Thank you, Chairperson. I think that it will not come as a surprise to the portfolio committee that the EFF does not support this Budget Vote. [Interjections.] Do not get excited. Wait.
The National Energy Act, Act 34 of 2008, among others, mandates the department to ensure that diverse energy resources are available in sustainable quantities and at affordable prices to the South African economy in support of economic growth and poverty alleviation while taking into account environmental management requirements. The department is not moving swiftly to implement the mandate of this Act fully, and therefore economic development and poverty alleviation will remain a pipe dream. What a good story to tell.
This has been the weakness of the ANC-led government for the past 20 years. It has been very difficult for them to enforce and implement legislative and policy mandates of their departments.
President Jacob Zuma has spoken about nuclear energy as an option as an energy source. We still rely very much on coal to generate electricity, which is not environmentally friendly. The reliance on coal and other environmentally damaging sources of energy is both unprogressive and unsustainable. We need to focus on Hong Kong as a case in point to look at how they have pursued a greener economy. Our energy sector is very unstable and in crisis given the current load shedding, especially during winter.
Allow me to tell the story of an 11-year-old girl who had kidney failure in 2009 and was put on dialysis, and that mainly ... [Interjections.] ... Relax. Chairperson, please protect me.