Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2-minute read
10 June 2023 | 13:36 CAT

Democratic Alliance

Draft regulations that will determine access to water based on skin colour will have a catastrophic impact on food security and employment in the agricultural sector in South Africa, warns Agri SA in response to the proposed water licensing regulations gazetted by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in May 2023.

According to the draft regulations, certain enterprises applying for water use licenses to take or store water will, in the future, have to allocate shares of up to 75% to black South Africans for such water use licenses to be granted.

According to the department, this consideration is to achieve equity and redress past racial discrimination.

The prescribed minimum black South African shareholding requirements of 25%, 50%, or 75% required for a water use license to succeed depends on the volume of water abstracted or stored or the area covered.

CEO of Agri SA, Christo VanDer Reede, told Radio Islam International around three million tons of maize, wheat, fruit and vegetables are produced under irrigation.

VanDer Reede emphasizes that the above agriculture sectors provide many jobs.

“South Africa is the most food-secure country on the continent of Africa because we have certainty over property and water rights, lack thereof would destroy agriculture as well as the economy,” he says.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany.