Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces, hon members, ladies and gentlemen, I am speaking here on behalf of the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs.
In the manifesto that outlines the programme of the current government, the ANC has committed to the people of South Africa that we will ensure that the best quality water resources reach all our people, especially the poor, and that by 2014, all schools and health facilities will have access to basic infrastructure such as water and electricity. In carrying out this mandate, we are mindful of the expectations of the poor majority in this country and what the ANC stands for in relation to the fulfilment of that mandate. We are delighted, hon members, to repeat the achievement made: In 1996, 62% of the population had access to running water; today the figure stands at 91%.
We are committed to working together to do more to increase access, to build infrastructure, to improve the quality of our water and to embark vigorously on a campaign to reform water allocations so as to benefit poor and emerging farmers, and households. In this regard, the ANC reaffirms our objective of realising universal access to free basic water, electricity and sanitation by 2014.
Water management is becoming increasingly complex and demands an urgent review to ensure sustainable service delivery and contribution to economic growth to meet present and future needs. Water scarcity and an uneven distribution and allocation of resources make this difficult.
South Africa faces significant inequities in the allocation of water for productive purposes. Water allocation is one component of a wider government mandate to address the inequities of the past. Integrated water resources management is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve the objective of efficiency, equity and environmental sustainability in water resources management. The South African national government, as a public trustee of the nation's water resources, is required to give effect to its legal obligations to ensure equitable access to water.
In accordance with the National Water Act, there is a requirement to redress the effects of previously discriminatory legislation, while minimising the impact on existing users and the economy of the country. The right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe and accessible water, especially the poor. We do this so that, as government, we continue to make sure that we improve the quality of life of all our people, especially the rural poor. As a regulator, we will also play our part in ensuring the capacitating of rural municipalities to meet the required levels of service quality, as mostly the better capacitated municipalities meet the required water supply.
We will also not hesitate to act harshly against those who neglect this responsibility as enunciated in the National Water Act. Our strategic objectives for these five years are to continue maintaining existing water resources and infrastructure, and enforcing raw and drinking water quality standards. It is necessary, therefore, to ensure that we work together with municipalities in ensuring that they perform optimally in the maintenance of quality standards of good drinking water.
The role of our water boards, water users' associations and catchments management agencies, together with our Water Research Commission, will remain crucial in this regard. The Blue Drop Certification programme recognises municipalities whose drinking water quality meets the set criteria for excellence and enjoins the citizens to monitor municipal performance, and must be intensified.
Let me once again congratulate those 22 municipalities that have reportedly achieved 93,3% national compliance in terms of the Blue Drop Certification programme. I would like to clarify a potential misunderstanding with regard to those who have not achieved the standard. The 93% national achievement does not mean that the water in other areas is unsafe to drink; all it means is that the municipalities have not satisfied all of the technical specifications. Let me reiterate that our drinking water rates amongst the best in the world, and most municipalities play a significant part in this regard. I am sure that working together with municipalities and provinces, we will maintain that drinking water quality standard.
We are now on a collision course with wrongdoers. The commitment we made during our address in the National Assembly on the enforcement of "the polluter pays" principle and the fact that we are adopting a zero tolerance approach on environmental crimes is not an empty threat. We would like to add that, to achieve this, we would need to increase our efforts on public education and awareness to encourage compliance. We will not succeed, unless we educate, educate, educate.
I would like to repeat the fact that we are in the process of expanding the mandate of environmental management inspectors to include the water aspect. Together with the prosecuting authorities, the courts, the police, local government, and provinces, we'll step up our effort to clamp down on illegal activities. The role of members of this House and all our citizens in supporting us in our efforts cannot be overemphasised. We need you as partners and fellow activists to curb pollution and associated crimes.
Infrastructure remains an important contributor to the supply of water for both economic development and domestic consumption. It is also a key driver in job creation, which helps to improve the living conditions of our people. The ANC has resolved that we must increase the infrastructure construction timelines to allow for more labour-intensive construction. Our infrastructure projects continue to create work opportunities for the poor and the marginalised. With the new injection and investment into more construction work, we will contribute positively to these strategic objectives.
Accordingly, our R500 million investment in the accelerated infrastructure programme, which is aimed at intervening in high-risk areas where there are water challenges, will also assist in creating work opportunities. We will also be investing an additional R2,9 billion over the next three years in the Bulk Infrastructure Programme in order to increase access for those localities where there is dire need.
Over the next five to eight years, we will also spend in the region of R30 billion on the construction and establishment of 15 mega water resource infrastructure projects. This will increase the capacity of existing water resources infrastructure to provide water to strategic installations in the energy sector, namely Eskom; in the industrial sector, namely Sasol; in the mining sector; and for domestic purposes.
I cannot conclude this address without raising this most important matter of our behaviour towards water use. It is time that South Africans behaved appropriately, considering the fact that we are ranked amongst the 30 driest countries in the world. As a water-scarce country, South Africa can no longer afford water losses. It is imperative, therefore, to focus on strengthening water conservation and demand management measures, especially as there is a greater return on investment through water-loss control and water-use efficiency.
The draft Water for Growth and Development Framework, which was approved at the January 2009 Cabinet lekgotla, will be finalised before the end of this calendar year. However, it is important to note that some key aspects of this framework that will ensure water security initiatives, such as expanding the water mix to include desalination, expanding the use of groundwater, and recycling of effluent, amongst others, are being implemented.
The Working for Water programme has cleared and undertaken follow-up clearing of over 775 000 hectares of invasive alien plants, with significant benefits for water, biological diversity, and the productive use of land and other outcomes over the past five years. It has provided 8,6 million person days of training and employment to over 27 000 previously unemployed people, with a particular focus on opportunities for women, at 54%; youth, at over 40%, and the disabled, at almost 2%.
The Working for Water programme and other associated programmes still remains the key vehicle for job creation, poverty eradication and community empowerment. In the next five years, further work on creation of decent work, downstream beneficiation and the creation of small-scale industries, as a contribution to rural development, will be further expanded.
The ANC has committed to the building of the technical capacity of the state to engage with, understand and lead the development of dynamic and globally integrated economic sectors. Building the capacity of the state to deliver on its promises has never been more urgent than now. Accordingly, the water sector has its own set of challenges with regard to skills and capacity, especially at municipal level. The sector is hard hit in the areas of engineering services and other technical skills in water sciences.
The state of our waste water treatment infrastructure as well as our maintenance capabilities needs serious attention. To try to address this, we have established a learning academy to develop scarce high-value technical skills for the sector. Through this academy, we have provided 82 external bursaries for engineering and other scientific fields. We continue with mentorship and on the job training of graduate trainees and experiential learners. Going forward, we want to form partnerships with academic and research institutions to optimise the skills development initiative. Working together, we can make sure that the much needed skills are acquired for the performance of the sector.
In conclusion, working together as a nation, we can ensure the provision of safe drinking water for all South Africans. We will continue to play our part towards realising the government imperative of alleviating poverty, growing the economy and improving the lives of our people. I must reiterate the role of this House, provinces and municipalities in ensuring water security for the current and future generations. Chairperson, I urge the House to support this budget policy review. I thank you. [Applause.]