In his State of the Nation speech, in the beginning of this year, President Mbeki placed the emphasis on the season of hope that is beckoning for all South Africans in the second decade of our democracy.

The freedom charter spells out explicitly that the Land belongs to the people and this means that we shall all be entitled to posses the land and the benefits that accompany that equality. Ownership also means responsibility, and with regard to the land, that responsibility means that we are obligated to take care of the land and our natural resources. Out of our natural resources flows many streams, that when they eventually are put together should become a river of hope that will flow forever.

Speaker dit gaan egter van ons almal wat op een op ander wyse gebruik maak van ons natuurlike hulpbronne, vra, om altyd nuut te kyk na metodes om hierdie hulpbronne te te spaar en te bewaar.

Landbouwaterbesparingsprogram
Ontledings het aangetoon dat die waterverbruik van Kaapse metropool binnekort die voorsiening vanuit die beskikbare waterbronne gaan oortref. Kompetisie tussen die verskillende verbruikersektore om die beskikbare water gaan dus toeneem. Die besproeiingssektor is verantwoordelik vir ongeveer 50% van totale huidige verbruik en moet dus betrokke raak by die vind van gebalanseerde oplossings.

In die lig van bogemelde faktore het die Departement van Landbou in die Wes-Kaap pro-aktief opgetreë en program geloods om die werklike waterverbruik deur besproeiing in die belangrikste sektore in die Wes-Kaap te bepaal en vas te stel hoe die waterverbruiks- doeltreffendheid dws- kg vrugte geproduseer per kubieke meter water verbeter kan word. Die program is tans in ses gebiede aan die gang nl. De Doorns (tafeldruiwe), Worcester (wyndruiwe), Ceres (pere), Stellenbosch (pruime), Sandveld (aartappels) en Vredendal (wyndruiwe).

Die optimale waterbehoefte word in die program vir die verskillende areas bepaal en produsente bygestaan om hul waterverbruik te optimiseer en foute in hul besproeiingstelsels en skedulering uit te skakel. Die bevindinge gaan saamgevat word om produsente oor die hele Provinsie dieselfde ondersteuning te gee.

Die resultate van die projek tot dusver dui daarop dat water oor die algemeen redelik effektief benut word, maar dat daar wel geleentheid vir verbetering by sekere produsente is. Die gemiddelde verbetering in die waterverbruiksdoeltreffenheid (kilogram produk produseer per kubieke meter water) het met tussen 12 en 15% gestyg waar die program geïmplementeer is.

As indicated the Western Cape Department of Agriculture investigated the dynamics of an increased long-term water scarcity situation in the Berg Water Management area. Associated with this research, a public survey by which 7 000 questionnaires were sent to water users in Berg Water Management Area (including Cape Metropole) was also conducted. The results indicated a public willingness to pay for environmentally friendlier, but more expensive water. The outcome motivates serious consideration of bulk supply options such as desalination of seawater and recycling to potable standard, despite of higher direct costs and potential increased water tariffs. To this end, the Western Cape Department support the development of pilot desalination/recycling projects by working together with service providers, consultants, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry and district and local municipalities to engage in discussions on co-financing a pilot desalination project. The Western Cape Department of Agriculture is currently busy with further research to quantify the impact of increased water tariffs on the Western Cape economy. Preliminary results are expected towards the end of the current financial year and we trust that we can come knocking on your door for assistance for such a project.

Oudtshoorn Landbou Water Ondersoek.
Die oorhoofse doel van die studie wat tans onderneem word, is om te bepaal hoe die beskikbare waterbronne in die Oudtshoorn area beter benut kan word tot voordeel van die streek/gemeenskap en wel op so 'n manier dat die houvas van armoede op die voorheen benadeelde gedeelte van die gemeenskap spesifiek aangespreek en verlig word.

Die hoofaspekte wat ondersoek word is die volgende:

• Hoeveel water kan moontlik bespaar word?
• Waar in die bestaande stelsel kan hierdie besparing gemaak word?
• Wat gaan dit kos om die besparings te realiseer?
• Watter voordeel kan deur middel van die besparings behaal word?

