AGRICULTURAL NEWS - A high court ruling on the sale of water rights could have far-reaching consequences for farmers, some agriculture role players have warned.
In October last year, a full bench of the Gauteng High Court heard three separate applications in which each of the applicants had sought a “declaratory order” dealing with the proper interpretation of Section 25 of the National Water Act 36 of 1998.
The applicants were the South African Association for Water Users’ Associations (SAAWUA), the Doornkraal Besigheidstrust (Doornkraal), and the De Kalk Beigheidstrust (De Kalk).
The applicants had sought an order to support the continuation of a practice in which a water rights holder not utilising the right, or only using part of the quota could sell or trade such rights to a third party. This after applications to this effect by both Doornkraal and De Kalk had been refused by the director general of the department.
