Editor’s comment

Editor Kirsten Kelly kirsten.kelly@3smedia.co.za Managing Editor Alastair Currie Features Writer Ziyanda Majodina Head of Design Beren Bauermeister Designer Janine Schacherl Chief Sub-editor Tristan Snijders Contributors Jorisna Bonthuys, Anya Eilers, Lester Goldman, Niel Louw, Kevin McRae, Chetan Mistry, Amanda Mngeni, Ashton Mpofu, Dan Naidoo, Megan Schalkwyk Production & Client Liaison Manager Antois-Leigh Nepgen Production Coordinator Jacqueline Modise Distribution Manager Nomsa Masina Distribution Coordinator Asha Pursotham Group Sales Manager Chilomia Van Wijk Bookkeeper Tonya Hebenton Advertising Sales Hanlie Fintelman c +27 (0)67 756 3132 Hanlie.Fintelman@3smedia.co.za

Publisher Jacques Breytenbach 3S Media 46 Milkyway Avenue, Frankenwald, 2090 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Fax: +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 www.3smedia.co.za

ISSN: 1990 - 8857 Annual subscription: R330 (SA rate) subs@3smedia.co.za Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. All material herein is

copyright protected. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of WISA or the publishers.

WISA’s Vision

Inspiring passion for water

WISA Contacts: HEAD OFFICE Tel: 086 111 9472(WISA) Fax: +27 (0)11 315 1258 Physical address: 1stFloor, Building 5, Constantia Park, 546 16th Road, Randjiespark Ext 7, Midrand Website: www.wisa.org.za

BRANCHES Central Branch (Free State, Northern Cape, North West) Chairperson: Dr Leana Esterhuizen Company: Central University of Technology Tel: +27 (0)51 507 3850 Email: lesterhu@cut.ac.za

Eastern Cape: Branch Contact: Dan Abrahams Company: Aurecon Tel: +27 (0)41 503 3929 Cell: +27 (0) 81 289 1624 Email: Dan.Abraham@aurecongroup.com

Gauteng Branch Lead: Zoe Gebhardt Cell: +27 (0)82 3580876 Email: zoe.gebhardt@gmail.com

KwaZulu-Natal Chairperson: Lindelani Sibiya Company: Umgeni Water Cell: +27 (0)82 928 1081 Email: lindelani.sibiya@umgeni.co.za

Limpopo Chairperson: Mpho Chokolo Company: Lepelle Northern Water Cell: +27 (0)72 310 7576 Email: mphoc@lepelle.co.za

Mpumalanga Chairperson: Lihle Mbatha (Acting) Company: Inkomati-Usuthu Catchment Management Agency Tel: +27 (0)13 753 9000 Email: mbathat@iucma.co.za

Western Cape Chairperson: Natasia van Binsbergen Company: AL Abbott & Associates Tel: +27 (0)21 448 6340 Cell: +27 (0)83 326 3887 Email: natasia@alabbott.co.za

Namibia Please contact the WISA Head Office at admin@wisa.org.za for more information

Hydro politics in the Russia-Ukraine war

It is telling that one of the first actions Russian forces took in their invasion of Ukraine was to blow up a dam on the North Crimean Canal (NCC), allowing water to flow back into Crimea.

Crimea was part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (SFSR) until 1954, when the Soviet authorities transferred it to the Ukrainian SFSR as part of the larger Soviet Union. The NCC was built on the Dnieper River in 1975 to provide Crimea with water for agriculture and domestic use.

After Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014, the canal became a transboundary feature. As a retaliatory action, Ukraine blocked the canal and water flow to Crimea, cutting off 85% of Crimea’s water and leaving two million people water-stressed.

At the same time, more Russians were moving to Crimea, attracted by the warmer climate, leading to even more pressure on these resources. Without water from the NCC, Crimea’s arable land has shrunk, from 130 000 hectares in 2013 – already a fraction of Soviet-era levels – to 14 000 hectares in 2017.

While this latest war is rooted in a fractured political history, it is obvious that a water shortage heightened tensions. Conflict over water is apparent around the world; Iran’s multiple water disputes, Pakistan’s tireless fight over water with India, and violent water tensions in Mali are a few examples.

Dhesigen Naidoo (former CEO of the Water Research Commission), who now sits on the Presidential Climate Commission and is the lead: Climate for the Institute of Security Studies, mentions conflict as a potential climate change threat (page 18). Eventful month

Over the past few weeks, we have had the State of the Nation Address, the National Budget Speech, as well as the Water and Sanitation Summit.

It is hopeful to hear government’s recognition that businesses create jobs. It was heartening to hear President Ramaphosa refer to water as “the country’s most precious resource”. I am looking forward to more information released around the proposed National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency in the next few weeks.

Also, the National Budget Speech has seen money allocated towards: • Clan William Dam (R2.1 billion) • Lepelle Water Board (R1.4 billion for the Olifantspoort and Ebenezer plants) • Umgeni Water Board (R813 million for the Lower uMkhomazi Water

Supply Scheme). Did anything interesting come out of the Water and Sanitation Summit? I didn’t think so, but then Dan Naidoo, chairman of WISA, had a different opinion. After hearing him out, I agree with him (page 9).

Regarding government, this edition features two passionate individuals from the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS). Mark Bannister, chief engineer, gives an update on the DWS’s progress with regard to SDG 6 (page 14) and Wally Ramakopa, director: Dam Safety, gives an overview of his department (page 53).

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