Die geraamde koste van die ondersoek wat teen die middel 2006 voltooi sal wees is sowat R 3 miljoen.

Olifants/Doringrivier Studie
Die eerste fase van die studie is laasjaar afgehandel teen 'n koste van R 6 miljoen. Verdere fase ten bedrae van R 1,5 miljoen word hierdie jaar gedoen om die beskikbaarheid van grondwater in die area vas te stel en is primêr daarop ingestel om water aan klein en opkomende boere te lewer.

George Waterstudie
Groot kompetisie vir die beperkte waterbronne in die George area heers tussen die stedelike, Landbou- en ontspanningssektore. Die area is baie gewild en talle golflandgoede is reeds ontwikkel en die belangstelling het nog nie afgeneem nie.

Ondersoek ten bedrae van R 2,5 miljoen om die omvang van die beskikbare water te bepaal en pro-aktiewe verdeling tussen die sektore voor te stel word in samewerking met Waterwese gedoen.

Zoar Waterbronstudie
Studie om die beskikbare waterbronne en ontwikkelingsopsie vir die gemeenskap van Zoar te bepaal is tans aan die gang. Die gemeenskap het geen opgaardamme vir besproeiingswater wat in die somer tydens donderstorms voorkom nie en kan nie volhoubaar boer sonder besproeiingswater nie. As regering is dit ons plig om te sorg dat ons mense wat voorheen nie gelyke geleenthede gehad het nie, nou daardie geleenthede kry. Die studie ten bedrae van R 600 000 word in samewerking met Waterwese gedoen en sal teen middel 2006 voltooi wees en ek wil die minister bedank dat sy geluister het na my versoek verlede jaar.

Koebeebergprojek
Op die Koobeeberg naby Vanrhynsdorp is daar 8 plase wat geen drinkwater het nie en water moet oor lang afstande aangery word. Hulle self het oor die afgelope aantal jare ongeveer 60 droë boorgate geboor. Ondersoek is deur die program volhoubare hulpbronbestuur gedoen en waterbron aan die voet van die berg geïdentifiseer. Pomppyplyn gaan opgerig word om die plase van drinkwater vir mens en dier te verskaf. Die koste van die projek wat teen die einde van die jaar afgehandel sal wees en ook deur die Nasionale Departement gerugsteun word, beloop R900 000.

It is important that our youth should be educated to respect and love our environment and natural resources. It is with this in mind that 50 Junior LandCare camps will be held during this year that will accommodate 4500 historically disadvantaged students, training them in sustainable resource use for example efficient water use, biodiversity education, climate change as well as social skills.

Speaker it is important that we protect our indigenous vegetation and to this end we will be conducting 20 projects during this year to eradicate alien vegetation with the aim of re-establishing indigenous vegetation. These projects are concentrating in resource sensitive areas mainly along river courses, thereby enhancing our efficient use of our scarce water resources. R2.45 million has been allocated to these projects. 80% will be allocated directly to labour costs, thereby alleviating poverty as well as empowering people with new skills.

Some of our river systems were destroyed by fire and flooding during last year and have resulted in extensive damage to the river course. In some cases river basin peat that took 10 000 years to form has been eroded to bedrock, destroying the natural wetland and sponge of the system. Three infrastructure projects will be implemented to protect the river course from eroding agricultural land. We will spend R1.7 million on the protection of these sensitive ecosystems and this money will be used for labour to erect these structures.

In conclusion I need to point out that we are embarking on these projects, not only to empower our people, to fight poverty and to address the injustices of the past, but also to ensure that we provide in the needs from our natural resources in an effort to take them over the threshold of hope into the fullness of the second decade of freedom.

Enquiries:
Alie van Jaarsveld
Spokesperson
Ministry of Agriculture: Western Cape
Tel: 021 483 4930
Fax: 021 483 3890
Email: avjaarsv@pgwc.gov.za