00206BB9DB98201012153647

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment of South Africa dismissed eight appeals against the decision to grant an Environmental Authorisation (EA) to the Department of Water and Sanitation for Phase 2 of the Mokolo and Crocodile River (West) Water Augmentation Project (MCWAP-2A Project). The decision confirms the project's need to provide water infrastructure for power stations and urban use in the Waterberg region.

• The MCWAP-2A Project is designed to provide water transfer infrastructure, including the Vlieépoort Abstraction Works on the Crocodile River (West), pumping stations, and a bulk raw water pipeline to the Steenbokpan and Lephalale areas.
• The project is classified as a Strategic Integrated Project (SIP1) intended to unlock the northern mineral belt by ensuring consistent water supply to power stations, specifically Medupi and Matimba, and the Lephalale Municipality.
• The Minister dismissed appeals regarding the desirability of coal-fired power stations, ruling that the broader question of whether such plants should exist falls outside the scope of an appeal concerning water transfer infrastructure.
• The Minister found that climate change impacts were adequately addressed, noting that the project improves resilience by linking the Mokolo catchment to the Crocodile River (West) system and that construction GHG emissions are considered small.
• The decision confirmed that the project's cumulative impacts were derived to be moderate and that socio-economic impacts, including potential negative effects on property values and tourism around Hartbeespoort Dam, were sufficiently assessed.
• The Minister ruled that the project does not violate international water law, as South Africa notified co-basin states in February 2010 and engages with the Limpopo Watercourse Commission (LIMCOM).
• The total estimated capital cost for the implementation of MCWAP-2A is approximately R12.3 billion, with 88.1% funded commercially via the Trans Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) and 11.9% funded by the fiscus for social requirements.
• The Minister determined that the project's impact on the Waterberg Biosphere Reserve and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA) would be mitigated through the selected pipeline route and specific management measures.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). 00206BB9DB98201012153647. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/appeal-decision-lsa-182801.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. 00206BB9DB98201012153647. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/appeal-decision-lsa-182801.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=00206BB9DB98201012153647 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/appeal-decision-lsa-182801.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsnd00206bb9db98201012153647, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{00206BB9DB98201012153647}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/appeal-decision-lsa-182801.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }