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DWS Western Cape media briefing

Today, 8 March our Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) in the Western Cape is briefing the media on several aspects of water resource management. The media briefing coincides with the beginning of the National Water Month, an annual flagship campaign of the DWS. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the central role of water in socio-economic development.

The Western Cape Dam storages are better off than previous years. The latest hydrological report released on 07 March 2022 suggest that the dam combined average dam levels in the Western Cape Water Supply System which consists of six (6) dams is currently at 77% a slight increase compared to 73,83% same time last year. The Theewaterskloof Dam, largest dam in the Western Cape is at 79,18% compared to 83,80% and this is a satisfactory capacity at this time of the year.

As DWS Western Cape we happy with the way the Gouritz River Catchment has recovered after many years of lower-than normal rainfall. The average combined dam levels for the Gouritz River Catchment are above 50% a notable increase compared to 24,38% same time last year. The Gamka Dam has shown a remarkable turnaround following years of below rainfall in Central Karoo.

The Olifants/Doorn River Catchment on the West Coast is in a healthy state at 56,62 % with Clanwilliam Dam standing at 56,44%. Even though most dam storage systems across the Western Cape are satisfactory, water users should continue to use water sparingly as most parts of the Western Cape receive rain in winter.

The raising of Clanwilliam Dam Wall project and the Brandvlei Water Scheme are the 2 Western Cape Ministerial Priority Projects. The Raising of Clanwilliam Dam is aimed to provide additional water to improve the assurance of supply for agriculture, provide for water allocations to resource-poor farmers and to address dam safety aspects. The scope of the work includes the raising of the existing dam wall by 13 metres, the relocation of a section of the N7 directly affected by the raised dam wall and the raising of the secondary provincial roads affected by the Full Supply Level (FSL) in the dam basin. 143 of the envisaged 262 properties have been expropriated.

The raising of the wall of the four-kilometre feeder canal into Brandvlei Dam near Worcester has commenced. This is a noble project that is set to augment water supply for Agri-economy of that region. The department is acutely aware that the implementation of some of the infrastructure projects has suffered undesired delays and is pulling all the stops in ensuring that the project is brought on schedule without compromising the integrity of the projects.

In terms of regulation, DWS Western Cape will continue to enforce compliance to water users who ignore/disregard the National Water Act 36 of 1998. In November 2021, the Enforcement Blitz was held in Klein Karoo together with the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA) and the following transgressions were established.

• Several boreholes have not been registered according to the National Water Act 36 of 1998

• Water measurements in properties are not in compliance with regulations

• Several historic dams are preventing rivers from flowing

BGCMA and DWS are currently working on ensuring maximum compliance and remedial measures. As DWS we have zero tolerance for water and other environmental crimes.

We are committed to effectively implement the recently re-launched Blue and Green Drop Certification Programmes which call for excellent drinking water and wastewater quality management in the country.

DWS Western Cape is deeply concerned about persistent attacks on officials who work on operations and maintenance of water infrastructure. The department condemns these attacks in the strongest terms possible, as such conduct affects delivery of services and the compliance by municipalities to fulfil their mandate of providing basic services. At times the municipalities incur unnecessary water losses thus affecting the entire water value chain

The month of March is designated as Water Month. Themed “Ground Water, making invisible visible” the National Water Month will feature several awareness activities about the socio-economic role of water in development. Western has earmarked outreach activities including infrastructure project visits, visit to schools and other communal areas. All the activities will be implemented within the parameters of COVID-19 safety protocols.

Source: Government of South Africa

Women account for most of Africa’s agricultural workforce and acutely feel the burdens of climate change, but too often their voices go unheard in farming- and climate-related policymaking and programs.

That’s just one of the assessments a United Nations official shared in light of Tuesday’s U.N. observance of International Women’s Day.

“Women make up 80% of the people displaced because of natural disasters, and 14% more are likely to die in the event of a natural disaster,” said Mehjabeen Alarakhia, the U.N. Women regional adviser for women’s economic empowerment for East and Southern Africa. U.N. Women is an agency dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

“Similarly, women’s disproportionate burden of unpaid care and domestic work implies that they are commonly responsible for fetching water or collecting cooking fuel. With the increased climate incidences, women need to invest more time to meet their family’s needs.”

Alarakhia spoke with VOA about climate challenges, agriculture, education and women’s leadership as part of this year’s theme: “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow.”

The interview has been edited for clarity and concision.

VOA: How far have African women in particular come in terms of calls for their rights and equalities?

Alarakhia: I think African women were instrumental in advocacy and activism leading up to the Beijing conference in 1995 (the U.N.’s Fourth World Conference on Women), creating the landmark global agreement on women’s equality and empowerment. African women are starting to take leadership in political arenas. We also see it in women’s participation in education and research, various public and economic spheres. I do believe there’s still quite some work to do, but there has been progress.

What is the relevance to Africa of the theme “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”?

The high dependence on agriculture also means that women are highly exposed and vulnerable to the effects of climate change and disasters. Women represent 90% of agricultural employment in many African countries.

With women and men having different access to productive resources, other inequalities can follow, such as access to improved seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, tools and equipment, labor, credit, and other production factors.

Women are disproportionately affected by climate change, environmental degradation and natural disasters. Women may need to walk farther to fetch water, exposing them to increased time poverty but also to further risks of gender-based violence.

What role does U.N. Women play in empowering African women to participate in key decision-making corridors for the continent’s sustainability?

U.N. Women is advocating for increased space for women’s rights activists and women themselves to be part of negotiations and discussions with policymakers and decision-makers to be able to have their voices heard directly.

We also collect data and analyze trends so decision-makers can base policy on reliable data and research.

What policies and programs should Africa’s local governments pursue in light of climate concerns?

The key aspect is including women in the planning and decision-making processes. Women generally are aware of their own needs and know how to articulate them.

We have recently completed a study that looked at government spending on agriculture.

Governments in Africa had committed to allocate 10% of their national budgets toward agriculture. We found that where women were not included in planning, they were not able to benefit. But in countries where the allocation did not reach the 10% target and yet women were part of planning, they were more likely to benefit from the allocations — and the interventions were more sustainable.

In most parts of the continent, the percentage of women in political offices where key decisions are made continues to be low. Is this stalling efforts to promote gender equality?

It is very important for women to be at the table as decision-makers. We have some countries where the proportion of women in parliament, for example, is among the highest in the world. (In Rwanda, women hold 61% of the lower house’s seats.) Then elsewhere, we have relatively low participation rates. It is pertinent for women to be in that space, to be role models and champions for the next generation.

Experts advocate for more STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education for women and girls. Is this critical for sustainability?

In terms of the fourth industrial revolution and the agricultural transformation necessary to mitigate effects of climate change, it’s absolutely important for girls and women to be part of this change.

We did a recent study that found an estimated 24 million jobs will be created in the green economy over the next decade.

Most will be in STEM fields. We need to ensure that women, and particularly young women, are given the skills to take these jobs.

In another study on opportunities for rural youth, we found that even in agriculture, the future is in digital technology. We have looked at bringing in programs such as our ”African girls can code” initiative, teaching them how to code and make apps. Some have gone on to become entrepreneurs. This is truly the space that will be growing in employability and profitability.

Source: Voice of America