Western Cape drought crisis: DWS; City of Cape Town; COGTA; National Disaster Management Centre & DAFF, with DWS + COGTA Ministers

Water and Sanitation

25 October 2017
Chairperson: Mr M Johnson (ANC)
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Meeting Summary

The Portfolio Committees on Water and Sanitation and on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs were briefed on the Western Cape drought crisis by the Departments of Water and Sanitation; Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; the Department of Agriculture, Western Cape; the National Disaster Management Centre, the Western Cape Government, and the City of Cape Town.

The Minister of Water and Sanitation Ministe said while the meeting was about the drought in the Western Cape, the country had been experiencing drought for three years. The Department of Water and Sanitation had officials sitting in the National Disaster Management forum and had assigned a Deputy Director General, Mr Trevor Balzer, to sit in on City of Cape Town committee meetings dealing with the water challenges. She spoke to the water restrictions the Western Cape government had introduced since September 2016.

The City of Cape Town had made water licence applications for the Berg water project and the Theewaterskloof dam. She had agreed with the city that they would never allow a total shutdown of water supply. She had issued a directive to the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority for implementation of the Cape water supply augmentation project which focused on the Berg /Voelvlei augmentation scheme. This was seen as an intervention going beyond crisis management. She had agreed with the province and city to invest in additional boreholes and would consider desalination plants and the Clanwilliam Dam wall would be increased. The interventions would assist in the development of a water and sanitation master plan. The provincial Premier had issued a letter to the President requesting that the Presidential Infrastructure Coordination Committee should consider the drought in the Western Cape. Three other provinces had made similar requests.

The Department of Water and Sanitation spoke to the challenge of water security to social wellbeing and economic growth in South Africa and the water scarcity around the province. The drought cycle could extend beyond four years into a ten-year period. It then spoke to groundwater resources, water augmentation interventions and demand management of water.  

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said the President had established an Inter-Ministerial Task Team on drought, to focus on all affected areas of the country. The task team included the Department of Environmental Affairs apart from the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs had roped in the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent and the National Disaster Management Centre supported all areas affected by the drought. The Inter-Ministerial Task Team had responded to various disasters in the Western Cape, including the recent fire disasters, through a collaborative approach. The Team was tasked to assess all climate change issues, concomitant hazards, and to plan and activate emergency systems and processes and encourage responsible water use.

The National Disaster Management Centre provided an update on the short and long-term drought interventions and strategies put in place in the Western Cape Province and the dispersal of the allocated Disaster Relief Grant.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries reported on progress on the implementation of drought interventions with special focus on the Western Cape Province.

The Western Cape Provincial Government said the province was preparing for a ‘day zero’ eventuality through a two-pronged strategy involving reducing water use and increasing the production of water. The province would therefore be looking at desalination as part of its solutions. It would look at the cost of desalination, and whether it would be more expensive if the payback on financing deals was extended. The province needed to talk to Treasury to push that agenda. It also spoke to the impact of the drought on the agricultural sector, on individuals and on businesses, which would mean there would be social and humanitarian relief needed by those badly affected. The need to reprioritise funding would lead to Annual Performance Plan deliverable targets not being met. The province would be supplying an additional 500ML non-groundwater sourced water.

The City of Cape Town Councillor indicated how it had responded to the drought.by diversifying its supply to include non-potable water solutions, preparing contingency risk management plans, reducing overall water consumption, and minimising the impact of the drought on the economy. He spoke to the city’s financial considerations, which would be key to fund the water resilience programme, which was a multiyear project that would cost billions of Rands. The city needed to hold a special budget meeting to reprioritise funds but was still awaiting National Treasury approval to hold this meeting. If the reprioritisation occurred, the city would seek to approve funding which would include concessionary ‘green’ bonds to fund desalination plants.

