Water levy to spark more unrest – farmers
SIMUNYE – Sugar cane farmers have lamented that the projected introduction of the water pricing levies on water usage will wage war on an already volatile situation in the country.
Speaking yesterday during a question and answer session after the presentations made by Joint River Basin Authority (RBA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Sindie Mthimkhulu and Director of Water Affairs Chief Water Engineer Emelda Magagula, the farmers pointed out that they were currently charged exorbitant fees and they were not ready to pay more money.
The farmers vented their anger during the River Basin Water Pricing Stakeholders Consultations meeting held at Simunye Country Club yesterday.
Meeting
Close to 100 farmers attended the meeting that started at around 10:30am and ended at around 2pm.
Vuvulane sugar cane farmer of Farm No. 204, Bongani Ndwandwe, said he was currently paying about E14 000 per year towards water usage for his four-hectare farm and the introduction of the water levy by RBA would exert more financial strain to the current situation.
“I want to put it succinctly clear that the introduction of this levy will wage World War III. This war won’t be fought by guns but by water. We are not ready to pay more money to the already exorbitant fees we are parting with. Government is not bothered about the welfare of the farmers. Government should remit the levy from the amount we are already paying,” he
A section of farmers who attended the meeting. said, much to the applause from the other Chairman Dr Leonard Ndlovu tried to farmers. calm the situation by explaining that it was
Echoing his sentiments was another unfortunate that the introduction of the levy Vuvulane sugar cane farmer, Samson came at a time when the economic climate Mngometulu of Farm No. 87 who told was not looking good, but it was inevitable the panel of facilitators that he owned a as it was long overdue. farm and was born and raised at Vuvulane, Ndlovu opined that government had hence the introduction of the water levy to to provide seed funding to cushion the them was uncalled for as they were already situation and assist farmers in ensuring that suffering from the remitted fees of their they serviced their loans as well as remain irrigation water. operational in their businesses.
“We are being made to pay huge amounts for using water, not considering the economic state as we are left with nothing at the end. We are already paying for water and government is adding another levy which makes us furious. How can we pay for the water we are using, yet we don’t even have the water permits you are talking about? When we apply for loans, banks ask us to provide water permits yet we don’t know where we are supposed to acquire such a thing,” he said.
Former Imbuluzi RBA Committee
Debt
“It is imperative that government should come on board and assist financially in this aspect as some farmers could close their businesses due to the burden exerted on repaying their debts,” he said.
In responding to the questions, RBA CEO Mthimkhulu acknowledged that the economic atmosphere was not stable, but pointed out that they were conducting these consultation meetings to get the contributions and input on the challenges faced by the farmers and how best this exercise could be implemented.
“Funds are scarce and RBA is also sourcing some of the funds from partners in Netherlands and government assists as well. We know the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the hike in other commodities that have been taking place, but the implementation of this programme is long overdue. We heard your concerns and will report them back to our superiors so that a way forward can be forged,” she said.
Also supporting her response was Director of Water Affairs Chief Water Engineer Magagula, who said this initiative was primarily focused on the monitoring of water usage by farmers as well as to ensure that there was sustainability.
During her presentation, Magagula said the consultative meetings were meant to get views and input from farmers on how best the National Water Authority could implement the water pricing and the key factors and challenges that needed urgent attention.
She added that four ministries were involved in this programme, namely the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, Ministry of Health, Ministry ofAgriculture and Ministry of Economic Planning and Development.
“Water is a natural resource and a basic human right, but due to that there is a Water Act of 2003, water is now a commercial good that needs to be used knowingly that one has to take care of that responsibility. Water is regulated through monitoring and analysing existing usage to identify inefficiencies and their impact and provide corrective measures,” she said.
Magagula further unpacked that due to the fact that water was an economic good, a water pricing structure had been set up to ensure water management tariff for national levy paid by one who had a permit and the bulk water tariff whose user could then allocate others.
Spectrum
She said the water pricing spectrum comprised of different sectors like hydropower production, forestry, mining, irrigation, livestock to mention only a few.
Meanwhile, farmers under the Imbuluzi RBA want an audience with the Minister of Agriculture, Jabulani Mabuza.
The farmers unanimously told the panel of facilitators during the River Basins Water Pricing Stakeholder Consultations meeting that they should relay their request to meet the minister so that they could be able to voice out their grievances to him.
“We want a meeting with the minister of Agriculture so that he can tell us how come we are paying for water now and then there is the water levy being introduced on top of what we are currently paying,” said one farmer, much to a loud applause from the others.