Mevrou die Voorsitter, terwyl 'n groot deel van die Wes- Kaap ook swaar getref is deur hierdie vloed, gaan ons harte tog ook uit na ons ander provinsies in Suid-Afrika waar die nood en lyding nog erger is. Derhalwe het die Wes-Kaap ook nie stilgesit nie, maar 'n taakspan saamgestel wat deskundige hulp gaan verleen het in Mpumalanga. As ons oor die finansile fondse beskik het, sou ons ook 'n bydrae gemaak het aan die Mpumalanga-provinsie, en ek hoop die agb lid mnr Bhabha neem kennis van hierdie gesindheid van die Wes-Kaap teenoor sy provinsie.
Die boere van die Karoo is dankbaar vir die ren wat hulle ontvang het, maar die onbekostigbare skade wat gelei is, bring verslaenheid mee en 'n gevoel van nederigheid teenoor die mag van Moeder Natuur. Boere in die Gamkavallei in die distrik Calitzdorp, waar die vloedskade op miljoene rande geskat word, sal om staatshulp moet aansoek doen na aanduidings dat hierdie landbougemeenskap op sy knie gedwing kan word. Boorde, groentelanderye en wingerde is saam met bogrond meegesleur toe die Gamkapoortdam Donderdagnag sy walle oorstroom het.
Die lot en lyding van plaaswerkers is onbeskryflik en hulle toekoms lyk op die oomblik baie duister. Hierdie skade is erger as di in 1981 toe Laingsburg verswelg is. Spoedige herstelwerk aan kanale is nodig, anders sal die vol Gamkapoortdam se water niks vir landbou kan beteken nie.
Krag- en telefoonverbindings is plek-plek herstel, maar daar is gebiede wat steeds sonder watertoevoer is. Die R62 tussen Ladismith en Calitzdorp, wat erg beskadig is, sal nog 'n geruime tyd vir verkeer gesluit wees, maar al die moontlike word gedoen om die pad te herstel voor die Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees oor drie weke.
Die toerismebedryf op die dorp word ook swaar getref deur die sluiting van hierdie pad. Besprekings by gastehuise word gekanselleer en petrolverkope by vulstasies het dramaties gedaal. Die Wes-Kaap het reeds begin met noodherstelwerk. Twee van ons ministers, di van landbou en van vervoer, het reeds besoek afgel by die geaffekteerde gebiede. Dieselfde taakspan wat nou in Mpumalanga is, stel ook reeds ondersoek in na die skade en die omvang van die ramp en sal eersdaags ook hieroor verslag doen.
Dit is die Wes-Kaap se strewe om ons swaargetrefde gemeenskappe so spoedig moontlik na normaliteit terug te bring, en ons medelye gaan uit na almal wat deur hierdie rampspoedige gebeurtenis getref is. Ons is dankbaar teenoor almal wat hulp verleen het en nog sal verleen. [Applous.](Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr C ACKERMANN: Madam Chairperson, while a large part of the Western Cape has also been heavily hit by this flood, our hearts also go out to our other provinces in South Africa where the distress and suffering are even worse. Consequently, the Western Cape has not been inactive, but has constituted a task team which has gone to render expert assistance in Mpumalanga. If we had the financial means, we would also have made a contribution to the province of Mpumalanga, and I hope the hon member Mr Bhabha takes note of this attitude of the Western Cape towards his province.
The farmers of the Karoo are grateful for the rain which they received, but the unaffordable damage suffered has brought about a despondency and a feeling of humility with regard to the power of Mother Nature.
Farmers in the Gamka Valley in the Calitzdorp district, where the flood damage is estimated at millions of rands, will have to apply for state assistance following indications that this agricultural community could be forced to its knees. Orchards, vegetable lands and vineyards were washed away together with topsoil when the Gamkapoort Dam overflowed on Thursday night.
The fate and suffering of farmworkers is indescribable and at the moment their future looks very bleak. This damage is worse than that in 1981 when Laingsburg was engulfed. Swift repair work to canals is necessary, otherwise the water in the full Gamkapoort Dam will mean nothing to agriculture.
Electricity and telephone connections have been replaced in places, but there are areas which are still without a water supply. The R62 between Ladismith and Calitzdorp, which was seriously damaged, will still be closed to traffic for a significant time, but everything possible is being done to repair the road before the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees in three weeks' time.
The tourism industry in the town has been hard hit by the closing of this road. Bookings at guest houses are being cancelled and petrol sales at garages have dropped dramatically.
The Western Cape has already begun emergency repair work. Two of our Ministers, those of agriculture and of transport, have already visited the affected areas. The same task team that is currently in Mpumalanga is already investigating the damage and the extent of the disaster and will also report on the matter shortly.
It is the aim of the Western Cape to return our worst-hit communities to normality as quickly as possible, and our sympathy goes out to everyone who has been affected by this disastrous event. We are grateful to everyone who has helped and all those who will still do so.]