Hansard: NCOP: Unrevised Hansard
House: National Council of Provinces
Date of Meeting: 18 May 2022
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
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Watch: Plenary
PROCEEDINGS OF MINI-PLENARY SESSION OF NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
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The Council met at 14:00.
The Chairperson took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
The Chairperson announced that the virtual sitting constituted a sitting of the National Council of Provinces.
POLICY DEBATE ON BUDGET VOTE 41: WATER AND SANITATION
(Appropriation Bill)
The MINISTER OF WATER AND SANITATION: Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, Nyambose, [Masondo.], hon Deputy Chairperson, Ms Lucas, Cabinet colleagues that are here, hon Deputy Ministers of the Department of Water and Sanitation, Ms Dikeledi Magadzi and Mr Mahlobo, Mr Dodovu, hon members of the NCOP, the director-general and senior managers of the Department of Water and Sanitation, chairpersons of boards and senior executives in all our entities, leadership of the stakeholders and the sector and civil society and fellow South Africans, I want to start by expressing our sympathies with the people of South Africa affected by storms and fire in particular places or provinces of our country. The Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape in particular. KwaZulu-Natal was particularly ravaged by the recent floods which cost substantial damage to property and infrastructure. The floods also regrettably claimed lives. Many, many lives.
I wish to take this opportunity therefore and express my sincere condolences and that of our leadership in the department to the families of those who lost loved ones in the floods. We would also like to express sympathy for all those who are without water and sanitation due to the floods and to assure them that we are working as fast as possible to restore this services. One of the things we will immediately attend to was the establishment of the Water and Sanitation War Room. This was done together with the worst affected ...
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP. Can I make an appeal! Just a minute hon Minister. Can I make an appeal to hon the Lehihi and the hon Mmoiemmang!
Let us please co-operate and ensure that there is no disturbance in this sitting. Thank you very much and please proceed, hon Minister.
The MINISTER OF WATER AND SANITATION: The establishment of the war room was done together with the municipalities that were affected. Our department quickly hired water tankers, together with municipalities hiring theirs to supplement those available in the municipalities and a team of engineers and other specialists who were seconded to the war room to assist with the implementation of emergency repair work and to assess quantity and damage. We have stayed in that war room since today, where we meet every week.
Whilst progress has been made with regards to the restoration of water supply, there has been immense damage to water supply and infrastructure. Together with municipalities that are affected, we completed the costing of this damage and submitted the application to the department of Co-operative
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Governance and Traditional Affairs on national disaster
finding. Once funding is allocated, we will continue to be
involved in the planning and monitoring of implementation of
the reconstruction projects, with a stern focus of “building
back better”.
Hon members, over the past nine months to be specific, since
appointment, we have travelled the land and breadth of our
country, meeting with those entrusted in supplying and
treating water in our communities. Ranging in municipalities
in their capacities as water services authorities, to
representatives of communities and industries which are the
recipients of these services.
One of the glaring challenges, cited by municipalities was
that of aging or even ancient and dysfunctional infrastructure
which result in the inability to deliver water to the people
and water loses.
Deputy Minister Magadzi will speak in greater detail about
these challenges and the measures we are putting in place as
the department to intervene.
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In February we convened a two-day National Water and
Sanitation Summit which was attended by a wide range of
stakeholders and experts. As a result of these engagements, we
have developed a though understanding of the water and
sanitation challenges facing the country, as well as a high-
level of consensus, regarding what needs to be done to turn
the tide.
The main thing that we came out with from the summit, was to
focus among other things on ensuring security of water for all
people in South Africa in all provinces.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, one of our priorities as the
Ministry of Water and Sanitation, is to ensure just that.
Water availability and provision which matches the demands
everywhere and every corner in our country. Currently, the
demand exceeds provision. We need to change that narrative and
that scenario. Match the demand and then ensure qualitative
measures through incremental access and quality.
Now, water is a fundamental right. Water is life, it is a
necessity and it is a must have for everyone. Whether you are
rich or poor, rural or urban, young and old, water is a must.
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However, we know out there that we still have communities who
have never had access to water. Let alone water coming out
from taps. This ends in addition ensuring that existing
infrastructure is maintained, we focus on projects which will
guarantee water supply for South Africa.
So first, we are dealing with just bulk to as close as
possible to communities all over in the country per province.
Let us start with Eastern Cape. Currently, one of our main
priorities there is the Umzimvubu Water Project which is aimed
at providing water to 750 000 people at a cost of R25 billion.
The designs are 80% complete.
The first round of fundraising began in January 2022 through a
Request for Information which is currently, being evaluated.
We are working with both the National Treasury and currently
we are looking for the dates in which we will meet with the
Minister of Finance and also with Infrastructure Fund to
develop the funding model for this project, if not finalising
it.
If it is found and it is not possible to raise private
funding, we will apply for full or partial funding of the
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project through budget process through the Budget Facility
Infrastructure. We are closer than we were last year, on
getting to grips with this particular project.
The next one is the Khuli Dam and Nooitgedacht Water Scheme
Project are both long-term water supply assurance projects for
the Nelson Mandela Bay area.
I must say that the most worrisome area currently in South
Africa is the Nelson Mandela Bay where it is estimated that by
the end of June we will be running almost completely short of
water. That is our most worry.
The R1,3 billion Khuli Dam Project is at procurement stage for
design and the R534 million Nooitgedacht Water Scheme Project
is at 98%, if not more, towards completion.
The breeding of the Nooitgedacht Water Treatment Works Project
has resulted in an addition of 70 mega litres of water being
supplied on daily basis to the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. This
has increased the supply of water to the metro by
approximately 30%. There is still a need for the metro to
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apply water conservation and demand management measures as
well as develop other sources of water such as design.
Now I must emphasize this for Nelson Mandela Bay that even
though there is this additional water via Nooitgedacht, that
place is not out of woods. Everyone there must conserve water.
It is a fact that all of us need to face.
In the O R Tambo Municipality, we were there to increase the
supply of water in Mthatha with the support of the Amatola
Water. The first phase of upgrading electrical infrastructure
at the Thornhill Water Treatment Works in Mthatha has been
completed. We have allocated a budget of R200 million for the
upgrading of the water treatment facility and for building
additional reservoirs. So, we are on course in Mthatha in
terms of security of water.
In the Free State, we have six priorities, following the
Imbizo which was convened by the President of the Republic,
His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa. One is the delivery
of the Xhariep Pipeline Demons Water is a big project
R10 billion and is a completion of 72 kilometre of the
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Wallbedadgte Dama pipeline to a nonsupply to Mangaung that has
started. We are on our way and on course.
Upgrading of the critical Rasfontein Water Treatment Works
adding an extra 50 mega litres per day. Dealing with Kopanong,
yesterday, I signed the intervention verse and also signed an
agreement with the premier and my colleague in the Department
of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to
intervene in Kopanong. The department is intervening in
Machabeng. We will be there in the next two weeks. Well,
currently, Machabeng is a concern. We have to apologise to the
people of Machabeng for the state of affairs with regard to
water and sanitation, but we are heading there.
We are happy that the R36 billion Phase 2 Lesotho Highlands
Water Project which is aimed at ensuring an adequate long–term
water supply for Gauteng and the Vaal River System is taking
route. This project is funded through finance raised by the
Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authority and is being implemented
jointly by South Africa and Lesotho, through the Lesotho
Highlands Development Authority. We are at an advance state
design of the dam and the tunnel bridge. The bridge has also
been completed. To date 14% of the budget has been spent. The
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project is due for completion in November 2027. We do not want
to miss that date, because it will be dangerous in terms of
security of water in Gauteng.
In KwaZulu-Natal, we have raised the wall at Hazelmere Dam for
more water. We are now at 96%. We went there to see it. We
know what we are talking about, for sure. The project is due
for completion later this year, using R800 million. UMkhomazi
is not far, it is a project that we are square angling at to
deal with for delivery of additional water in Ethekwini and in
uMgungundlovu. There are a number of other projects that we
are dealing with that will service Ugu as well as Harry Gwala
and other districts that are nearby. That will include also
dealing with R800 million Thukela-Goedertrouw Transfer Scheme,
which we want to upgrade as soon as possible.
In the North, we are also going to be making interventions
which we will announce in the North of KwaZulu-Natal in good
time.
On 9 May 2022, we officially launched the R24 billion Olifants
River Water Resources Development Project which will be
implemented as a Public Private Collaboration with mining
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companies, to fast-track water delivery to the communities and
mines in the Sekhukhune and Mokgalakwena Municipalities in
Limpopo by 2028, if not earlier. Government and the mining
companies will each fund approximately 50 of the project. We
are happy with this development, because it makes our quest
for partnership with the private sector a reality and no
longer a theory or a wish. We are assured as late as last week
that we are making a very quick progress in that particular
direction.
The R4 billion Giyani Water Service Project has been
repackaged and is being fast-tracked so that we put that
matter to rest once and for all. We will be going there for
the whole week next week to camp there and to make sure that
we live no stone unturned in terms of removing impediments of
whatever way, so that we move with speed on that particular
project.
In Mpumalanga, we know about the challenges and shortages of
water. However, we are now at the point where the Crocodile
East Reconciliation including Mbombela has identified a need
for a new dam. The feasibility planning has been initiated and
mine water reclamation has been implemented and so on.
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However, our main focus is the R1,2 billion Thembisile–Loskop
Bulk Water Supply Project which is aimed at addressing water
supply challenges in the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality.
This is a project that will overlap to Limpopo. This is a
three-year project and it will start from May this year, to
April 2025. We are just at the point where we need to do the
final chart sheets by end of this month so that the project
starts as soon as possible.
In the Northern Cape, we are making progress in the Vaal
Gamagara Water Supply Scheme which is another exciting
partnership with the private sector. We have removed all the
impediments and all the lapses that were there. We are now on
course to deliver to the mining sector in the West of Kimberly
and the West of the province. However, to all communities on
the route of that pipeline. It is quite a big project and we
are happy that we will soon deliver on it.
Vaalharts which is an agricultural canal going towards North
West it is a challenge at the moment which we will attend to
together with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and
Rural Development. We are collaborating on this one to make
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sure that it is upgraded and that it reaches all the people
especially around Taung.
We recently commissioned a pipeline in Moretele South Pipeline
in the North West. It is a 60km pipe which will deliver water
via Magalies Water Board, to the local areas there including
the Carousel View, Dertig, Bosplas, Mathibestad, Makapanstad,
just to name a few.
We are happy that we are no longer talking about the plan
here, but we are talking about a complete project where now
water is coming out. Instead of receiving water twice a week,
they are now receiving water seven days a week - 24/7.
The department is also upgrading conveyance infrastructure
from Moloto eye to Mafikeng to increase the reliability of
water supply. The estimated cost of the project is R50 million
and it will start this month and the project is due for
completion this year as well.
We are also are refurbishing and upgrading Brits Water
Treatment Works. It has delayed a little bit, but we are
pushing and applying pressure among others on Magalies to
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finally complete the Brits Water Treatment Plant this year.
Construction is underway and the project is due for completion
in January 2023.
To increase water security in the west coast area of Cederberg
in the Western Cape, we have resumed construction work to
raise the wall of Clanwilliam Dam at a cost of R3,2 billion.
We are from there. Work will start by the end of this month.
We are happy that we have reached this point, packaging and
actually angling for starting. It is due for completion in
2026. The augmentation scheme to increase water supply to the
City of Cape Town - we are dealing with the Bulk Voëlvlei
Augmentation Scheme at a cost of R1 billion.
The Trust for Community Development, TCD, will be raising
finance for this project and the Department of Water and
Sanitation is currently completing land acquisition process
and we will secure the City of Cape Town more water going
forward.
There is also a Brandvlei Dam Project in the Western Cape
which is a R21 million project which involves a construction
of a feeder canal which will provide an additional 33 mega
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litres of water. We went there and we saw the dam. People are
at work and is due for completion on time in October this
year.
Further, we are implementing a R43 million Tulbagh Bulk Water
Supply Project Witzenberg Local Municipality in the Western
Cape. We should have gone there, last week. However, work is
starting and we will go there to monitor. The project involves
a construction of a dam at its first phase and the
construction of a rise main as the second phase. The first
phase is 60% complete, with the planned completion time of
2022. We will leave it there, hon members.
All these projects are bringing us to the limit of what we can
draw from, our readily accessible surfaced water. It is
necessary that all these bulk supply water be a success and
make substantial progress this year.
With regards to the budget – as I conclude - the Department of
Water and Sanitation and its entities have been allocated a
combined budget R111, 256 billion. This is over three years.
It is packaged for each year. I am not going to go to detail
about that. I want to make it clear that it is R111,2 billion,
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but not for one year, but for three years. It is divided into
those three years.
We will make sure that we use optimally, responsibly and in a
manner that is efficient and monitoring every cent out of it.
I have said in the past that is a very worrying factor that up
to now, we are allocating lots and lots of money to various
water service authorities in the country every year, but the
sad part of it is that water services continue to decline at
the same time. It is a contradiction, it is a worry and it is
something that we have to work on. I am repeating my words
here that we will stop this together with the municipalities
concerned. We have started to a large extent.
It is now my honour hon Chairperson, to end by saying indeed
we are honoured to be presenting this budget to yourselves. We
are looking forward to working together to optimise water
security and water services to the people of South Africa,
more than we have ever done in any other year in the past and
working with you and having your co-operation and
understanding. Together with the Department of Co-operative
Governance and Traditional Affairs and SA Local Government
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Association, Salga, and we are hoping that we will do and make
this thing happen. Thank you very much, Chairperson.
Mr T S C DODOVU: Thank you very much, Chairperson of the NCOP,
hon Masondo, Minister of Water and Sanitation, hon Senzo
Mchunu and your Deputies, Chief Whip of the NCOP, permanent
and special delegates, representatives of South African Local
Government Association, SALGA, the struggle against
colonialism and apartheid, and the building of a non-racial,
non-sexist democracy in our land, has produced many
outstanding leaders.
Leaders who have left an eternal ... [Inaudible.] ... on their
people, and made an indelible contribution to their country.
Leaders who are both products and makers of history, and when
they passed, they remind us of our historic past and leave a
vision of a great future and the tools with which to build it.
One of such leaders is Walter Max Sisulu. A doyen of our
struggle, who was born on this day, the 18 May 1912. I rise to
salute this freedom fighter, who has paid a deposit in our
moral bank account so that as we move forward to address any
challenges facing our country, including those related to
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water and sanitation, we must emulate his virtues and his
exemplary leadership.
As we debate Budget Vote 41: Water and Sanitation, this
afternoon, I rise to express our ... [Inaudible.] ...
appreciation to Baba Walter Sisulu for the role he played in
bringing about freedom in our land. Accordingly, in his
memory, I rise to dedicate this speech to him for the immense
and immeasurable contribution he made in fighting for freedom
and in galvanizing and rejuvenating the unity of our people.
As we battle to ensure that the country’s water resources are
protected, managed, used, developed, conserved and controlled
appropriately; and as we strive to actively manage the
national water resources to meet the needs of current and
future generations, we must do so in full recognition that we
owe a special debt of gratitude to Baba Sisulu because he has
enriched our lives with the magic of his words, the acuity of
his insides and the magnitude of his vision.
As the Select Committee On Cooperative Governance and
Traditional Affairs, COGTA, Human Settlement, Water and
Sanitation, we fully understand that as one of the water
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scarce countries in the world, as South Africa, we need to
urgently provide water, especially in rural areas of our
country. As a country, we continue to face challenges which
include the unequal distribution and access to clean water,
skills shortages in the sector, aging water infrastructure,
shifting demand patterns, overwhelming water demands and lack
of social innovation for emerging challenges.
We further notes that drought, water pollution, climate change
and corruption, are the factors exacerbating the water
resource problems in our country. These factors cause towns
and townships to run dry and have led to crumbling
infrastructure and also affected municipal waste water
treatment plants, resulting in sewage float in the streets, in
rivers as well as ground water. As such, we note that
community protests in South Africa largely centre around water
resource problems.
To compound these problems, until in the recent years, the
Department of Water and Sanitation has had its own internal
problems which impeded it from fulfilling its mission to
ensure that indeed Water is life, Sanitation is dignity. These
problems included; failure to effectively deal with
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allegations of corruption, fraud and other related financial
maleficence. Senior level positions remaining vacant for a
very long time. Slow expenditure on infrastructure,
unauthorised expenditure, especially on unbudgeted War on
Leaks Programme. Accruals and payables on department as well
as the water trading entity. Contingency in liabilities, as
well as instability within the Water Boards, also most
characterised the department itself.
All these issues signify that not all was well in the
department and in the Water Boards. Today, we are pleased that
most of these challenges are given the urgent attention they
deserve. Especially, after the new political leadership was
appointed. These include the following: filling of positions
at management level, the reduction of unauthorised irregular,
fruitless ad wasteful expenditure, improvement in the
infrastructure delivery and expenditures, investigations on
allegations of corruption and related financial misconduct and
the discipline of staff for related matters.
We are also pleased by the prompt response of the Department
of Water and Sanitation on the natural floods disaster which
happened in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and North West
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Provinces, during April this year. KwaZulu-Natal was the most
affected province. It received between 200 and 400 millilitres
of rainfall in a 24-hour period. Taking lives of more than 443
people and completely damaging the infrastructure like houses,
schools and bridges.
During our interaction with the Department of Water and
Sanitation, as the select committee, on its Annual Performance
Plan for 2022-23 financial year, as well as its Budget, we
noted the performance indicators and targets which the
department seeks to achieve. These includes one on programme,
and one on administration. The committee noted that output
indicators on the programme to include performance and
financial information related to targeted performance, budget
spent on youth, women and people with disabilities, as well as
the implementation of Financial Recovery Plan.
On Programme 2 - water resource management, we noted as a
committee and supports the department in its effort to ensure
that the country’s water resources are protected, used,
developed for the benefit of our people in a sustainable way.
On Programme 3 - water service management, the committee
supports the department to develop, to rehabilitate and to
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refurbish the raw water resources and water services
infrastructure to meet the socio-economic and environmental
needs of our country. Fourthly, on the programme allocation of
infrastructure programme, the committee noted that in this
regard, the department will ensure the allocation of the
regional bulk infrastructure grant, Water Boards allocations,
water service infrastructure as well as their implication to
local government.
The select committee therefore has welcomed the 2022-23 Annual
Performance Plan and Budget allocation for the Department of
Water and Sanitation, and noted that the Annual Performance
Plan, APP has been aligned and integrated with the Medium Term
Strategic Framework and the 2022 state of the nation address
by the President.
We have further noted that the main priorities of the
department for this financial year, include the implementation
of projects to augment bulk water resource infrastructure, as
the Minister has alluded to. To lead the development of water
resources, to support municipalities on water and sanitation
services, to strengthen regulatory interventions, to address
pollution of environment and water, to improve revenue
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collection across the water value chain, to reduce irregular,
unauthorised and wasteful expenditure, as well as ensuring
consequence management for financial misconduct.
The committee feels that the Department of Water and
Sanitation must therefore attempt to the following other
matters to ensure that we move forward and achieve our
objective. The resolution of all issues around the War on
Leaks Programme, the bucket eradication has pull sanitation as
a matter of urgency, water pollution, the functionality and
stability of our Water Boards, the continuous fight against
corruption and the implementation of forensic investigations
report. We also feel like all vacancies in the department must
be filled. Also improving the spending on water and sanitation
infrastructure. Lastly, ensure consequence management in the
department and around allegations of corruption, and here we
single out the Giyani Water Project.
