Chairperson, hon Minister and Deputy Minister, and hon members ... a re lot?heng. [Greetings.]
The UDM fully supports this Budget Vote.
The government's successful hosting of COP 17 helped to bring the dangers of climate change sharply into focus. As a nation, we emerged from the conference more informed about the steps each one of us can take to deal with and mitigate the effects of climate change. Now we urgently need to ensure that we work together to implement the COP 17 resolutions. The government should encourage the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs and the National Planning Commission to work closely together to ensure that all environmental considerations are integrated in the policies of the three spheres of government.
The UDM would like to commend the department for its renewed focus on job creation. The management of land and forest degradation and the health of rivers, among others, involves some of the praiseworthy projects that the department has used to create jobs for our people. It is encouraging to see that the department has moved beyond the point of theorising about issues to actively finding solutions to environmental challenges in ways that create jobs for the poor and unemployed. In addition to its projects, the department should consider launching green battalions, which would create jobs for community members, who would be responsible for the management of these environmental projects. The primary purpose of these battalions would be to combat and prevent soil erosion and ensure food security.
Working together with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Department of Water and Environmental Affairs should make use of such projects to provide jobs for the millions of our unemployed youth. We should also utilise the food production potential of provinces such as the Eastern Cape, Free State, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. A re lot?heng. [I thank you.]