VAAL RIVER CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Title: Establishment of the Vaal River Catchment Management Agency in terms of Section 78(1) of the National Water Act 36 of 1998
Government Notice: GN 81 in GG 39636 of 29 January 2016
Date of commencement: 29 January 2016
Potentially affected controls: Establishment of regulatory body
In terms of the National Water Act, a catchment management agency may be established for a specific water management area, after public consultation, on the initiative of the community and stakeholders concerned. The initial duties of such a catchment management agency include to investigate and advise interested persons on the protection, use, development, conservation, management and control of the water resources in its water management area, to develop a catchment management strategy, to co-ordinate the related activities of water users and of the water management institutions within its water management area and to promote community participation in the protection, use, development, conservation, management and control of the water resources in its water management area.
This notice establishes the Vaal River Catchment Management Agency in the Vaal Water Management Area. The Vaal Water Management Area (WMA) is the result of the consolidation of the Upper, Middle and Lower Vaal catchments. The Vaal Water Management Area occupies the Central North Eastern area of South Africa. It extends to Ermelo in Mpumalanga, just west of Swaziland in the east across to Kuruman in the Northern Cape to the West. To the northwest, the WMA borders Botswana and the Crocodile (West) and Olifants Catchments. Johannesburg sits on the boundary of the CMA. To the south east it is bounded by Lesotho.
The major water uses in the water management area include industrial, mining sectors, power generation, commercial agriculture (including stock watering, small and large irrigation schemes, dry land farming and forestry), nature conservation, as well as urban and rural human settlements. Transfers water out to the Crocodile, Marico and Olifants Management areas and also transfers water in from the Thukela, Usutu & Mhlatuze Management areas as well as from Lesotho, as per the agreement between South Africa and Lesotho due to the Lesotho Highlands Water Project. All initial and inherent and delegated functions will be performed in the Vaal River CMA.