As I pointed out from the beginning, today is the birth date
of Tata Walter Sisulu. He would have been 110 years old. The
same as his beloved organisation, the ANC. When the trumpets
summoned Walter Sisulu in 1944 to form the ANC Youth League,
together with Anton Muziwakhe Lembede, Ashley Peter Mda,
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Mxolisi Lionel Majombozi, Oliver Reginald Tambo, Nelson
Rolihlahla Mandela, Albertina Sisulu, Congress Mbata, Jordan
Ngubane, William Nkomo, David Bopape, Godfrey Pitje, and many
others, Walter Sisulu galvanised the ANC and declared
themselves the brain-trust and power-station of the spirit of
African nationalism.
They became a generation that was fired by determination to
rid our people of a sense of inferiority, with motto of
Africa's Cause Must Triumph. In their manifesto, they called
for Africans to occupy the rightful place amongst nation of
the world, and wanted African youth to be united,
consolidated, trained, disciplined, because future leaders
will be recruited from these ranks.
If there was anyone who lived, slept and dreamt the liberation
of its people 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it was Walter
Sisulu. He spent his better life of his adulthood serving
humanity, and later in prison for 26 years. Walter Sisulu was
a fierce committed leader, who loved his country and his
people. He never lost sight of his people, especially their
needs, their fears, their joys, their aspirations, their
dreams and their homes. That is why he was so much loved and
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respected by his people. And, that is why he will be forever
be remembered. Once more, may God receive his soul in peace
and with joy.
In conclusion, in the honour and memory of Baba Sisulu, and in
remembrance of his birth date, we as his living bears,
especially as Members of Parliament. We must do everything in
our power to emulate his example by passing correct laws and
by conducting oversight on all organs of the state under our
jurisdiction in order to live by the dream of Water is Life,
Sanitation is Dignity. As the ANC, we support the APP and the
Budget of the Department of Water and Sanitation. Thank you
very much.
Ms C VISSER: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members, the
Department of Water and Sanitation remains the custodian of
South Africa’s water resources, ensuring that all South
Africans gain access to clean water and dignified sanitation.
Tragically, over a period of 28 years the Department of Water
and Sanitation has lost their vision of being a dynamic,
people-orientated department, leading effective management of
the nation’s water resources to meet the needs of current and
future generations.
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Violent protests have become part of the South African
landscape because communities are forced to live without water
for days, weeks, months and years. These destructive, violent
protests were and are still managed by Public Order Police,
stun grenades and rubber bullets because people are forced to
fight for a basic human rights - shame on you for this!
Many areas in South Africa are still without any access to
water, like the Kagisano-Molopo Municipality where Pomfret is
without water since 2011, Bray and Piet Plessis since before
the 2021 local government elections. The media reports on a
daily basis show cities like Johannesburg, Rustenburg and
Bloemfontein, even country towns being without water for
extended periods, which has become the norm.
Water boards, water authorities and water service providers
are undercapacitated, unskilled, and untrained to functionally
ensure effective water management is practised and maintained
365 days of every year. Why? Simply because the department
together with the provincial governments, the water boards,
the district and local municipalities all dismally failed
within their mandates of authority, never mind to stop
polluting.
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We need to face reality and acknowledge the reasons why the
department failed to comply in its mission of being service
and delivery oriented, to get it right the first time, on time
ensuring all citizens are provided with water and the
sanitation services they deserve. The department lost another
important part of its mission, which is having a heart to
provide our nation with a caring environment by protecting our
natural resources.
What happened in 28 years was focussing on all but the vision,
mission and values, instead the department, as the custodian,
turned a blind eye on the massive and continuous pollution of
every stream, wetland, river and dam. District and local
municipalities are allowed to decant into the environment
effluent from multimillion rand dysfunctional state-of-the-art
wastewater treatment works plant, not complying with the said
allowed values of the SANS General Legal Limits.
Industries are allowed to decant whatever toxic waste they
produce in our environment, into our rivers with no
consequences, without even getting a slap on the wrist. No
Directives issued, no fines, noncompliance with legislation -
just like nobody cares. This negligence destroyed our
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environment, turned our rivers into sewer channels, our dams
into sewer maturation ponds and killing our ecosystems and
wetlands.
Barberspan is the oldest Ramsar site in the southern
hemisphere and is slowly dying because of raw untreated sewer
running into this wetland for the past 28 years and down to
Schweizer-Reneke where bulk water is extracted for the people
of Ipelegeng and Schweizer-Reneke. The Marico River lost it
pristine value of pure water flowing into Botswana, and
polluted with raw sewer.
Towns, townships and villages are drowning in raw untreated
sewer flowing through their houses, submerging their
backyards, gravitationally flowing into private boreholes from
sewer conservancy tanks and blockages on sewer lines. The
department dismally failed to issue directives for more than
10 years, to keep authorities accountable, to ensure
consequences are faced due to negligence leaving the colourful
“green and blue scorpions” toothless and redundant.
At the Department of Water and Sanitation portfolio meeting in
February 2019 the committee was informed that the Weza Water
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System water-use licence took 300 days, with no responses as
to why the process took so long and needs to be expedited.
Currently North West lawyers are struggling for more than
three years to obtain water-use licences from the Department
of Water and Sanitation in Kimberley office, being sent from
pillar to post.
The department needs to take urgent action since South Africa
has a looming water crisis that will be more devastating than
the Eskom crisis and negatively impacting on our economy and
costing lives. Due to inadequate maintenance of the past 28
years and a population that has virtually doubled, the
infrastructure will not sustain the demand. The department
needs to claim its legislative space and do its job. Thank
you, Minister. We know that you are in it for us. Thank you.
Ms F NKOMONYE (Eastern Cape): The hon Chairperson of the NCOP,
hon Masondo, the hon Minister Mchunu, hon Deputy Minister
Magadzi, permanent and specials delegates to the NCOP, members
of the Select committee on Water and Sanitation, ladies and
gentlemen good afternoon.
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It gives me a great pleasure to debate on behalf of Member of
Executive Council, MEC Kontsiwe on this very important budget
vote which has constitutional imperatives. Allow me hon
Chairperson from the onset, on behalf of the Eastern Cape
government, to welcome the Budget Vote for the Department of
Water and Sanitation as presented by hon Minister Mchunu.
Hon Chairperson and members of the House, the Eastern Cape as
you would know it, is very rural in nature. And therefore,
access to basic services is somewhat a challenge in some
areas. This is due to a number of factors which include
geographical terrain which is not easy to service,
particularly when we dealing with access roads that have been
affected by the disaster that has been a consequence of the
inclement weather having been noted before by the Chairperson
of the select committee. The province has also experienced a
number of disasters that have destroyed our water and
sanitation infrastructure.
It is a known fact, hon Chairperson, that the Province of the
Eastern Cape, we have areas that have a lot of water
challenges, Nelson Mandela Metro, in Amathole, in the areas of
OR Tambo and as well as Alfred Nzo. We had a lot of challenges
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with respect to access to water. And I am happy that Minister
Mchunu has indicated on the progress that is being made on the
projects that are working on in the province.
The recent storms in district municipalities such as, OR
Tambo, Amathole, Chris Hani and parts of Alfred Nzo have
reversed some of the progress made in as far as servicing
rural areas in the province. We however hope that they will be
given an adequate support in restoring what has been lost due
to the floods.
Hon Chairperson, the provision of water and sanitation is not
a competence of the Department of Human Settlements it is
however a competence and responsibility of municipalities in
the province. However, as the department we continue to
support with the provision of some of the elements to maintain
continuity in project areas since this has been seen as a
health necessity.
In respect of rural areas, the department provides water and
sanitation through Rural Housing Programme in a project for
beneficiaries whose housing subsidy has been approved and in
areas where the district municipality has not provided for
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them in the following manner: We provide the ventilated
improved pit-latrine as a form of sanitation and it is
constructed in a specification and design that has been
approved by the district municipality. We also provide tankers
and water tanks that are 2500-3000 litres as a form of water
provision and those tanks have a standard that is compulsory
in the rural areas.
Hon Chairperson and members of the House, in respect of urban
areas, the department provides water and sanitation through
Integrated Residential Development Programme: Planning and
services in a project for beneficiaries whose housing subsidy
has been approved, are provided with a water that would be in
the areas of townships and in metropolitans and district
areas. Where it is the responsibility of those municipalities
to provide bulk infra-structure support.
The department constructs water and sewer reticulation once
the designs are approved by the respective municipality for
the specific township covering all the sites. The construction
involves a situation where the appointed contractor provides
connection points for house connections in respect of water as
well as sewer system.
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Hon Chairperson, the department has an obligation to continue
to provide above mentioned services, however, it will always
be in areas where as a department we have projects as
identified in the District Development Model.
Engagements with respective municipalities and the Department
of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affair, CoGTA to
provide bulk water infrastructure through Municipal
Infrastructure Grant in areas of development will be
strengthened in order to avert delays.
Hon Chairperson and members of the House, the hon Minister has
approved funding up to 30% from the provincial allocations for
bulk infrastructure to support human settlement projects with
a clear motivation.
The department is engaging the respective municipalities
particularly district metropolitans to effectively utilise
Urban Settlement Development Grant, in provision of bulk
infrastructure. And, as a result a high number of impact
projects are currently underway and are progressing very well.
These include Orange Grove which has 3500 units and Duncan
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Village in Buffalo City and Zanemvula in Gqeberha in the
Nelson Mandela Municipality.
Hon Chairperson and members of the House, the department
collaborates with municipalities on utilisation of Urban
Settlement and Development Grant, USDG for provision of bulk
infrastructure for water and sanitation.
The Department also works with COGTA, local municipalities on
how we can better utilise of Municipal Infrastructure Grant to
provide for bulk infrastructure for water and sanitation for
the approved designs by engineers.
The department is also collaborating with National Department
of Human Settlements to provide funding for provision of
engineering services in respect of water, sanitation and as
well as construction of houses and services sites.
Hon Chairperson, in the 2022-23 financial year a total of 6205
sites of beneficiaries will be provided with water and
sanitation in the province and out of that 6205 about 1368
will be in urban areas and 4837 will be in rural areas, as I
have indicated earlier on hon Chair that our province is very
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so skewness in terms of provision of bulk water and sanitation
is in respect of that. As a province we once again welcome the
budget vote and we are really hoping that the challenges that
we are having with respect to access to water and sanitation
as it is the dignity of our citizens, will resolved. Thank you
very much hon Chairperson.
Mr L MAILE (Gauteng): MEC for Human Settlement, Urban Planning
and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs): Hon
Chair, Minister and Deputy Ministers, permanent and temporary
delegates to the NCOP, colleagues, the Gauteng-City Region
faces water risks which are aggravated by rapid population
growth, high water loses and degradation of the quality of
water resources, climate change effects and increasing demand
for human settlements development. The province is heavily
dependent on imported water which comes from other provinces,
schemes that augment the integrated Vaal River system.
The Gauteng provincial government has developed a water
security plan in order to address all these challenges. The
plan aims to ensure that there is reliable availability of an
acceptable quantity and quality of water for health,
livelihoods, ecosystems and production, coupled with an
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acceptable level of water related risks to the people,
environments and economies. The plan defines the critical
areas that needs focus to ensure a water secure Gauteng City-
Region, and it also outlines short, medium and long term
interventions based on five cardinal programme. With each of
the programmes dealing with actions to be taken across
government, business, households and communities, civil
society, the media and researchers.
The five cardinal programmes of the plan are as follows,
reduced water demand, water services providers like
municipalities and water boards and their agents must reduce
nonrevenue water, including and forcing payment for services
and reducing both physical losses in their distribution
systems and unauthorised use to target sets and agree with
Rand Water, Gauteng City-Region and the Department of Water
and Sanitation, social institutions as well as businesses,
including property owners must be encouraged and incentivised
to monitor and control their water consumption, and to reduce
it by introducing efficiency measures, especially, but not
only in new development.
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The second one is investing alternative water sources.
Alternative water sources such as ground water, water reuse
and treated acid mine drainage, as well as rainwater
harvesting should be a focus for intervention. Improved
environmental protection and water quality. Poor water quality
in the river systems that flow through Gauteng puts its people
and downstream users at risk and may influence water
availability.
At present, Gauteng Water Quality problems are the result of
human activity. The poor management of sanitation systems,
dumping and littering and wide chemical pollution from mining
and industries needs to be monitored and controlled, although
poorly managed wastewater treatment works are problematic.
They may offer an opportunity to increase water reuse and
mitigate supply constraints.
The fourth area is to strengthen institutions and
institutional co-operation. Effective institutions are
essential to keep the system running. Water security
strengthened by institutional weakness and possible failure.
At all levels with most institutions in the water sector
facing serious financial challenges in both the bulk water
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resource component as well as in the provision of municipal
water services.
The serious shortcomings in the management of the integrated
Vaal River system needs to be managed closely through the
Department of Water and Sanitation, Rand Water and
municipalities, giving an acceptable level of confidence in
contingency planning, both at water resource and distribution
level. Prepare for drought as the new normal, climate change
is impacting on Gauteng City-Region’s water security. By
increasing the frequency and severity of both droughts and
floods, effective water resource management will ensure that
it aims to maintain reliable supplies even during periods of
drought are realised.
The population and economic growth in the Gauteng City-Region
means that the demand for water is likely to exceed supply in
the short term. So, water scarcity may happen outside of
periods of extended drought. The Department of Water and
Sanitation as the custodian of water resources will need to
improve its management of the integrated Vaal River system
operating model, so that we can give water managers and users
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early warning of potential shortages in Rand Water supply
areas.
If this function effectively and its warnings are acted upon,
the impact of drought can be dramatically reduced. In the
province, water security is spearheaded by the Municipal
Infrastructure Support Agent within urban planning which is
now situated in Co-operative Governance and Traditional
Affairs, whilst the province has no legislative mandate. It
engages in policy, strategy and management of water resources
and water services. Municipalities are responsible for the
provision of water and sanitation services in terms of the
Constitution and the Water Services Act, and nomination as
Water Services Authority by Co-operative Governance and
Traditional Affairs as well as a range of related
infrastructure and urban planning and management functions.
A major challenge identified in the Gauteng City-Region water
supply plan is the limited mandate that provinces have around
water services and the fact that they are reliant on national
development in terms of formulating and implementing
strategies and frameworks. Gauteng must never take its water
security for granted. The province lies high on the divide
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between South Africa’s two great rivers with very limited
local water resources. It depends on suppliers from the large
highly engineered integrated Vaal River system and a few local
sources that draw water from five different river bases across
the six provinces.
In conclusion, the climate that supports these supplies is
extremely variable with a history of unpredictable multiyear
droughts. The thread of climate change compounds this
uncertainty and adds long-term risks. As Gauteng population
expands and the economy grows, we must continually review the
security of our city regions water supply if it has to
continue sustaining its people and their economic growth.
Thank you very much, Chairperson.
Mr S ZANDAMELA: Chairperson, the EFF rejects Budget Vote 41:
Water and Sanitation.
Water is a key resource which ultimately determines the
quality of life which a society will lead. Yet 28 years since
democratic elections in South Africa, our people bear the
brunt of the incompetencies of this department as millions of
our people are still without this basic services.
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Statistics show that the availability and accessibility of
water and sanitation is a challenge which many of our
communities across South Africa grapple with on a daily basis.
The number of people without access to reliable water supply
and decent sanitation remains unacceptably high as over
5,3 million households in the country do not have access to
clean water services.
Communities across provinces experience access to water and
sanitation in an unequal manner, with residents and learners
in rural and semi-urban communities experiencing the far end
of the stick as the department fumbles with reaching any
solutions.
To date, there have been no impactful investments in water
infrastructure to speak of, nor any forms of practical water
conservation practices initiated. There has been no realistic
plan to speak of which will avert the water shortage disaster.
Instead the country is heading to yet another disaster which
we have grown accustomed to under the leadership of the ruling
party.
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We need bold action now as to date, technological issues and
lack of up-to-date water management systems still remain a
challenge in this country. Infrastructure decay, lack of
maintenance and lack of improvements hamper high quality safe
water and sanitation provision in South Africa.
There has been a failure to improve the availability of water,
therefore, resulting in backward and unhygienic living
conditions for our people. We know this to be true as our
people in the rural and township areas still make use of
communal taps, with women carrying the burden of this task
since they are the ones who must carry water for household
duties such as cleaning, washing and cooking. Women still walk
long distances to fetch water from remote points, often in the
dark, facing a long walk home, exposing themselves to attacks,
violence and rape.
Our people still rely on the use of natural water sources such
as rivers and streams which they share with animals, exposing
themselves to waterborne diseases and health-related
complications.
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Communities in these areas use available water sources for
multiple purposes such as drinking, crop irrigation, livestock
and bathing.
Our people lack adequate sanitation as they still make use of
pit toilets. They defecate in open fields, bushes and forests,
which is a critical aspect of polluting water sources.
The water and sanitation challenges in rural areas come as no
surprise as these have been in existence for many decades
under the apartheid era and continue into the democratic
dispensation.
In the past, master plans have been presented, promising water
and sanitation for all, with nothing said on how water will be
provided for in rural areas, especially in areas such as Dr JS
Moroka, Chief Albert Luthuli and Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga.
The ruling party has long abandoned any efforts in uplifting
the quality of lives of our people. For why else do such
challenges still persists?
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The Department of Water and Sanitation appropriates billions
of rands each year for built water and sanitation
infrastructure, only to have all that money going down the
drain.
Conditions such as corruption and slow economic growth has led
to low levels of service delivery to poor and outlying areas.
Which means that the poor are least likely to have access to
reliable and safe water supply and decent sanitation services,
and are less likely to secure appropriate redress for the
violations of such basic rights.
Inadequate drinking water, sanitation and hygiene have adverse
effects in non-household settings such as schools, healthcare
facilities and workplaces.
Since South Africa has been recognized as a water scares
country, there is a need to act promptly to protect water
resources. The little water resources which we still have need
to be managed in an efficient manner.
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The artificial separation between this department’s mandate
and the municipality’s responsibility in delivering water has
to be addressed.
Access to safe drinking water sources, appropriate sanitation
facilities are fundamental to economic growth and the
development of the country as a whole.
Which quality of life is this which is to be led by a
community which lacks access to water? Sanitation?
As the EFF we reject this budget as it does not speak to the
improvement of water and sanitation systems at municipal and
village levels, neither does it speak to a strengthened water
and sanitation improvement programme.
We reject this budget as it does not guarantee that villagers
will have piped water for use in homes and quality based
sanitation systems.
We reject this budget as it does not make way for the
improvement of water sources, to make them accessible and safe
for humans.
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We reject this report, we condemn the incompetence and
corruption of the ANC and we encourage our people to keep
asserting their rights to water and sanitation by all means
necessary. Thank you, Chairperson.
Ms S SHAIKH: Thank you very much, hon Chairpersons, greetings
to your good self, greetings to the hon Minister and Deputy
Minister and greetings to all hon members, one the acts of our
founding President of the democratic South Africa, Tata Nelson
Mandela was to ensure that we become a member of the United
Nations. You will remember the role the United Nations had
played during the struggle against the apartheid colonialism.
The United Nations not only declared apartheid as a crime
against humanity because of its oppressive system, but also
because of its denial of basic human rights, such as the right
to sufficient water and adequate or basic sanitation for the
majority of its population.
Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states
in part that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living
adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and of his
family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and
necessary social services ...” As the signatory to the United
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Nations as a country our role is to ensure that these rights
are achieved.
