Chairperson, I think I need to indicate here that I thank all the participants; and particularly the chairperson of the select committee for the way in which he drives the work that is intended to make it possible for us to do what we have set ourselves to do: to create a better life for all.
In particular, in this instance we are saying that we would work with all the progressive forces to make it possible that we can do much more to improve the lives of our people.
Chairperson, I would be failing in my duty if I did not indicate also what the department is doing in relation to issues of the targeted groups like gender and the youth. I just want to indicate here that the department has started facilitating aggressively to show the participation of young people and women in the energy sector.
I need to indicate that because of the work that the department is doing in the energy sector, and by also encouraging the skills development programme and so being able to produce quite a number of young people who are interested in the nuclear sphere, we are going to be the host of the International Youth Nuclear Congress, which is going to be held immediately after the World Cup in South Africa.
This will bring all the young people who are interested in the nuclear field together on the shores of South Africa to make it possible that we can discuss the future of nuclear energy and make sure that we can produce electricity; that we make it possible to use nuclear energy for medicinal interventions and to get people fresh water and sustain household food security.
The department is also pleased to announce that it has already started to enjoy the benefits of its efforts in facilitating the empowerment of women through their participation in an energy and oil project in Bethlehem. This project is called the Bethlehem hydroelectric power scheme and was duly launched by the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Ms G L Mahlangu- Nkabinde.
I also want to indicate here, ladies and gentlemen, that we are committed to ensuring that as South Africa we participate in ensuring that we make a success of this green economy. Those who were monitoring the economic developments around the economic meltdown would have realised that stats indicated that more jobs were created in the energy sector whilst the other sectors were shedding jobs. It would be wrong for us as South Africa not to grab this opportunity with both hands.
I want to indicate once more that it seems that some of the members, when they don't belong to the ruling party, become selective in their listening. I just want to say that listening is a skill. If you listen you will hear well.
I don't know why, hon Lees and hon Walters, you speak about Eskom's monopoly. We have said it several times - including last year when the President said it in his state of the nation address when all of you in this House were present - that we are establishing an independent system and market operator to be almost like a competitor to Eskom. This is because we are trying to break the monopoly of Eskom, a state entity.
Where have you seen that government actually says that they realise that we cannot have a state entity being a referee and a player! We are going to create another entity that is going to buy this power from the independent power producers. This will make it possible for everybody and every stakeholder to have access to the grid.
So, I just wanted to indicate that we are busy with legislation to make it possible that this state entity is established. We did indicate that within the next six months we are going to have an interim arrangement that will make it possible to start signing up the power that is generated through the wind and other energy sources that will be coming to the fore.
As I have said, I will indicate here that listening is a skill. We did indicate that we have done the feasibility study with the Clinton Climate Initiative in the Northern Cape for concentrated solar power. We are going to make it possible for the independent power producers also to participate, because if we create an industrial solar park we will be creating one zone where everybody will participate.
This is almost like creating a Coega in the Northern Cape, but for solar power in this instance. So, whoever is interested would not be doing environmental assessments because it would have been done for the entire industrial zone. We are saying that we are also creating this opportunity for all those who are interested to come and buy into this initiative.
The Minister of Trade and Industry released the new Industrial Policy Action Plan Part 2, Ipap 2, within which are located issues related to the green economy. The Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs has released indicators of when exactly the green economy policy documents will be released so that we will then be able to know the exact areas that have been identified for these green initiatives. This is because a green economy is an indication that we are alive to the environment, we do want environmental sustainability and we want to protect the environment for generations to come. We know that we are custodians of this earth for the generations that are yet to be born.
We, therefore, are responsible leaders who are saying, "What can we do so that we don't have the challenges that we have today that were created by climate change, because of reckless industrial development?"
We are actually saying that it would be wrong for us not to learn from the mistakes of the developed countries, in terms of driving development greedily and selfishly. As my comrade has said, super greed created the challenges that we have today. So, we are saying that we need to be responsible and think about those who are still going to come after us.
When we were holding the Climate Change Conference here in Cape Town, there was a child who told us that he doesn't want to go and live on the moon or somewhere else on a planet that he doesn't know. And so he asked us to protect this planet so that even his grandchildren could also live on mother earth - a nine-year-old! So, it is up to us as leaders to make sure that we are alive to the challenges of the environment. The hon Walters also spoke about the majestic Congo. Remember that we are in South Africa and the biggest rivers we have in South Africa are the Vaal and the Orange Rivers. We are also working together with the Department of Water Affairs to make it possible that going forward - whatever dam development there is - we are going to ensure that there is integration in terms of hydroelectric power generation.
However, we cannot have a situation where we as South Africa can say that we are going to bulldoze our way into the Congo and build a hydro scheme there. We need the partnership of the Congolese and that is why we are working together with the other four countries, including the Congo, to be able to develop the Western Power Corridor, Westcor, initiative. We are working with them.
I am saying that we are doing it because we want to make sure that within the Southern African power pool, South Africa is an equal partner with the DRC and the other Southern African Development Community, SADC, members. We would like to make sure that all the water on the continent and particularly in the region would be used for the benefit of creating energy.
However, we cannot just go in there without getting the support, without working together with the Congolese, because we cannot only focus on using that water for hydro schemes. We need to be able to look at a continental or a regional integrated plan. Now, on the 29th there will be a meeting of the Ministers of energy in the SADC region. One of the key agenda items will be Westcor, under which Inga 3, the Kunene River and the majestic Congo fall; so it is important that you understand that issue.
You would also remember that in the case of the Amazon River no single country can benefit from it without making sure that the seven other countries that share the waters of the Amazon River also benefit from it. So, members should not come to the House and raise issues that they know are not true.
Chairperson, I just want to take this opportunity to thank the chairperson of the select committee, members of the committee, departmental officials, my colleagues in Cabinet and President Zuma for his foresight in leadership to ensure that energy can be central.
We know that energy is the lifeline of all socioeconomic development imperatives. Without energy one would not be able to give birth to a healthy child, and without energy one would not even have a decent funeral. So, it is important that you understand that from conception to the grave we would be part of your daily life.
That is why it is important that when we debate and participate here we should remember that this is about people's lives and the life of economies. And it is about making it possible that we can grow the economy. That is why in working together with the Minister and his team we are going to make it possible to create the number of jobs that we set for ourselves. We set ourselves a target of 10 million jobs in the next couple of years that will come directly from energy.
It is important that we understand that energy will make it possible to live, but that it can also contribute to the quicker degradation of the environment. That is why we say that it is important that we become holistic, integrated and look at every other aspect of our daily lives.
I want to thank members for participating in this debate. We should also continue with the debate about electricity generation in South Africa, and about how much it costs before we can come here and talk about Hitachi as if we are so fixated on Hitachi.
Hitachi gave their story; why don't you listen to them? Why don't you listen to Chancellor House? Why don't you go to the ANC and get their side of the story about this thing? [Applause.]
Debate concluded.