Cabinet approves Draft Water Services Amendment Bill

Cabinet has approved the publication of the Water Services Amendment Bill for public comment.

The Bill aims to strengthen accountability for water service providers and to introduce transparency.

“The amendments to the Water Services Act will ensure that water service providers deliver high quality water as part of their licensing conditions.

“The amendments will also address weakness that have been identified in the water services sector, and these include conflict with water services providers being both providers and regulators. The Bill sets minimum standards for the functioning of Water Services Providers, which must be enforced by Water Services Authorities,” Cabinet said.

Draft National Water Amendment Bill

Cabinet has also approved the publication of the draft National Water Amendment Bill for public comment. The Bill amends the National Water Act (Act 36 of 1998).

“These amendments will improve regulations and will ensure that the country’s water resources are well managed, protected and conserved. Once the amendments are implemented, there will be equitable allocation of water to all citizens of the country,” Cabinet said.

The Bill also makes proposals to eliminate the imbalances of the past relating to water allocation and makes provisions for effective and quicker internal dispute resolution mechanisms.

SABC Bill 2023

Cabinet has approved the submission of the SABC Bill, 2023 to Parliament.

Cabinet initially approved the Bill in 2022, however, the Office of the Chief State Law Advisor subsequently made suggestions on certain provisions of the Bill in order to align it with the constitution.

“Once passed into law, the Bill will result in the repeal of the current Broadcasting Act (Act 4 of 1999). The amendments will strengthen the efficiency of the operations of the public broadcaster. The Bill further proposes reforms in the SABC’s funding model and the TV licensing system,” Cabinet said.

The Bill encourages the SABC to align its broadcasting services with the democratic values of the Constitution and to enhance its mandate to serve citizens better.