Hon Chairperson, the United Nations Subcommittee on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights had at its twenty-ninth session in
November 2002 issued a General Comment No. 15 on The Right to
Water, which states in part that “The Human Rights to water
entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically
accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic
uses. An adequate amount of safe water is necessary to prevent
death from dehydration and to reduce the risk of water-related
diseases and to provide for consumption, cooking, personal and
domestic hygienic requirements.”
Hon Chairperson, the Right to Water emphasises three things.
Firstly, the right to water means that water supply should be
readily available to each person or household for both
personal and domestic uses. Secondly, the quality of the
available water is important and it should be free of chemical
substances or water borne diseases. Thirdly, water supply
should be physically accessible and no one person or group
should be discriminated against. Section 27 (1) (b) and sub
section (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South
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Africa states that “everyone has a right to access sufficient
food and water’ and that the” state must take reasonable
legislative and other measures, within its available
resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of each of
these rights.” In order for our government to realise the
right to access to water, a number of policies and strategies
have been put in place.
Hon Chairperson, our democratic government has developed a
national guide which stipulates that each person is entitled
to 25 litres of water per day or 6 000 kilolitres per
household per month. Majority of our people have access to tap
water either through communal taps - within a 200 metre radius
- or through tap water installed in their home or yards. As
the African National Congress, we acknowledge that there are
still communities that still fetch water from rivers and dams.
Hon Chairperson, our government is committed for the provision
of sufficient and continuous water supply for both personal
and for domestic use. The ANC government is committed to the
provision of quality water supply that is free from chemical
substances and free of water-borne diseases which might
threaten one’s health. This commitment is demonstrated by
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governments reinstating the Blue Drop Status Programme. The
purpose of the Blue Drop Status is to ensure that local
municipalities provide their citizens with safe drinking
water. The ANC government through the implementation of the
Blue Drop Programme is striving to uphold the principles of
transparency and accountability. But also to ensure that the
country is compliant in relation to its international
obligations, as it relates to the provision of safe drinking
water. Just recently, the Department of Water and Sanitation
had released the Blue Drop Progress Report 2022 which had
established that in majority of our municipalities the quality
of water provided might be a potential health risk to
residents. By tabling this report, the government demonstrated
its commitment to the principles of transparency and
accountability, but also to ensure that those municipalities
with poor quality water rectify the situation to conform to
international standards.
Hon Chairperson, we all know the story of the Vaal River
Pollution as the result of the Emfuleni Local Municipality’s
inability to maintain its wastewater treatment plants. The SA
Human Rights Commission conducted a three-year investigation
on the sewage problems that affected the Vaal River and in the
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report of the investigation highlighted the fact that
19 million of the South African population is depended on the
Vaal river system for their water and it has posed a potential
high health risk.
Minister Mchunu in his Ministerial briefing in the NCOP on the
29 March 2022, acknowledged the challenges that are faced by
many municipalities whose infrastructure is failing and
deteriorating due to “poor governance, weak asset management,
billing and revenue collection, operations and maintenance;
and lack of technical skills”. He further outlined the various
interventions that his department will take to ensure that our
municipalities comply with the Green Drop Programme. These
measures are not only about compliance with international
standards, but also in ensuring that people live a dignified
life.
Hon Chairperson, we must internalise that Climate Change is
our reality, or rather say it has become a new normal. The
impact of climate change in our country includes changing rain
patterns and increased evaporation, and most importantly
increased prospects of extreme droughts. We have just
witnessed the devastating effects of climate change in our
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country as experienced by the people of KwaZulu-Natal and
certain parts of the Eastern Cape, where there were heavy
rainfalls resulting in disastrous floods. We have witnessed
the drying up of dams due to increased evaporation of water
from the dams. We have also witnessed two metropolitan
municipalities almost experiencing day zero in our recent
past.
Hon members, you will remember the Eastern Cape and the
Northern Cape were forced to declare certain parts of their
provinces disaster areas as result of the impact of drought of
the 2018-2020 period. Droughts have a huge socioeconomic
impact in our society. In the first instance, drought will
result in increased food prices in particular maize, meat and
poultry which are consumed by most of our people in the
country. But also, the impact of drought results in job losses
which increase unemployment in the country. It was reported
that during the drought period of 2017 in the Western Cape
alone had lost 20 000 jobs.
Hon Chairperson, if we all agree that water is life,
therefore, it means all of us must contribute in water
conservation and protection. As the ANC, we call upon the
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Minister of Water and Sanitation, Minister Mchunu to reinstate
the No Drop Programme which sought to ensure that we conserve,
protect and use water efficiently. We believe that by
reinstating the No Drop Programme it will go a long way in
ensuring that the water services authorities or local
municipalities ensure that there are no water losses as
results of water leaks.
The programme requires that municipalities “provide the South
African public with credible and transparent results on the
status of water use efficiency and the management thereof …”
In other words, by providing credible and transparent water
status to its residents, the municipalities will foster
behavioural changes with regards to water use by its
residents. We are confident that Minister Mchunu and senior
management in the department and its entities will respond
favourably to our recommendation for the reinstating of the No
Drop programme. I thank you, hon Chairperson.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF WATER AND SANITATION: Thank you hon
Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Deputy Chairperson Ms Lukas,
Minister of Water and Sanitation Mr Mchunu and other Ministers
on the platform, hon Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation,
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Deputy Minister Mahlobo and other Deputy Ministers, the Chief
Whip of the NCOP, Mr Mohai and other members of the NCOP and
those coming from the provinces Dr Shaun Phillips, Director
General of the Department of Water and Sanitation and senior
managers, leadership of our entities and chairpersons, board
members, CEOs, senior executives, all distinguished guests
fellow South Africans.
Mahatma Gandi once said:
“The earth, the air, the land and water are not our
inheritance from our forefathers but are on loan for our
children. So, we have to hand over to them as it was
handed over to us.”
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: If we can just ask hon Lehihi
there to ensure that we don’t disturb the proceedings. Please
proceed Deputy Minister
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF WATER AND SANITATION: Thank you very
much Chairperson. Our department on course towards the
achievement of the SDG 6, Sustainable Development Goal, which
demands us to ensure availability and sustainable management
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of water and sanitation. We are also expected to achieve a
universal and equitable access to save and affordable drinking
water and ensure that sanitation is dignified by 2030.
The National Planning Commission in its 2016 report on the
state of water in our country has identified the following six
thematic areas. The first area was water demand and supply,
the second was the impact of climate change, the
infrastructure asset management and functionality,
infrastructure planning and development, institutional and
regulatory framework and lastly the lack of human and
institutional capacity. These are the areas that were
recognised by the National Planning Commission.
Water is a shared resource with many stakeholders. As it is a
shared resource, it is a shared opportunity and also a shared
risk for everyone whether in public sector, private sector or
social sector. This is an opportunity and a risk that we all
share. Therefore, everyone must be aware that our
responsibility is water and each and every one of us must know
that water is a business for all of us.
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Hon Chairperson, the current conjuncture presents an
opportunity to reset the South African water and sanitation
and infrastructure to enhance the economy. We are working with
municipalities to achieve this imperative.
As we know, the distribution of water reticulation and water
treatment is the municipality’s direct responsibility. We
therefore would want to say that this is a great challenge
that the Minister of Water and Sanitation is focusing on and
to ensure that water availability and water security is what
we should be able to be speaking to focusing on our
communities.
In our extensive travel throughout the country in the last
nine months, we have identified and seen at first hand the
challenges that the municipalities are facing with respect to
water and sanitation. These are some of the challenges that
have been found in the municipalities.
The dilapidated infrastructure as it been has indicated that
vandalism has been on the centre the water and sanitation
infrastructure, lack of tactical skills, poor water quality
combined with pollution and spillages in most of the
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municipalities, loss of water few leakages and most
importantly, the billing systems and revenue management in
many municipalities are found wanting.
Therefore, these are but some of the issues that one has seen
though there are many that we have seen in those
municipalities while travelling throughout the country.
As we strive as the department, to strengthen our support and
intervention role at the municipal level, we will not neglect
our core responsibilities of developing the national water
resource and we are paying attention to accelerating the
planning and the implementation of key water resource and
augmentation projects around the country.
The department will continue to support the municipalities to
develop and refurbish municipal water and sanitation bulk
distribution by using available grants bulk infrastructure and
water services infrastructure grants that are found in the
department.
Hon members, the department will develop a necessary capacity
to support and intervene [Inaudible.] of both public and
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private mechanisms appropriately funded and financed. In
implementing the programme, the department is currently
working with the National Treasury, the Department of
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Salga and
other stakeholders.
The department will continue to monitor performance of the
municipalities and will on a regular basis publish information
of this monitoring of the municipalities through a single
national regulatory dashboard.
Chairperson, we are also planning to establish the water
partnership office which will support the effective long term
contracting by municipality with the private sector with the
view to harness the private sector skilled, to harness the
commercial and blended finance to improve the services outcome
in our municipalities.
We made a commitment to Cabinet this year to develop and
implement a water service improvement programme to strengthen
the national support and intervention measures and to make
them more effective. The framework for this programme has
since been developed and includes optimal use of legislation,
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legislative frame and reconfiguration of the water boards so
that they can be able to work closer to the municipality and
assist municipalities that are failing.
The Minister is in the process of tabling the National
Sanitation Framework to Cabinet to ensure reputable minimal
norms and standards for sanitation. The National Sanitation
Framework will ensure that we eradicate the bucket systems
because as a department we see this as a moving target which
we need to have norms and standards that can regulate that.
Hon members, for some time, the department has been engaged in
reviewing legislation. I can now talk about the National Water
Act of 1998 and the National Services Act of 1997 that are
being renewed but within the same breast, I will indicate that
the Minister is in the process of making sure that we
establish a national water resources infrastructure agency
which actually all of this will be going to Cabinet and will
be coming to Parliament in the not so foreseeable distance
future.
Hon members we are also working in ensuring that the issues of
catchment management areas particularly those of Breede-
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Gouritz catchment management area is worked on so as to
include the Berg-Olifant water management rea in making sure
that we broaden the scope of our catchment management area.
To, accelerate the transformation, the department is currently
busy establishing the transformation committees as a strategic
and integral platform where meaningful resolutions and actions
on transformation issues will be taken.
Transformation will ensure the targets of water and sanitation
[Inaudible.] are met in building programmes and jobs for
women, youth and people with disabilities being placed at the
centre stage.
To strive for transformation, we will resuscitate women
leadership in water and sanitation in line with the
sustainable development goals as I have indicated earlier on.
Nelson Mandela once said:
“Freedom alone is not enough, without light to read,
without time or access to water to irrigate your farm and
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without the availability to catch fish and feed your
children.”
God bless South Africa, God bless her sons and daughters. I
thank you Chairperson.
Mr I M SILEKU: Good afternoon hon Chairperson, hon Minister,
hon Deputy Minister and hon members. Hon Deputy Minister, I
hope that you conveyed our dissatisfaction during the meeting
when we got the briefing of this particular department, when
it was shared with us that the Minister had abandoned us as
Parliament to attend a political programme. However, I’m glad
that today there are no congresses and the Minister is among
us.
Chairperson, I worked through the analysis of the budget and
annual performance plan, APP, of the Department of Water and
Sanitation and I listened to the overview of the 2022-23 APP
and the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, budget.
The verdict is still out as to whether the new faces will
bring change to water and sanitation, but the hon Minister
Senzo Mchunu and his new Director-General, DG, Dr Sean
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Phillips seem to be a huge improvement on those who governed
the department into the ground, namely utata Gugile Nkwinti,
umama action Nomvula Mokonyane who coincidently was named in
the third Zondo Commission Report which recommended that Ms
Mokonyane be investigated and prosecuted for corruption in
relation to allegations that she received cash and benefits
from Bosasa during her tenure as Minister, ... recently the
hon mama presidential ambitions Lindiwe Sisulu.
The Minister and DG know that they inherited a failed
department but if anyone associated with the ANC — and that is
a huge if — can improve the state of water and sanitation in
South Africa, it could be them. Hence, I will give them the
benefit of the doubt in turning things around.
I read a description of the Department of Water and
Sanitation. It is responsible for the state of water and
sanitation in South Africa. If this is interpreted literally
and currently, it implies that the department is responsible
for the implosion of the water and sanitation function in
South Africa. However, currently the department has developed
a reputation for fraud, corruption and procurement
irregularities.
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Let me remind the Minister and the DG that during the 2019-20
financial year, reports stated that billions had been
squandered by the department. At the time, the department
admitted that widespread, large-scale and persistent financial
ill-discipline prevented them from funding crucial water
infrastructure projects. This was echoed by Corruption Watch
and the Water Integrity Network.
In 2022, the department admitted that most municipalities
struggle with water-related service delivery due to aging and
dysfunctional water infrastructure. Inadequate maintenance and
operations at local government level cause 40% of water to be
lost before it reaches the end users. So, clearly municipal
water-related service delivery is a myth and it is the task of
this department to set things right.
The latest plan captures key focus areas. It rightly talks
about alternative water resources; support to municipalities;
regulatory interventions to reduce the effect of wastewater on
the environment and communities; water-use efficiencies;
irregular expenditure; and consequence management for
financial misconduct. This is an implementable plan that
raises hope, but the reality is that for decades the ANC had
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the uncanny ability to develop good plans but then with the
benefits of their cadres and those politically connected to
them in mind, decided to implement other plans. What we need
is that the implementation of this plan be monitored by the
various parliamentary portfolio committees.
We have a department that has been separated from the
Department of Human Settlements, a new Minister, a new DG and
also a new chief financial officer, CFO. However, we also have
the same old problems. It must change because water represents
life to our people and sanitation ... dignity. If this plan
succeeds, the equation is easy. It will give life and dignity
to our people.
We can no longer sit in the comfort of our national and
provincial parliamentary chairs and in municipal council
chambers, whilst our people still cross the N2, risking their
lives to relieve themselves or whilst millions are still
exposed to pit toilets, especially at schools, where we are
killing the future of this country. We cannot afford one more
pit-related death nor the corruption relating to water tanks
and the pollution of farms.
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Two years ago, the hon President in his state of the nation
address compared the strength and toughness of South Africans
to the fynbos that can survive extreme fires and heat. At the
time I said that the metaphor was distorted because what the
ANC did to us is worse than what fynbos has to endure. Today I
still say the same but there is another reality. The fire
caused by the Department of Water and Sanitation cannot be put
out if there is no water to do the job. Baie dankie. Enkosi. I
thank you.
Mr M A P DE BRUYN: Hon Chair, we all know the saying, water is
life and without access to water no civilization can survive.
Yet, this department obviously has no regard for the
importance of access to clean water for every citizen in this
country. With record rainfalls and overflowing dams in most
parts of the country, the taps are unfortunately still dry for
many in South Africa. This is due to only one fact, and that
is the incompetence of this department and the ANC.
Almost every single bulk water supply project since 2007 is
either still not completed or was completed years later than
planned, while in some cases certain projects have never even
left the planning table. On the one hand we hear that South
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Africa is a water-scarce country, but on the other hand, for
example Mangaung metro admitted in a report tabled in February
this year that the metro has an average water loss of 46% of
the total distributed due to dilapidated infrastructure.
Clearly, this department isn’t capable of providing the
necessary infrastructure needed for the future when it can’t
even maintain the infrastructure that was inherited. This,
whilst the majority of South Africans still struggle to have
access to clean water, and this in violation of their
constitutional rights.
Afrikaans:
Maar Agb Voorsitter, hierdie departement en die regering in
geheel heg net erns aan Suid-Afrikaners se grondwetlike regte
in verkiesingstye wanneer groot beloftes gemaak word om steun
te werf, net om na die tyd die burgers van die land se basiese
behoeftes gerieflik mis te kyk.
In Dewetsdorp in die Vrystaat kan jy jouself gelukkig ag as jy
vir ’n week aaneenlopend water in die krane het, en so is dit
al die geval vir meer as 10 jaar. Maar dit is ongelukkig een
van vele voorbeelde. In die dorpe van Jagersfontein,
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Fauresmith, Trompsburg, Edenburg, Reddersburg en nog meer as
wat ek tyd het om te noem, is dit presies dieselfde geval.
Selfs in die dorp van Gariepdam wat langs die grootste dam in
die suidelike halfrond geleë is, kan die departement nie eens
daarin slaag om volhoubare water in die krane te verseker nie.
Nou vra ek u, met hierdie enkele voorbeelde van honderde, hoe
kan enige regdenkende mens enige vertroue in hierdie
departement en sy begroting sit?
En asof dit nie erg genoeg is nie, word elke stroompie,
spruit, rivier en dam waarvan ons noodsaaklik afhanklik is,
daagliks besoedel as gevolg van gebrekkige en vervalle
infrastruktuur. Die Groen Druppel Verslag bevestig hierdie
stelling, maar lê ongelukkig nie naby genoeg klem op hoe groot
hierdie probleem werklik is nie. Die verslag wys daarop dat
slegs 22 van 995 riool suiwerings-aanlegte die Groen Druppel
status ontvang het en dat amper 40% van riool suiwerings-
aanlegte in Suid-Afrika in ’n kritiese toestand is.
Tydens die provinsiale week in die Vrystaat, waar talle dorpe
se suiweringsaanlegte en rioolplase besoek was, kon ons nie op
een enkele suksesverhaal afkom nie. Die prentjie was oral
dieselfde. Rioolaanleg na rioolaanleg staan vervalle en rou
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riool loop eenvoudig een kant in en anderkant uit in ons
natuurlike spruite en riviere, net om vêrder in die lyn af
weer gesuiwer te word met aanlegte wat nie daarvoor geskik is
nie.
Geen begroting sal hierdie situasie kan omdraai as die
departement nie met erns begin om kundige mense aan te stel
wat akkurate impakstudies en die nodige werkbare beplanning
kan doen om volhoubare water verskaffing te verseker nie. Om
dan nie te praat van die stryd om die ANC se vingers uit die
till [kasregister] te hou nie.
English:
Over the last 28 years, this department under ANC governance
has failed to ensure that every person in South Africa enjoys
the basic human right of having access to clean water.
Instead of blaming everything and everyone from weather
conditions to global warming and even the past, rather get
your house in order with qualified and honest staff and
officials to do what they are paid to do, and that is to
ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all. Thank
you, Chair.
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Mr M P NDLOVU (Mpumalanga): Hon Nyambi, thanks you for your
time, greetings to the Chairperson of the NCOP, the Chief Whip
of the NCOP, hon members of the NCOP, Minister of Water and
Sanitation, our beloved hon Minister Mchunu, Deputy Ministers
of the Department of Water and Sanitation, hon D Mahlobo and D
Dikeledi, all other hon members participating from various
provinces, all stakeholders and our beloved people of our
beloved country, it is an honour and a befitting choice that
Mpumalanga province joins in this debate on the Department of
Water and Sanitation Budget Vote.
In the recent years, the Department of Water and Sanitation
has been visible in the Mpumalanga province through a number
of inter-structures intervention projects, which have driven
positive impact on the ground for our masses who were
previously highly disadvantaged in their areas where both bulk
and reticulation infrastructure for water and sanitation was
just a violation of human rights by the previous non-
democratic regime. The collective efforts by the Department of
Water and Sanitation, the province of Mpumalanga and
municipalities in implementing water and sanitation
infrastructure projects yielded positive outcomes. At least in
other areas of the province our people are no longer
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complaining like they used to, water, water, is water every
day but there is not a single drop of water.
