Minister Molewa’s Budget Vote Speech for the DEA and DWA in the NCOP: Access to water, enforcement, water security and environmental integrity

The document details South Africa's efforts to increase water access, which has risen from 62% in 1994 to 93% in 2011. It highlights strategic water infrastructure projects, such as the Mokolo and Crocodile River (West) project and the Spring Grove Dam, alongside a focus on groundwater and desalination. Environmental priorities include combating rhino poaching, implementing the Waste Act to foster a recycling sector, and finalizing a Climate Change Response Policy White Paper ahead of the UN Climate Change conference in Durban. The Minister emphasizes the role of the environment sector in job creation through programs like Working for Water and Working for Wetlands.

• Access to clean drinking water for households in South Africa increased from 62% in 1994 to an average of 93% by 2011, with a goal of reaching 100%.
• To ensure water availability for economic growth in sectors like mining, energy, industry, and agriculture, the government is exploring groundwater reserves, seawater desalination, recycle and reuse approaches, and inter-basin transfers.
• Several major water infrastructure projects are underway, including the R2 billion Mokolo and Crocodile River (West) water augmentation project for the Medupi power station and other users in Mpumalanga, the R2.2 billion Spring Grove Dam in Kwa-Zulu Natal, and a water conveyance system from the Vaal Dam to Secunda for SASOL and Eskom.
• South Africa is finalizing a Climate Change Response Policy White Paper to guide the transition to a low-carbon economy and climate-resilient society, noting that the country is among the top 20 greenhouse gas emitters globally.
• The government is addressing environmental crimes, specifically the 'dramatic increase in rhino poaching', by mobilizing the defence force, revenue services, and South African Police Services, and establishing a Biodiversity Enforcement unit.
• The implementation of the Waste Act aims to address waste avoidance, recycling, and recovery, with the goal of developing a recycling economic sector centered around municipalities.
• Environmental restoration programs are used as tools for job creation; for the 2011/12 financial year, Working for Water is expected to provide nearly 5 million person-days of employment, while Working for Wetlands has rehabilitated 427 wetlands and created 10,000 short-term jobs.
• The government is working toward a second phase of the Lesotho Highlands water project to increase water supply to Gauteng and surrounding areas by 2020.

APA

Molewa (2011). Minister Molewa’s Budget Vote Speech for the DEA and DWA in the NCOP: Access to water, enforcement, water security and environmental integrity. Centre for Environmental Rights. https://cer.org.za/news/minister-molewas-budget-vote-speech-for-the-dea-and-dwa-in-the-ncop-access-to-water-enforcement-water-security-and-environmental-integrity

Chicago

Molewa. Minister Molewa’s Budget Vote Speech for the DEA and DWA in the NCOP: Access to water, enforcement, water security and environmental integrity. Centre for Environmental Rights, 2011. https://cer.org.za/news/minister-molewas-budget-vote-speech-for-the-dea-and-dwa-in-the-ncop-access-to-water-enforcement-water-security-and-environmental-integrity.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Molewa |title=Minister Molewa’s Budget Vote Speech for the DEA and DWA in the NCOP: Access to water, enforcement, water security and environmental integrity |publisher=Centre for Environmental Rights |date=24 June 2011 |url=https://cer.org.za/news/minister-molewas-budget-vote-speech-for-the-dea-and-dwa-in-the-ncop-access-to-water-enforcement-water-security-and-environmental-integrity |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{molewa2011minister, author = {Molewa}, title = {{Minister Molewa’s Budget Vote Speech for the DEA and DWA in the NCOP: Access to water, enforcement, water security and environmental integrity}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2011}, month = jun, url = {https://cer.org.za/news/minister-molewas-budget-vote-speech-for-the-dea-and-dwa-in-the-ncop-access-to-water-enforcement-water-security-and-environmental-integrity}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }