Hon House Chair, hon Deputy President, hon members, section 27(1)(b) in Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa provides that every citizen has a right to access sufficient and clean drinkable water. The Constitution gives national and provincial government the authority to regulate local government in terms of water services.
In the 2010 state of the nation address, His Excellency President Zuma stated:
The government shall not falter until each and every community in our nation has clean, potable water, because our water supply forms a strong backbone to all social and economic development initiatives.
In the light of this recognition of the strategic importance of water provision, the Standing Committee on Appropriations undertook a second follow-up oversight visit to the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces from 22 to 26 July 2013. The aim of the visit was to follow up on a similar visit which was undertaken by the committee in 2010-11. The visit had been informed by ongoing interaction between the committee and the Department of Water Affairs during the in-year monitoring of its expenditure. The committee conducted a workshop with stakeholders on 23 July 2010.
It visited two dams, the Nandoni Water Bulk Distribution System and the Inyaka Water Treatment Works. The Nandoni Water Bulk Distribution System is in Thohoyandou in the Vhembe district. The committee was happy with what it found out there. There was commitment, and the committee was also convinced that the communities will be able to receive water by the end of December 2013.
At the Inyaka Water Treatment Works, we found that there was co-operation between the Department of Water Affairs and the Mpumalanga department of co- operative governance and traditional affairs. There, again, the committee was convinced that the people of Bushbuckridge will be able to receive running water by the end of July thanks to the co-ordination and the seriousness with which the issue was taken by the department and its partners.
On that note, I would like to ask the House to adopt the report. I thank you.
There was no debate.
Chairperson, I move:
That the Report be adopted.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.