Limpopo Business 2016-17 edition
The 2016/17 edition of Limpopo Business is the eighth issue of this highly successful publication that, since its launch in 2007, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide to the Limpopo province. Limpopo is unique in terms of its abundant natural and human resources, and is also one of the key drivers behind the South African economy. This edition of Limpopo Business is officially endorsed by the Office of the Premier of Limpopo.
The 2016/17 edition of Limpopo Business is the eighth issue of this highly successful publication that, since its launch in 2007, has established itself as the premier business and investment guide to the Limpopo province.
Limpopo is unique in terms of its abundant natural and human resources, and is also one of the key drivers behind the South African economy.
This edition of Limpopo Business is officially endorsed by the Office of the Premier of Limpopo.
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
OVERVIEW<br />
Water<br />
A <strong>Limpopo</strong> Water Master Plan will be tabled during <strong>2016</strong>.<br />
SECTOR INSIGHT<br />
<strong>Limpopo</strong> in the site of two of<br />
South Africa’s largest infrastructure<br />
projects - Mokolo<br />
Crocodile Augmentationn<br />
Project and Oliefants<br />
River Water Resources<br />
Dvelopment Project.<br />
A<br />
Provincial Water and Sanitation Summit has resolved that a<br />
<strong>Limpopo</strong> Water Master Plan has to be urgently developed.<br />
Floods have been known in parts of <strong>Limpopo</strong> (and they<br />
have been serious), but the more pressing threat is drought:<br />
a disaster area was declared in late 2015 in response to the latest<br />
prolonged shortage of water.<br />
National and provincial government set aside budgets for the<br />
provision of feed to livestock farmers. In addition to this emergency<br />
aid, downward revisions also have had to be made to schemes that<br />
include irrigation, such as the Fetsa Tlala programme.<br />
The province’s two most important economic sectors (mining<br />
and agriculture) depend on a steady and sustainable supply of water.<br />
Several <strong>Limpopo</strong> towns have struggled to supply clean water to<br />
residents, and this has led to tension between residents and municipal<br />
officials. In response, the National Minister of Public Works has put<br />
together a technical team to support the municipalities.<br />
<strong>Limpopo</strong>’s three distinct regions attract very different levels of<br />
rainfall: the escarpment (sub-humid with annual rainfall of more than<br />
700mm); semi-arid middle veld and Highveld; and the arid and semiarid<br />
Lowveld.<br />
The province’s rivers are also<br />
under threat from the damaging<br />
effects of the mining industry,<br />
power stations, chemicals used<br />
in agriculture and from sewage<br />
treatment in catchment areas.<br />
Opportunities exist in this sector<br />
for innovative solutions.<br />
The National Department of<br />
Water and Sanitation (DWS) has<br />
attached a figure of R570-billion<br />
to the amount of investment<br />
needed in South Africa’s water<br />
supply chain in the years to 2022.<br />
Water resources infrastructure<br />
alone is said to need R162-<br />
billion. <strong>Limpopo</strong> is the site of<br />
two of the biggest of these<br />
projects: the Mokolo Crocodile<br />
Augmentation Project (west)<br />
and the Olifants River Water<br />
Resources Development Project<br />
in the east.<br />
Each of <strong>Limpopo</strong>’s five district<br />
municipalities function as a Water<br />
Service Authority and the Lepelle<br />
Northern Water company has a<br />
LIMPOPO BUSINESS <strong>2016</strong>/<strong>17</strong><br />
62