What is happening with Eskom is a national crime - it's an ongoing, rolling avalanche; a catastrophe. We all know it but we have a sense of impotence and, surely, the Department of Public Enterprises is not the place where that can be fixed. The most fundamental problem of this report is that it is a report of a department that cannot deal with problems such as Eskom. Eskom needs to go back to where it belongs - the Department of Energy, even more so now that the Department of Energy has freed itself from also being the Department of Minerals. The Department of Public Enterprises must disappear and each of these state-owned enterprises must be moved back into the line function that can organically deal with the problems and challenges they face.
If we look at the energy crisis facing us today, we know we are embarking on a much greater crisis if we proceed with the nuclear build programme. I admit that I have changed my tune on this matter. In the committee and publicly I have expressed a different view. What is happening in respect of the discovery of the gas potential, not only in South Africa but in the entire region, ought to force a serious debate in this Parliament. I plead with the hon Koornhof; I plead with those who have the power to accept that we should hold, in this Parliament - as a matter of urgency - a serious, proper, in-depth debate of what we are doing about supplying the country's energy needs for the next 100 years. These are decisions that, by default or by volition, we shall carry on our conscience for many generations to come. We are here now, making them. [Time expired.]
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.