Konstitusionele Hof sal belangrike waterregtesaak vir landbousektor aanhoor | Constitutional Court to hear vital water rights case for agricultural sector

English to follow:

Die Konstitusionele Hof het die Departement van Water en Sanitasie (DWS) se aansoek om te appelleer teen die Hoogste Hof van Appèl se besluit rakend die oordaagbaarheid van, en handel in, waterregte toegestaan. Die uitslag van hierdie uitspraak sal beduidende gevolge vir die landbousektor inhou, beide in terme van beleggingersvertroue en toegang tot kapitaal.

Die saak het ontstaan as gevolg van ‘n omsendbrief wat die DWS in Januarie 2018 uitgereik het waarin die departement probeer het om die reg van watergebruiksregtehouers om die regte oor te dra, te verwyder. Die saak is na die Appèlhof gebring nadat die Pretoriase Hooggeregshof aansoeke om ‘n verklarende bevel oor die wettigheid van die omsendbrief van die hand gewys het.

Die Appèlhof het op 8 November 2021 bevind dat waterreg-houers daarop geregtig is om sodanige regte ingevolge die bepalings van die Nasionale Waterwet oor te dra en dat handel in sodanige regte nie verbode of onwettig is nie. Die departement het besluit om teen dié besluit te appelleer en die Hoofregter het gelas dat die saak op 25 Augustus 2022 voor die Konstitusionele Hof sal dien.

Rentmeesterskap van water behels nie net die doeltreffende gebruik van skaars waterbronne nie, maar ook die wetlike beskerming van watergebruiksregte, wat nie net noodsaaklik is vir toegang tot water nie, maar ook ‘n waardevolle bate vir Suid-Afrika se boere is. Die vermoë om watergebruiksregte wettiglik oor te dra ooreenkomstig die bepalings van artikel 25 van die NWA is noodsaaklik, veral vir die besproeiingslandbou-sektor. Die oordraagbaarheid van watergebruiksregte ingevolge die NWA is uit die staanspoor in die vooruitsig gestel, en dit is aktief deur die DWS onderskryf en ondersteun.

Die verdediging van die omsendbrief deur die DWS is ‘n bedreiging vir die sektor se volhoubaarheid aangesien die regering weereens probeer om ‘n arbitrêre ontneming van eiendom te bewerkstellig. In die lig van die voortslepende debat rondom die Onteieningswetsontwerp, kan hierdie optrede beleggersvertroue in die landbousektor en in die breër ekonomie net verder knou.

Om hierdie lewensbelangrike regte van boere te handhaaf, het Agri SA die regskoste in twee van die drie sake wat tot die Appèlhof uitspraak gelei het uit sy Vrywillige Waterfonds gefinansier.

Dit is betreurenswaardig dat die sektor hom tot die litigasie moes wend, maar Agri SA is vol vertroue dat die oppergesag van die reg sal seëvier, en dat die land se boere sal kan voortgaan om die deurslaggewende werk te doen om voedselsekerheid vir die land te verseker in hierdie besonder moeilike tyd.

Navrae:

Janse Rabie

Agri SA: Regs- en Beleidshoof

Willem Symington

Voorsitter van Agri SA Sentrum van Uitnemendheid Natuurlike Hulpbonne

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The Constitutional Court has granted the Department of Water and Sanitation’s (DWS) application for leave to appeal against a decision by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) on the transferability and trading of water rights. The outcome of this judgment will have significant consequences for the agricultural sector, both in terms of investor confidence and access to capital.

The case came about as the result of a circular issued by the DWS in January 2018 in which the department sought to remove the right of water use entitlement holders to transfer the entitlements. The case was brought to the SCA after the Pretoria High Court dismissed applications for a declaratory order on the legality of the circular.

On 8 November 2021, the SCA ruled that water rights’ holders are entitled to transfer such rights in accordance with the provisions of the National Water Act, and that trading in such rights is neither prohibited nor unlawful. The department has chosen to appeal this decision, and the Chief Justice has directed that the appeal against will be heard by the Constitutional Court on 25 August 2022.

Stewardship of water involves not only the efficient use of scarce water resources, but also the legal protection of water use entitlements, which are not only essential for access to water, but are also a valuable asset for South Africa’s farmers. The ability to lawfully transfer water use entitlements in accordance with the provisions of section 25 of the NWA is vital, particularly for the irrigation agricultural sector. The transferability of water use entitlements in terms of the NWA was envisaged from the outset, and this was actively endorsed and supported by the DWS.

The defence of the circular by the DWS constitutes a threat to the sector’s sustainability as government is once again attempting to effect an arbitrary deprivation of property. Coupled with the ongoing debate around the Expropriation Bill, this action can only further erode investor confidence in the agricultural sector and in the broader economy.

To uphold these vital rights of farmers, Agri SA funded the legal costs in two of the three cases leading to the SCA judgment from its Voluntary Water Fund.

It is unfortunate that the sector has had to resort to the litigation, but Agri SA is confident that the rule of law will prevail, and that the nation’s farmers will be able to continue to do the crucial work of ensuring food security for the country at this especially difficult time.

Enquiries

Janse Rabie

Agri SA Law and Policy Executive

Willem Symington

Chair of Agri SA’s Centre of Excellence Natural Resources