KZN farmer fined R1.5 million for unauthorised water use

A KwaZulu-Natal farmer has been fined R1.5 million for conducting illegal and unauthorised water use activities, in contravention of the National Water Act.

It is believed the farmer was found to have contravened and violated the Water Use License by going beyond the boundary when he constructed an illegal dam on his farm in Estcourt.

The Department of Water and Sanitation says this was done without the required Water Use Authorisation.

Department spokesperson, Wisane Mavasa explains, “Upon discovering the unlawful activity back in 2018 and exhausting all compliance processes to get the farmer to cease operations and demolish the dam, the department opened a criminal case against the farmer at the SAPS in Estcourt.

“The farmer opted for a mediation process with the department to avoid criminal charges. And on 19 January 2023, he entered into a mediation agreement to pay the R1.5 million for contravention which was paid into the department’s account,” Mavasa says.

#DWSAntiCorruption | DID YOU KNOW? DWS Director-General Dr Sean Phillips revived the Consequence Management Committee in March 2023 so as to fast-track investigations of disciplinary cases.@Senzo_Mchunu_ pic.twitter.com/Xi5QCrmbCB

— Water&SanitationRSA (@DWS_RSA) January 27, 2023