1. National Water Resources Strategy-2 Comments from the SA Water Caucus, 24 October 2012 Parliamentary Portfolio Committee Water and Environment

2. Who is SA Water Caucus? Network of more than 20 CSOs, NGOs, trade unions and activists Founded in lead up to World Summit on Sustainable Development Provincial caucuses in Western Cape, Mpumalanga, KZN, Free State, Limpopo, Gauteng, Eastern Cape A civil society voice in policy and implementation

3. History Large dams NWRS-1 Water Dialogues Prepaid meters, cut-offs and tricklers Water quality, green drop, industrial pollution CSO regulation group met regularly Water Leadership Group

4. Water quality affects the most vulnerable

5. Process for NWRS-2 Met on 16 and 17 Aug 2012 Input by DWA officials Provincial discussions Water Sector Leadership Group 16 October Wants to participate

6. View on NWRS-2 Welcome emphasis on democratic developmental state Welcome idea of active citizens who shape developmental state Water resources belong to the people State is custodian and regulator, NWRS describes the strategy Active citizens can support strategy

7. Active citizens supporting Green Drop in Rietspruit

8. Power of NWRS-2 Framework for protection, use, development, conservation, management and control of water reosurces Binding on all implementing National Water Act, 1998 Only 4% of DWA officials knew about NWRS-1 NWRS-2 should be known outside water sector too

9. Difficult process 3 years late Various teams worked on it Lack of co-operation within DWA? Political framing of democratising water governance and technical planning still separate Early consultations with big water users, are they water custodians?

10. How pro-poor is NWRS? People-centred language is used We need to check if technical strategies are people-centred and pro-poor Saying people “benefitting directly and indirectly” raises questions Ecological and social reserve must remain the first priority Polluter pays principle must remain in force

11. Currently economy does not operate within ecological limits Acid mine drainage on goldbelt and 1000s of abandoned mines on coalfields: nearby communities and the public pay the bills Not convinced that new mines have water licences and rehabilitation funds Fracking is another such disaster in the making Clear commitment need to “no go areas”, Ekangala grasslands, Mapungubwe Water footprints should be calculated

12. Make participation real Welcome emphasis on participation, but make it real 9 CMAs are far from people – so local catchment management forums need to be strengthened Include marginalised communities, make their participation easy Give forums teeth – e.g. consider water use license properly, DWA should follow up complaints based on local knowledge Also builds culture of co-operation

14. An explanation that makes it easy to know who is polluting

15. Participation in practice Fund travel to support civil society and community participation Translate into people’s languages Simplify technical language, and support NGOs who build capacity for governance Proper notice of meetings, accessible venues Access to documents e.g. Enviro Monitoring Plans, mining licences, rehabilation funds transparent

16. Ensure Water Demand Management is pro-poor Example of technical strategy at risk of discriminating against the poor NWRS must specify requirements to contain municipal water losses Water leaks programmes, climate change proofing can create jobs Encourage rainwater harvesting

17. Re-allocate water resources Stronger voices of communities and small farmers in allocation decisions We welcome statement that commercial farmers’ savings to be reallocated to rural women, but reallocation should go beyond just these savings

18. Strengthen civil society voices Sustainable business principles or sustainable development principles? Engaging civil society on equal footing to private sector UN CEO Mandate and SA Strategic Water Partners Network have privilegted access Support those who strengthen civil society Rural dwellers feel alienated

19. Climate change is real NWRS-2 too little on climate change It’s a reality and needs to be factored in pro-actively Water sector should take its carbon footprint into account – energy for waste water treatment and not recovering resources like nutrients, paradigm shift needed Water and energy issues need to be considered together: desalination energy intensive, coal mining threat to water, fracking Desalination has high carbon footpring and is last resort Technologies for waste water treatment, cement use, should

20. Algal ponding system for climate change and resource recovery

21. Restrict timber plantations Plantations have high water requirements Threaten grasslands and wetlands, which are water spunges, and grasslands species Do not expand plantations Do not export this model to our neighbours, such as Mozambique

22. NWRS-2 needs commitment NWRS-2 should be a living document DWA should play role as sector leader Water needs to be put at the centre of decision making DWA should be a strong regulator – for example fight to protect water resources against sharp mining practices DWA should go beyond green drop to deal with pollution from municipal waste water works

23. Water is politically important Water services are always part of social protests Marikana is example – it happened on the day of our caucus meeting Poor living conditions and services in informal settlement, including water and sanitaiton Competition of water uses prejudice the poor Water Caucus would like to support consultation process