Budget Allocation of Minerals & Energy Department: briefing

Meeting report

MINERALS AND ENERGY PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
2 February 2000
BUDGET ALLOCATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MINERALS AND ENERGY

Documents Distributed
- Department of Minerals and Energy Chief Directorate: Management Services- Presentation on the Departmental Integrated Implementation
- Programme and 2000/2001 Financial Year Budget
- Mineral Development Achievements During 1999
- Minerals and Energy
- Energy Branch

SUMMARY
The Minister of Minerals and Energy, Ms Mlambo-Ngluka, briefed the committee on the Departments goals and ambitions for the up coming year. Her presentation was followed by presentations by Mr Bakker, Mr Mokeona, Mr Mnguni and Mr Bredell from the Department.

Ms Mlambo-Ngluka told the committee that one of the challenges that the Department would be facing was integrating Xhosa into the work branch of the Department. She thought that this was necessary in order help align strategies and to avoid miscommunications.

In addition the Minister wanted to hold a forum of para-statals in order to hear of their progress.

The Minister also told the committee that she wanted the Department to move its focus away from mining and more on minerals. She wants the Department to looking at the Jewelry Council and manufacturers, and other end users. In addition, she indicated that they were going to focus on other minerals other than gold, PGM, and diamonds. The Minister told the committee that there are 12 more minerals that can be promoted; some of which are only available in South Africa.

Ms Mlambo-Ngluka told the committee about some of the goals of the up coming mining and job summits. She said that they cannot promise jobs at the mining summit; rather they should focus on creating an environment to retain jobs and to look at broader possibilities for jobs. At the job summit the Members will focus on rural development and human resource development. The Minister wanted to make a clear career path for miners who wanted to move up to managerial level and technical jobs.

The Minister said that the Department will be looking at new technologies and ways that South Africa can position themselves as leaders in technologies.

Finally, the Minister mentioned briefly that they will continue to cover the issue of HIV/AIDS. She also mentioned that in February they were going to finalise the diamond report and look at how they can change the diamond industry.

In regards to energy, the Minister told the Members that rural electricity was going to be a major focus.

In addition, the document on waste management policy will be released for discussion later in the year. There will also be information distributed on "Hubert's" demonstration of emergency procedure in case of a nuclear disaster. The Department will also look at an integrated energy plan that will be acceptable for the next one hundred years.

In the area of liquid fuels the Minister told the committee that they will not talk about de-regulation, she feels that it is too open ended. Instead they will focus on issues like security supply for consumers and the transformation of owners of the industry.