Oh, sorry. Yes. My apologies, Chair.
Daar is geen twyfel dat Suid-Afrika 'n energiekrisis in die gesig staar nie, en hierdie week se aankondiging deur City Power in Johannesburg dat beurtkragskedules op hul webwerf geplaas is, getuig daarvan.
Die aansienlike prysverhogings van krag wat aan Eskom toegestaan is deur die Nasionale Energiereguleerder van Suid-Afrika, Nersa, getuig van die wanbestuur en gebrek aan voorsienigheid binne 'n kritieke instansie waarsonder die land nie kan klaarkom nie.
Die effek daarvan is natuurlik steeds besig om uit te speel in die vorm van die hor pryse van produkte en dienste wat afhanklik is van elektrisiteit. Ek is bevrees dat daardie golf nog aan die kom is, soos 'n tsunami na die eerste aardbewing. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[There is no doubt that South Africa is facing an energy crisis, and this week's announcement by City Power that load-shedding schedules have been placed on their website bears witness to this fact.
The significant increases in the cost of electricity that have been granted to Eskom by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, Nersa, attest to the mismanagement and lack of foresight within a critical body, without which the country cannot manage.
The effect of this is, of course, still playing itself out in the shape of the higher prices of products and services that are dependent on electricity. I'm afraid that this wave is still coming, like a tsunami after the first earthquake.]
The fact is, however, that the electricity earthquake is now an event that has taken place, and the average South African can now only brace him- or herself for the flood of high prices to come.
The positive side of this is that government has been shaken out of its slumber and seems willing to tackle the future energy needs of this country. The question to be answered is what the optimal design must be for electricity generation supply and governance. Die VF Plus steun 'n holistiese benadering tot die energiekwessie van Suid- Afrika. Tans gebruik die land baie vuil kragopwekkingsmetodes deur gebruik te maak van steenkool. Kernkrag is baie skoner en is daarom 'n sinvolle, korttermyn alternatief - behalwe natuurlik as 'n ongeluk sou plaasvind. Daarom is die medium- en langtermyn doelwitte om alternatiewe krag te ontwikkel ook van kardinale belang. Verskeie toekomskundiges het voorspel dat sonkrag die toekoms van energie-opwekking gaan wees - en dalk ook gouer as wat 'n mens dink.
Indien die verdubbelingswette klop, sal ons gouer as wat ons dink net op son- en ander alternatiewe bronne van energie kan staatmaak. Daarom is 'n gentegreerde energieplan van kardinale belang en steun ons ook hierdie benadering. In hierdie verband is die skakeling tussen die Industrile Beleid Aksieplan, Ipap, se groen werkskeppingsprogram en die Department van Arbeid se ondersteuning van sonkragopwekking baie bemoedigend.
Die gentegreerde energieplan se benadering om van 'n gediversifiseerde energiemengsel gebruik te maak, is sinvol en toon aan dat di holistiese benadering tot die energieprobleem by die regering inslag vind. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[The FF Plus supports a holistic approach to South Africa's energy crisis. At present the country is using many dirty methods to generate electricity through the use of coal. Nuclear power is a lot cleaner and therefore a sensible, short-term alternative - except, of course, if an accident should take place. That is why the medium and long-term aims of generating alternative power are also of critical importance. Various futurists have predicted that solar power will become the future of electricity generation - maybe sooner than one would think.
If the duplication laws hold water, we will be able to rely on solar and other alternative sources of energy sooner than we think. That is why an integrated energy plan is of critical importance and also why we support this approach. In this regard the connection between the green job-creation programme of the Industrial Policy Action Plan, Ipap, and the Department of Labour's support for solar power generation are very encouraging.
The approach of the integrated energy plan, making use of a diversified energy mix, is sensible and indicates that this holistic approach to the energy problem is becoming popular with the government.]
We also support the idea of an independent operator that will ensure that the governance and management of our energy supply and demand is performed in an optimal manner with sufficient redundancy. We are therefore looking forward to the Independent System and Market Operator Bill.
The Minister also alluded to her plans for energy efficiency. This is the first step in saving the energy system in South Africa which, if successful, can save our economy a lot of money.
I have two last thoughts. When we talk about finding sources of energy, we must also consider the methodologies that we use, like fracking. We must consider whether the environment is more important to us than short-term energy gains.
Lastly, when we talk about the petrol pricing structure, we must ask ourselves if we cannot introduce competition on the retail level in this sector, so as to make sure that the prices are forced down by way of competition. Thank you, Chair.