Hon Chairperson, let me say from the start so that there would be no confusion later of us being accused of not supporting the actions of Parliament. The Democratic Alliance supports everything as prescribed in the Constitution and especially with regard to our duties in this House when it comes to oversight and our responsibility to the voters in the different provinces. Therefore, let there be no doubt that we support the programme of Taking Parliament to the People.
But having said that let's not be remiss and think that supporting the principle means that we support everything that goes along with it. And that's where the doubt is sometimes derived from what I say, because I am normally the one who speaks about this. When I spoke some time ago in Potchefstroom, in Tlokwe, I referred to the lack of follow-up by provinces with regard to Taking Parliament to the People in reference to the Western Cape visit in which we promised to follow-up and which never took place. I was even called a liar by one very hon member from the floor, but that follow-up visit still has not taken place. And yet, hon Chair, we are debating the next visit where I was called a liar, the one to North West.
What I'm saying is that if we go and visit the people and we truly listen to their problems, and we tell them that we will come back as an institution and make sure that those things that were promised by their MECs and by their councillors and mayors are done, then we should do that. But yet again - and the hon Chairperson of the NCOP has alluded to it - time possibly does not allow this. But I think that there has been ample time and there has been too many other things occupying our time, not least of which were problems in individual parties. But let's not dwell on that.
Let me just refer to this report which has nine introductory pages and 49 pages. Are there clowns in the House? Sorry, I thought the circus has come to Cape Town. [Laughter.] Let me refer to just one page out of the 58 pages and that is the question on the provision of drinking water to the people. Just one page out of 58 has reference to the complaints and the resolutions or responses to water. And one of the main responses was that it was recommended that the Select Committee on Local Government and Administration, Finance, Safety and Constitutional Affairs, in collaboration with the relevant committees in the provincial legislature, should conduct oversight by visiting the communities in order to assess how the budget allocation impacts on community programmes and to solve the problems associated with it.
Now let me tell you, hon Chairperson, that at this very moment, I'm just talking about drinking water, there's riots in the Zeerust Municipality, where there is no drinking water ... [Laughter.] Why are you laughing? It's not my main language. You shouldn't be laughing, you should correct me. You see, that attitude is worrying to me. The substance of the report is not important, but when the speaker can't pronounce a Setswana word - that's very important. Because of the fact that there is still no drinking water, the people of Zeerust are rioting and burning tyres in the streets and obstructing the traffic on the N4 every now and again.
A similar thing is happening in the Tshing township in Ventersdorp, where there are also riots. In Delareyville in the Tswaing Municipality, a delegation by the MEC Howard Dembeza had to go and calm the community to try and solve the problems. In Letsopo in Ottosdal the sewage is running down the street and contaminating the drinking water. Similar things are occurring in Naledi in Vryburg, and in Kgetlenrivier Municipality the MEC had to once again calm the people who were rioting. I would also like to have some order.
The problem, Chair, is that if we do not follow up with these visits and solve these problems, then we will not have achieved anything. And if we do not go and pronounce upon the visits - I've had reports, and maybe this is not official - the word goes out that this is one big ANC rally. Well, maybe this is the last one. Maybe after next year's election we'll have a different picture. But we must be truthful when we say that we want to attend to the needs of the people and not make a mockery of this; and to follow-up is our duty. I thank you, sir. [Applause.]