Western Cape Agriculture rejects Race-Based quotas for Water Licenses

8 June 2023

The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) rejects race-based quotas for the allocation of water licenses as proposed by the Department of Water and Sanitation’s draft revised regulations on water use licenses.

The Western Cape Government (WCG) supports a needs-based approach as opposed to a race-based approach in the allocation of water licenses. The current water governance system in South Africa (SA) is highly problematic and hugely ineffective, and a race-based quota water allocation system will further collapse water governance in SA.

The Western Cape is South Africa’s largest export region. The proposed regulation will harm farms and exports, and have a knock-on effect on the economy.

Provincial Minister Ivan Meyer said: “Any regulation which threatens jobs is simply a bad policy. With a devastatingly high unemployment rate in the country and growing inequality, the government should cut red tape and open as many doors as possible to make getting a job as easy as possible. The WCG supports redress in the agri-value chain through the commodity approach which is based on collaboration with industry partners who share our approach to transformation.”

“A needs-based approach will not only ensure a fair allocation of water licenses but also protect jobs and food securityAs government we have a critical role to play in creating an enabling economic environment, not destroying it,” concluded Provincial Minister Meyer.

Issued by Daniel Johnson, Spokesperson for Minister Ivan Meyer, 8 June 2023