Hon Chairperson, we are currently facing a national water crisis, which is of our own making. Poor maintenance and upkeep of our water infrastructure and the lack of visible commitment in embracing alternative ideas, such as rainwater harvesting on a national scale and not just in some rural areas, have not helped to alleviate this crisis. Because of this, we are faced with great challenges and dire consequences if we fail.
We continue to rely on dams as the preferred source of water provision. This makes the population completely dependent on this department for its already overtaxed water supply. Places such as Lillydale in Bushbuckridge could have avoided their current water crisis if alternative measurers, innovations, had been in place as part of the water provision strategy. Then residents would not have been subjected to getting water only from rivers that are not only a great distance away, but also unhygienic.
Driving along one of Khayelitsha's busiest roads, Mew Way, one finds people pouring their used water onto the very street that the cars drive on. There is no drainage system for them to use. Also, with children running barefoot in the same area, exposure to water-borne diseases such as cholera becomes a stark reality. One can only wonder how acceptable the quality of the drinking water is, if sanitation services are so poor.
As a country, we pride ourselves on the export of mining resources, yet it seems government has been dragging its feet when it comes to addressing the by-products of mining. Acid mine drainage is affecting our already scarce water supply and causing the deterioration of the quality of our drinking water. No one is taking responsibility for the environmental impact that abandoned mines have. Instead of dealing with problems as they become aware of them, the department allocates large portions of the budget to dealing with crises that could have been avoided in the first place. This takes funds away from communities that truly need them. The polluter should pay for cleaning up the land, not the people of this country.
Unlike with electricity, educating the public on water usage does not seem to be a priority. The 49 Million campaign is more prominent in our minds than tips on how to save water. Government needs to take an even bigger initiative to help our people change their habits in the way they use water. Also, to avoid protests over the lack of delivery, the department needs to show the communities that it is investing in improving their lives and not just in improving their own pockets.
In conclusion, the supply of clean, fresh, drinkable water, as well as the supply of water for agricultural usage, remains one of the greatest challenges that we as a nation face today. We must be proactive in facing these challenges, as a slow or lethargic outlook will spell only disaster. We trust this will not be the case and that the Minister and the department will not let us down. The IFP supports the Budget Vote.
Mhlonishwa ngibongile futhi sizwile ususibekele okuningi uMnyango ozokwenza ukuze konke lokhu engikushoyo kuqhele, kungabibikho. Sibonge kakhulu ntombazana. Sengathi kungaba njalo ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.] [Thank you, hon Minister. We have listened to your report regarding what the department is going to do to eradicate what I talked about. Thank you very much, madam. May it be like that, thank you. [Applause.]]