Speaker, the tragic saga of the Grootvlei and Orkney mines, which were awarded to Aurora Empowerment Systems, represents everything that has to be fought against in South Africa. It is an absolute scandal that this crisis has been allowed to continue for over a year with devastating consequences for the environment and workers' rights. Throughout all of this the ANC has remained quiet, while Aurora Empowerment Systems have been allowed to sow destruction at these mines!
The ID wants to know why there was not proper due diligence in regard to Aurora Empowerment Systems to ensure that they could actually pay for these mines and provide the necessary funding to keep them operating. Due diligence in this case seems only to extend to confirming that President Zuma's nephew and his lawyer, and Mandela's grandson were directors of this company. To add insult to injury, the workers have had to watch as Khulubuse Zuma has engaged in public displays of huge wealth while continuing to insist that he has no money to pay the workers on the mines.
In addition, millions of litres of untreated acid mine water have been pumped daily into the surrounding wetlands, with devastating environmental consequences. It has now also been reported that some union officials are receiving death threats for questioning the role of the liquidator Enver Motala's complicity in this tragedy. This must end. It is high time that the government intervened so as to stop this tragedy from turning into a complete catastrophe. I thank you.