The Presidency, 19 November 2013 Address by President Jacob Zuma on the occasion of the launching of the Spring Grove Dam in Rosetta, Mooi River, KwaZulu Natal The Premier of KwaZulu Natal Mr Senzo Mchunu, Acting Minister of Water Affairs and Forestry, Mr Nathi Mthethwa, MECs, Mayors and councillors, Chairpersons and CEOs of state owned entities, Amakhosi, Religious leaders U Mphakathiwonke, Siyanibingelela nonke mphakathi wase Mooi River namaphethelo. Sijabula kakhulu ukubanani, namhlanje sizovula lelidamu elizoletha intuthuko, ikakhulukazi amanzi ngoba ayingqalasizinda edingeka kakhulu. Amanzi abaluleke kakhulu ezimpilweni zabantu kanye nasekuthuthukiseni umnotho wezwe. Ngakho-ke sijabula kakhulu ukuzovula lelidamu namhlanje elizokwandisa ukutholakala kwamanzi emphakathini waseMpofana, uMgungundlovu namaphethelo kuzekuyofika eThekwini. Our presence here today is part of our national infrastructure roll out plan. Government has taken a decision to prioritise infrastructure development as this is the foundation of socio-economic development. It is designed to help us create jobs and also to change the quality of life and boost the economy. We established the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission chaired by the President, which oversees all infrastructure development in the country and ensures that blockages are unlocked timeously. Through our national infrastructure plan we are building dams, bridges, roads, refurbishing schools, hospitals, ports and airports and also building power stations to boost electricity supply. It is an exciting programme which is changing the face of the country. I have been visiting many provinces in the past few weeks officially opening infrastructure projects. We have opened Grootvlei Power Station in Balfour, automotive wagons in Port Elizabeth, the R71 and R81 roads in Limpopo among a few and the programme continues. This week we will visit Umthatha to open energy projects and also inspect progress being made at the Umthatha airport and other projects. We are really happy with the progress being made. Other big projects we have begun includes the building of two brand new universities in Mpumalanga and Northern Cape provinces and also the building of 12 Further Education and Training Colleges. All these projects contribute to building a better life for our people. Today our focus is on expanding water supply. When this democratic government came into power in 1994, the majority of our people did not have access to water. Water is a basic necessity and a basic human right. This is why this government prioritises the provision of water throughout the country to our people, especially to the poor who have been marginalised by successive apartheid regimes. Sino somqulu wentuthuko yezwe obizwa nge-National Development Plan, obalula ukuthi izwelethu kufanele libe selinjani ngonyaka ka2030. Losomqulu uthiyonke imizi eNingizimu Africa mayibe namanzi ahlanzekile ngonyaka ka-2030. Konke esikwenzayo manje siphokophelele ekufezeni leyonjongo kanye nezinye izidingo zomphakathi. In the past 19 years we have worked very hard to bring water to all, especially remote areas. We are happy that millions more South Africans now have access to clean drinking water which they did not have before 1994. Even as we continue on this successful path of delivery, we know that many of our people still do not have water due to the legacy of our past, where they were not catered for and were never a priority of the apartheid government. It is for this reason that we are hard at work to make sure that those who are still waiting, obtain clean drinking water, like everyone else, faster. Therefore, programmes such as this Spring Grove Dam are designed to contribute to expanding water supply. Due to economic and population growth, urbanisation and other factors, the growth in water demand as well as the drought since 2003 made it necessary for government to build more dams. We have built Spring Grove dam in Mooi River and De Hoop Dam in Sekhukhune in Limpopo. I will be opening De Hoop Dam later this month. The Spring Grove Dam or Mooi Mngeni Water Scheme supplies water to six municipalities, namely eThekwini Metropolitan, uMgungundlovu District, Msunduzi Local, Ugu Local, Sisonke and iLembe Local Municipalities. Government has invested more than 1 billion rand into the project. The infrastructure programme is also designed to create jobs. I am glad that during the course of the construction of this very important piece of infrastructure, a total of 960 people were employed in this project. One issue I wish to raise with our communities is that these infrastructure developments are our collective responsibility. They belong to all of us and we should guard them jealously. We should not allow them to be vandalised or uncared for. We must consider and remember that if they do not function or are destroyed we cannot get the necessary services. Also important, with regards to water infrastructure in particular, is to remember that South Africa remains one of the thirty driest countries in the world. Even as we continue to raise the numbers of those accessing potable water, we need to remember that every drop counts. We must therefore save water. Not a drop must be wasted, not a drop must be polluted, and all infrastructure developed must be cared for. Water is Life. Let us conserve it, respect it and enjoy it. Sijabule kakhulu ukuba nani mphakathi waseMooi River namhlanje, ukuzoletha intuthuko. I thank you. Issued by The Presidency Pretoria -- -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. 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