Deputy Speaker, I have just been informed that I am a grandpa. We have six granddaughters and now we have another grandson, so I am going to support this Bill to keep the lights burning. [Applause.]
The solution to the woes of Eskom has ably been offered by the leader of the Sixth Parliament when he spoke about the charter of positive values and called for ethical leadership. The Deputy President has shown his support to strengthen the civil society mechanism, supporting the civil society manifesto.
With regard to Eskom, there is a need for a model of engagement with the civil society mechanism, which seems to elude us. If this was in place, it would have saved the country R59 billion.
Existing oversight mechanisms like the Eskom board, the Ministry, the Cabinet are not enough. The country needs a civil society mechanism to have oversight over Eskom. There is a need for a model of engagement with civil society to assist the board, the Ministry and the Cabinet, so that the people can govern.
One of respected Ministers has alluded to the lack of ideological psych amongst hon Members of Parliament to the values of the liberation movement. The exercise of this ideological psych would have prevented the problems at Eskom.
Is has not gone unnoticed that Eskom did the country proud by connecting many of the most indigent people in the country, but at a cost that has wiped out this remarkable achievement. Eskom can do the country proud to connect all South Africans from 80% to 95%.
We wish the Minister of Public Enterprises the Wisdom of Solomon to put Eskom on the right path and he is well placed to do so. Al Jama-ah supports this Special Appropriation Bill called the Special Appropriation Act of 2019. [Applause.]