Members said the presentations talked to 49 dams but only three dams were featured. What about the other 39 dams? Members asked how the Department would fund the shortfall for the water interventions. Members were not satisfied with the content of the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs presentation. Members asked if it would not be in the best interest for Cabinet to declare the Western Cape a disaster area, which would cut red tape, and to instruct the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority to run desalination plants. A Member said that for two years she had asked that the drought be declared a disaster. How many times had the ITT met this year?  What was the plan to deal with disaster risk? What budget was there for disasters and what assistance could be given this year? How much money was spent on bulk infrastructure in the Western Cape for the last five years? Why was the National Disaster Management Centre not approving funds, including for the Knysna fire disaster which had requested R23m. Was there a need for changes to legislation to correct the matter? Members asked if the Western Cape had stringent approaches to the restrictions it had imposed. Members asked if Minister Van Rooyen would consider sitting with the Western Cape government regarding the declaration of the province as a disaster area. Members asked if any verification had been done since the Western Cape had been declared a disaster area. Members said that they would plan to have a broader session with National Treasury and the Department of Environmental Affairs would also be invited to be present.

Meeting report

Briefing by Minister
Ms Nomvula Mokonyane, Minister of Water and Sanitation, said while the meeting was about the drought in the Western Cape, the country had been experiencing drought for three years. There were areas in the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and the North West that were severely affected. These had had an impact on the agricultural sector. The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) had officials sitting in the National Disaster Management forum and had assigned a DDG, Mr Trevor Balzer, to sit in on City of Cape Town committee meetings dealing with the water challenges.

The Western Cape Government had introduced water restrictions of 20% for domestic and industrial and agricultural users on the Berg river and Olifants river areas in September 2016. Since November 2016 the restrictions for agriculture had increased to 30%. In May 2017, restrictions of 20% for domestic and industrial users and 30% for agriculture were placed on the Gouritz / Breede and Berg / Olifants river catchment areas. As of 28 September, restrictions were increased to 40% for domestic and 50% for agricultural users. DWS was interacting with catchment management teams, especially for the Berg and Olifants rivers catchments.

The City of Cape Town had made water licence applications for the Berg water project and the Theewaterskloof dam. She had agreed with the city that they would never allow a total shutdown of water supply. She had issued a directive to the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) for implementation of the Cape water supply augmentation project which focused on the Berg /Voelvlei augmentation scheme and which would cost R550m, with final delivery estimated to be in the winter of 2019. This was seen as an intervention going beyond crisis management. She had agreed with the province and city to invest in additional boreholes and would consider desalination plants. The Clanwilliam Dam wall would be increased, and a contractor would be appointed by 30 December. There were Important infrastructural and technical work being done in the interventions and the interventions would assist in the development of a water and sanitation master plan. The provincial Premier had issued a letter to the President requesting that the Presidential Infrastructure Coordination Committee (PICC) should consider the drought in the Western Cape. Three other provinces had made similar requests.

Briefing by Department of Water and Sanitation
Mr Trevor Balzer, Deputy Director General: Emergency Projects, DWS, said water security was one of the challenges to social wellbeing and economic growth in South Africa. Water scarcity could get rapidly worse as water supply contracts and demand escalated due to growth, urbanisation and a decrease in rainfall because of climate change. There were predictions of a weak La Nina which would mean that the Western Cape was unlikely to get more rain this season and the existing resources needed to last until 2018. A number of municipalities had declared local disasters for drought during March and April 2017. The impact of the drought on water supply meant that reservoirs would take a number of seasons to recover. The drought cycle could extend beyond four years into a ten-year period.

On groundwater resources, there was a trend of a reduction of 1m in ground water levels. Geo-hydrologists would be appointed to assist with the identification of new borehole sites and the sustainable use of existing ground water extraction. He spoke to Western Cape water supply systems and that water restrictions were the most effective intervention. However, there was an 18-month time lag before water restriction targets were met. He said there was a need to standardise the restriction levels across all cities and municipalities. He spoke to water augmentation interventions and ‘the new normal’, where part of the solution was to adapt to climate change through improved, sustainable use and management of water and stretching the available water resources.

