3. The Orange River scoping paper and meeting
Mr Skinner introduced the Orange River pilot project study that will test the methodology for reviewing the development effectiveness of large dams on the Gariep and Vander Kloof dams on the Orange River. A draft scoping paper prepared by WCD secretariat was presented to meeting participants for review.
The scoping paper outlined the proposed WCD approach :
- Basin profile
- Focal dam assessment of development effectiveness
- Interactive effects of dams
- Data base information on the non-focal large dams
The scoping paper is an important first step in the case study and follows the normal procedure for project-specific EIA's. It is structured around the six key questions posed by WCD for reviewing the performance and development effectiveness of large dams.
- What were the projected vs actual benefits, costs and impacts ?
- What were the unexpected impacts ?
- What was the distribution of costs and benefits - who gained and who lost ?
- How were decisions made ?
- Did the project comply with the criteria and guidelines of the day ?
- How would this project be viewed in today's context ?
In addition, the responses to these particular questions will be combined with development indicators gathered through questionnaires and used to assess the "development effectiveness" of the dam and lessons learned. Interlinkages within the basin, and interactions with other large dams, will also be reviewed.
Mr A. Ainsley then went ahead to share with the plenary, his impressions of the social issues associated with the Gariep/Vanderkloof dams as he had gathered from his recent trip to the site under study. There are little published data available on oustees, compensation and resettlement, beyond that concerning the white farmowners. Mr Ainslie's initial research shows that there were around 90 workers families a at Gariep and 60 at Van der Kloof some of whom accompanied their employers to new farms, but others whose fate is unknown.
After a discussion on Mr Ainsley's work, the group was broken down into smaller groups to review the relevant sections of the scoping paper. These sections were:
- Predicted vs actual (Group A, led by Mr Jeremy Bird)
- Unexpected consequences (Group B, led by Mr Jamie Skinner)
- Distribution of costs and benefits - who gained and who lost (Group C, led by Dr Madiodio Niasse)
- Decision-making and criteria (Group D, led by Prof. S. Khagram)
Each of these groups raised issues that were then presented to, and discussed in plenary. A copy of the paperboards from these group discussions is attached as Appendix 1.
4. Address by Prof. Kader Asmal
After the plenary had reconvened, the Commission's chair, Prof. Kader Asmal gave an address. He encouraged them to think laterally and to lay aside dogma in addressing the complex issues surrounding the development effectiveness of dams. He emphasised the importance of the stakeholders' participation in the whole Orange River scoping study and in the work of WCD.
This address was then followed by a lunch break.
5. Discussion of "development effectiveness"
Dr Elizabeth Monosowski led a recap of the main points raised during the small group discussions. The plenary also discussed whether the five questions posed by the Secretariat adequately capture the notion of development effectiveness. The plenary raised a number of issues as summarized in Appendix II.
The plenary was not asked to come to any conclusions on this issue however it was clear to all participants that the issue of development effectiveness is a complex one that can be viewed from many standpoints. Secretariat staff found many of the views expressed to be extremely pertinent and useful in developing the overall methodology. The pilot study has certainly brought up a number of concrete issues and allowed the hypotheses to be tested against real life examples (Gariep and van der Kloof).
6. Methodology for data gathering
Mr Bert Oud gave a presentation on the proposed methodology for data gathering, both through a scoping checklist and through a set of substantive questionnaires that will capture development performance indicators as well as qualitative inputs from interested groups. All stakeholders will receive the latter, and may complete the sections of most relevance to their interest. His presentation was followed by a tea break.
7. Next steps
In closing, Mr Jamie Skinner discussed the next steps that the Secretariat will take towards implementing the study. This involves building a secretariat/consultant team to address the major issues raised at the meeting and in the scoping paper. The participants were urged to continue contributing to work of the Commission on this study. The plenary was further invited to the next stakeholder meeting which is to be held in February 1999 that will discuss the draft final report. The meeting was closed at 17.00.
Participants
C. de Wet - Rhodes University (Antropology department)
P. van Niekerk - Department of Water Affairs (Pretoria)
W. Enright - Department of Water Affairs (Cape Town)
M. Groenewald - Department of Water Affairs (Bloemfontein)
P.R. de Wet - Department of Water Affairs (Cradock)
F. du Plessis - ESKOM (Johannesburg)
D. Collett - Fish River Farmers Association
R.P. Martins - Free State Agricultural Union
J. Erasmus - Sundays River Irrigation Board
A. Ainslie - ARC Range and Forest Institute
N. Rossouw - Environmentek
K. Snaddon - Cape Town University (Fresh Water Unit)
S. Hosking - Port Elizabeth University (Economics department)
G. Antrobus - Rhodes University (Economics department)
A. Abrahams - Northen Cape Conservation Service
S. Fakir - IUCN
H. May - Surplus People's Project
D. Pike - Community leader (Namaqualand)
L. Greeff - Environmental Monitoring Group
S. Rothert - International Rivers Network
F.M. Chutter - Afridev
M. van Vaalen - BKS
M. Senyane - Transformation Resource Center
R. Hoover - Highlands Church Action Group
WCD
Prof. Kader Asmal, Chair of WCD ( in part)
WCD secretariat
Jamie Skinner
Jeremy Bird
Elizabeth Monosowski
Robert Goodland
Larry Haas
Saneeya Hussain
Sanjeev Khagram
Khutso Madubanya
Madiodio Niasse
Bert Oud
Prof. Parasuraman
South Africa Pilot Study - Main Page