The Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation raised concerns that, despite Presidential commitment since 2020, there are continued delays in processing water use licences (WULs).
This followed the committee’s receipt of the Department of Water and Sanitation's (DWS’s) first-quarter performance report on Tuesday, when it was outlined that the department is currently approving about 68% of WUL applications against a target of 85%.
“While the committee noted the department's acknowledgement that the underperformance resulted from limited human resources and the transfer of performance responsibilities to Catchment Management Agencies, this underperformance strikes at the heart of using water as an enabler of economic development,” said Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation chairperson Leon Basson.
The department's inability to meet its own targets undermines government's efforts to use water as a catalyst for socioeconomic development, economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.
He noted that the department must provide a comprehensive report on the processing of WULs to ensure renewed focus on expediting the application process.
