Chairperson and Minister, it is often said that water is our country's most precious resource. It is essential to all life on this planet and it is needed for almost every economic activity. The unfortunate reality, however, is that South Africa is the 30th driest country in the world and already 98% of our available water resources have been allocated.
The impacts of climate change are projected to make this situation even worse, making the management of our water resources our most important development challenge. Water could, in fact, prove to be the trip switch of our future economic growth if we don't seriously confront this challenge.
It is therefore tragic that given the importance of this sector, the government has allowed this department to descend into such chaos. There is a vacancy rate of over 15% and most of the senior management are in acting positions, because many members of the previous leadership are being investigated for corruption.
Minister, the ID realises that you inherited this atrocious state of affairs, but, for the sake of our country's future, you have to urgently turn it around.
This department must be at the forefront of ensuring that our water constraints inform all our actions as a government and as a society. All of the grandiose economic plans that we currently see coming out of government need to be assessed in terms of their sustainability with regard to our future water supply.
It is also this department that should be raising a red flag against the proposed fracking in the Karoo. At the very least, it should be motivating that a comprehensive study first be conducted on the extent of the Karoo aquifer and its functioning before any prospecting is even considered there. The Blue Scorpions must also be significantly bolstered and action must be taken against all those who pollute our water courses, no matter how politically connected they might be.
In this respect, the ID wants to know from the Minister when we can expect to see Aurora in court for their criminal act of pumping millions of litres of untreated acid mine water into the Blesbokspruit wetlands? [Interjections.] The ID can only hope that the recent R1 million donation to the ruling party by their director, Khulubuse Zuma, will not lead to even less action being taken against a company that has created an absolute environmental and human rights tragedy. [Interjections.] Similar action must be taken against those municipalities who have jeopardised our people's health through allowing their wastewater treatment plants to fall into complete disrepair.
Minister, the ID does, however, look forward to working with you in turning this department around so that we can finally adopt a proactive stance to our water challenges as opposed to simply reacting to a series of unfolding crises. I thank you. [Applause.]