South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency SOC Limited Act, 2024, (Act No. 34 of 2024).

This Act consisting of 53 articles organized into 8 Chapters aims to establish the South African National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency as a state-owned company to acquire, dispose of, fund, provide, maintain, operate, manage, and secure funding for national water resources infrastructure efficiently and cost-effectively to meet the social and economic developmental needs of current and future water users within the framework of national government policy. Under Article 5 the objects of the Agency are to develop and manage national water resources infrastructure to (a) ensure a sustainable, equitable and reliable supply of water from national water resources infrastructure; (b) meet national and regional social and economic objectives of national policy; (c) utilize its asset base and cash-flow to raise funds to develop national water resources infrastructure for social and economic development purposes; (d) provide, operate and maintain the national water resources infrastructure and fund the costs thereof; (e) perform the Treaty and non-Treaty functions currently being performed by the Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority (TCTA) with powers to implement international agreements in terms of section 102 of the National Water Act - and perform any additional functions as directed by the Minister - as more fully set out in the shareholder’s compact.
The Agency is responsible for the sustainable, equitable, and reliable development, operation, and maintenance of national water resources infrastructure in alignment with national policies and development objectives. To support national development, safeguard water security, and drive economic growth, its key functions include: (i) Strategic Planning – Formulating a five-year strategic plan consistent with national water policy, approved by the Minister in consultation with key stakeholders; (ii) Infrastructure Management – Developing, operating, and maintaining national water resources infrastructure while integrating climate change mitigation and risk management strategies; (iii) Funding and Financial Management – Securing and refinancing infrastructure funding as needed and collecting water use charges in compliance with the National Water Act; (iv) Human Resource Development – Recruiting, developing, and retaining skilled personnel for effective water resource management; (v) Service Efficiency – Ensuring a reliable and efficient water supply while fostering job creation in line with national development goals; (vi) Asset and Safety Management – Managing an inventory of water infrastructure, ensuring dam safety compliance, and enforcing fraud and loss prevention measures; (vii) Stakeholder Engagement – Establishing agreements with water users and other entities to maintain and sustain reliable national water infrastructure.
Chapter 3 deals with the Governance of the Agency, while financial matters, reporting, and accountability are covered in Chapter 5. Chapter 6 details the transfer of national water resources infrastructure, including assets and liabilities, from the national government department responsible for water resource management to the Agency under the Minister’s oversight. It mandates the vesting of government waterworks in the Agency while allowing reassignment to other institutions. The Agency assumes all assets, obligations, and contracts of the disestablished TCTA. The Agency is also authorized to acquire state land and register servitudes.