Site Map
Features May / June 2003 Zambian Water Pictures Water Resource Info Database OPINION - Confusing Cause and Effect	Incorporating	Founder : Len Abrams Water Policy International Search Help

    Return to the Development Page    

The South African Water Scene

Introduction

South Africa has had the rare opportunity to completely reform its water law since the first democratic elections were held in 1994.  This resulted in the enactment of the Water Services Act (Act 108 - of 1997) and the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998).  The legislation is "framework legislation" with most of the detail being incorporated in regulations.  Since the enactment of the legislation which contains many unique features, the South African Department of Water Affairs and Forestry has engaged in a complex program of implementation.  This is beginning to produce a number of very interesting documents which are of interest beyond the particular circumstances of South Africa.  These will be mounted on this page as they become available.

[The Author of the Water Page had the privilege of serving the new government as full-time Ministerial Advisor to the Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry after the elections in 1994 when the reform process began.  After stepping down as Advisor, I advised the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on the passage of the Water Services Bill and the National Water Bill through the Parliamentary process.  I was also commissioned to write common English guidelines to the both Acts.]

South African Water Sector Reform 

Reform implementation

• Resource Directed Measures for Protection of Water Resources: Version 1.0

• The development of a charge system for discharging waste into water resources

• South Africa’s policy transition to sustainability: environmental and water law

Policy and legislation

• Water Supply and Sanitation Policy White Paper (pdf file) November 1994

• Fundamental Principles and Objectives for a New Water Law in South Africa

• White Paper on the National Sanitation Policy July 1996

• White Paper on Water Policy - April 1997

• Water Services Bill Published in the Government Gazette - 23 May 1997

• National Water Bill - September 1997

• Water Services Act (Act 108 of 1997) [pdf format] on the Department of Water Affairs site
• National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998) [pdf format] 20 August 1998 Download the Act from Department of Water Affairs and Forestry Server (NOTE : The Water Affairs server can be very slow at times. If you have problems downloading the document, please email us at info@thewaterpage.com and we will send you a copy.)
• Policy development in the water sector  - the South African experience
  [Paper written by Len Abrams for the Cranfield International Water Policy Conference, 
  Cranfield University, Bedford UK, September 1996]

Related issues and comment

• SADC Shared Watercourse Systems Protocol

• Sustainability of South Africa's 'water miracle' questioned
  African Eye News Service, May 9, 1999 By Peter Wellman

• Sustainability Guidelines

• Drought policy – Water issues June 1997

Links

• Home Page of the Ministry of Water Affairs & Forestry, South Africa (Be patient - this site can take time.)
• Home Page of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (Be patient - this site can take time.)
• Water Research Commission A statutory organisation instituted according to the Water Research Act.
• INTERWATER - (formerly WENDY) Water supply and Environmental Sanitation Electronic Network for Developing Country's Needs. INTERWATER is a collaborative electronic network of partner institutions in the water and sanitation sector, operating under the auspices of the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council. It acts as a gateway to sources of water and sanitation information which are accessible through the Internet. Undertaken by the Pollution Research Group of University of Natal, Durban, together with the Department of Civil Engineering, of University of Durban Westville.
• The Mvula Trust Promoting safe and sustainable water and sanitation services to South Africa's disadvantaged communities.
• Water Wise, run by Rand Water
• Lesotho Highlands Water Project   A project to store and transfer water through a series of dams and tunnels from Lesotho to South Africa.
• SA GNU Index The "Open Government" Page of the South African Government - Hundereds of documents on a wide variety of topics
• Southern African Development Bank - Working in the arena of infrastructure financing in Southern Africa.
• Water Supply - Local Government - Durban - South Africa The water service in the Durban Metropolitan area.
• Umgeni Water Umgeni Water is the largest water authority in the KwaZulu-Natal Region of South Africa and is centered around the Greater Durban and Pietermaritzburg Metropolitan areas. The organisation is involved in a broad range of water services, but its core business lies in bulk storage, treatment and supply of water to towns and cities in its area.