
“To provide financial, human resource, information and management services and
general administrative support to the department”
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
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The Departmental policy on performance management for
staff levels 1-12 is operational and will be aligned to the new
pay progression framework.
The new policy on the assessment of senior managers is
operational and successful as from 1st April 2002.
The implementation of Resolution 7 was successfully
implemented.
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CORPORATE SERVICES
“To provide financial, human resource, information and management
services and general administrative support to the department”
HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
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Successfully implemented a skills audit pilot programme.
Pilot completed and rollout ready to commence department wide.
Total number of staff captured currently is 15 975 in the rollout.
LABOUR RELATIONS
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Maintenance of Labour peace. Labour unrests and Disciplinary cases have
been effectively dealt with.
Departmental infrastructures like DTT and Bilateral Forums with Union in
place and sufficiently supporting the restructuring process.
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CORPORATE SERVICES
“To provide financial, human resource, information and management services and
general administrative support to the department”
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COMMUNICATION SERVICES
South Africa showed its leadership role throughout the World
Summit on Sustainable Development WSSD held in South Africa
in August 2002.
Before and during WSSD, the Department’s officials played an
active role in promoting South Africa’s approach to sustainable
water use management and ensuring that the Summit was
successful.
One of the largest side events at the Summit, the Water Dome,
was organised by the Department in collaboration with African
and global partners.
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CORPORATE SERVICES
“To provide financial, human resource, information and management services and general
administrative support to the department”
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
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The IT function has been successfully outsourced against agreed Service
Level Agreements.
Implemented Information Services Organisational changes to improve
Service Delivery Information Services costs are being managed within
individual Functions.
A Change Management Process was introduced in the Department that
resulted in increased availability and reliability of the systems within the
Department.
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FINANCE
“To provide financial, human resource, information and management services and
general administrative support to the department”
PROCUREMENT
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A Policy on the Appointment of Professional Service Providers
(PSP's) which also gives guidance on the promotion of previously
disadvantaged individuals (PDI's) was developed.
Through black economic empowerment (BEE) policies of the
Department, targets that were agreed upon on the value and
number of contracts awarded to service providers who fall within
the PDI category have been exceeded.
As from March 2003, the Department has now been given full
status and accreditation by National Treasury and the State Tender
Board to procure goods and services on its own without working
through the State Tender Board.
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FINANCE
“To provide financial, human resource, information and management services and
general administrative support to the department”
FRAUD PREVENTION
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Hotline system for people to report on fraud and corruption
 Because it operates anonymously, it has been used very extensively to point out
fraud and corruption in the Department and within the other institutions under the
oversight control of the Minister of DWAF.
 A lot of the cases reported on were in the areas of misuse of government property
(mainly vehicles, internet facilities, cell phones etc) and fraud.
 The success of this has been where people have been reprimanded, stolen money
recovered, misuse over property reduced and disciplinary action being taken, with
some people having been expelled.
 e.g.:Out of 110 cases, 17 cases relating to fraud were investigated;
 38 cases relating to misuse of state property were handled;
 55 allegations of theft were investigated
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CONCLUSION
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A few challenges are still prevalent, and they include: High turnover within the management echelon.
 Challenges brought forth by the Restructuring process.
 Transformation of service delivery and all institutions in the sector.
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With the proposed transfer of 8 000 staff to local government, 2 000 in
Forestry and 1000 from WUA’s, it is expected that the Department will
reach a target size of approx. 7 500 people within three years.
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Budgetary constraints which may lead to reprioritisation
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Labour mood not always supportive to maximised delivery of services.
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