The 2021 General Households Survey by Statistics SA indicate
that there is a huge positive improvement of household with
access to water in the province – 87,9% of the households have
access to water by the year 2021. A further improvement was
registered were closed to 872 000 households have access to
flush or chemical toilets by 2021, which is equivalent to
64,4% descent sanitation.
The Department of Water and Sanitation is applauded for
funding the following completed bulk infrastructure projects.
I am not just talking about project. We are talking about
projects that they have been completed, Hoxani Water Supply
Scheme, Balfour Waste Water Treatment Works, cheap more bulk
water supply scheme, Methula Water Treatment Works, Davel
Water Treatment Plants, Bulk Water from Sibange to Ntunda,
construction of reservoir in Magudu and Bovenzi.
The Department of Water and Sanitation is commended for
rolling out a highly impact project, which will provide relief
on the water challenges in the province of Mpumalanga, which
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include amongst others, Driekoppies and Sibange Water Supply
Scheme, Loskop Regional Bulk Water Supply Scheme, upgrading of
Khulunsi Water Treatment Works and Branston Cluster 2 Bulk
Water Supply Scheme.
Loskop Regional Bulk Water Scheme is a cross border scheme,
which supplies both Thembisile Hani Municipality with 20 mega
litres per day and Sekhukhune District Municipality in the
Motse area in Limpopo province. With three mega litres per day
the Minister of Water and Sanitation has identify the laying
of a pipeline from Loskop Dam to Thembisile Hani Regional Bulk
Water Scheme as one of the catalytic project and as such has
mandated his department to consider shortening the duration of
its implementation to ensure that much work that could have
been done in five years is rather completed in three years
without compromising quality, thereof.
The first package which entails abstraction of 23 mega litres
per day of water from Loskop Dam and the laying of bulk
pipelines for distribution to Verona area where a water
treatment facility intended to be constructed. It is going to
commence in June 2022.
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Let me confirm, hon Minister, that a total budget of R1,
2 billion was estimated as a total cost for the entire
project. This has to be completed within three years from the
start date as was directed by the Minister. The planning
process for the augmentation of bulk water supply for Dr JS
Moroka Municipality through the Rus Deventer source has
already commence and the Nkangala District Municipality has
been already appointed as the implementing agent on behalf of
the Department of Water and Sanitation, which is working hard
to ensure that the construction of this project commences not
later than the year 2023.
The province has also directed all municipalities to set aside
at least between 50% and 75% of their Municipal Infrastructure
Grant, MIG, allocation towards water and sanitation
infrastructure intervention project.
At this current year 2021 financial year, a total of
R951 million, which is equivalent to 52% of the MIG was
allocated for R118 million water and sanitation project. This
will help to expedite the eradication of the acute backlog in
the remain areas where such water ... [Interjections.] ...
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Mr A J NYAMBI): MEC, you
are muted, can you unmute yourself.
Mr M P NDLOVU (Mpumalanga: MEC for Cogta): Who muted me. I did
not mute myself. I will never ... [Interjections.] ... I want
to address and our people. Operations and maintenance is one
other area that requires close attention as I have indicated.
Addition to this positive intervention we pray that we should
be a sufficient budget allocated to this department to enable
it to further its mandate regarding the long-awaited
construction of the Mbombela Mountain View Dam that is
currently undergoing feasibility studies to help to augment
bulk supply of water in the lowveld area thereby stimulating
the expansion of economic growth and industrialisation through
a reliable source of supply.
The release of water use rise by the Loskop Irrigation Board
in order to acquire access to 9,6 mega litres per day should
be finalised. Out of these at least 3 mega litres per day will
be made available for the three municipalities. That is Dr JS
Moroka, Thembisile Hani and Elias Motsoaledi in the Limpopo
province, which will stand to benefit out of this release.
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We will also expert that the department shall issue the right
of use for the City of Mbombela and Bushbuckridge for the
specific identified model within the Hoxani Water Supply
Scheme, which must be equitable shared between the two
municipalities in order to carter for all communities within
their jurisdiction as well as further upgrading of the
critical Standerton Waste Water Treatment Plant from nine to
23 mega litres per day to curb any further spillages to Vaal
River.
We thank the department for heeding a call made Bee John
Robong who said that my suggestion is that we should first
work to ensure that the Third world has clean drinking water
and sanitation.
The introduction of the District Development Model is now
providing government with an opportunity to partner with the
private sector and the community-based organisation in
addressing infrastructure challenges holistically.
It’s through the Divided Growth Model, DGM, approach that your
government resources provided the private sector will mobilise
as well to partner with government in addressing
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infrastructure necessary to stimulate the economy across our
municipalities in the province.
It is for this reason, hon Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP,
that Mpumalanga province strongly believe and is convinced
that with adequate allocation of resources to the department
more shall be done to close the gap between those who
currently have access to water services and those that we have
promised in terms of Bill of Rights enshrined in our
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Chapter 2 to also
be equally said with these fruits of democracy in our land.
choosing this gap will mean that no a single household shall
bear the brunt of surviving without the true benefits of being
provided with quality water provision and access to descent
sanitation.
The department must therefore be allowed to do its best
through the resources to ensure it accelerate its work in
assisting all provinces to meet this constitutional mandate.
We know you, Ministers and Deputy Ministers, you don’t open
your mouth and talk about plans and projects that are not
funded.
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We don’t make empty promises to claim easy victories. Empty
promises do not have life to stand all. Let me join Comrade
Doduver that said that in honour of Comrade Walter Sisulu we
dare not say the people of South Africa. Mpumalanga Provincial
Government believes that any normal public representatives
will support the approval of Budget Vote 41 for the Department
of Water and Sanitation. We welcome the Budget Vote. Thank you
very much, hon Chairperson.
Mr N M HADEBE: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, one of the
greatest challenges our country faces - and will soon bear
full witness to - is a water crisis, compounded by the reality
of climate change, pollution and sheer mismanagement of our
precious water resources. In terms of the National Water and
Sanitation Master Plan, the country is expected to face a
water deficit of 17% by 2030. This alarming reality demands
urgent action.
A critical contributor to this unfolding water crisis is a
dilapidated state of our country’s water infrastructure. The
IFP has consistently raised the issue through the House as
well as the department of Water and Sanitation’s complete
incapacity to address the urgency of the matter. The recent
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horrific floods in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape exposed
the extent of the government’s failure to address ageing water
infrastructure. As we understand, it has been estimated that
the repair to water infrastructure in the eThekwini
Municipality alone will cost only over R1 billion.
The serious nature of the situation demands much more urgent
action from government and the financial commitment to address
the situation. The stark reality is that the estimated cost of
mega water infrastructure projects is in excess of
R100 billion, and the Department’s budget is less than one
percent of this estimated cost. The IFP strongly endorses the
view that the department must urgently provide Parliament with
plans and interventions to address this reality.
Furthermore, on consideration of the department’s 2022-23
Annual Performance Plan and Budget, the IFP remains highly
concerned about the slow progress in the elimination of the
existing bucket sanitation system. As we understand, the
Department of Human Settlements functions as the Department of
Water and Sanitation’s implementing agent in this regard, and
it is specially mandated to construct, refurbish and upgrade
wastewater infrastructure in the elimination of these bucket
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toilets. However, no explanation is provided for the dismal
progress in this regard and why only 1 409 houses of the
targeted 12 221 in the Northern Cape and Free State received
toilets in the previous fiscal year. It is crucial that a
detailed progress report on the National Sanitation Framework
be provided to Parliament, as the people of South Africa
deserve answers.
However, hon members, we cannot continue on this path. We
cannot continue to recognise, as the National Water and
Sanitation Master Plan highlights, that “municipalities lack
technical skills, institutional capacity and funding to
operate and maintain water and waste water infrastructure
assets properly.” Yet, there are no consequences for these
failures. Where are the consequences, hon members? The water
crisis will engulf us a country, and our children will pay the
price unless we urgently address this situation. With all the
above said, hon Chairperson, the IFP accepts the Budget Vote.
Thank you.
Cllr N NUM (Salga): Thank you very much, Chairperson. Hon
Chairperson of the NCOP, Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, hon
Minister for Water and Sanitation, the Deputy Ministers for
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Water and Sanitation, hon Chief Whip of the NCOP, hon
Chairperson of the House, permanent delegates, hon special
delegates and all protocol observed, we jointly congratulate
the hon Minister on his maiden Budget Speech to the National
Council of Provinces since his appointment as Minister of
Water and Sanitation in August last year. We have collectively
enjoyed the energy and urgency which he has brought to the
sector and the many engagements he has held with communities
and multiple stakeholders across all nine provinces in an
effort to fully understand the issues to be addressed.
The changes in national department leadership often results in
a complete change of direction and priority to the detriment
of the sector and local government. We are glad this has not
been the case for the Department of Water and Sanitation, and
we believe that the challenges we face can only be resolved
through collaboration, consistency and continuity. The tragic
floods in KwaZulu-Natal have underscored the devastating
effects of climate change on our infrastructure. The
Department has shown leadership in the response effort and we
particularly welcome the theme of Building back better, to
ensure the resilience of our infrastructure given increasing
climate variability and climate change.
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Simply rebuilding infrastructure without addressing resilience
means that our communities remain vulnerable to calamities
such as the one we have just witnessed. We need to tackle the
question as to how we are going to ensure increased
infrastructure resilience going forward for both new and
existing infrastructures that needs to be repaired or rebuilt.
We stand ready to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure
infrastructure and services resilience and look to National
government to fulfil its leadership role in providing policy
and strategic direction to the sector.
Hon Chairperson, the Minister’s efforts to ensure
collaboration and consensus are welcomed and valued,
culminating in the National Water and Sanitation Summit which
came up with solutions on what needs to be done. As SA Local
Government Association, Salga, we are fully behind these
efforts and look forward to continued collaboration in
implementing the solutions. We are very pleased that the
department is in the process of establishing the National
Water Resources Infrastructure Agency which will free up the
department to focus on policy, planning, regulation, price
setting and providing support to our water services
authorities and providers. We would welcome a business case on
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how the agency will be financially sustainable and the impact
on municipalities and look forward to further engagements on
the National Water Resources Infrastructure Agency Bill before
it goes to Parliament.
Hon Chair, we note that earlier this month the department
officially launched the R24 billion Olifants River Water
Resources Development Project to fast-track water delivery to
communities and mines in the Sekhukhune and Mokgalakwena
municipalities in Limpopo by 2028. Is this project limited to
water resource management or is it also distributing water
directly to the mines and communities? We need to ensure that
the project is not usurping the constitutional authority of
the municipalities concerned and thus invite the department to
engage SA Local Government Association, Salga, and the
affected municipalities to ensure that the correct processes
and mechanisms are put in place for water services provision.
Groundwater is a vital part of the water mix that must be
responsibly utilised and strengthening regulation is both
necessary and urgent. We are also encouraged to hear that the
department is taking steps to improve the issuing of water use
licenses through a comprehensive improvement plan. Such a plan
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needs to ensure that the reserves are determined throughout
the country and that the department establishes the necessary
catchment management agencies. Hon Chair, efforts to improve
the governance and operational performance of water board, is
particularly welcomed, since water boards play a strategic
role in providing bulk water to municipalities and their bulk
water tariffs directly impact on the affordability of water
services.
We undertook as SA Local Government Association, Salga, a
thorough assessment of the proposed tariffs received from
water boards and held consultation sessions across all
municipalities as well as joint sessions with the department
and National Treasury to find a balance between bulk water
tariff increases that ensure the water boards financial
sustainability and ensure affordability to municipalities,
particularly, the affordability to the end users.
This brings me to the debt owed by municipalities to water
boards which is a matter of grave concern. I would like to use
this opportunity to share with you that SA Local Government
Association, Salga, is working with the Department of Water
and Sanitation, National Treasury, Co-operative Governance and
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Traditional Affairs, Cogta, and all the water boards within a
structure called the Multidisciplinary Revenue Committee for
Water, to find solutions to the debt problem. If
municipalities are not financially sustainable, the
sustainability of all institutions in the value chain,
including water boards are negatively impacted. Thus, we are
taking a holistic approach which addresses all the
dependencies that are integral to effective municipal revenue
management. The aim is to stop the increasing debts owed to
municipalities, water boards and the water trading entities.
We can only achieve this through a full understanding of the
structural and systemic issues underlying the debt which we
aim to do through deep dive assessments as SA Local Government
Association, Salga, collaborating with all stakeholders. Such
assessments include cost of supply studies, infrastructure and
operational assessments and water services governance
assessments. The assessments will give a better understanding
of the state of the water services function and what must be
done in the short, medium and in the long term to ensure
sustainability. Working closely with the department and other
key stakeholders we believe we can get to the bottom of the
challenges and bring about positive change.
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The water services improvement programme takes a similar
approach to the strategies the water multidisciplinary revenue
committee has developed. However, we would like to work with
the department to develop concrete support plans for
municipalities with clear targets, roles and responsibilities
including accountability for actions and results. Hon
Chairperson, for many years we have lamented the absence of a
dedicated intergovernmental platform for the water services
sector. Whilst other sectors have Ministers and members of the
executive of executive councils, MINMECs, the water services
sector lacks such a platform where we can take resolutions,
monitor performance and hold the various stakeholders to
account. The SA Local Government Association prepared a terms
of reference for a water services task force and inter-
ministerial committee for water, where local government can
come together with the relevant Ministers to speedily solve
problems and take decisions. We would like to engage further
on this so that this structure can be set up as a matter of
urgency.
Within the sector there is much talk about professionalising
water services, yet there is no strategy as to what this means
in practice. Further, there have been discussions concerning
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powers and functions for water services between district and
local municipalities. If our service provision arrangements
are failing to provide the vital water and sanitation services
to our communities, we need to urgently find workable and
sustainable alternatives. This should be part of the
department’s section 154 obligation and be part of the
department’s annual performance plan with sufficient budget to
support municipalities in reviewing their service provider
mechanisms and identify more sustainable alternatives where
necessary.
While we support and affirm the department’s mandate to
monitor and enforce compliance, the role of the department in
supporting and providing capacity building for municipalities
needs to be strengthened. How best should this be achieved?
A sector wide collaborative approach, similar to the
Masibambane programme launched in the year 2000, an approach
which achieved excellent results and is perhaps an item for
discussion at the water inter-ministerial committee. The SA
Local Government Association would willingly throw its weight
behind such an initiative to ensure full participation of all
our members and maximum results particularly in strengthening
institutional resilience.
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In conclusion hon Chair, we appreciate the honest posture of
the department, where challenges are openly identified and
plans are being put in place to resolve the critical issues
urgently. We look forward to collaborating and working with
the department to implement the solutions. We further look
forward to formal engagements on taking the water services
improvement programme forward. As SA Local Government
Association, Salga, we would push for the support of ... [Time
expired.] ... I thank you.
Mr D R RYDER: Hon Chair, hon Minister Mchunu has said it
today. Water is a right. Water is life. Now, in his remarks
the Minister gave a good indication that he understands the
problems. The question remains though as to whether he has the
solutions.
As we leave a legacy of spoiled water resources to the
generations that follow, we should be mortified that our gift
to our children and grandchildren is to take away this life
from them or at least to complicate it unnecessarily.
The Vaal situation, as most members in this House know, is
very close to my heart and my home. The inability of the
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Emfuleni Municipality and of the Gauteng province, under whose
administration Emfuleni has fallen for the last four and a
half years, to deal with the situation is causing untreated
sewage to flow unchecked into our drinking water. It is ironic
that MEC Maile was here today, although he left as soon as he
had finished speaking. However, he talked out of the other
side of his mouth. We know that he’s on the campaign trail but
one would’ve really expected him to try to make a better
impression today; maybe be dressed appropriately, read his
speech before he arrived and prepared properly.
The national department though had to intervene in Emfuleni
and the Vaal situation, and even roped in the army to help.
The situation on the ground shows no improvement. Mr Maile was
quick today to list the players that need to act but he forgot
that he is personally accountable through the section 139
intervention in Emfuleni, which speaks specifically to
infrastructure and service delivery.
This budget that we are considering today offers some
commitment in programme 2, albeit insufficient and probably
more focussed on the medium-term expenditure. However,
experience has taught not mere caution, but downright
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distrust. The warning is that there are many other sewage
reticulation networks and wastewater treatment facilities in
South Africa that are at a similar state of collapse; the
Northern Cape’s lake of sewage being just one example.
The return of the Green Drop report is welcomed. Well done,
Minister. Let’s use it as a tool to urgently change our
planning and prioritisation. Business as usual cannot be
accepted in this department and a total rethink of the
construction of this budget, the key performance areas, KPAs,
and key performance indicators, KPIs, is needed. As hon Sileku
noted, you’ve got a new plan but have you updated all of your
measurements because that is what the technocrats and
administrations respond to?
It is now common cause that when Minister Nomvula Mokonyane
was in charge, she pillaged the War on Leaks programme as part
of the state capture project. The result of this is the
current situation where municipalities across the country lose
as much water as they charge for. Even hon De Bruyn could
quote a statistic on this. In a water-scarce country, this
cannot be accepted.
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Again, review the KPIs and measure the right outputs,
Minister. Pass the targets down the chain as well to water
boards and municipalities. Teach them how, if necessary, and
get your staff to spend more time in the field rather than in
their air-conditioned offices. Get them out there to be
seeing, teaching, upskilling and fixing. Timeous interventions
need to be made in places like Ugu Municipality and Nelson
Mandela Bay. Hon Visser listed numerous other ones as well.
Our people cannot be left without safe drinking water. The
current overspending on staff costs cannot continue as has
been signalled in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF,
and the expenditure needs to start showing better results.
The water boards around the country are wobbling and showing
signs of distress, some through poor collections by
municipalities, as Cllr Num mentioned, but most from poor
policy and even worse management. The time for appointing
friends to cushy board positions is over. I was horrified to
hear Cllr Num talking about the professionalisation of water
services, as if it’s something new. It should never have been
in the situation it is in. Minister, you need technically
skilled people to head the institutions that provide us with
this constitutionally prioritised resource. This is not
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impossible given the budget before us, but it will take
political will. Programme 3 needs a substantial overhaul in
terms of measurements and consequences.
Hon Dodovu’s inputs today gave me pause for thought, not so
much on the content that he delivered but more on the fact
that bundling Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs
and Water and Sanitation in the same cluster is perhaps
convenient but it makes little sense when one considers the
... [Inaudible.] The importance of these two departments to
our provinces and municipalities make them deserve much better
focus. Chair, perhaps our clustering should be reviewed.
Mr Zandamela correctly spoke about the new technology in water
management. We don’t see this from the department nor in the
indications or intention shown in the budget.
They say an elephant never forgets, but MEC Ndlovu forgot that
Mpumalanga has a terrible backlog of bulk supply when he
praised the department today. It is your maiden speech, MEC,
but next time please represent your province and not just your
party. Demand better from the department.
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Cllr Num and the SA Local Government Association, Salga, I am
pleased that you raised the issue of the unaffordable
increases that are being forced down by water boards;
increasing by more than the equitable share, and reducing the
capacity for service delivery and eating into the limited
funds that are available for maintenance so desperately needed
for the war on leaks.
As I conclude, hon Shaikh and hon Magadzi both invoked Nelson
Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi in their speeches. Now, don’t these
comments remind us that this resource belongs to our
descendants? Both of these leaders would be horrified to see
the state of our water and sanitation in South Africa in 2022.
The Vote proposes in this year’s budget ... the purpose ...