Briefing by Minister of COGTA
Minister Des Van Rooyen, COGTA, said the President had established an Inter-Ministerial Task Team (ITT) on drought, to focus on all affected areas of the country. The task team included the Department of Environmental Affairs apart from the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Department of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing. COGTA had roped in Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), and the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) supported all areas affected by the drought. The ITT had responded to various disasters in the Western Cape, including the recent fire disasters through a collaborative approach. The ITT was tasked to assess all climate change issues, concomitant hazards and to plan and activate emergency systems and processes and encourage responsible water use.

Briefing by National Disaster Management Centre
Mr Mmaphaka Tau, COGTA DDG and Head of the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC), provided an update on the short and long-term drought interventions and strategies put in place in the Western Cape Province and the dispersal of the allocated Disaster Relief Grant.

The province is still reeling from severe drought and the Northern and Eastern Cape provinces were closely monitored since they were also facing drought in certain areas. There has been a drastic change in the expected El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phase. It was likely that a weak La Niña would develop between November and February. This, supported by the regional forecasts, indicated that the summer rainfall areas could expect above-normal rainfall during these periods. In June 2017, the Premier, provincial ministers and mayors signed a municipal declaration on long term water security for the province. The declaration had seven key points for enhanced water demand management and conservation. Additional local authorities declared states of local disaster. As a result, the NDMC, conducted drought impact assessments. The drought was being treated as an emergency due to its far reaching socio-economic impact on the lives of people and the environment.

During 2016/17, the NDMC facilitated and coordinated implementation of short term and long-term intervention measures. He spoke to how funding was spent. An amount of R74.8m was disbursed to provide assistance within the affected sectors. A total of R40 million was allocated to the Western Cape Department of Agriculture for the provision and transportation of livestock feed to assist farming communities affected by drought and fires. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) had spent R59m from its own budget on provision of animal feed, assisting 4 156 farmers, of which 1 684 were commercial farmers and 2 472 were smallholder farmers. R34.8m was allocated for the implementation of water provision projects in Bitou, Theewaterskloof and City of Cape Town municipalities. Communicators continued to coordinate key messages from all sectors and ensured that they were communicated through one platform.

Briefing by Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)
Mr Ikalafeng Kgakatsi, Director: Climate Change and Disaster Management at DAFF, reported on progress on the implementation of drought interventions with special focus on the Western Cape Province.

The drought conditions were persisting, resulting in continued poor veld conditions, especially in the Western Cape, parts of the Eastern Cape and parts of the Northern Cape. Consequently, the Western Cape declared a provincial state of drought disaster and requested additional funding from National Treasury (NT) through the NDMC. The risk remained high for conditions conducive to veld fires.  He gave a list of drought interventions and an expenditure report per province. The Department would continue to strengthen its early warning system to ensure that those at risk were able to get the message in time to respond.

Briefing by MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Mr Anton Bredell, MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, said the province had had a plan but that it was based on a normal rainfall pattern. The province was preparing for a ‘day zero’ eventuality through a two-pronged strategy involving reducing water use and increasing the production of water. The province would therefore be looking at desalination as part of its solutions. It would look at the cost of desalination, and whether it would be more expensive if the payback on financing deals was extended. The province needed to talk to NT to push that agenda. It was important that each sphere of government fulfilled their mandates.
 
