Hon Chairperson, let me first say that I have to agree with everything that hon Ngwenya has said, and the member of the DA ... It's not about the lack of rain that causes drought and the fact that our people don't have water; it's mismanagement of the scarce resource by this government!
Yes, hon Ntseke, more people have water now than 1994, but let us not use that as the benchmark. Everybody would have had proper, clear drinking water if the water resources were managed properly. Go to Bushbuckridge. Human beings are still sharing their drinking water with animals! So how can we gloat? We can say we've made progress, but we are far from achieving the goal that was set, that everybody should have clean, potable, drinking water.
But, having said that, let me extend the heartfelt condolences of the Inkatha Freedom Party to the families of those who lost their lives when the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands experienced a severe storm and tornado late yesterday afternoon. We wish those who were injured a speedy recovery.
This is yet another example of the changing climate patterns caused principally by global warming. Experts say that the number of tornadoes that will develop in South Africa is likely to increase as thunderstorms grow more severe. As temperatures rise with global warming, so do levels of evaporation and the number of thunderstorms.
So, we must focus on solutions. The hon Ngwezi brought a motion about the drought and the solutions. So, what are the solutions?
We have catchment areas that are not being utilised. Water is not ... hon Minister ... We have areas in every province where there is abundant water, but the water is just going to waste.
Where we have water, you have poor infrastructure, unmaintained infrastructure ... Most of the water is going to waste because of poor maintenance of infrastructure.
Don't laugh about it, hon Deputy Minister! You must come to areas where we go. Because we also visit areas where people don't have water to drink. Not a drop to drink! This is a serious matter! There is corruption in the Department of Water Affairs. There is corruption which other hon members have referred to. There is corruption in some areas. Allegedly, Ugu District Municipality, where technicians are sabotaging some of the water supplies so that truck owners can come there and supply
water to people ... because councilors have interests in these trucks.
Now, what are we going to do about that?
Hon Minister, there is plenty of water in South Africa. But, we need to plan, we need to conserve, we need to mitigate and adapt in order to ensure our water resource resilience is now and into the future.
Let's take Jozini Dam. We have a case of water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink! Millions of liters of water in the Jozini Dam, but people living around that dam in Umkhanyakude District ... You are going to lose that district in the next election because people don't have water to drink. There's water there, but there is no ability to ensure that that water is piped to the people in the area. That municipality is devoid of any technical ability to get water to the people.
So, let us not come here and wax lyrical about the fact that so many people have had water since 1994. We applaud that, but more can be done and more should be done, and
that "more" should be done by the department of whatever you call it now ... Human Settlements and whatever and whatever. In fact, we should have a department of water affairs because water is life and needs to be treated as a priority. Thank you.
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