GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Speakers from as far as Cape Town addressed the delegates at the Sarah Bartman District Water Summit on 10 December at the Botanics hall in Graaff-Reinet.
The summit was convened in response to the ongoing drought in the area, with the aim to develop both long and short-term water strategies. With the theme "Preventing day zero and re-engineer water business for sustainable future", the summit provided an opportunity for both provincial and local government to engage with the community, local businesses and civic organisations.
Leave political differences behind
The first speaker, local mayor Deon de Vos, set the tone for co-operation, strongly emphasising the need to avoid blame and political agendas. This was later echoed by Portia Makhanya, the provincial head of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), who said that "water has no political boundaries."
Funding fom CoGTA
Guest speaker Xolile Nqatha , the MEC for the Eastern Cape Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), told delegates that more than R100m has been secured by the CoGTA to support the drought stricken areas in the Eastern Cape.
He said that this amount is part of a short to middle term solution but not long term, and that some of this money will be transferred to the Department of Rural Development to assist farmers.
The current situation is dire
The session focusing on the current status of the water resources and infrastructure session, led by Makhanya from DWS, gave a bleak outlook. She said that the long-term forecast shows no significant rain for at last a month, and pointed out that Graaff-Reinet is shown as a drought hot-spot on climate maps.
The Nqweba Dam is empty, and many of the boreholes are unable to produce water, not because of faulty pumps, but because the water table is dropping. Added to this are the problems associated with vandalism of infrastructure as well as lack of regular maintenance.
Sustainable water security and innovation solutions must be the focus. Ivor Berrington, Acting Director of Engineering and Planning at the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality (DBNLM), gave a detailed explanation of actions taken by the municipality in the last five years, including the drilling of new boreholes and development of some abandoned ones.
Two presenters from Cape Town then shared how planning and strict enforcement had staved off the city's Day Zero. The city won an international award in 2018 for achieving a 55% reduction in demand from 2015 to 2017, and this was largely achieved through education, restrictions and tariff management.
Local input most valuable
Three speakers from the Graaff-Reinet Economic Development Forum (GREDF) engaged the audience with their practical local-based solutions. Hydrogeologist Neville Paxton reviewed the current situation regarding boreholes, and brought the gravity of the situation home to local residents when he gave figures of available supply against demand.
The town's off-peak demand was given as 7.2ML per day, rising to 10-12ML per day during the peak tourist season.
"The current supply is only 3.4ML per day, a huge shortfall," Paxton said. Linda Biggs then spoke about the need to educate people to reduce consumption, and passed around examples of information brochures on ways to save water.
Derek Light added a request for government assistance in speeding up processes for authorisations and permits, and pointed out that water is not only needed for consumption, but also for sanitation. Aberdeen farmer Dickie Ogilvie, representing Agri EC, gave a powerful presentation on the role of the farming community in small towns, both commercial farmers and emerging farmers. He conveyed the stark reality of the effects of the prolonged drought on farmers, and the impact this has on all the towns in the region.
Finally, Lungile Jali from the Department Of Rural Development And Agrarian Reform shared how his department is currently assisting farmers. From the floor, emerging farmer Koos Adams conveyed the desperation of these farmers.
Mention was made by several speakers of the very welcome intervention by the Gift of the Givers foundation in helping with the short-term needs, and in the longer term by the drilling of eight boreholes at local schools.
Comments on the Summit
"I'm just glad that we have been able to pull of the summit in such short space of time," said Mayor De Vos, adding that he felt that the attendance was good and the presentations of high quality. "The input from participants was also very constructive," he continued.
"We now have to work together to implement the outcomes, and await the finalisation of the report on summit for distribution to all stakeholders."
Members of the Graaff-Reinet Residents' and Ratepayers'Association felt that the provincial and national water issues were well covered, but what they are concerned about is the situation in Graaff-Reinet.
"The measures used to win the Day Zero campaign in Cape Town described by Cape Town Municipality's Theo Maritz need to be implemented in Graaff-Reinet," said Liz Buisman. GRRPA is worried that BNLM does not have the capacity or funds to do this, and speakers from the floor expressed concern about that BNLM cannot manage the situation.
Garth Hitge added that it was heartening to see that the government departments of Cogta and Water and Sanitation are involved in the drought situation in this area and that they were represented by their top officials. Hento Davids, Chairperson of the Graaff-Reinet Chamber of Commerce, said that he was pleased that government and specifically local government has listened to the call of the president of South Africa at last, to work closely with the private sector and business, and that they can finally take hands to tackle the drought facing the Karoo.
"I pray that the bureaucracy and red tape within the government will not unnecessary delay these urgent interventions," he said.
MP Samantha Graham-Maré was cautious in her reaction to the summit. "While it is commendable that all the role players have finally acknowledged that there is a severe water crisis in the Eastern Cape, I am concerned that we are extremely behind in dealing with this," she said.
"Communication, one of the areas now identified as being of importance, should have been a priority from the outset. Education on water saving mechanisms should have been undertaken as soon as the drought was declared." She expressed concern that materials are only now being developed - and that is by community members, not government.
"I remain unconvinced that any concrete actions will actually emanate from this summit, but I hope to be proven wrong," she added. "I shudder to think where we would be now without the intervention of the Gift of the Givers. It is astounding that they have managed to do so much to alleviate the crisis in such a short space of time, while government is still convening summits to look for solutions."
Dickie Ogilvie agreed with the optimistic sentiments. "The fact that all the various stakeholders were accommodated at a forum like the summit was very encouraging, and hopefully sustainable solutions can be found for the future of all the towns of the Sarah Baartman District Municipality."
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