Hansard: Questions for oral reply: President, Jacob Zuma

House: National Assembly

Date of Meeting: 21 May 2012

Summary

No summary available.

---

Minutes

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

QUESTIONS FOR ORAL REPLY

TUESDAY, 22 MAY 2012

PRESIDENT

Ms N P Khunou (ANC) to ask the President of the Republic:

What (a) has been the progress with the infrastructure programme of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) since South Africa's appointment as the coordinator and (b) challenges have been encountered thus far? NO1322E

REPLY:

Honourable Member,

The Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative, falling within the ambit of the African Union's New Partnership for Africa's Development, is aimed at achieving regional integration and to improve trade amongst African states.

Trade in the continent is constrained by a number of factors.

These include the inadequacy of infrastructure such as road, rail and communication networks, differences in trade regimes, restrictive customs procedures, as well as inadequate skills and finance.

The Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative committee comprises eight Heads of State and Government under South Africa's leadership.

It cuts across various industry sectors such as Transport, Energy, Technology, Water and Sanitation as well as Agriculture. South Africa champions the North South Corridor road and rail projects.

This Corridor stretches from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, across the Republic of Congo, Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique to South Africa.

We have conducted an assessment of the roads and the railways to get a sense of what needs to be fixed in order to allow the free flow of goods, people and services. We are making progress.

For example, we have freed the movement of trucks in Kazangula in Zambia. The border post was redesigned which improved among others the processing of documents and other administrative bottlenecks.

We have also identified Beit Bridge as another area that has huge constraints.

The traffic jam slows down the movement of people and trucks between Zimbabwe and South Africa, which increases the costs of moving goods.

The three Regional Economic Communities – SADC, East African Community and COMESA, are key partners in improving road and rail infrastructure, as well as issues pertaining to border posts and ports in their respective regions and countries.

We have identified them as key partners in this programme.

Amongst the challenges is to further improve and strengthen coordination amongst the member states. Other issues we are looking at include funding methods for the projects and to get more private sector investments into the projects.

We are committed to make this succeed given the importance of infrastructure for Africa's growth and development.

I thank you.

ê8. Mr S N Swart (ACDP) to ask the President of the Republic:

(1) What was the outcome of the first Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordinating Commission conference, held on 13 April 2012, to discuss the infrastructure development plan that he announced during his 2012 state of the nation address;

(2) when does he (a) intend to convene the Presidential Infrastructure Summit to discuss the implementation of the infrastructure plan with potential investors and social partners and (b) when does he envisage that initial projects forming part of the plan will be launched, in view of escalating construction and financing costs? NO1446E

REPLY:

The Provincial and Local Government Conference of the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission, (PICC), was held on 13 April 2012 and was hosted by the Deputy President as the deputy chairperson of the PICC.

The conference was convened to share information on the infrastructure plan, to provide an overview of the Strategic Infrastructure Projects which were announced in the State of the Nation Address, and to mobilise support and commitment from key role players.

It was attended by Ministers, Premiers, Mayors and officials.

The conference was a resounding success and achieved its objectives. The delegates welcomed and supported the infrastructure plan as a necessary and timely intervention.

The conference resulted in a greater understanding of the infrastructure plan by delegates and a commitment by all spheres of government and public enterprises to work together to ensure the successful implementation thereof.

All participants committed themselves to play their respective roles to implement the infrastructure plan urgently.

Three Intergovernmental Forums have subsequently been convened to launch specific infrastructure projects.

To date we have launched three projects, the Northern Mineral Belt, the Saldanha-Northern Cape Development Corridor and the Integrated Urban Space and Public Transport Programme, directed at the major cities in the country. So far it is being implemented in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Ethekwini.

Work is going well towards launching the remaining projects.

The PICC secretariat has held discussions with private sector investors as well as public agencies to partner government in this important initiative.

The Presidential infrastructure investor conference is scheduled to take place before the end of the year.

I thank you.

ê9. The Leader of the Opposition (DA) to ask the President of the Republic:

(1) Whether he had been informed of all the considerations resulting in the decision to reinstate a certain person (name furnished); if not, what is the position in this regard; if so,

(2) whether he has found that the (a) considerations were rational and (b) said person meets all the requirements for performing the duties of the post; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;

(3) whether he will make a statement on the matter? NO1321E

REPLY:

The day to day operations of line function departments is the responsibility of those departments. The appointments, suspensions, reinstatements, transfers and all staff movements are the responsibility of those departments and not the President. Such a question, including whether the decision was rational or not, should therefore be directed to the affected department.

There are government prescripts and procedures that are in place to deal with performance issues within departments. The President does not manage the performance of officials in government departments.

The Minister of Police has announced a task team to investigate some aspects of this matter, while the Inspector General of Intelligence is also probing aspects that are within her mandate.

I would like to assure this House and the public that everything is being done to address this matter.

We wish to add that the law enforcement agencies are operating as they should, protecting the public whose safety and security remains the top priority of government.

I thank you.