Briefing by Western Cape Provincial Department of COGTA
Mr Graham Paulse, HoD, Western Cape Provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), said it was estimated that by 2050 rainfall in the Western Cape would have decreased by 30%. the critical dam levels had had an impact on domestic users, from water restrictions to increased tariffs and delays in the growth of the residential market. There was a significant impact on the agricultural sector from a decrease in agricultural production, stock losses to job losses for seasonal agricultural workers. Businesses had been impacted with two canning factories closing and swimming pool companies, nurseries, car washes and the construction industry businesses all being affected. A number of critical interventions were required which would need funding of R5.4b.
He spoke to the critical water levels in the dams. The Gamka dam in Beaufort West was the worst at 0%.
He spoke to the funding implications and municipal funding requirements. A number of outcomes arose after a meeting with Minister Mokonyane. The Brandvlei dam inlet canal would be increased by 30cm; The Clanwilliam Dam wall would be raised; and alien vegetation in catchment areas would be removed. The impact of the drought would result in reprioritising of funding which would lead to APP deliverable targets not being met. An additional 500ML non-groundwater sourced water would be provided. The province was advocating that there be a balanced approach to minimise the impact on the economy and the province was working with key sectors so that the sectors could continue their businesses. The impact on the economy was worse for the agricultural sector than for the domestic sector which would mean there would be social and humanitarian relief needed for those workers that no longer work or have been laid off.

Briefing by City of Cape Town Committee for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services, and Energy
Councillor Xanthea Limberg, Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services, and Energy, said all the previous speakers had illustrated the scale of the drought and the City of Cape Town’s presentation would be on how it had responded to the drought.by diversifying its supply to include non-potable water solutions, preparing contingency risk management plans, reducing overall water consumption, and minimising the impact of the drought on the economy.

Mr Gareth Morgan, City of Cape Town Director of Water Resilience, said the city’s high-level strategy going forward was to bring online 500ML/day of new non-surface water, to get citizens to reduce water use, and to prepare contingency plans for a worst-case scenario. Other speakers spoke to water demand management in the city.

Councillor Limberg then spoke to the city’s financial considerations, which would be key to fund the water resilience programme, which was a multiyear project that would cost billions of Rands. The city needed to hold a special budget meeting to reprioritise funds but was still awaiting NT approval to hold this meeting. If the reprioritisation occurred, it would be followed by special council meetings to approve funding which would include concessionary ‘green’ bonds to fund desalination plants.

Discussion
Mr P Chauke (ANC) said the presentations talked to 49 dams but only three dams were featured. What about the other 39 dams?

Mr L Basson (DA) asked how the Department would fund the shortfall for the water interventions.
He was not satisfied with the content of the COGTA presentation. COGTA had contributed but another R500m was still needed so the Department should give more money. Desalination was the future for the Western Cape. Would it not be in the best interest for Cabinet to declare the Western Cape a disaster area, which would cut red tape, and to instruct the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) to run desalination plants. It was a long-term project and was the responsibility of the Department not the city.

Ms A Steyn (DA) said agriculture, was a concern of hers. For two years she had asked that the drought be declared a disaster. While the topic was the Western Cape, there was drought around the country. In the Eastern Cape’s Saartjie Baartman area 7 000 animals had died because of drought. How many times had the ITT met this year?  What was the plan to deal with disaster risk?
Climate change was here but there was no budget for it. What budget was there for disasters and what assistance could be given this year? Apparently in 2015 some of the money allocated for disaster risk management was not used because no one requested it. How much money was spent on bulk infrastructure in the Western Cape for the last five years?

Mr K Mileham (DA) said R300m allocated to the NMDC had been unspent. The DA had been calling for a disaster to be declared for a long time. Why was the NMDC not approving funds, including for the Knysna fire disaster which had requested R23m. Surely when a disaster was declared it would trigger emergency appropriation processes and the release of emergency funding. Was there a need for changes to legislation to correct the matter?

Mr C Matsepe (DA) spoke of unfinished dams and reticulation projects in Limpopo province which were affecting the Jane Furse and Philadelphia Hospitals and asked if the Department was aware of these instances.

Mr Chauke said the meeting should remain focused on its agenda, which was the drought in the Western Cape.

Mr T Makondo (ANC) said the last phase of water restrictions introduced by the City of Cape Town had helped. He asked if the Western Cape had stringent approaches to the restrictions it had imposed.