Sorry. The purpose in this budget states that the department
must, “Ensure the availability of water resources to
facilitate equitable and sustainable socioeconomic development
and ensure universal access to water and sanitation services.”
Deputy Minister ... [Inaudible.] ... your own comments that
you quoted from Gandhi, and to this vision that I just read
out now, you need to get the Minister to add the words, now
and into the future. I thank you.
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Ms N E NKOSI: Hon House Chair, greetings to your good self,
the Chairperson, Deputy Chair, Minister and Deputy, and all
members present in the House.
Water is a finer resource and we should use it efficiently and
effectively in our drive to resolving the triple challenges of
persistent poverty, widening inequalities and massive
unemployment in our country.
The ANC in the NCOP welcomes and supports budget vote 1 as
presented by Minister Mchunu.
Access to sufficient and quality drinking water and water for
domestic use is a constitutional right which our government
should provide in an accessible, sustainable and sufficient
manner.
There are two pieces of legislation which give effect to the
right to sufficient water: The National Services Act, Act 108
of 1997, and the National Water Act, Act 36 of 1998
The National Services Act provides mechanisms to ensure that
every citizen in the country has access to safe or clean
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drinking water and adequate sanitation. And most importantly,
the National Services Act is a mechanism to regulate the
consumption of water by households to further ensure that this
consumption is done in a sustainable manner.
The National Water Act on the other hand was enacted to
regulate the licensing of water for commercial use, both the
agricultural and industrial sectors of our economy. Just like
the National Services Act, the National Water Act regulates
the sustainability of water consumption by the two sectors to
ensure that water is available for future generations.
The biggest consumer of water in our country is the
agricultural sector, which constitutes 67% of the total water
consumption in the country. [Sound glitch.] [Inaudible.]
followed by domestic consumption such as drinking water and
for cleaning, cooking and washing, etc. with 15% of the water.
while the manufacturing contributes 5% and 3% for mining
operations.
We must use the limited water as an important economic
resource for the socioeconomic development of our societies.
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William Stafford and Kristy Faccer, authors of the Steering
Towards a Green Economy, a reference guide published by the
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, states
that the agricultural sector is a fundamental, yet
undervalued, component of the economy. Agriculture is well
placed to contribute a green economy as it can significantly
contribute to alleviating many of the social, economic and
ecological challenges that world currently faces.
These challenges include the need to feed a repeatedly
expanding population, the risk of climate change and meeting
energy needs in the face of dwindling reserves of fossil
fuels.
In other words, the agricultural sector has the capacity to
create the much needed jobs, produce more food, to alleviate
poverty and address extreme inequalities in our society. In
doing so, it is expected that measures and actions such as
incentivizing those farmers whose catchment management areas
use resources efficiently, but at the same time developing
capacity to store water.
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For those that do not comply with water conservation measures
which will be disincentives in the form of taxes, fines and
levies.
Another measure identified by the authors is for actors in the
agricultural sector in adopting code of farming to increase
the availability of water but also by establishing on-farm
water resources conservation areas.
History tells us that many times our government ignores
research reports that they commissioned.
The legislation is clear on how to transform the water
accessibility and ownership patterns in our country.
Unfortunately, 28 years later water rights ownership access is
still characteristics of the ownership patterns under the
apartheid government. Water rights access needs a radical
transformation programme.
Rebecca Peter and Phillip Woodhouse argue that white
commercial farmers have been able to maintain their dominance
in water use through exploiting their experience of water
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management and their ability to use legal and financial
service to their advantage.
We note the strides of the Department of Water and Sanitation
to transform access to water rights when it used a circular in
2018 where it determined that water use entitlements could not
be transferred from one use to other, as this will
disadvantage those who have been excluded as a result of
apartheid policies.
We have further noted that the matter was taken to the High
Court and ruled in favour of the department. However, AgriSA
took the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal where it ruled
in their favour. We wish to recommend that the department
consider take up the matter to the Apex Court, that is the
Constitutional Court. This is a matter of national importance
in our transformation agenda in the water sector.
Water governance institutions derive their existence from the
Water Services Act, Act 108 of 1997, which sets out the
legislative framework to give effect to the constitutional
right to access water.
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The water boards are organs of state responsible for managing
and regulating the access and delivery of water services in
the country.
In her address to the 7th Water Stewardship Conference, the
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, the hon Dikeledi
Magadzi, said that we require water governance that could
stand the test of time, we require strong systems and
institutions to drive effective water resources management and
expand access to water and sanitation services.
She also said we require good water governance that would
allow sustainable good quality supply that in turn will give
us an upper hand in terms of any future pandemic.
There is a recognition by our government that there are
serious governance failures that need to be attended to in
order to ensure that there is constant water supply for both
households and businesses.
Minister Mchunu during his budget speech last week committed
his department that it will ensure that people with the
requisite skills, experience and qualifications will be
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appointed in the various water boards, which have experienced
governance challenges like the Amathole Water Board, while the
Sedibeng Water Board is being de-established.
President Ramaphosa in his state of the nation address in
February this year made a commitment that the process for
approving water use license applications will be fast-tracked
and that the approval process will be done within a 90-day
period.
Our democratic government had, in 2007, issued regulations on
financial assistance to resource who are farmers. Our
government had identified five packages as forms of grants to
assist resource farmers.
The first grant is for capital cost for bulk water
distribution infrastructure. This grant is mainly for
construction or upgrading of communal storage.
The second grant is for the resource [Inaudible.] for use of
operations and maintenance of water resource management and
depuration.
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In conclusion, we call upon the Department of Water and
Sanitation to ensure the transformation of the water sector.
We believe that water is an important economic resource for
the socioeconomic development of our country for ravages of
the global pandemic of coronavirus.
Transformation and socioeconomic development are the task of
the moment of our government. I thank you, Chairperson.
The MINISTER OF WATER AND SANITATION: Chairperson, I see you
have a rejuvenation programme!
Firstly, I would want to assure this House that we are ready
for the hard fight against the challenges of corruption and
that it is a fight that we will win. There is no doubt about
that. We will overcome that challenge, clean up the department
and normalise it.
Secondly, we have put a lot of emphasis on the addressing the
issue of vacancies. We now have a fully employed director-
general, a fully employed chief financial officer, a fully
employed Corporate Services deputy director-general, a fully
employed Water Services deputy director-general, and a fully
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employed deputy director-general for compliance enforcement.
No-one acted in these vacancies before. This is up front that
we want accountability. Every branch in our department must be
accounted for by substantially appointed people, which is as
it should be. We will do more.
Issues like leaks, buckets, and pollution are a worry. Members
of the NCOP representing provinces are more that correct on
these matters and we will be addressing them. I noted issues
from the Vaal. We are up to making progress in the Vaal as one
newspaper noted last weekend, and we were happy with that.
Finally, we heard the call for a structure that will be
representative and just focussed on water. We are aiming at
calling such before the end of July – a kind of a ministerial
water and sanitation council, even if it’s not a Minmec. But
at the summit it was fully recognised that we are at a
disadvantage if we don’t meet and liaise and wait for summits.
At this point in time we want thank you and all the hon
members of the NCOP for the kind of comments that they made.
We found them very constructive and empowering. We are really
looking forward to working together more. Thank you.
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The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): As we conclude the
Budget Vote on Water and Sanitation, I would like to thank the
Minister, the Deputy Ministers, the MECs from our provinces,
the Salga representatives, special delegates and their teams
for availing themselves for participation in this very
important debate.
Debate concluded.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very much hon
House Chairperson. Good afternoon to all. We will now proceed
to the second order: The Policy Debate on Budget Vote 29:
Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Appropriation
Bill [B-2022] Section 77. I will now call upon the hon Thoko
Didiza, the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural
Development to open the debate. Welcome Minister, you may
continue.
POLICY DEBATE ON BUDGET VOTE 29: AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND
RURAL DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATION BILL
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND RURAL
DEVELOPMENT: Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, Deputy Ministers
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Skwatsha and Deputy Ministers Capa, Ministers and Deputy
Ministers present in this platform, hon members, ladies and
gentlemen. Deputy Chairperson and hon members, today’s budget
vote debate takes place when the global environment has been
experiencing shocks arising from the ongoing conflict between
Russia and Ukraine. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has raised
concerns about potential escalating food and insecurity as the
two countries are major exporters of grains, oilseeds,
fertilizers, and crude oil products to international markets.
We have seen consumer prices on the rise in some commodities
such as cooking oil despite the good season we are having on
sunflower. The grain prices, in particular wheat is concerning
and we import over 40% to meet our local demand. Although the
availability of wheat is not a big challenge, the higher price
in which we source the wheat from alternative markets is a
concern. In order to provide for food security, we have seen
countries holding stocks which otherwise they would have sold.
This has raised questions hon members, whether as a country we
should not create some temporary strategic reserve on
commodities that are critical for food security. This
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provision is permitted within the prescripts on public
stockholding of the World Trade Organization, WTO.
The impact of climate change even in our own country has
heightened the need of improving our early warning systems and
adaptation strategies. Our climate scientist projects that the
intensity of floods and drier weather conditions across the
country will increase in the future impacting our food
security.
We have seen the damages on crops in particular sugar
following the KwaZulu-Natal, KZN floods last month. Moreover,
the outbreak of brown locusts in provinces such as Eastern
Cape, Free State, Northern Cape and Western Cape Provinces
have once proved the importance of social partnership and
agility in response mechanisms.
Our provincial departments have done sterling work in
educating communities on these pests and control measures and
wish to ask them to do more as we applaud them. Our farmers
have also been part of the response system. We wish to extend
our appreciation to some of the private companies such as
Kumba Iron Ore, for their contribution in the control of brown
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locusts in Northern Cape. We will soon together with the Food
and Agriculture Organization, FAO, work on additional locust
control measures for the next summer season.
Madam Deputy Chairperson and hon members, the increase of
animal diseases require a strong animal health system and a
better command and control in our veterinary system between
national, provincial and municipalities. Animal diseases and
plant pests do not know any boundaries and therefore swift
responses and better coordination from all stakeholders is a
must. I wish to thank the Red Meat Industry Forum and
traditional leaders of Limpopo for working with government in
maintaining and controlling the foot and mouth disease, which
is actually prevalent in that region as we speak.
It is also very important to highlight that foot and mouth
disease, FMD, has shown certain weaknesses in our veterinary
governance system and these include: - Inadequate handling
facilities at community levels; declining numbers of public
veterinarians; inadequate and at times non-functional public
laboratories; inadequate funding of the veterinary services by
a number of provinces; shifts in focus towards prevention
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rather than curative animal health measures; and the weak
command and control veterinary system.
Last year October, I established a task team comprising of Drs
Shadrack Moephuli, Gideon Bruckner, Dr Kgabi Mogajane and
Professor Kirsten to assist in examining our animal health
situation in the country and make recommendations on what we
need to do to strengthen our veterinary control measures. As I
speak I have already had an engagement on the draft report
from the team which they will finalize and soon release. I
wish to extend the gratitude to these South Africans for
responding to the call of duty when their country needs them
most. This team is finalizing the report and we will soon
share it with South Africans.
Hon members, despite these challenges agriculture performance
has affirmed the importance of the sector in our community.
This owes in a large measure to the policy and regulatory
environment that is in place. It also reflects the
interventions made through research and innovation that
ensures that our products are safe and of good quality that is
sought after by many consumers here at home and abroad. The
resilience of the sector even during difficult times shows
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that our farmers and farm workers are an important human
resource that our country has had over the years.
It is this resource that we want to grow in an inclusive way.
The Agriculture and Agro-processing Masterplan that we signed
last week Thursday, is therefore a planning framework not only
with a vision of where we must go, but it has targets against
which we can measure our progress and success.
This social compact requires us as partners to work together
in resolving difficulties that confront the sector on an
ongoing basis. It builds on programmes such as the
Presidential Employment Stimulus Initiative implemented in
partnership with the Solidarity Fund, the National House of
Traditional Leaders and provincial departments where we
supported more than 100 000 households and small-scale farmers
last year.
Initiatives such as the National Red Meat Development
programme that have created 27 animal feeding and conditioning
facilities across five provinces will be up scaled under this
masterplan.
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The expansion of irrigation schemes and logistical
infrastructure to produce and export high value products will
also be prioritized amongst other things.
Hon members, any plan needs to be supported by financial and
human resources in order to succeed. Together with provinces
we have been aligning our own plans in line with the
masterplan.
Deputy Chairperson, research has shown that women living in
rural areas play significant roles in supporting household
food and nutrition security and improving livelihoods. I must
say that the benefits of the Beneficiary Selection and Land
Allocation Policy will help us to address these imbalances in
our respective sectors. We have also decided to focus in a
programmatic way to women in agriculture as well as young
people.
Colleagues in the provinces the Members of Executive Council
MECs have table in their legislatures will help us to make our
contribution as stakeholder in the success of the sector.
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It is an honour and privilege that I table the budget of
Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. The total
budget is R17,3 billion. This budget reflects the allocation
to the functions that we perform. As hon members know, one of
the elements of our function is concurrent which means we
share it with provinces.
The main budget allocations are therefore transfer to
provinces through the Division of Revenue. These programmes
are Ilima/Letsema, Land Care, Comprehensive Agriculture
Extension and advisory services and Comprehensive Agriculture
Support Program that goes mainly towards infrastructure. The
other transfers go to public entities that support
agricultural sector such as the Agricultural Research Council,
National Agricultural Marketing Council and Ingonyama Trust
Board.
Hon Deputy Chairperson and members, the value of our programs
are measured by their impact on farmers, farm workers labour
tenants and communities. Deputy Chairperson, our priorities
therefore for this financial year will be the following among
others: Improving our animal health system; opening new
markets for our products while retaining existing markets;
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focus on farm and off farm infrastructure, particularly rural
roads; and farmer support particularly the area of extension
and advisory services; we also want to improve quality and
accuracy of agricultural information and data.
The Comprehensive Agricultural Support and Ilima/Letsema
programmes, have fared well in supporting women, youth and
people with disabilities and the target for women is 50% of
supported farmers. In the 2022-2023 financial year, a total of
14 705 farmers will be supported with the Comprehensive
Agricultural Support Programme, CASP and 36 906 with
Ilima/Letsema.
On land care we take responsibility to restore our degraded
and destroyed ecosystems across to ecologically healthy,
diverse and resilient conditions, able to support economic,
social, and cultural development objectives and wellbeing of
our communities. Through our land care programme, we aim to
address land degradation and natural agricultural resources
management. This year our implementation will focus on the
following five themes; VeldCare, SoilCare, WaterCare,
JuniorCare and Conservation Agriculture.
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Deputy Chairperson, it is our view that this budget together
with the budgets presented by the MECs will reduce
inequalities through our transformation agenda to ensure
efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agri-food
systems. My colleagues Deputy Ministers Skwatsha and Capa will
speak in details on the areas under their delegation, on land
matters as well as on rural development areas. I thank you,
Deputy Chairperson and I table Vote 29 for your consideration.
Mr A J NYAMBI: Greetings to you, hon Deputy Chair, Minister
Didiza, deputy Minister Capa and Deputy Minister Skwatsha,
members of the House, ladies and gentlemen.
The 1955 Freedom Charter said that the land must be shared
among those who work it ...
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Nyambi, if you don’t
mind, can we see you on the video? Remember they requested
that those who are speaking must be on the video unless you’ve
got challenges.
Mr A J NYAMBI: My video is open. I don’t know because I see
the ... is it fine now?
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The DEPUTY CHAIRPSERSON OF THE NCOP: I think you should
continue because I don’t know what’s happening, but it’s
definitely not showing the full face. But I think you should
continue. Thank you. there you are, thank you.
Mr A J NYAMBI: Maybe the picture will do if there’s a
challenge, because of loadshedding.
The 1955 Freedom Charter said that the land must be shared
among those who work it and further said farmers will be
assisted with seeds and implements.
The 1992 ANC ready to govern policy guidelines said that the
ANC government will pursue increased agricultural
productivity, ensure food security and further pursue a policy
of land redistribution to ensure that all South Africans have
an equitable access to land.
It is a well-known fact that South Africa’s land reform policy
has got three pillars as explained by hon Minister. That is
land restitution, land restribution and the security of land
tenure.
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The ANC said in the 2019 elections manifesto that our land
reform policy is about resisting the historical injustices of
land dispossession and is also about the unlocking of
agricultural productivity in our economy.
Our land reform policy has never been about vengeance for all
the historical atrocities committed against our people by
colonial and apartheid regime.
We went through a process of truth and reconciliation and
committed ourselves to a reconciliation programme, healing of
the past scars and committed our source in the ANC to building
a truly democratic, nonracial, nonsexist and united South
Africa.
We have forgiven those who have committed and perpetrated what
the United Nations have labelled as a crime against humanity
against us.
We know that many white South Africans are committed to
working with us in building a South Africa that truly belongs
to all who live in it.
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It is important that as we seek to heal the divisions of the
past, we need to be honest in our co-operative approach
towards the resolution of the triple challenges of poverty,
unemployment and inequality caused by colonialism and
apartheid.
We need to be frank, frank in acknowledging that there is the
persistent legacy of colonialism and apartheid that needs to
be addressed collectively by us through what the President, in
his state of the nation address, called for a social compact.
This needs a frank reflection.
There is a difference between ourselves and the opposition
parties. And this difference skies in the manner in which we
reflect on our current situation. There’s an inability by the
opposition to be frank and helping address our current
challenges. This inability is informed by this lack of frank
reflection. In other circles they would call it denialism,
this is frank speaking.
To provide the poor with land for residential and productive
purposes in order to improve their livelihoods, is the primary
purpose of our country’s land redistribution programme, as
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stated in the White Paper on South Africa’s land policy of
1997.
A frank reflection tells us that less than 4% of our total
land in the country is owned by Africans. A frank reflection
says white South Africans own 72% of the total land in the
country. This pattern of land ownership on its own is a source
of poverty and inequality.
As the ANC we are convinced that the land must be
redistributed to the landless-less for the residential and
productive purposes. We reaffirm the aspiration of the Freedom
Charter that land must be given to those who work it.
As ANC provincial delegates we welcome the allocation of
R4,9 billion for food security, land reform and restitution,
hon Minister.
Land restitution programme is about ensuring the equitable
redress for the historical injustice of land dispossession.
The restitution programme is carried out within a legislative
framework developed in line with section 25(7) of our
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country’s Constitution. It is for this reason that the ANC has
never advocated a policy of land grabs.
In line with the provision of section 25(7) of our country’s
Constitution, [Inaudible.] communities disposed of their
property after 19 June 1913 as a result of past racially
discriminatory laws or practices were called upon for
restitution of their land to an equitable redress. There were
no land grabs.
We, again, call for our communities to resist temptation of
land grabbing. We ask that you develop confidence in our
Constitution and the ANC commitment to resolving the land
question.
We totally agree with what you have presented today, hon
Minister. This vote allocated about R11,4 billion towards the
finalization of the outstanding land claims, even though we
feel that much more can still assist in dealing with the
challenges facing our beloved country.
The 54th National Conference of the ANC held in 2017
emphasized on the land redistribution programme as one of the
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elements that will fast-track giving back the land to our
people.
Over the medium-term land redistribution and tenure reform
will receive an allocation of R2,6 billion. It has been said
that this allocation is not enough to assist all our farmers
and more needs to be done.
This country is under fiscal consolidation framework and the
economy is not growing enough to increase our fiscus. This is
a frank reflection.
