Chairperson, hon Minister, Deputy Minister, members and guests in the gallery, this is my maiden speech in this House today. I speak on behalf of hon Ferguson, who is unfortunately not well due to the 'flu.
Minister, with the signing off of the preferred bidders for the independent power producers, I want to thank you for speaking out so passionately about the inclusion of women. It was heartening to note that your report states "not on my watch". It is an exciting project for economic growth and certainly job creation; yet, it would be remiss of me not to mention that R3,9 billion is appropriated to the Integrated National Electrification Programme management and, as such, the security of energy supply. The expansion of this electrification programme is being implemented by Eskom and local government.
If the department is allocating this much money, it needs to clearly articulate how it will support local government. How will it expect accountability and, ultimately, delivery? We cannot shy away from the notion that the service delivery protests across the country are precisely the result of the inefficiency of local government in performing its tasks. Cope would like to have a breakdown of the R11,1 billion spent on infrastructure to electrify 475 157 households between the 2009-10 and 2012- 13 financial years. Were these newly built homes or existing homes? Are the informal settlements included in this total? If the answer is yes on the electrification of informal settlements, then why are the members of the community of Kliptown up in arms and risking their lives by stealing electricity?
Hoekom hang die elektrifisering van hierdie gemeenskap af van die beskikbaarheid van fondse, terwyl die departement wel fondse toegeken het vir elektrifisering? Kliptown is nie 'n nuwe - en nog minder 'n onbekende - gebied nie. Of is dit dat die ewig stygende elektrisiteitstariewe al vinniger onbekostigbaar word vir miljoene arm huisgesinne regoor Suid- Afrika? Dieselfde vrae moet oor die 2013-14 ... [Tussenwerpsels.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Why does the electrification of this community depend on the availability of funds, while the department has indeed allocated funds for electrification? Kliptown is not a new - and even less an obscure - area. Or is it that the eternally increasing electricity tariffs are rapidly becoming unaffordable for millions of poor households across South Africa? The same questions should be answered regarding the 2013-14 ... [Interjections.]]