Hon Chairperson, hon Minister of Energy Dipou Peters, hon members, before I get to my speech, I would like to ask the hon Dudley and the hon Matladi to please come and contribute to the portfolio committee. I think they will give a lot of inputs there which will be fruitful.
The ANC supports the budget. It is imperative to acknowledge that the ANC- led government deracialised access to energy. Currently, almost 80% of households are connected to the electricity grid. The ANC-led government should be applauded for this achievement. [Applause.]
In the same breath, it is opportune to debunk a view that is currently predominant in societal thought when it comes to access to energy: For our communities access to energy is defined only in terms of being connected to the electricity grid. Our communities need to be educated about other energy sources. I would like to go back to 1993, when we first got electricity in Tafelkop, in Nebo, Limpopo. When the first globe lit up, everybody was happy. There was much jubilation, ululating and singing. But, even though they did all those nice things then, some of them, to date, still have no electricity in their homes. I hope that the Minister will make sure that they get connected.
Regarding addressing energy poverty and ensuring access to different energy sources for our communities, the introduction of integrated energy centres, IECs, is critical in providing different energy sources to far-flung rural communities. As legislators, we are of the view that the department and private players should intensify this programme. It will assist in ensuring that households across the country embrace other sources of energy for household consumption.
It is now opportune for South Africans to begin to embrace the utilisation of alternative energy sources. However, the Department of Energy needs to come up with a clear plan on how they intend to introduce alternative energy sources to households.
Furthermore, the utilisation of liquefied petroleum gas, LPG, should be promoted intensely for household usage. This is intended to encourage household energy diversification and contribute to the utilisation of cleaner, healthier and safer energy sources.
The disadvantage of LPG is that it is very expensive for poor households. We urge the department to fast-track the adoption of LPG regulations.
Energy affordability continues to be of concern to millions of South Africans. The recent hikes in electricity tariffs have made a lot of South Africans uneasy. We urge the department to massify access to solar water heaters in order to ease the burden of electricity costs on household budgets.
The energy sector is a critical vehicle in ensuring that the growth trajectory we have set for ourselves is achievable. It is also critical to the betterment of the lives of poor South Africans. As the ANC we pride ourselves on the fact that our energy production paradigm has always embraced the utilisation of clean energy sources.
To achieve social justice, the Polokwane conference asked for, among other things, government to be directly involved in the creation of decent jobs, and an expanded role for the Public Works Programme. We must acknowledge that poverty and unemployment remain prominent realities in South Africa. Allocations should be increased in terms of the Integrated National Electrification Programme in order to address these challenges. We are very concerned that the funds allocated to the INEP are inadequate and that the department will fall short of achieving universal access by 2014. Non-grid technologies like solar should be integrated into the INEP as complementary supply technologies to grid extensions. The Energy White Paper provides for the implementation of non-grid electricity generation technologies in the electrification programme for areas remote from the existing national grid.
The government provides free basic electricity - 50 kilowatt hours. This programme has assisted a great deal in ensuring access to electricity for many poor households. We would like to call on the ANC-led government to increase that to 100 kilowatt hours per month. This amount of energy will be sufficient to provide basic lighting, basic media access, basic water heating using a kettle, and basic ironing.
With regard to grid electricity and basic lighting, access to basic energy and other basic resources have a significant role to play in enhancing the wellbeing of consumers and building sustainable communities. I thank you. [Applause.]