The sub-programme on food security, hon Minister and Deputy
Chairperson, and the agrarian reform will get an allocation of
R6,3 billion; get the second biggest allocation after the
restitution sub-programme.
There’s a need for a valuable development of the agricultural
sector through the creation and support of smallholder
farmers.
In 2018 President Ramaphosa said that the agricultural
revolution should be embedded in land reform and that
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redistributed farms should be active in production. In order
to realize the productivity of land reform, about R27 billion
has been allocated over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework,
MTEF, towards the food security, land reform and restitution.
The other allocation to take note of is this budget in the
R3,7 billion towards the household expenditure through grant
funding for land acquisition and farmer development support.
And R400 million will be transferred to the Land Bank while
R2,4 billion will be in the form of transfer to the municipal
and provincial governments.
In order to support the productive use of the land, an
allocation of about R1,9 billion over the medium-term has been
made towards the land development and for settlement support
programme.
Our frank reflection starts with the last performance of the
Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
since the start of this Sixth Administration.
We have taken note that although challenges still persist
through the proactive land acquisition strategy, 170 254
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hectares of land have been acquired and restributed. And of
those, a total of 81 501 hectares has been restributed to
women; of which we celebrate that. 44 216 hectares to youth
and 489 hectares to people with disability.
In respect of extension of security of tenure and labour
tenants, a total 18 864 hectares has been released to
beneficiaries and in respect of land restitution. A total of
more 185 000 hectares has been restored to their rightful
owners during this reporting period. While R4,2 billion has
been paid to those who opted for financial compensation; even
though sometimes we’ve got a different view.
We as ANC support this budget vote presented by hon Minister
Didiza. Not because we are ANC but because of what we’ll be
doing in rural areas and in our respective province and what
has been presented at committee level.
In conclusion, I stand on behalf of the ANC to declare our
support for Budget Vote 29: Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural
Development. I thank you, Deputy Chairperson.
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Mr C F B SMIT: Hon Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister, hon
members, fellow South Africans, farmers out there and the
rural communities in South Africa. I have listen to debates
now of both the Minister of Water and Sanitation as well as
the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural
Development. All I hear is all these talk shops, all these
planning sessions, all these ideas, which is almost ...
[Inaudible.] ... to know exactly what to do and actual detail
... [Inaudible.] ... on how to solve our issue. So, we should
be concerned. The hon Nyambi said that the opposition are
denialist and he doesn’t come up with clear ideas and is not
frank.
Let me be frank here. The ANC must take responsibility for the
mess that we are in currently – the corruption, the state
capture, the cadre deployment, the cadre enrichment. If that
wasn’t the case, people would have received what they were
supposed to receive by now. Let me go on. We have to stand
again and debate Budget Vote No 29 which is Agriculture, Land
Reform and Rural Development. Let’s just take a moment and
reflect on what has changed since our last debate. Farmers are
still not supported but they are left to fend for themselves
against a brown locust plaque which the department consider is
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under control. Well Minister, to take the ostrich approach and
stick your head in the sand won’t make it go away. It is a
very serious matter and my colleague Nhanha will deliberate on
this matter more – on the impact of this disastrous plaque.
The other problem farmers have to stomach, is the foot and
mouth disease endemic spreading throughout the entire country
as we speak while your department is still developing plans on
how to fix Onderstepoort Laboratory services and the lack of
vaccines in the country. While the private sector stands ready
to take over that function, Minister, as this is now your 180
degree turn economic policy as the ANC, which we as the DA
obviously welcomes.
Minister, all this failure by your department to support our
farmers is topped by the future insecurities caused by the war
in Ukraine which has a major impact on our farmers in terms of
fertilisers that we import from that region, as well as the
impact on fuel prices that is skyrocketing while the ANC
government pockets big time on the levy overload on fuel. All
this most definitely impacts on our food security and most
definitely the poorest in our country. For those who are
narrow-minded with a political agenda to undermine our farmers
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and make life difficult, think again – this will come back and
bite us all.
I read an article this week that states that one in three
South African farmers are seriously considering whether to
quit farming or to downscale their farming activities. This
should concern us all and should trigger an urgent response
from the department to engage farmers and convince them
otherwise as food security and jobs are on the line here.
We are still in the dark about the so-called nonexisting
pipedream Agri-parks. I have seen some working agri-hubs,
though, but unfortunately that does not justify the billions
of rands spent on the Agri-parks initiative. And the
department is very evasive on giving clear specific figures on
all the money that was spent and on what it was spent. And
there is clearly no co-ordination or communication between
national departments and the various provincial departments on
Agri-parks, instead, everyone steams ahead, falling over each
other, implementing a chaotic plan that the others do not know
about.
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I am really concerned about the capacity of this department
and let me tell you why. Just last week, our select committee
had to deal with the Sectional Title Amendment Bill, and
received a briefing on the Bill from the department. Neither
the Minister nor the Deputy Ministers found it necessary to
sit and answer our questions. We adjourned for a few minutes
to get hold of the Deputy Minister Skwatsha. He eventually
joined us and opened the presentation wishy-washing, saying
nothing but giving it to the department to present the Bill.
At the end of the presentation he made a statement on how
progressive these amendments to the Bill is. I asked him to
please clarify his statement by stating the amendment he is
referring to and why in each case he is saying so. He then
disappeared for a moment, but I persisted that he answers my
questions. He then waffled nonrelevance and actually exposed
the fact that he never even read the Bill to start off with.
This must concern us because if a Deputy Minister does not
find it necessary to even read a piece of legislation that
will have an impact on the department as well as South
Africans, what else is lacking in this department.
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I must say that the Minister is taking steps in the right
direction in terms of tenure security by prioritising title
deeds for black farmers. It is just a pity that it took a few
court case to help in the right direction. We are a long away
from giving economic freedom to communities living on communal
and tribal land that has no title to the residential and
business properties. This matter must be prioritised as we are
in an economic crisis and need to use all methods of stimulus
for rapid economic growth and revenue generation.
As I travel through Limpopo in Tubatse around Burgersfort, I
once again saw the mansions built on tribal land surrounding
the town, and none of these people contribute a cent to the
municipality’s revenue in terms of property taxes. No wonder
these kind of municipalities are unable to financially sustain
themselves. Lots of these mansions are of illegal miners and
corrupt individuals who hide their fortunes in these areas as
they know that no one can touch their assets as it does not
belong to them.
Rural development will not become realistic if we do not do
massive capital investment in our basic infrastructure like
roads, railway, telecommunications and fast reliable and
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stable data networks. Still, I don’t see any real effort from
this department to drive rural economy through growth,
initiatives and collaboration with other departments and the
private sector to do massive capital investment in for
example, rail networks to link all our small towns, villages,
mines, farming communities and industries. Instead, I see our
entire railway network from Gauteng to Musina on the
Zimbabwean border vandalised through cable theft rail tracks
being stolen. That entire network is non-operational and would
cause billion to repair. But that inept Minister Stan will
come tomorrow. But not all is doom and gloom, there is light
at the dark tunnel – a blue light of hope, a blue light of
inspiration, a blue light of innovation, a blue light of real
change. And this will become a reality in 2024 when the DA
leads a new coalition government into the Union Buildings and
... [Inaudible] ... rural community’s first on our agenda – a
government that will create jobs and grow our economy and make
South Africans ... [Time expired.]
Ms N PIETERS (Eastern Cape): Good afternoon to you, hon
Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson of the NCOP, the hon
members, the Minister, Minister Didiza and the Deputy
Ministers, Mme Capa and Deputy Minister Skwatsha, all
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Ministers that are part of this session and the Deputy
Ministers, all farmers that are connected to this and all the
distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, let me take this
opportunity to congratulate the hon Minister on her success in
developing the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON (Ms S Lucas): You see, unless you have
a problem, can we see your video.
Ms N PIETERS (Eastern Cape): I have a problem with load
shedding, Chairperson.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON (Ms S Lucas): Is fine, then we
continue.
Ms N PIETERS (Eastern Cape): Thank you, Chairperson. Of
negotiations between government, business labour and civil
society organisations in the agriculture and agro processing
sector.
This Agriculture Marketing programme, AMP, will help the
country to sustain the sector growth of the past two years of
24% year on year in 2020 and 8,2% in 2021. However, the
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Russian Ukraine conflicts is posing a risk to food security
with an increase in production cost due to imports as this
will result in most of our farmers struggling to secure
inputs.
We welcome the Minister’s sector Task Team led by National
Agricultural Marketing Council to monitor the impact of the
conflict to our sector and guide government interventions. The
Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan, AAMP, is aligned
and coherent our Eastern Cape Agricultural Economic
Transformation Strategy, which seeks to commercialise funding
and enable black farmers to generate income and create
employment. This plan will attract investment through
partnership with private sector and social partners and create
much needed jobs. It will greatly contribute to the Economic
reconstruction and Recovery Plan.
As a province, we are grateful for the division of revenue as
well as transfers to provinces in the form of Elite Malaysia
Commercial Grant, which drive our food security programmes
targeting subsistence farmers to produce their own food trust
to provide much needed infrastructure to enable our farmers to
acquire equipment and facilities for their farming enterprise
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and cast extensive services, which will help us to increase
the number of incapacity of extension officers to improve the
quality of support to farmers.
The provinces as part of the national sectoral programme of
action will drive productivity and competitiveness in our
district commodities, which will contribute to the Economic
Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. The district commodity
growth drive will be focused on the following corridors,
citrus, residues and pineapple district corridors, which will
increase export, generate foreign earnings and create much
needed jobs in the Amathole and Sarah Baartman District.
Our farmers will be supported with infrastructure and
production support to enable them to participate meaningfully
in the citrus value chain. We will work with the Department of
Water and Sanitation to support citrus producers to access
worker rights for irrigation.
Hon Chairperson, it must be acknowledged that over the past
few years Sarah Baartman Region has experienced sustained
drought. We call on all stakeholders to work with government
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to develop long-term sustainable plans to mitigate the effects
of the drought.
Our cirrus producing region Sarah Baartman to be specific
Sunday’s River Valley has of late experienced labour unrest
and we appeal to all stakeholders to work together to find
amicable solutions so that the industry and its employees can
prosper. Furthermore, the province will increase green
production in our green district corridor, which cut across
most of our districts, including Amathole, Chris Hani, Joe
Gqabi, OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo.
We will work with green commodity partners to support green
producers to increase their area yield and links and to our
agro-processing facilities of rural enterprise development
hubs for processing and packaging for the markets.
Hon Chairperson and hon members, our livestock district
corridor is still aligned to green and also inclde Sarah
Baartman. In this financial year, we will provide the much
needed infrastructure in the form of dipping tanks, sweep
shearing sheets, stock water system and Denice Google.
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Our farmers will also be provided with superior genetic
quality of animals to improve productivity of their year. The
province is joining the piloting of livestock and
identification feasibility system. That is the backbone of
livestock trade.
The Eastern Cape is endowed with cannabis and the legislative
reforms are encouraging. We are driving cannabis distribution
in almost all our districts where farmers will have access to
a licence control and supervise system to grow their cannabis
store process and different products of the markets.
So far, we are working in two incubators in OR Tambo and
Amathole District. Furthermore, our farmers will be trained
and exposed to market opportunities, local and international.
Hon Chairperson, irrigation development is critical in
improving our productivity and competitiveness hence, we will
be revitalising our irrigation schemes throughout the
province.
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We are also appealing to the private sector, development
finance institutions to work with government and communities
by investing in our irrigation schemes to increase production.
The Eastern Cape has committed to open up procurement
opportunities of government nutrition programme to our black
farmers. We are supporting black farmers to establish their
food aggravators so that they can be able to supply required
quantities and quality consistently to government
institutions. We have already signed Memorandum of
Understanding, MoU, with our Provincial Department of Social
Development and the SA National Defence Force.
We are working with our Provincial Treasury, the Department of
Health and the Education on the policy and prescripts that
will enable the province to realise its programme.
Lastly, access to finance is critical to the success of the
agricultural enterprises. We support the agriculture blended
finance, which is targeting priority commodities. This
programme must be accelerated and where possible be province
specific so that farmers can access funding throughout the
production cycle. We also appreciate the Agri-Industrial Fund
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and we hope that it will be biased towards the rural agro-
processing enterprises.
Hon Chairperson, challenges facing our people and in
particular farmers’ demand all of us, including private in the
context of District Development Model so that whenever and
wherever we deliver services, we make a huge impact. Let us
always remember that our people expectations from the freedom
that we gain through their sacrifices are too high. We must
therefore, be ready to sacrifice all in defence of gains of
our freedom by constantly delivering services to all our
people as Nelson Mandela wrote: ‘Real leaders must be ready to
sacrifice all for the freedom of their people. Thank you very
much, hon Chairperson’.
Mr A A ARNOLDS: Hon Deputy Chairperson, the EFF rejects Budget
Vote 29 on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. It
is an uninspired budget, which is out of touch with the
reality of the land and agricultural challenges faced by this
country. Now, at the center of these challenges are uninspired
efforts in understanding key aspects of agriculture, a
landscape which is in dire need of transformation and should
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be a priority, for purposes of rural development and job
creation.
There exists a need to restructure the entire structure of the
agrarian economy to ensure that land reform is widely
redistributive, and that agriculture is largely responsible for
sparking growth in the country.
Hon Deputy Chairperson the funding decrease in Programme 3 and
4 will not provide for the kind of restructuring which we
envision. Instead, it will negatively impact on the department’s
land acquisition, farmer support infrastructure development and
rural enterprises.
This is particularly worrisome to note, as despite promises made
of “A better life for all”, South Africans, the youth in
particular, continue to face significant challenges in
agriculture and rural development.
Young and emerging farmers continue to face a number of
challenges on their journey into the agricultural space, which
limits their participation in agriculture.
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Only a few small holder farmers that are black and what we have
in the country, struggle with basic resources such as water,
agriculture infrastructure, while white farmers still enjoy the
benefits of apartheid. As white people still own over 70% of
agricultural land in this country, while African people, own a
little more than 4% of the land.
AS EFF, we have also witnessed a dramatic decline in the number
of agricultural producers over the past decade, with the dairy
sector being one of the most seriously affected, with about 73%
decline in the number of dairy farmers in the country.
The result is that we now import basic products that we used to
export as a country.
Under this department, the country is constantly struggling with
animal disease outbreaks.
And under your watch, Minister, we are still faced with the
challenges of exploitation of farm workers by white farmers,
with little recourse.
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Hon Minister, your Farmer Production Support Units lacks clear
timeframes to be functional, with low targets and outcomes, as
they are service points where small-scale farmers and rural
agriculture enterprises can access services from across all
departmental programs.
In principle, agriculture should provide a vehicle for rural
development as it holds tremendous potential in creating better
employment opportunities for rural youth where they reside. But
the youth in rural areas struggle with lack of employment
prospects and are pushed to migrate to the city in search of
better work opportunities.
Your policies lack necessary mechanisms to address the
socioeconomic challenges which they aim to resolve. Programmes
designed to create employment opportunities for the youth amount
to nothing, but short term fixes which do nothing in the long
term and do not provide for any skills development.
This department must improve on their audit outcomes, deal with
the challenges of land administration, governance and supply
chain management.
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There is a need for multi departmental approaches in overcoming
the barriers to youth empowerment and participation in
agriculture. There is a need for institutional capacity at all
spheres of government for better programme implementation.
We need to revisit the decision to deregulate the agricultural
sector and provide subsidies for agricultural producers. For
there is no agricultural economy anywhere in the world that has
developed without massive state regulation and investment. State
support is needed if we are to meet the demands of this
generation.
The state support needed for a restructured agriculture must
however follow a massive and unrepentant programme of land
redistribution in this country.
Now as the EFF, we want to emphasize that we need to expropriate
land without compensation to resolve the country’s old questions
in this land question that we have in the country. That is the
only viable principle upon which a thorough program of land
redistribution and rural development can happen.
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We reject the ANC government’s failure and unwillingness to
radically transform the lives of the majority of the landless
people in South Africa.
We therefore reject this Budget Vote. I thank you, Deputy
Chairperson.
IsiZulu:
Nk L C BEBEE: Ngiyabonga Mama ukunginikeza leli thuba lokuthi
ngibe yingxenye yale nkulumompikiswano yanamhlanje ...
English:
... greetings to the Deputy Chairperson, and the Chairperson,
Ministers, Thoko, Deputy Ministers Bab’ uSkwatsha and Mam’
uCapa and also delegates of all provinces. It surprises me hon
Smit when you say the ANC must clean up its mess whereas the
ANC is cleaning your mess that you did during apartheid
regime. I am just going to give you an example.
IsiZulu:
... yokuthi umoba yisitshalo esiningi KwaZulu-Natal. Into
eniyenzile nenze ukuthi niqashe abantu bazokhehla umoba.
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Azange nabafundisa amakhono ukuthi utshalwa kanjani umoba
futhi anazanga ukuthi ngelinye ilanga ukuthi ...
English:
... the ANC could take over and teach those people how to grow
sugarcane.
IsiZulu:
Ngithi anginitshele kuleyo ndawo.
English:
You must know that ... I am just going to mention a few what
ANC did.
IsiZulu:
Ongqongqoshe bethu esabanikeza le minyaka ... ngizokunikeza
nje isibonelo.
English:
Firstly, handing over the ... [Inaudible.] ... facility in
uMkhuze in support ... of the small scale farmers in
Makhathini ... [Inaudible] ... in Jozini. Secondly, handing
over the title deeds, implements, trucks and tractors to land
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claimants in Melmoth. Thirdly, the transfer of land by
Transnet to the communities of Mandlazini and Mbuyazi in
Richards bay.
IsiZulu:
Ngithi angikubekele nje ukuthi okuningi ngalezo zikhathi
azange nje nikwenze. Kwenziwe uKhongolose njengoba esephethe
manje. Yivume nje induku ukuthi yithina esihamba phambili.
English:
Chairperson, as the ANC, we have appreciated the inputs from
the department regarding budget allocation. Farmer support was
another major concern, with the select committee wishing to
know what the timeline will be for the completion and
operationalisation of Farmer Production Support Units at Agri-
parks. Access to markets by small and emerging black farmers
and producers is Central to the growth and the transformation
of the agricultural sector. It is this direct support to our
black farmers that we can be able to deal with agricultural
monopolies.
It is very important to ensure that all land reform projects
are productive and they contribute to the country’s food
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security. It has been of great concern for the ANC notice that
many of the land reform projects are faced with a number of
challenges.
At its 54th National Conference in 2017, the ANC reiterated
the importance of democratising the control of areas under
communal land tenure, as well as the evaluation and appraisal
of the CPA with an intention to help reconcile the right of
rural communities to own land and to foster better relations
between traditional leaders and their respective communities.
The communities under communal land tenure are faced with a
number of challenges and this creates impediments to
development and economic development and growth of these
former homelands. The committee further wishes to receive
details about the outcomes of the detailed departmental audit
of CPAs, or alternatively the date at which time an audit will
be completed.
In terms of conditional grants, the committee highlighted that
although it understood that there will be different
allocations to provinces based on the agriculture potential of
these, and there was still concern about the discrepancies
between the allocations of some provinces. We would like to
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therefore call upon the private sector to answer the call made
by the President in the spirit of a new consensus to develop a
new social compact ... that will ensure that ... there is an
inclusive support for the agricultural sector, especially
support aimed at small scale producers in the rural areas.
