Question NW1877 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

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25 August 2021 - NW1877

Profile picture: Roos, Mr AC

Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

(1) What are the reasons that the Spatial Data Infrastructure Act, Act 54 of 2003, was omitted under the Legislative Mandates of her department for the second consecutive Annual Performance Plan for Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development; (2) in light of the fact that the term of the Committee for Spatial Information (CSI) came to an end on 30 November 2020 and that the submission to appoint the new CSI has been with her since October 2020, on what date does she intend to appoint the new CSI; (3) whether she has been informed that the failure to appoint a new CSI has a negative impact on all Government departments as applications for spatial information cannot be processed and approved without the CSI; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) what funding has been allocated for (a) the 2021-2022 financial year and (b) for the MTEF for the implementation of the specified Act and the CSI; (5) from where does she intend to source the up-to-date spatial data required to deliver on the APP 2021-2022 item which focused on Rural Development, Land Administration and Management, Spatial Transformation in the absence of a fully funded and functional National Spatial Data Infrastructure?

Reply:

1) The omission of the Spatial Data Infrastructure Act (Act 54 of 2003) in the Annual Performance Plan (APP), was due to an administrative oversight and will be rectified in the revision of the APP of the Department for 2022/23. Although the SDI Act is omitted in the APP, its implementation is underway with the Committee for Spatial Information appointed and the Electronic Metadata Catalogue developed in the current financial year.

2) The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has appointed the Committee for Spatial Information (CSI) on 8 August 2021.

3) Yes. The Minister has appointed the CSI and she is well informed about the importance of the CSI including the functions performed by the CSI in relation to the processing of applications for spatial data.

4) Funding allocated for 2021-2022 for the implementation of the SDI Act is R7million. The CSI will hold a strategic planning session to determine the activities and the cost of operationalising the CSI. The Department will then fund the priorities as outlined on the strategic plan of the CSI.

5) The Department is in the process of developing a service delivery model to support the full implementation of the SDI Act, which includes support to data custodians. The CSI strategic planning session will guide the Department terms of establishing a functional national spatial data Infrastructure which will contribute positively to spatial transformation.

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