Question NW618 to the Minister of Transport
10 April 2024 - NW618
Sithole, Mr KP to ask the Minister of Transport
Whether she intends to take any steps to establish a private-public partnership with the Discovery Pothole Patrol Academy to align it with the broader skills development and job creation strategies of the Government, particularly in the infrastructure sector; if not, why not; if so, what does she envisage to be the impact of such a private-public initiative on the unemployment rate among the youth, considering the entrepreneurial opportunities it purports to offer?
Reply:
As the Honourable Member may be aware, my Department has already initiated a process to enter into Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Discovery Health Insurance Company that is already in partnership with Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA). Several meetings have already been convened with JRA and Discovery Health to determine the areas of collaboration and role clarification including skills development and job creation. Engagements are still ongoing with the South African Insurance Association to adopt a national integrated approach in partnership with the entire insurance sector with the view to align Government initiative with the broader skill development initiative. The PPP initiative will contribute significantly in addressing the high number of unemployment especially amongst the youth.
In addition to the above, the initiative will enable private companies to make donations towards the maintenance and upkeep of roads through their Corporate Social Responsibility and claim for BEE Scorecards and obtain Tax deduction for such donation in terms of section 18A of SARS.