Question NW505 to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
05 April 2016 - NW505
Cassim, Mr Y to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(1) With reference to the Elands Bay Infrastructure Improvement and Project Operational Phase of the Cederberg Fishing Infrastructure Development and Management Project on the West Coast, Western Cape, (a) what process was followed in appointing the small-scale fisheries co-operative identified as the owning agent by his department, (b) what does the capacity building for the specified co-operative entail, (c) what does it cost and (d) who are the service providers involved in providing the capacity building; (2) (a) how many (i) operational, (ii) technical and (iii) administrative staff will be employed for the different pre-operational and operational phases of the specified project and (b) what are the associated costs in each case; (3) whether the specified military veterans whose employment contracts were extended will be paid retrospectively dating back to 1 September 2015; if not, why not; if so, (a) how will his department provide such funding, (b) what are the costs implications of such a decision and (c) did the specified military veterans actually work from 1 September 2015 to 23 September 2015 when the decision to provide back-pay was taken; (4) whether the minutes of the meeting held between his department and the Department of Defence and Military Veterans on 23 September 2015 is available for scrutiny; if not, why not; if so, where can a copy of such minutes be obtained?
Reply:
(1)(a) The Elands Bay Infrastructure Improvement Project has not been handed over to an owning agent.
(1)(b) As the project has not been handed over to an owing agent, a capacity building component for a small-scale cooperative has not been developed.
(1)(c) As stated above, there is no owning agent or capacity building component and therefore there are no cost implications.
(1)(d) As stated above, the project has not been handed over to an owning agent and no service providers have been appointed.
(2)(a) (i) , (ii) and (iii) The number of operational and administrative staff to be employed
can only be determined once owning agent has been appointed.
(2)(b) The associated costs can only be determined once owning agent has been appointed.
(3)(a) Yes. The extension of the employment contracts of the military veterans will be paid retrospectively. The funds will be provided from the EPWP/Working for Fisheries Programme.
(3)(b) Eight Hundred Thousand Rand (R800 000) has been allocated for the extension of the contracts.
(3)(c) Yes. The military veterans worked from 1 September – 23 September 2015.
(4) No.