The committee was informed that the rate at which the
department planned to complete and finalise land claim
settlements was based entirely on the budget of the
department, which prevents a faster pace of land reform at
present. We are encouraged by the proposed establishment of
the Agriculture and Land Reform Development Agency within the
Presidency that will supervise and oversee the ...
acceleration of land reform programme. We would like to again
appeal to the private sector to donate land that is not
underproduction to the state in order to realise our land
reform goals and alleviate poverty and landlessness.
We have taken note of the deliberations on Expropriation Bill
within the National Assembly and we hope the finalisation of
the Expropriation Bill will help government to equitably
redistribute land to all South Africans, especially those who
needed for agricultural purposes, there's been in the light of
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the fact that there is a greater need to create job
opportunities and help growth economy.
We have taken note that some of these challenges are related
to issues of good governance and administration. We are
encouraged by the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and
Rural Development in the development of a policy on land
beneficiary and land allocation. In terms of this policy, land
reform beneficiaries will have to undergo skills development
and training in agriculture – of which hon Smit you never did
this before to think that black people can be trained in
agriculture. Now the ANC opened the training colleges. To this
end, hon Chairperson, agricultural colleges play a very
critical role towards the skills Revolution within the sector.
We are therefore encouraged by the allocation of resources for
infrastructure to let projects within agricultural colleges
and with this is the creation of job opportunities.
IsiZulu:
Ngakho ke Sihlalo wami engimthandayo akungabibikho umuntu
ozokhuluma kabi ngo-ANC ingathi akazenzi izinto zibe izinto
... zenzeka njengoba kade ngizibala nje zonkana. Siwabonile
amaSekela omabili athe chithi saka kuzo zonke izifundazwe enza
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umsebenzi owayekelelwa yini Lungu elihlonihpekile uSmit
ngalezo zikhathi zenu zobandlululo.
English:
Therefore, the ANC supports the Budget Vote 29. I thank you.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND RURAL
DEVELOPMENT (Ms R N Capa): Chairperson and Deputy Chair, hon
Members of the NCOP, Minister Didiza, Deputy Minister
Skwatsha, chairpersons of the select committees, members of
our statutory boards and councils, farmer organisations and
chief executive officers of commodity organizations, farmers
and farmworkers, ladies and gentlemen, I greet you this
afternoon.
Deputy Chairperson, it gives me great pleasure to address this
House today, on the occasion of Budget Vote 29 of the
Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.
The state of our rural communities is indeed a stark reminder
of the oppression that once visited our people through the
apartheid era government, which was characterized by high
levels of poverty which still exist today. Underdevelopment,
and unemployment in rural areas continue to bear such scars of
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brutal ... [Inaudible] ... which sought to strip black people
of their dignity through among others, the theft of their land
and livestock, and also condemned them to be a constant
supplier of labour for the formal economy ...
IsiXhosa:
... benziwa abantwana bezimba-mgodi.
English:
Chairperson the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and
Rural Development is leading in charge of bringing much needed
development and support to such communities, that will then
achieve a sustainable economic growth in a rural space. The
COVID--19 pandemic had also a profound negative impact on
these poor and marginalized communities. The pandemic which
remains a factor even today in the lives of our people, to
earn a living and caused a deepening of poverty in their own
rural areas. More than 50 000 subsistence farmers applied for
the second phase of the Presidential Employment Stimulus, PES
which will bring further relief and ensure that jobs are
created, and those which are already existing will be
sustainable.
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Global warming and climate change are realities that we have
to address as a collective. This means, the government,
traditional authorities, civil society, citizens and residents
of our country need to come together. We must change our
living patterns and do all we can to reduce emissions and to
improve settlement planning to actually avoid future
catastrophic nature of disasters.
As if the outbreak of the pandemic was not enough Deputy
Chair, ladies and gentleman, another disaster occurred which
affected largely KwaZulu-Natal as well as Eastern Cape and
North West. Our hearts and prayers go out to all the families
who lost their loved ones during the floods in KwaZulu-Natal
and Eastern Cape in April. 2022. The disaster, cost lives,
property infrastructure and brought pain and sadness to
families, communities and our own nation as a whole. We extend
our appreciation to every person and organizations who
extended a helping hand to those affected negatively by such
floods. We know that subsistence agriculture plays an
important role in meeting the needs of residents in rural
areas and food security.
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The department in its plan, is to implement a number of
projects that are aimed at increasing jobs as these jobs have
been cited as being enormous. Develop skills, and the
provision of the infrastructure development to support rural
economic transformation. The creation of jobs is critical to
alleviate poverty and improve the lives of our people. Rural
roads are going to be a priority as actually instructed by the
President. The department plays a critical role in
contributing to the creation of an environmental conducive for
growth of the rural communities.
In the 2021-22 financial year, the department completed a
total of 30 infrastructure projects that support the farmer
production support units. That is what it has been called for,
and I dare therefore Chair to say, this is what has been done.
It is a portfolio of evidence. Sixty-four infrastructure
projects were completed to support the Animal and Veld
Management Programme. This number will increase in the 2022-23
financial year, as we roll out projects to further support
growth and development in rural areas.
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural
Development supports the proposed Eastern Seaboard Development
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a multi nodal smart city development initiative, launched in
November 2021 by the President of the Republic of South
Africa, Ntate Matamela Ramaphosa. This important development
covers the jurisdiction of four district municipalities, O R
Tambo District Municipality, Ugu District Municipality, Harry
Gwala District Municipality and Alfred Nzo District
Municipality in the Eastern Cape. There are also the two ...
[Inaudible] ... bridges the longest and the highest, that cuts
in the heart of Pondoland, and the N2 that shortens distance
between East and rural Kwazulu-Natal.
Successful consultation. engagements were held during May 2022
between traditional leadership, Department of Agriculture,
Land Reform and Rural Development and Department of
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Cogta, the
Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency, Misa, the affected
district municipalities and their traditional leaders, to
ensure that we will be able to work together under the
District Development Plan.
Chairperson, in the current financial year, more than
R600 million has been allocated to Rural Infrastructure
Development. This allocation will be directed to
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infrastructure projects, including those related to the Animal
and Veld Management Programme, River Valley Catalytic
Programme, farmer producer support units and the
revitalization. of rural development. It is indeed talking to
what MEC of Agriculture, Rural Development and Agrarian
Reform, Mama Pieters, who actually cited such programmes as
well, and we are very grateful to be integrated.
As our country battles the scourge of gender-based violence.
Women and girls in rural areas have become more and more
vulnerable. They have not been spared from this despicable
social ill. One could even argue that they are even more
vulnerable than their counterparts who live in urban areas.
This is due to the underdevelopment in their communities. This
mess has not been created by ANC government, but by the
apartheid. Often it means, accessing services such as law
enforcement and medical facilities, is even more challenging
in rural areas. However, the ANC will try whatever in order to
ensure that they are also covered like the other South
Africans.
Gender-based violence is a plight on the freedom for which so
many of our comrades paid the ultimate price for that. Women
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and girls are not safe in their own homes. They are not safe
in their own communities, among men, among fathers. This
situation must change for better in must stop. The department
as a member of the National Rural Safety Forum has contributed
to the development of the Rural Safety Strategy which aligns
the National Development Plan Vision 2030, a call to build
safer communities with particular emphasis on the protection
of vulnerable groups such as elderly women, women, children
and all rural communities in fact.
I therefore phone all societies, traditional leaders,
religious leaders, political parties, law enforcement
agencies, and men in our communities to come out, to defend
and protect the rights of women to live in freedom and safety
in their own country. In his state of the nation address,
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the plan to upgrade 655
kilometres of rural roads in order to help assist the farmers,
including commercial farmers so that these roads when once
rehabilitated, it will be easy access to transport their
logistics, their agriculture and therefore, to the agrimarkets
and any agriparks that are available.
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The department also employed former National Rural Youth
Service Corps, Narysec, youth and agricultural graduates on
short-term contracts to assist farmers with the application
during the implementation of the Presidential Economic
Stimulus. In fact, we will continue to do that Deputy Chair.
Through the District Development Model, more than 600 youth
were trained through this Agricultural Research Council, and
they have been supported with agricultural inputs and they are
fully participating in the development of the agriculture as a
sector. It is encouraging that 610 Narysec participants who
were established enterprises in all nine provinces, all have
received support and were afforded economic opportunities.
In conclusion, Chair, Deputy Chair, Members of the NCOP, ...
IsiXhosa:
...iinkosi zethu neekumkani zethu ...
English:
... we will continue to collaborate with all social partners,
while we implement targeted programmes and projects which will
bring development, create jobs and job opportunities for rural
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communities. We will not rest until all frontiers of poverty
have been reversed. The Minister has already tabled and
therefore I endorse ANC, this is their budget. Thank you
Deputy Chair.
IsiXhosa:
Ndiyakuthanda.
Afrikaans:
Mnr M A P DE BRYUN: Agb Adjunkvoorsitter, die President het in
Februarie tydens die staatsrede die stelling gemaak dat daar
groot potensiaal in landbou in Suid-Afrika is en dat hoewel
voedselsekerheid steeds ’n probleem is, daar hoop is om die
situasie om te draai.
Ek stem saam met die President. Daar is potensiaal in ons
landbou maar om hierdie potensiaal te kan benut moet boere kan
boer ongeag sy velkleur, sonder om gebuk te staan onder
onrealistiese beleid, begrotings en politieke magsbeheptheid.
’n Boer het ook ekonomiese sekerheid nodig om volhoubaar te
boer en voedsel te voorsien, maar hierdie is ’n punt wat die
President en die departement ongelukkig miskyk of nie verstaan
nie.
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Siektes, plae, droogtes en vele ander ramptoestande kos die
land en die boer miljarde per jaar met bitter weinig of geen
hulp en befondsing van die regering se kant af nie. Bek-en-
klouseer het in 2019 die ekonomie sowat R10 miljard gekos en
tot vandag toe is daar steeds geen daadwerklike plan of
oplossing om dit te beredder nie. Klimaatsverandering is
etlike jare reeds ’n bedreiging vir voedselsekerheid en die
ekonomie, maar die regering skrik nou eers wakker en besef die
erns daarvan en wat die inpak daarvan op die ekonomie en
landbou is. Dit nadat jare lange waarskuwings aan die regering
eenvoudig op dowe ore geval het.
Eerder as om die landbouer by te staan om hierdie aanslae te
verweer, fokus die ANC eerder op politieke gewin as om
voedselsekerheid en ’n gunstige ekonomiese klimaat te
verseker. ’n Totaal van 20,6% of sowat R3,5 miljard van
hierdie begroting word toegeken vir administrasie. Dit terwyl
befondsing vir ramptoestande aan die spit moet ry.
Die departement beplan om ’n verdere 130 000 hektaar grond te
bekom teen ’n koste van sowat R3 miljard terwyl hy reeds die
beskermheer ... as 2,5 miljoen hektaar reeds aan opkomende
boere bewillig is. Dit beteken dat die staat nog met sowat
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8,4 biljoen hektaar grond wat gebruik kan word vir
grondhervorming sit, maar steeds wil die staat miljarde
onnodig bestee. Dit is miljarde wat die boere kon bystaan om
te kon boer tot die potensiaal waarvan die President in sy
staatsrede gepraat het.
Die departement en die regering vaal nie net die landbouers
van Suid-Afrika nie, maar ook die ekonomie en die opkomende
boere. Die agb Minister het tereg gesê dat om te boer behels
nie net grond nie, maar steeds word opkomende boere nie
genoegsaam bemagtig met die nodige kennis om volhoubaar te
boer nie. Dit help nie net om grond en selfs infrastruktuur en
implemente te belowe terwyl die nodige opleiding nie aandag
geniet nie. Dit bemagtig nie ’n opkomende boer nie maar eerder
die teendeel.
As die ANC regering werklik die potensiaal van landbou in
Suid-Afrika ten volle wil benut, sal politieke agendas en
onrealistiese begrotings verseker nie die antwoord wees nie.
Bemagtig en belê eerder in ons landbouers om voedselsekerheid
en ekonomiese groei te bewerkstellig. Dankie Voorsitter.
English:
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Mr N M HADEBE: Hon House Chair, hon Minister and Deputy
Minister, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural
Development has, for a number of years, let the people of our
country down. We have ... [Inaudible.] ... for genuine means
of reform and capacity-building amongst farmers, rural
communities and informal settlements but have unfortunately
witnessed a severe underperformance in this regard. It is
quite concerning that this department has had a reduction in
its financial allocation, given the importance of food, bio-
and job security in South Africa.
We cannot say all is bad, as we welcome and note the year-on-
year positive developments within the agricultural sector, but
there is much more capacity that needs to be unlocked in
growing and contributing to the gross domestic product, GDP.
The line function departments and entities that now make up
these departments are suffering.
Land reform and the restitution of land to the people of our
country has taken far too long to effect change in the lives
of millions who were left destitute and disenfranchised. In
fact, this department has a greater role to play given the
recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal. Many people have become
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displaced. Although there have been relief funds allocated to
the province, there are calls for a more sustainable outlook
for the development of rural areas, land reform and support
for agriculture.
The matters arising from the committee report on this budget
are all noted and must be duly implemented in order to ensure
that the process of land reform takes place as intended and
that the development of rural towns ... [Inaudible.] ... and
communities take centre stage.
We have seen some change of ownership in terms of farms to
people who have then been left to their so-called own devices.
Land that was once of substantial value, now lies barren. We
must endeavour to continue to capacitate local communities,
give them an opportunity to further engage in the economy and
reduce the level of support government provides through job
and home security.
In terms of agriculture, we should be mindful of the
devastating effects that climate change will have on this
sector and its ability to feed South Africa. We must ensure
that in our funds ... are available for climate proofing our
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farmers and for protecting the export market of our
agricultural goods.
It is devastating to the people our country, our forefathers
and to our beliefs that we accept and live alongside
corruption, where stealing and looting of state resources has
the biggest impact on our neighbour who is struggling to buy
bread. We must put a swift end to this and take a no-nonsense
approach to those implicated.
With the abovementioned taken into consideration, the IFP
supports this Budget Vote. I thank you, hon House Chair.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LAND
REFORM (Mr M Skwatsha): Thank you very much, hon Chairperson,
hon Minister Didiza, hon Deputy Minister Capa, hon Ministers
and Deputy Ministers on the platform, member of the executive
council, MEC, Peters, hon chairperson of the Select Committee,
ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon to you all.
I would like to start with a quote by Steve Biko, and I quote:
“The blacks are tired of standing at the touchlines to witness
the game that they should be playing. They want to do things
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for themselves and all by themselves” Hon members, we would
all have seen the participants during the public hearings on
the proposed amendments to section 25 on land expropriation
without compensation expressing this desire to see change. It
is now a matter of record that the proposed amendment did not
make it through. Our late leader forewarned us when he said
these words; we need to work out common solutions to matters
of national importance. Although the amendments to section 25
was not successful, we still believe and are definitely sure
that we are busy with other legislative prohibitions which
once strengthened should fulfill the wishes of the majority of
our people. The point really, Chair, is this is an issue that
cannot be delayed. Hon Chair, I want to highlight to the NCOP
some of our key programs as a department.
I want to start with the land redistribution. Acquisition to
achieve the goal of equitable access to land as enshrined in
the Constitution, our department acquires and allocates land
under the land registration program. In 2020-21 financial year
we have reported that we acquired 22000 hectares of land. With
improved our acquisition by over 100% from our previous
financial year by acquiring just over 55 000 hectares of land
through the proactive land acquisition strategies. This spread
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across all the provinces with the North West province
dominating. The breakdown of land redistributed per province
is as follows: In the Eastern Cape, 1 546; Free State, 862;
Gauteng 136; KwaZulu-Natal, 7 953; Limpopo 2 399. Mpumalanga,
1 530; North West, 32 251 and Northern Cape 8 575. Western
Cape is work in progress.
In the current financial year, the budget of R366 million has
been set aside for land redistribution so that we can acquire
an extent of 35 182 hectares. This amount will be allocated
per provinces follows: Eastern Cape will be 33 972; the Free
State will be 45 630; Gauteng, 34 600; KwaZulu-Natal, 61 454;
Limpopo, 41 500; Mpumalanga, 65 547; North West, 42 900;
Northern Cape, 5 985 and Western Cape will be 35 174. On land
allocation, our National policy for beneficiary selection. And
land allocation continues to ensure that land is allocated to
target the vulnerable members of society and also young people
and women.
We will continue to target these areas where there are huge
length disparities, especially in the communal urban and rural
areas. On the rapid release of state land to enhancement
reform in support of this initiative to release the
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underutilised and vacant state land, our department allocated
679 943 hectares. Of 700 000 hectares of agricultural land to
various farmers, co-operatives, entities, communities
including vulnerable groups like farm dwellers and labour
tenants. The department will continue to provide support to
these farmers, extension services that are inclusive of
technical and infrastructure support. The breakdown per
province is as follows: Eastern Cape, 5 819; 6 407; Gauteng,
929; KwaZulu-Natal, 6 945; Limpopo, 10 954; Mpumalanga,
49 069; North West, 353 423 and Northern Cape 67 397.
On tenure reforms, we have set aside a budget of R217 million
for the acquisition of land to address security of tenure. In
this regard, the department intends to acquire 5 000 hectares
of land in the current financial year. Under Communal Property
Association, CPAs, the department recognises the challenges we
face on this particular matter. Last year we said that we will
audit Communal Property Association over a two-year period.
This current financial year 2022-23, is the second year on
that particular work. In the past financial year, we supported
581 Communal Property Association against our target of 577
and will further train 585 members on governance of this
Communal Property Association in the current financial year.
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Although we overachieved in terms of the target, Chair, we
remain uneasy about the performance of Communal Property
Association. There is a lot of conflicts amongst them and in
many instances executives do not service particular
constituencies. Having said that, there are those success
stories. What we would like to say to the NCOP, perhaps it is
time for all of us to take stock of the communal property
association and discuss whether these are necessarily the best
vehicle for holding land that is to be restituted or
redistributed amongst our people. On farm dwellers, the
department will prioritise a star awareness campaigns to
create awareness and curb illegal farm evictions. We will also
provide legal representation to farm dwellers through Legal
Aids South Africa.
On 25 March 2022, I was in Belfast, Mpumalanga, where we
handed over 35 000 housing units to farm to farm dwellers and
labour tenants. These beneficiaries have been living in mud
houses all along and are now staying in proper brick houses.
On communal tenure reform, the department together with the
Department of Justice and Correctional Services and Co-
operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Cogta, have been
working very hard to facilitate and shape a tenure reform for
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our country. I can safely announce on this House that over the
past year went hard on this to happened. On 27 and 28 May,
next week we will be holding the customary land summit for a
discussion amongst all of us on this.
We would like to thank in this regard the leadership of the
Deputy President, our Minister, the Minister of Co-operative
Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Minister of Justice
and Correctional Services for the guidance they had given in
this regard. On restitution, notwithstanding the challenges
presented by COVID-19 virus and the attendant state of
disaster admissions, the Commission was able to achieve and
exceed its 2021-22 annual performance targets, achieving 103%
on the settlement of land claims and 106% on the target of
finalising land claims. We congratulate the beneficiaries who
recently resettled in District Six. All stakeholders came to
the party, the portfolio committee; the inter-ministerial
committee, IMC, on land, the City of Cape Town and our
department, on the 6 May 2022, more beneficiaries returned to
where they were forcibly removed by the apartheid system. More
beneficiaries will be moving in as we speak.
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On land restoration in environmental sensitive areas, two
KwaZulu-Natal communities being Okhukho and ... [Inaudible.]
