Organized agriculture reacted with outrage to increases in tariffs for water from government water schemes and water resource management.

Mr Dries Joubert, chairperson of TAU SA North, said that the latest unrealistic increases in the water use charges and the water resource management charges are outrageous.

New tariffs, comprising an increase of 50% and more on agricultural water use, were announced by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. According to the official notification received from the Tzaneen area office, these tariffs will be applicable from April 1 this year until March 31, 2008. The proposed tariffs were rejected as "ridiculous, utter nonsense and insane" by the Chairperson of the Water Committee of TAU SA, Mr Stephen Hoffman.

SO CALLED REASONS PATHETIC

Mr Hoffman expressed his disbelief at what he called the almost pathetic reasons given for the increase in tariffs. Reasons such as:

* The tariff calculations were based on zero-based budgets and there was a significant increase on employment cost due to under-estimations in previous years’ budgets.

* Capital values of infrastructure were verified and adjusted where necessary.

Mr Hoffman said it is beyond the ability of any sane person to use such bizarre reasons. The facts are that these schemes were working well under the old government. He said this government chose to destroy capacity with its totally insane, unworkable policies.

"It seems as if incompetent officials with no experience are using citizens as some kind of cash machine to cover up their own incompetence and lack of basic understanding of a civilized, democratic state," Mr Hoffman said. He added that, if officials would consult with consumers, such utter nonsense would be prevented.

TARIFF INCREASES

Mr Hoffman said the increase for domestic and industrial use is 10%. This is way over the inflation limit. But the increase on agricultural water use is 50%. He said this is laughable. No sane government in the world will increase tariffs by 50%. He said no reasons were provided why the so-called increase between industrial and agricultural water use varies. The increase in the Albasini Dam canal system is 50.08% and the Nzhelele River Canal system is 50%.

"It seems clear that the current government thinks it has some kind of unchallenged mandate to increase tariffs without the boundaries of just administrative procedures. No government is fixed in stone. The creation of constitutionally obedient structures to regulate the use of water becomes a viable option," Mr Hoffman said.

LETTERS

Mr Hoffman said that there was no way in which these crazy tariffs would be paid. He said letters of objection and concern would be written to various politicians and other institutions. Mr Joubert said that TAU SA North would recommend to their members to use all legal ways to object to these increases. He said the formation of constitutional obedient structures and systems became more and more important every day.

"No normal person can function in such an insane system," he said. Mr Joubert called on all members to object against these tariff increases.