Hon Speaker, I just want to reply to the statement regarding the water situation in Grahamstown. According to the municipality, they've taken the following ... [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! You have the floor.
Speaker, I was just hearing something funny there. The short-term steps being taken to ensure continuity and quality of the water supplied to the residents of Grahamstown are the following: The municipality is attending to the water crisis with the support of the community and key stakeholders such as the business community, Rhodes University and the district municipality; the municipality has adjusted its operational and capital budgets in order to attend to immediate activities such as repairs to leaks and to stabilise the water supply; as part of the budget adjustment the municipality has ordered a water pump and a motor for the Howieson's Poort Dam and the James Kleynhans Water Treatment Works on 30 September 2013; the municipality has also signed a five-year agreement with Amatola Water for operation and maintenance bulk water supply with effect from 4 October; the Department of Water Affairs has also supported the Makana Municipality on immediate projects, such as repairing major leaks and stabilising the water supply; and the district municipality is committed to contributing R3 million towards the shortfall of the purchase of the water pump and the motor for the Howieson's Poort Dam.
So, the matter is being attended to. Thank you. [Applause.]