Progress with Water Allocation Reform in South Africa - Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies - page 362

4. Progress: Specific sub-components
The sub-components listed below were identified as specific interventions or
considerations required within the programme and many were mentioned in an earlier
paper (Ashwin R Seetal & Gavin Quibell, 2003a). This section of the paper describes
progress with several sub-components, which may otherwise not receive adequate
attention elsewhere in the paper.
Capacity development and communications
The integrated set of eight aspects of capacity development to be addressed within the
programme included: mandate; policy instruments; organisational structure; technical
skills; procedures; planning and problem-solving skills; financial; and capital and
networking skills. A ninth, and perhaps most critical, component was added concerning
willingness or desire to use the water (enthusiasm). The development of procedures and
methodologies for water use reform around these nine components were recognised as a
critical intervention to support sustainable water use reform.
Studies that have been completed include a sector-wide capacity gap analysis and a
capacity building strategy in support of WAR. However, some difficulty has been
encountered with the implementation of a Capacity Development Programme of Action
specifically targeted at women and the poor.
The strategy for the communications programme has included printed materials in the
form of posters, pamphlets, a newsletter, newspaper and tabloid advertisements. These
have been developed and used to showcase the programme, encourage participation in
aspects of the programme and for capacity development. In addition, other
communications media include television interviews and discussions, and community
radio stations. A range of awareness materials currently being developed, includes:
a shorter version of the position paper, translated into the eleven official local languages
a pamphlet on “What is Compulsory Licensing?”
a pamphlet on “What is Verification and Validation?”; and
a booklet on “How do you make productive use of water?”
The most resource intensive approach used to date has been one-on-one
communication and capacity building with different sectors — geographic, economic or
interest-based. This approach is usually the most rewarding.
Importantly in South Africa, all the relevant communication materials are translated
into all eleven official languages, even though this places a substantial cost burden on the
programme. The value of this exercise substantially outweighs this cost.
The water use context
According to the National Water Act, “water use” includes the consumptive use of
water, the use of water to carry waste, storage of water, impeding or diverting the flow in
a water course, and stream flow reduction activities (such as commercial forestry). The
terms “water use” and “water use allocation” refer to water use as defined in Section 21