The importance of water infrastructure is undisputable by way of energy. If a country is viewed as an organic body, then water, along with energy, transport and infrastructure, act as the arteries that enable growth and development. Water is critical to address poverty on the level of the individual. Therefore, it is in the Constitution as a human right. However, in addition to that, we must also recognise that water plays a pivotal role in the economic health.
It is regrettable that in communities throughout the country there are local governments that have failed to maintain water and sanitation infrastructure. The need for new bulk water infrastructure should not be forgotten in the face of the major maintenance crisis. The UDM has campaigned for infrastructure in rural areas to be brought on par with those in metropolitan areas. There are areas in the country, such as large parts of the Eastern Cape, which have never had bulk water infrastructure to begin with.
The absence of infrastructure exacts a heavy toll because the daily arduous collection of water dominates household activities.
Somlomo, into ebalulekileyo apha kukho iidolophu ezingenawo kwaphela amanzi. Iveki iyaphela zingenawo amanzi, kwaye loo nto yenziwa ngoomasipala abangakwaziyo nabasilelayo ukunikezela ngeenkonzo ebantwini, kunye nokungqongophala kwezakhono. Kwezinye iidolophu iindlela zonakele kwaye zinemingxuma, zonakaliswa ngamanzi ngenxa yemibhobho ebolileyo.
Ezilalini kunzima, abantu basela amanzi needonki kunye neekati. Siyavuma ukuba urhulumente uzifakile iitephu, kodwa ezininzi azisebenzi, zome nko. Ezi zizinto ekufuneka urhulumente azinike ingqwalasela. Siyambulela urhulumente ngokufaka kwakhe iitephu, kodwa kunzima. Kwezinye iindawo imibhobho ehambisa ilindle iye idibane neyamanzi aselweyo. Le nto yamanzi ifuna ukujongwa kakuhle, khon' ukuze kwakhiwe amadama afanelekileyo ezilalini. Enkosi. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[Hon Speaker, what is important is that there are towns which do not have water. These towns can be without water for as long as a week and that is as a result of municipalities which are neglectful, which lack skills and which do not deliver services to the people. These municipalities also experience a lack of skills. In other towns roads are damaged and have potholes. They are damaged by water as a result of rotten pipes.
In the villages it is a struggle - people are drinking water from the same source as donkeys and cats. We agree that the government has provided taps, but most of them are not working and they are bone dry. These are issues that government must pay attention to. We thank the government for providing taps, but it is still hard. In other places sewerage infrastructure overlaps with the infrastructure providing drinking water. This water issue needs special attention, so that in future we will build suitable dams in the villages. Thank you.]