Indeed, hon Shaik-Emam the profit motive is a problem. Deputy Speaker and hon members, commenting on the Eskom crisis earlier, General Bantu Holomisa asks or makes a very pertinent point where he says:
Eksom's policy of blackmail seems to have paid off. Now that they have received bailout money, load shedding has vanished into thin air. Banana republic he asks or was it a ruse to get money for elections as the ANC did with Bosasa for its ANC Siyanqoba rallies? [Interjections.]
South Africans, you are the judges, we don't know. We are merely asking the questions for you to consider. The United Democratic Movement believes that a drive for investment in the energy infrastructure is critical for our development and poverty reduction in the country. We are all aware that we have serious gaps between energy demand and supply that South Africa was burdened with
from the colonial regime - apartheid regime. That being said, if the African National Congress had planned this properly, it was not going to take them 25 years to wake up to the reality of energy shortages.
The unbundling of Eskom while one of the most important and viable options is not necessarily a panacea to our energy shortages of challenges. We are of the view that we must move away from the idea that building more of the same will fix our problems. We must look into the development of a new sustainable energy infrastructure that can turn South Africa into a leader in sustainable energy. The focus of energy must move away from traditional sources of energy such as coal and diesel generators towards more renewable and sustainable energy sources so that a modern sustainable energy infrastructure is developed.
Mr Minister one of the views and things that we should be strongly about is an issue that we've been advocating for many years. Policy must be developed to ensure that municipalities have the capacity to generate their own energy using alternative sources of energy. We can even
start with the metros since they have more resources than other smaller municipalities. We must caution however, that it would not be possible for us to do this without addressing the resource constraints that are faced by municipalities due to the current funding model, which gives them only 9,1% of the total revenue. We make this point, Mr Minister and the House because we are of the view that if the energy sources or needs are located in order to ensure the maximum efficiency and success of the project in communities. In other words, certain areas of this country that are deemed to be windy should use wind energy as a source for energy. Those in the abundance of water can use water to generate electricity to overcome some of the energy shortages that we experience in the country.
IsiXhosa:
Ngoko ke, sithi lungisani le nto ngendlela eyiyo. Sisafuna ukuthetha ntonje nasinika imizuzu emithathu kuphela, nathi asinakuyithini loo nto. La masela.