Recently, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) fined an Estcourt farmer, to a tune of over R1.7 million for illegally extracting water from Wagendrift Dam to irrigate his crops without a water use licence.
The farmer was found to have contravened the Section 21 of the Water Act after the department uncovered an abstraction point on the bank of dam with no flow meter and that it was illegally pumping water into the farm for irrigation of crops using centre pivots.
A Notice of Intention and a directive instructing the farmer to halt operation of abstracting water was issued after it was found that the farmer did not have permission to use the water.
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However, the farmer did not stop the activity which necessitated the department to take legal steps, using court route to force compliance.
DWS’ Director of Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement, Thandi Mopai, said the farmer, through his legal representation, approached the department and agreed to pay an admission of guilt administrative fine of R 1 770 392.75 within 45 days to avoid criminal charges. Through the Estcourt Magistrate’s Court, the farmer was issued with an order to pay the fine within the set period, counted from November 24.
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