Chair, this is a tricky one because if you set a law, the law should apply to everybody. I don't know which people would qualify because they are not emerging farmers. If they were emerging farmers, then we would be able to put them in the scheme and then they would be able to access capital for all of these things under that scheme.
I must confess that we never thought through this particular matter. If you lay down a national law that creates norms and standards, it should be applied equally to everybody, unless you want to accommodate a special category of people. In this instance, we never thought that particular issue through.
Steps taken to improve waste water treatment systems that are not complying with international standards, plans to prevent inflow of raw sewage into rivers, and plans to ensure sufficient drinking water for South Africans
41. Mr H B Groenewald (DA) asked the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs:
(1) Whether the government has taken or is taking any steps to improve the waste water treatment systems that are not complying with international standards; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether there is any plan to prevent the inflow of raw sewage into our rivers; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether any plan is in place to ensure sufficient drinking water for South Africans; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? CO251E