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“The many examples of water wastage and sewage pollution of rivers indicate that the government isn’t really serious about protecting the country’s water resources,” Mr. Pieter Groenewald, the Freedom Front Plus’ spokesperson on water affairs said.
 
Mr. Groenewald said today during the department of water affairs’ budget debate that the department spends millions of rand on advertisements in the national media to instruct the public to save water.”
 
“The Mooi River and Vaalharts Water scheme are however examples of large scale water wastage about which the department does nothing.

“The canals are so damaged that there are already trees growing in it. The farmers even say that it is not necessary to pay for water as it can be obtained from the canals for free. It just shows that you call on the public to save water without setting an example yourself.

“Our sewage polluted rivers are yet more examples. The attitude of the majority of municipalities about this is contemptuously and it continuous unabated.

“We agree that it is important to save water. The question is however what your department does about this. There is a well-known advertisement which states that the next world war will not be fought about land or minerals, but about water,” Mr. Groenewald said.
 
About the process of fracking to amongst others exploit gas and coal and the extreme amount of water which is required to do this, Mr. Groenewald says at although minister Edna Molewa had given an assurance that no water resources will be polluted, there is reason for concern.
 
“Your secretary general, Mr Gwede Mantashe says that people with money can buy anything and bribe anybody. The people involved in the fracking schemes make the Guptas’ money look like small-change.
 
“Research has been done that shows pollution does occur with fracking. You have to look at it minister or else we will sit with a new scandal,” Mr. Groenewald said.