The Constitutional Court has conclusively ruled that water rights holders are entitled to transfer such rights in accordance with the provisions of the National Water Act, dismissing the appeal by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), Agri SA and the South African Association for Water Users Associations (SAAFWUA) said in a joint statement on Wednesday. The parties, welcoming the decision, described this as a “crucial victory” for the holders of water rights in South Africa, confirming that receiving financial compensation for transferred water use entitlements is neither prohibited nor unlawful in South Africa.