The following speech will be delivered in Parliament’s Debate on South Africa’s deepening water crisis today.
Chairperson,
The ANC National Governemt must wake up!
South Africa is on the verge of a national water disaster, with drought and poor infrastructure maintenance, corruption and the lack of political will to act swiftly to prevent this disaster from worsening.
In die afgelope paar maande het krane leeg geloop in meeste provinsies reg oor die land.
Scarce fresh water is decreasing in quality because of an increase in pollution of our rivers and streams. And the culprits! – Wastewater treatment works run by dysfunctional and corrupt municipalities with a license to kill the environment.
En wat doen die ANC regering hieroor. ABSOLUUT NIKS!!
Access to a secure, safe and sufficient source of fresh water is a fundamental requirement for the survival, well-being and socio-economic development of all humanity. Yet Government continues to act as if fresh water is an everlasting resource. Well It’s not!
National Government is the custodian of water resources on behalf of South Africans and Government acts through the Minister to fulfil this Constitutional mandate.
As die Minister en die Departement vir Water en Sanitasie nie gaan optree om besoedelaars te stop om ons water bronne te besoedel nie, is die Minister net so skuldig as diegene wat ons water bronne besoedel.
Chairperson, it’s common knowledge that South Africa is a water scares country and therefore drought will play a crucial role in water supply.
Despite the drought, the lack of infrastructure maintenance and the failure of infrastructure is a major contributor to our water crisis.
We need to use less water.
South Africans must become water wise and Government must create public awareness of the reality of the effect of climate change.
The delay of six years on the Lesotho Highlands scheme Phase 2, is a classic example of how political interference harmed our water projects.
Phase 2 was planned to be completed this year.
Chairperson, the completion date has now moved to 2026 costing millions more to complete.
While Nomvula Mokonyane was corrupting water, stopping the Clanwilliam Dam project and not assisting Cape Town with its water crisis, she also placed the rest of the country in danger of running dry.
Minister Nkwinti moes haar gemors kom reg maak en het opdrag gegee dat die konstruksie van die Clanwilliamdam moet voort gaan, wat die projek met meer as 2 jaar vertraag het.
The City of Cape Town learnt – the hard way- that prevention is better than cure. The question is did the ANC Government learn anything from this? It seems nothing at all.
While Cape Town – and the greater Western Cape managed to narrow down water usage to prevent a disaster, danger still looms for the rest of South Africa reaching Day Zero.
Chairperson, the Minister need to implement a water demand management strategy for municipalities
• involving water meter replacement;
• pressure management;
• leak detection; and
• free plumbing repairs for indigent households
The country’s non-revenue water loss average at 41% with individual municipalities as high as 70%. Nonrevenue water losses are costing us more than R9.9 billion per year. This after spending R2.9 billion on the corrupt War on Leaks Programme, and in the process not saving any water.
Water infrastructure projects are also at risk with municipalities owing DWS and water boards R15.2 billion.
Stad Kaapstad het hul water verliese afgebring na 16% en spaar miljoene liters water elke dag.
Voorsitter, hierdie is n goeie DA storie om te vertel.
The ANC National Government is failing to respond to this water disaster all around the country.
Dit is baie duidelik dat die ANC regering die bal laat val het om hul grondwetlike mandaat na te kom.
Chairperson, in conclusion:
The ANC National Government is failing South Africa with millions of people struggling without water, not just because of drought, but because of poor infrastructure, corruption and the mismanagement of our water resources.
ANC! – julle moet wakker word!
Suid Afrika sal nie Dag Zero oorleef nie.