Ms N Khawula said the issue of drought was no longer an excuse. There was plenty of running water in the City of Cape Town that needed to be captured. COGTA was not determined to work to preserve water. We need competent dedicated researchers to work on this. COGTA should work together with the DWS.

Dr Tau said that the National Disaster Management Act called for coordination of the work of all sectors on disaster management issues; for the Western Cape a declaration was made. Before the declaration was made verification needed to be done and then a classification letter was issued.

On disaster management issues, information on funds that were spent on various projects and statistics for example was prepared and submitted on 16 October so there could have been spending on some items since that date.

On the province being declared a disaster area, it was already the case. The NMDC was also about risk reduction apart from disaster management. And hence scientific information needed to be in place before decisions were made. The country was not yet at the point where the whole country could be declared a national disaster.

In terms of the emergency relief grant, where the NDMC had R500m available, the funds were accessible but certain conditions had to be fulfilled.

On national support, he said the NDMC had supported the verifications fort the emergency relief grant. 

Minister Mokonyane said disaster declarations were done through COGTA with verification required. There would come a time when government would need to decide because there were strict requirements that needed to be dealt with.

On the TCTA issue, the DWS approached all coastal cities and town on the need to increase their water use mix and they should include desalination and recycling water and this should be part of regular bulk infrastructure, like for example in Richards Bay.

There was a desalination plant in the Western Cape that had been built some time before and which may be refurbished.

In the last five years more than R800m was spent on regular bulk infrastructure and six wastewater treatment works had been completed. R550m had been committed to raising the Clanwilliam dam wall.

There was no way one could be dealing with these issues while under legislative challenges, especially in emergency conditions. She gave the example of a drought which could last for three years yet legislatively an emergency was defined as an event that lasted not longer than three months. This was what had confronted the DWS in the case of Giyani.  The DWS needed to return to the Committee to discuss disaster management processes for South Africa.

The DWS Had only received R300m from Treasury, yet the demand was for R3b.

She was worried over the Eastern Cape region where the outlook was not good as was the Northern Cape and North-West province and Treasury should be invited to sit in on this meeting.

Coordination efforts could be improved, especially on implementation and dealing with issues.

On reticulation issues, she said commitment was needed to ensure maintenance and reticulation because if DWS did that work it was regarded as irregular.

She proposed that the salient points be identified on what needed to be done and how best to deviate from the current norm.

Minister Van Rooyen said not enough attention had been paid to the recommendations made in the presentations and highlight two issues. Firstly, the misalignment of the sector departments interventions and that a collaborative framework needed to be developed. For example, DWS drilled boreholes, which should have been done by COGTA. Secondly, the reaction times to emergencies needed to be decreased. Disasters needed expeditious actions and in this respect legislation needed to be looked at. He agreed with Minister Mokonyane’s call for a generic approach to disaster management.

Mr Basson asked if Minister Van Rooyen would consider sitting with the Western Cape government regarding the declaration of the province as a disaster area.
 
Ms Steyn said the figure of R800m for regional bulk infrastructure out of a budget of R12b a year had been bandied about for the last five years.

Minister Mokonyane said the R12b did not go to infrastructure only. There was also additional work being done outside of the question that had been asked.   

Ms Steyn asked if any verification had been done since the Western Cape had been declared a disaster area.

Mr Mileham said that when there was a disaster and verification was involved, there should be an element of trust at times of disaster and verification could occur afterwards.

Minister Van Rooyen said the review process would cater for such radical submissions without being blocked.

Mr Balzer said that the 43 dams were monitored on a weekly basis but that other dams were reported on a monthly basis. The focus was on the six-day supply of the Western Cape dams and Clanwilliam dam

The Chairperson said that they would plan to have a broader session with National Treasury and the Department of Environmental Affairs would also be invited to be present.

The meeting adjourned
 

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