Mevrou die Adjunkspeaker, hierdie debat is nie 'n nuwe een nie. Die uitdagings wat Suid-Afrika het as 'n waterdro land is al voorheen in die Parlement bespreek en gegnoreer. Ek kan net hoop dat hierdie administrasie met die uiterste dringendheid op vandag se waarskuwings en voorstelle sal reageer. Indien nie, sal ons 'n oorlewingskrisis in die gesig staar wat alle ander uitdagings sal oorskadu. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[Adv A D ALBERTS: Madam Deputy Speaker, this debate is not a new one. The challenges that South Africa encounters as a water-scarce country were previously discussed in Parliament and ignored. I can only hope that this administration would respond to today's warnings and suggestions with the utmost urgency. If not, we will face a survival crisis that would eclipse all other challenges.]
Under the previous administration in 2008, Dr Anthony Turton, then still a researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research submitted a report to Parliament on the water-related challenges facing South Africa. Of course, we know that this report was so incisive, correct and damning that the Mbeki administration rather chose to fire Dr Turton instead of heeding his advice. Our party liaised with Dr Turton in August of this year and he advised that his parliamentary report of 2008 is still valid today, even more so. Therefore, we hereby resubmit the report to Parliament and the Minister for serious consideration.
The report deals with three drivers of the water problem, as well as three strategic water quality challenges facing the country. One of the most profound findings is that South Africa has lost its dilution capacity due to the over-allocation of natural water resources. This means that the infrastructure is also straining.
Die kern van die uitdaging om die hoofinfrastruktuur in stand te hou en op te gradeer, l by die gebrek aan kapasiteit. Reeds in 2006 het die Wetenskaplike en Nywerheidnavorsingsraad bevind dat 31% van infrastruktuurgebrekke te wyte is aan 'n gebrek aan menslike hulpbronne en kundigheid. Hierdie gebrek kan weer teruggelei word na die ideologiese dryfkrag agter regstellende aksie-kwotas. Die SA Instituut van Siviele Ingenieurswese vertel dit in die rondetafelverslag van die Centre for Development and Enterprise as volg: (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[At the centre of the challenge to maintain and upgrade the basic infrastructure lies the lack of capacity. In 2006, already, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the CSIR, found that 31% of the deficiencies in infrastructure were due to a scarcity of human resources and skills. This scarcity, in turn, can be traced back to the ideological motive for affirmative action quotas. In the round-table report of the Centre for Development and Enterprise, CDE, the SA Institute of Civil Engineers states as follows:]
The role of engineering in municipalities has been reduced by interposing political levels between engineers and decision-makers.
Therefore, due to the gravity of the water problematique, we implore the Minister to seriously consider Dr Turton's report and to address the link between affirmative action, overpolitisisation of water-related institutions and the lack of capacity. Thank you.