Hon House Chairperson, with South Africa being an arid country and also listed as one of the driest countries in the world, we should be actively preparing for a national day zero so that God forbids and when it happens we are ready. As from 2014 we experienced the worst form of drought ever. Food security was also
heavily affected due to farm taps running dry thus affecting the gap between supply and demand and quality of food supplied nationwide.
We are blessed to be surrounded by coastal areas that are high in humidity and if we capitalise on this by accelerating and piloting fourth industrial revolution based mechanisms in the supply of water we will just be fine. Being future orientated is also good and well as it assist us not to be reactive but be current situation is also alarming where you find communities around Port St Johns drinking water from ponds with animals. Communities from Hammanskraal are sitting with a water problem and only have muddy water available for consumption. Qwaqwa still does not have running water and is also recovering from the aftermath, Makhanda in the Eastern Cape and Nkomazi in Mpumalanga. What do we need to do?
I think the first point of departure is for us to review the Water Act. As of now the Water Act will not stand the test of time in terms of addressing the problems we are having and the sooner the better that we review the Water Act. The Bylaws that are within different municipalities
must be able to save and conserve water. I would like to reiterate the issue of cutting water to rural areas. That programme is not sustainable at all.
IsiXhosa:
Inene, igcwele nje lurhwaphilizo lodwa.
English:
The sooner the better that we buy tanks to harvest water for those communities instead of cutting water to them as we have done as ATM at Xolobeni. We started to roll out the issues of assisting the government in terms of distributing some water tanks to rural areas. We need to build more artificial dams...
IsiXhosa:
... umzekelo kusandula kunetha iimvula kwaye amanzi amaninzi amkile ngezitalato. Alikho iqhinga lokuqokelela amanzi ahla ezintabeni ukuqinisekisa ukuba amanzi afikela kula dama akhiweyo ...
English:
... so that we do not lose even a single drop of rain water. Let us tap into alternative water harvesting because that programme is very critical for us to embark upon. Ensure that there is effective consequence management for those affected in department's money mismanagement. That will assist us. Incorporate CSIR in the investment of continued research in this enigma. Incentivise investors to implement the innovations of the research concerning water scarcity. The ATM is keen to assist as and when they are needed. Thank you very much.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS, WATER AND
SANITATION (Mr M Mahlobo): Chairperson, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, our Chief Whip, Comrade Pemmy, and Comrade Dories, our Deputy Chief Whip, chair of our committee and members of the committee, hon members, fellow South Africans, yesterday on 12 November 2019, we had a snap debate in the recognition of what our country has achieved by winning the Rugby World Cup trophy for the third time in three different countries.
Most of us shared a tear of joy when His Excellency President Ramaphosa, Captain Siya Kolisi and the rest of
the Springbok hoisted the cup in Yokohama, in Japan. We needed this as a nation and people. Despite all odds, we once again demonstrated that united in our diversity we can achieve our goals.
The words of our first democratic President, His Excellency Nelson Mandela, remained timeless and profound during this epoch when he said, I quote:
Sports have the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sports can create hope, where there was once only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination. Sports is the game of lovers.
A lot of progress has been achieved in the last 25 years in changing the lives of our people for the better ...