... received title deeds to portions of uMfolozi Nature
Reserve. Ukhukho community was restored 135 05 hectares while
Mlabaqcimba received 133 hectares in this regard. We have also
strengthened our work in the office of the values-general. One
of the issues that our Minister targeted, as she indicated
last year, was in strengthening and making sure that the work
of the, office of the valuer-general, OVG, is facilitated,
empowered and beefed up in that particular office. As we can
now see that office is functioning optimally. Of course,
people are more interested in making sure that their
turnaround time is very short.
In conclusion, I want to conclude again by sharing this quote
from the January 8th statement of the governing party; Our
mission has always been to serve the people of this great
nation and to ensure that a better life for all steadily but
surely becomes a lived reality. 2022 January 8th statement;
Let us not leave anyone behind. I therefore want to support
the Minister and the Deputy Minister. I don’t want to say that
this is a mess created by the apartheid system. We are
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cleaning up a mess not created by us. Thank you very much, hon
Chairperson.
Mr M NHANHA: Hon Chairperson, hon Members of Parliament, in
the early 1980s, as we grew up in my family, our late
grandmother MamQwathi, a lady who was illiterate and did not
know her date of birth, but she knew ...[Interjections.]
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon members! Sorry hon
Nhanha, I was protecting you. You are highly protected. Hon
members, le t us not disrupt please, let us allow hon Nhanha.
You are protected.
Mr M NHANHA: Can I start all over again.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Yes, I will assist with
the time, don’t worry.
Mr M NHANHA: Hon Chairperson, hon Members of Parliament, in
the early 1980s, as we grew up in my family. Our late
grandmother ...
IsiXhosa:
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... intombi yamaQwathi ...
English:
... who was illiterate and did not know her date of birth,
but knew she was born before the Great Plague ...
IsiXhosa:
... ISibetho esiKhulu.
English:
During evenings, she would either tell us iintsomi (folktales)
or stories about the Great Plague or the ... [Inaudible] of
Locusts, ...
IsiXhosa:
... iSibetho seeNkumbi.
English:
It now turns out; the Great Plague was the great influenza
epidemic also known as the Spanish Influenza of 1918 to 1920.
In the 1930s, the Locust Plague. All leaving behind
unimaginable destruction of human lives and ploughing fields
respectively. As I think back of those of those days, all of
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us sitting in front of granny, it never occurred in my mind
that I will in my lifetime live to witness similar events,
unfolding in front of my eyes.
Hon Minister, Northern Cape, Western Cape and parts of Eastern
Cape are at war against millions of locusts who leave
destruction in their path. It was reported that, in in some
cases, there swarms were as big as 10 000 rugby fields, which
equals to 5 000 hectares of land.
I am surprised that the MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian
Reform in the Eastern Cape today, not saw it fit to mention
the crisis that our province is facing. Needless to mention
that, this probably reflects on the MEC’s performance when it
comes to this crisis. I will deal with that performance at a
later stage. Farmers and communities in Raymond Mhlaba Local
Municipality, Makana Local Municipality, Inxuba Yethemba Local
Municipality and Sunday’s River Valley Local Municipality to
mention just a few, and most municipalities in the Karoo are
being outnumbered and lesser resourced to put up a decent
resistance against the brown locust.
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The Daily Maverick record of 15 March 2022, so accurately
captured the story which was headlined, I quote: “SA farmers
battle to control locust swarms of biblical proportions”
Hon Chair, I have on two occasions drove through these swarms
of locusts. I can only sum my experience; I quote: “I have
never seen any anything like this before. I only saw
destruction”
Hon members, we are fast approaching winter, locusts have
destroyed lots of grazing land in the Northern Cape, Eastern
Cape and the Western Cape. As we know, no good rains are
expected in the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape during winter.
Stock farmers will find it difficult and expensive to
adequately feed their livestock. Yes, the department and the
organizations such as Agri SA have come to the party, and
helped in spraying the swarms. Such efforts should be
applauded.
However, it is worrisome that it appears this plague caught us
less prepared despite warning signs. Experts argue this plague
was expected in the Karoo belt, because after four plus years
of drought and good rains in November 2021, an outbreak was a
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logical next occurrence and should have been anticipated.
Whilst signs were there for all to see, the department chose
to sit on its hands and hoped that, hope will turn to plan.
Hon Willlie Aucamp who is a member of this House, was last
year on countless occasions raising alarm bells about this
outbreak, at its early stages as far back as 2021. As
expected, he was dismissed as being alarmist, and apparently
all was in control and his pleas is fell on deaf ears. What is
not alarming hon members, is the snail’s pace at which the
department reacted to a vividly clear state of disaster
erupting right under their watch.
The development stages of a locust being as an egg, it goes on
to become a hopper and an adult. I am the first one to
consider it. It is difficult to spot these eggs, but it is not
so difficult to spot them before they grow wings, and that is
the best time to control locusts. To prove that the department
slept on the job, when resources were mobilized, it was
discovered that in fact, we did not have sufficient stock in
the country. According to the Daily Maverick, Christof
Vermeulen who was contracted by the department to do the
spraying, described the situation I quote:
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The biggest challenge was getting supplies of the poison.
We do have poison on a Tuesday, but there is no poison on
a Wednesday.
Service providers were made to work with substandard personal
protective equipment, PPEs exposing themselves to the deadly
poison. They went for weeks unpaid and they simply stopped
working whilst locusts were fast multiplying. The deadly patch
of these insects should be recorded because it is now infested
with millions of eggs in wait for yet another suitable
condition to hatch. The department should read the signs,
listen to voices such as that of hon Aucamp and plan better
because, we live in hope but hope is not a plan.
Hon members, I am not surprised that MEC Pieters did not
mention a word about the crisis of locusts in the Eastern
Cape, because quite frankly - hon Nyambi because I will be
frank, it sums up her performance when it comes to this
plague. She is reported to have told the media, but part of
what she did as the MEC when this plague was raised, she
issued an alert. That was never enough MEC. She ran awareness
campaigns. We don’t need awareness campaigns MEC, we can see
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locusts in front of our eyes. We need a plan to deal with them
and deal with them in the future.
Hon MEC boldly proclaimed that they are busy training
extension officers in management of the locusts. Wow! Only now
MEC really? How on earth can you train your soldiers to go in
to go into a middle of war and expect success? Hon Arnolds of
the EFF, you started very well. You said: We have witnessed
the decline in in the farming industry. But the biggest
question is whom to blame? The answer resides with you. It is
you who are chasing farmers away from farming because of your
land policy, nobody else ... [Interjections.] Now that
chickens are coming home to roost, you want to blame everybody
else, except yourself. Poopoo has now hit the fan and hon
Arnolds. You want to shift the blame, ... [Interjections] ...
it is a problem as the EFF.
Hon Nyambi, you asked us to be frank. You and I serve in a
number of committees in the NCOP. You know as the DA we pride
ourselves in being frank and saying things as they are. But
guess what? Every time we are being frank with you, you shut
us down with the majority. Who is in denial between me and you
in this House? Surely, it is you and not any member of the DA.
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Mama Bebee, out of respect, you know, I love you very much.
Out of respect, I thought I shouldn’t respond to you. But I
think, because you have spoken in your language which is your
right, it is my responsibility to defend hon Smit. You said in
your contributions that, the ANC is opening agricultural
colleges. Please show us one. You had 15 miuntes, enough time
to tell us ... [Interjections.] Which of those colleges
...[Interjections] ... because back in the Eastern Cape ...
[Interjections] ...that is specialising in agriculture are
being closed or are being shifted. Thank you very much.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Jola, I have even
given you the two minutes because you were disrupted ...
[Interjections.]
Mr M NHANHA: thank you very much.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): I ... [Inaudible]
...that disruption. [Interjections.] Thank you. I now invite
hon Ntsube. Hon Ntsube is our next speaker.
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Mr I NTSUBE: Thank you very much hon House Chairperson of the
Council, Chief Whip of the Council, Minister and Deputy
Ministers, all the MECs present and permanent delegates.
The goal of the ANC is to create a national democratic society
and this constitutes the ideal state we aspire to as the ANC
and the Mass Democratic Movement.
As the ANC we believe that the national democratic society
should be founded on a thriving economy and the structure of
which should reflect the majority of our people. It should be,
the ANC that teaches us an economy in which the cutting edge
technology, labour-absorbing industrial development, and a
thriving small businesses and co-operative sector, utilisation
of information and communication technologies and efficient
forms of production and management all combine to ensure
national prosperity. The progress and prosperity of any nation
is based on the productivity of its people, as its greatest
resource.
Colonialism has created an unsustainable society that was
never based on the will of the majority, and as a result it
collapsed. It was never the intention of the apartheid regime
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to develop and enhance the productive capabilities of the
African majority in this country. The creation of the former
Bantustans was never meant to uplift the living standards of
our people. They were created in furtherance of colonialism
and a system of capitalist exploitation of Africans as mere
cheap labour.
The legacy of apartheid is the legacy of underdevelopment for
the black majority in this country and a legacy of development
for the South African white population. By giving birth to a
new democratic South Africa as commitment was made to ensure
that the skewed patterns of development were not only
unsustainable but inhumane.
Since the last 28 years, the government led by the ANC has
developed a number of progressive pieces of legislative aimed
at redressing the historical injustices of land dispossession
under colonialism and apartheid.
Hon House Chairperson, the prosperity of this country depends
on our ability to transform our poor rural landscape. Most of
the rural areas in the country are poor and lacking the kind
of infrastructure to stimulate the rural economy. Since the
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advent of democracy, a lot of progress has been achieved
towards the development of our rural areas, such building of
houses, electrification and water supply, and all these are
important achievements towards the unleashing of our people's
productive capabilities.
In order to unleash the productive capacity of the rural
economies, there's a need to ensure that adequate support is
given to the rural areas with a potential for growth and job
creation. Most rural areas have a great potential for
agricultural productivity and to unlock this productive
capacity.
The Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural
Development has a programme that facilitates rural development
strategies for socio-economic growth with an ultimate goal for
an integrated and inclusive rural economy. There is a clear
commitment by the department towards rural development and
this can be witnessed in the department's commitment towards
infrastructure led projects.
We as the ANC see this Budget Vote 29 of the Department of
Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development as progressive
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towards ensuring the development of our rural landscapes. The
vote will ensure the completion of about 69 rural
infrastructure projects meant to support rural economic
transformation.
Hon members, over R200 billion of the biggest allocation under
Rural Development Programme has been budgeted for rural
infrastructure development over the MTEF, Medium-Term
Expenditure Framework, period and for 2022/23 a total of more
than R600 million has been allocated for investment in
infrastructure development.
The Department has indicated that over the MTEF period,
concentration on key infrastructure will be on rural roads in
agricultural producing areas, fencing, dipping facilities and
livestock handling.
Without infrastructural support our rural areas will not be
able to realise their agricultural productivity. The
construction of roads ensures that there are market linkages
between the rural areas and the urban centres. This can lead
to the creation of value and supply chain industries that will
create job opportunities for the unemployed people in these
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former Bantustans, most of whom are women and youth, and
people living with the disabilities.
The investment in rural infrastructure in line with the
Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan can help ensure that
the agricultural sector creates the much anticipated million
job opportunities as per the National Development Plan.
The National Rural Youth Service Corps, NARYSEC, is a youth
skills development and employment programme, with the aim to
provide social organisation, youth development and economic
upliftment. Over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework,
NARYSEC, has been allocated over R300 million, and about
R129 million has been allocated for the 2022/23 financial
year.
Hon Chairperson, as the ANC, we believe that rural development
should include the promotion of technology and research
development, and we welcome the allocation of about
R56,577 million over the MTEF. Investment in new technology
and research development directed towards helping rural small-
scale farmers to create new varieties of agricultural products
can improve market entry into the agricultural sector.
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This investment in technology and research development can and
should be increased in order to rapidly realise our rural
developmental objectives. This is important in order to ensure
that young people in the rural areas get attracted to farming
and agriculture, especially the opportunities to be found in
agro-processing.
This can be done through the adoption of a district
development model. We would like to reiterate that that rural
development cannot be achieved by the government working
alone.
There is a need for increased attraction of direct foreign
investment to improve rural infrastructure, especially
agricultural infrastructure. Improved rural agricultural
competitiveness can be attached through skills development and
innovation, improved productivity, industrial infrastructure
development using the district development model.
We enter this budget vote conscious of the fact that
government has presented to our country the Economic
Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, and within the government’s
plan, agriculture is seen as one of the sectors that can
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create the much needed job opportunities, especially for low
and semi-skilled workers in the rural areas.
Given the fact that agriculture remains one of the most
important sectors of our economy, not only for food security
but also for the creation of job opportunities, investment in
the improvement of rural infrastructure is welcomed in this
vote 29 and it is seen as one of the positive steps towards
the realisation of an effective agrarian reform and rural
development programme.
Hon House Chairperson, in conclusion, access to water and
electricity by rural farming communities is very essential for
the desired growth and development of the agricultural sector.
The infrastructure led-investment in agriculture must be
directed towards the construction of water dams and water
harvesting initiatives in order to create a sustainable
irrigation system for improved rural agricultural activity.
In order to realise an inclusive agricultural economy,
government needs to support rural farmers and help create
sustainable rural agribusiness through improved
intergovernmental relations, ensure that there is adequate
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support to ensure that small-scale farmers are provided with
the necessary information to help them prepare and deal with
effects of climate change and its impact on their production.
Hon Chairperson, the ANC supports this budget vote. Thank you
very much.
The MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, LAND REFORM AND RURAL
DEVELOPMENT: Thank you very much, House Chairperson. Firstly,
I would like to thank all members for their participation in
this debate. We acknowledge the contributions that they have
made, which were helpful in order for all of us to appreciate
where we need to improve, particularly in the manner at which
we deliver our services to the people.
I would like to thank hon Nyambi for your interventions
because, indeed, you raised critical issues of addressing the
land inequality in our country. As you would appreciate, the
formation of the ANC in 1912, was precisely in response of
land disposition that was finally put into law in 1913 when
the Land Act was promulgated. You are correct to call on us as
government to ensure that we continue to address this matter
until land equality is realised. Hon Skwatsha indicated what
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we are doing in that regard, including the Budget requirement.
I have noted members saying that there are concerns, including
yourself, about the declining Budget allocation towards this
programme.
We are as government, as you know, concerned that it’s
important that we address the issue of land equality - not
only for agriculture purposes - but also for human settlement.
It is for this reason that Minister De Lille and myself, have
released a number of state land, both towards agricultural
development through allocation of 700 000 hectares, as well as
14 000 pieces of land that Minister De Lille released for
human settlement. These are part of the contributions that
government is making precisely to address that issue.
The Land Donations Policy that was adopted by government,
creates an enabling environment for those South Africans who
would like to donate land in order to support land reform. We
call on a number of South Africans to do so. As much as the
state continues to acquire land, we also need South Africans
to appreciate that this is not only the problem of government,
but the problem of all of us as South Africans.
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I also want to indicate that some of the means that government
is undertaking through the amendment of the Expropriation Act
of 1975 to provide for expropriation in the public interest,
is another indication of government’s seriousness on land
reform. This legislation as it is in Parliament now in the
committee, also provides for expropriation without
compensation.
Hon members, I also want to say that the issue that you have
raised, particularly hon Nyambi and the others, about the need
for agricultural support for those farmers, particularly the
beneficiaries of land reform remains critical. But farmers
support is critical to all farmers at different levels. Our
programmes as government, both nationally and in the province,
seeks to endeavour to do just that. Our land development
support, which is one of our programme, supports the
commercialisation of black farmers. The Comprehensive
Agricultural Support Programme and Ilima/Letsema, as well as
the other programmes of provinces, do support farmers and
these are some of the things that we are doing to ensure that
we address the issues that you have raised of concern.
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Hon Smit, allow me to remind you of the 1932 Carnegie
Commission Report on the Poor White Problem in South Africa,
where some have argued it would later serve as the blue print
for apartheid. According to the memorandum that was sent to Mr
Keppel, the President of Carnegie Foundation, one of the
sentences says:
Little doubt that if the Bantu were given full economic
opportunity, the more competent among them would soon
outstrip the less competent whites.
I am reminding of this report in order to remember where we
come from. Remember the mess that was created by the colonial
and the apartheid government. Remember that the government of
the time, segregated people, emasculated their capacity to
produce, emasculated them of their skills that they had, such
that the generation that follows, would only be the ones who
serve their masters. I think that it is important for us to
remember that as South Africans, collectively, if indeed we
seek to change, we should not forget this past and appreciate
that in transforming our society, we need to do so with an
open heart. Yes, where there are problems even with the
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democratic state, we must call them out, but let’s not shield
what happened in the past.
On brown locusts, for instance, you said that nothing has been
done, which is not true as you all know. We have continued
working with farmers and communities to address this outbreak.
Money has been expanded in this regard. Some of which comes
from the private sector to assist. And I think it is really an
insult to those farmers who have been working day and night
with government to deal with these locusts.
On food and mouth again, the same applies. As I speak here
today, we have depopulated the farms that were affected in
Free State and Gauteng. We are now busy with surveillance. In
North West, we are vaccinating with an aim to depopulate, and
all of these we have done with the livestock industry, the
meat, Red Meat Industry Forum, the ... [Inaudible.] ... and
the auctioneers because all of them appreciate that there is a
need to work with government. I think that the work that we
are doing in partnership with local level and nationally with
farmers, you will be amazed, where some of the members in
their interventions comes from.
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On Onderstepoort, we are the first to admit that there are
challenges with current board and management are addressing
them. Particularly on vaccine availability and transparency in
terms of what is available, at what time. But also, it is
true, private sector companies are not prevented from
producing vaccine and selling them. We have said as government
that we are willing to work with those who want to partner
with Onderstepoort so that we address the scarcity that our
farmers do have on some of the important vaccines that are
required.
Hon Arnolds, I have noted your concerns as well as your
proposal. Some of which will indeed take us in a progressive
direction, rather. But I must say that I am concerned that
having made all these proposals, you end by saying you are not
supporting the Budget. How then will these be addressed if
this Budget which we seek to do exactly that is not supported?
Hon members, there are many things that our provincial
departments have been doing in addressing the issue of food
security, as well as supporting farmers. Which if hon members
engage with the provinces, and some members of the provincial
government like hon Peter spoke here, hon Ndlovu also spoke
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here, articulating what is being done at a provincial level to
address the challenges of agriculture and land reform. I think
it is important for me to indicate that; yes, 28 years is a
bit longer, but 1652 to 1994? I don’t know how many years is
that. That we are actually redressing, the impact of so many
years of disposition and stripping of dignity of our people.
We will continue, as this democratic state, not only to be
concerned about the matters of the few, but of all South
Africans, because we can never repeat what the colonial and
apartheid did to our people. That is why in our own
Constitution, we took leave from the Freedom Charter that
says, South Africa belongs to it, black and white. We didn’t
just say that as a slogan, we meant it and in practice, we do
precisely that. And there are many South Africans, black and
white, who are willing to hold hands and work in a
collaborative manner, who understand the pain and their
responsibility too, of redressing that. I thank you, House
Chairperson.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Mr A J Nyambi): Thank you,
hon Minister. Hon members, allow me to take this opportunity
to thank the hon Minister Didiza, Deputy Minister Skwatsha,
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Deputy Minister Capa, and our hon MECs from our beautiful
provinces, special delegates. Thank you very much.
Debate concluded.
The Council adjourned at 18:35,
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