ê10. Ms M T Kubayi (ANC) to ask the President of the Republic:

(1)Whether the target to fill all funded posts within six months, as announced in his state of the nation address, has been met; if not, (a) why not and (b) which departments have failed to meet the deadline;

(2) Whether he intends taking any action against the departments who have failed to meet the deadline; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what action? NO1323E

REPLY:

In the 2011 State of the Nation Address, I made a commitment that Government would fill all funded vacant posts and directed the performance monitoring and evaluation department in my office to provide a report within six months on the state of vacancies. This report was provided.

An analysis of the expenditure of personnel budgets together with general personnel information on PERSAL, our employee database, indicates that, on average, less than 3% of funded posts are vacant at any time.

This means that, in general, national and provincial departments are doing well in terms of filling funded vacant posts.

However, the exercise indicated a need to clean up the personnel database. The report found that some departments had captured unfunded vacant posts on the database, which contributed to the impression that there are large numbers of vacant positions.

We have also noticed a tendency to fill more administrative posts than technical posts that are required to improve service delivery.

For example, in the health sector there has been a 71% growth in administrative appointments and only a 39% growth in health professionals between 2003 and 2010.

A few national departments such as Water Affairs, Public Works as well as Justice and Constitutional Development have had high vacancy rates. This is linked to the difficulty in attracting skilled personnel to government.

Some Departments, such as the Department of Rural Development and Land Affairs were undergoing restructuring and had relatively high vacancy levels for that reason.

Various actions have been taken since the submission of the report.

Firstly, the Department of Public Service and Administration has issued an instruction to all departments to fill the funded vacancies and remove unfunded ones from their personnel systems.

Secondly, the Forum of South African Directors-General has been directed to ensure that vacancies are filled within four months instead of the average of six to nine months which had become a norm in the public service.

Progress reports will be provided to Cabinet and the President's Coordinating Council periodically.

As we monitor these reports, the Presidency will determine whether or not it is necessary to take any action against any particular department for not filling vacancies timeously.

I thank you.

11. Mr A M Mpontshane (IFP) to ask the President of the Republic:

What are the main details of the progress that has been made since the Government's intervention in (a) Limpopo and (b) the Eastern Cape in terms of Section 100 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996? NO1327E

REPLY:

Last year, national government instituted a Section 100 (1)(b) interventions in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces to assist to improve service delivery to the public.

You will recall that at the time of the Limpopo intervention, there was an estimated two billion rand shortfall as a result of a combination of factors, including an accumulation of unauthorised expenditure and poor cash flow management practices.

As at 31 March 2012, the cash position has improved with a positive year-end balance of 231.4 million rand. This positive cash position is due to cash management controls that were put in place since December 2011.

While the cash position has improved and payment and procurement systems in departments have stabilised; further work still needs to be done.

The Provincial Treasury intervention team has instructed all departments to develop a fiscal recovery plan that must include strengthening departmental budget formulation processes and supply chain management.

Law enforcement agencies are looking into allegations of fraud, maladministration and corruption in a number of departments.

Work is ongoing to improve services in all the affected governments including health, education, roads and transport.

Last year, Cabinet decided to intervene in the Eastern Cape Education Department in terms of section 100(1)(b) of the Constitution of the Republic.

Because of legal uncertainty regarding the implementation of interventions in terms of section 100(1)(b) of the Constitution, legal advice was required to focus the implementation of the intervention.

This was necessary and imperative as it became clear that we would be faced with challenges, and these did emerge.

The Presidential Task Team, which comprised five Ministers and five MECs from the Eastern Cape, recommended a different approach to implement the intervention, in which the Eastern Cape Government would implement; and the National Government would monitor, oversee and evaluate the implementation of the intervention.

A team of Deputy Ministers visited the Eastern Cape to conduct a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation exercise on the implementation of the intervention, and a report was tabled at Cabinet.

Cabinet directed a full implementation of the intervention as intended by the Constitution. There is now a clear understanding and acceptance of the intervention in the Eastern Cape.

Task Teams, focusing on the main areas of the intervention to the extent necessary have been established, and these teams are about to finalise their workplans.

We are confident that this time around, we will be able to stabilise and normalise the Eastern Cape Education Department, while ensuring that the right of the children of the Eastern Cape to quality basic education is upheld at all times.

Currently there is no national legislation regulating interventions in terms of section 100. Government has introduced the Monitoring, Support and Intervention Bill to fill this gap and to regulate interventions in terms of section 100 as well as all interventions in terms of section 139 of the Constitution.

I thank you.

ê12. Mr L Ramatlakane (Cope) to ask the President of the Republic:

How does he intend to restore the credibility and integrity of the security forces in view of the saga surrounding a certain person (name furnished)? NO1325E

REPLY:

As I stated in my reply to Question number 9 and as a means of ensuring continued credibility and integrity, the Minister of Police, in his budget speech of 9 May 2012 - made it very clear that proper processes are being put in place to address all aspects of credibility and integrity within the Police Service.

Such processes relate not only to specific individuals but also to how the management itself is operating.

The security agencies, including the police continue to do their good work of protecting the country and its citizens.

I thank you.

---