affidavit-david-le-maitre-ff35c9ae2d594182.pdf

This document is an affidavit by David Carlyle Le Maitre, a principal researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), submitted to the Water Tribunal. It provides expert testimony on the identification and importance of Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) in South Africa, specifically addressing the impact of the proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine on the Enkangala Drakensberg surface water SWSA.

• Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) are defined as land areas that provide a disproportionately large amount of mean annual surface water runoff relative to their size, have high groundwater recharge forming a nationally important resource, or meet both criteria. These areas can include transboundary sources extending into Lesotho and Swaziland.
• South Africa faces a critical water supply situation where 98% of surface water is already developed and only 8% of the country's land produces 50% of its water. Managing SWSAs is identified as a cost-effective method to ensure sustained flows of high-quality water.
• The proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine is located within the Enkangala Drakensberg surface water SWSA. This area contains headwaters of water-generating streams and rivers, including the perennial Mkusaze and Mawandlane Rivers, which are critical for maintaining water quality for the entire downstream system.
• Water from the Yzermyn mine area flows into the Assegaai River and Heyshope Dam, eventually supplying the Vaal Water Supply System. This system is vital for Eskom power stations and the economic hub of Gauteng. Additionally, the system flows into the Usutu River, affecting Swaziland and Mozambique.
• There is a spatial conflict between coal fields and SWSAs, with the Enkangala Grasslands identified as a critical water-energy conflict area due to a nearly 42% overlap. Nationally, the overlap between coalfields and SWSAs is approximately 10,007 km², or 8% of the total coalfield area, suggesting that significant coal reserves exist outside of these sensitive areas.
• The Department of Water and Sanitation's Draft National Water and Sanitation Master Plan (NW&SMP), published November 13, 2017, suggests exploring formal protection mechanisms for SWSAs, such as declaring them Protected Environments under the National Water Act or Protected Areas Act.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). affidavit-david-le-maitre-ff35c9ae2d594182.pdf. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Affidavit-David-Le-Maitre.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. affidavit-david-le-maitre-ff35c9ae2d594182.pdf. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Affidavit-David-Le-Maitre.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=affidavit-david-le-maitre-ff35c9ae2d594182.pdf |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Affidavit-David-Le-Maitre.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrightsndaffidavitdavidlemaitreff35c9ae2d594182pdf, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{affidavit-david-le-maitre-ff35c9ae2d594182.pdf}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Affidavit-David-Le-Maitre.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }