EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN FOR THE ERADICATION OF WATER USE AUTHORISATION APPLICATIONS (WULAs) BACKLOG : LETSEMA

Presentation to the Portfolio Committee: Presentation to the Portfolio Committee: Water & Environmental AffairsWater & Environmental Affairs

Presentation byMs Deborah Mochotlhi

Project Manager: Letsema3 November 2010

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Presentation Outline• Purpose• What caused the backlog?• What Water Use is?• Rationale for Eradicating the Backlog• Progress thus far • Lessons Learnt/Experiences/Challenges• Sustainability Plan

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Purpose of the Presentation

To provide progress report on the implementation of Letsema

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What caused the Backlog?Various surveys pointed to the following causes:• Inadequate capacity (numbers and skills)• Insufficient guidelines• Delayed Reserve Determination• Delayed inputs from other Departments• Incomplete documentation from applicants• Inadequate assistance to HDI’s.

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What water use is?

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Section 21 (A-K): Water Uses21. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ACT, WATER USE INCLUDES-(a) TAKING WATER FROM A WATER RESOURCE;(b) STORING WATER;(c) IMPEDING OR DIVERTING THE FLOW OF WATER IN A

WATERCOURSE;(d) ENGAGING IN A STREAM FLOW REDUCTION ACTIVITY(e) ENGAGING IN A CONTROLLED ACTIVITY IDENTIFIED AS SUCH IN

S37(1) OR S38(1);(f) DISCHARGING WASTE OR WATER CONTAINING WASTE INTO A

WATER RESOURCE THROUGH A PIPE, CANAL, SEWER, SEA OUTFALL OR

OTHER CONDUIT;

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(g) DISPOSING OF WASTE IN A MANNER WHICH MAY DETRIMENTALLY IMPACT ON A WATER RESOURCE;

(h) DISPOSING IN ANY MANNER OF WATER WHICH CONTAINS WASTE FROM, OR WHICH HAS BEEN HEATED IN, ANY INDUSTRIAL OR POWER GENERATION PROCESS;

(i) ALTERING THE BED, BANKS, COURSE OR CHARACTERISTICS OF A WATERCOURSE;

(j) REMOVING, DISCHARGING OR DISPOSING OF WATER FOUND UNDERGROUND IF IT IS NECESSARY FOR EFFICIENT CONTINUATION OF AN ACTIVITY OR THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE;

(k) USING WATER FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES.

Section 21 (A-K): Water Uses (Cont…)

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Benefits/Rationale• Improve the image of the Department and that of

Government• Enhances the Regulatory role of the department• Improve DWA’s position to deal with

Appeals/Tribunal• Affirm DWA’s role as contributor to economic

development• Anchors DWA’s contribution to government’s

programs such as ASGISA & poverty alleviation.

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LETSEMA

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Letsema Concept

“Letsema” Setswana word, meaning a group/team of people coming together in order to achieve a common goal/purpose

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Composition of Letsema Teams2 Teams constituted by Regional and National Office personnel plus Professional Service Providers (PSP) Group A scheduled

for:• North West• National Office• Limpopo• Eastern Cape• Gauteng

Group B scheduled for:

• Kwa-Zulu Natal• Northern Cape• Mpumalanga • Western Cape• Free State

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PROGRESS AS AT

OCTOBER 2010

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DWA OFFICES Backlog Number of WULAs finalised

Number of WULAs in process

KwaZuluNatal 1314 1096 218North West 292 148 144Northern Cape 710 468 242National Office 264 254 10Mpumalanga 216 111 105Limpopo 398 287 111Western Cape 342 173 169Free State 156 117 39Eastern Cape 491 299 192Gauteng 135 86 49Totals 4318 3039 1279

WULA’s OVERVIEW PER REGION

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Sectoral breakdown of finalised WULAsSector Number of WULAs Agriculture 825

Power Generation 13

Local Government (Municipalities) 191

Stream Flow Reduction Activities 1130

Mining (include small scale mining – alluvial diamond mining, sand mining)

433

Others (include other industries, government agencies and property – SA road agencies-SANRAL developers)

447

Total 3 039

Factors Leading To Discrepancies In Statistics

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Actual figures will only be confirmed at the end of the project because:

• WULAs reported as pre-applications turned out to be full applications with outstanding information

• Some files that were reported as backlog were found to be mere files that were opened when a client visited/enquiries

• Applications differentiated/separated per water use instead of filing as an integrated application

• Duplication of files.

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Lessons Learnt /Experiences/Challenges

• The process is resource intensive• DWA made a mistake of accepting incomplete

applications • Follow-up on applications is time consuming• Not sufficient responsibility is placed on clients for

completeness of applications• Non-use of authorisation guidelines by applicants• Most applicants not responding on time

Lessons Learnt /Experiences/ Challenges (cont…)

• Unlawful water use while WULAs are processed (even by state institutions)

• Resistance to contribute to redress and equity• Impact on other functions of the Department

/trade-offs

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Long Term Sustainability – Strive towards zero backlog (Considerations)

• Establishment of a dedicated unit WU• Call Centre (Incorporate in the current CC)• Forty-two (42) contract workers were appointed in

July 2010 - capacity Building in water use authorisation

• Skills Acquisition and Training (continuous)

Long Term Sustainability – Strive towards no backlog (Considerations) Cont…

• Review of the Business Process and Delegations• Extension officers for assistance to HDIs• Review of application forms and fee (R114)

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END

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