Hansard: NCOP: Unrevised hansard
House: National Council of Provinces
Date of Meeting: 19 May 2022
Summary
No summary available.
Minutes
UNREVISED HANSARD
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
THURSDAY, 19 MAY 2022
Watch: Plenary
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES – MINI PLENARIES VIRTUAL
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Members of the mini-plenary session met in the on the virtual platform in the NCOP Chamber at 14:00.
The Chairperson of the NCOP took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon delegates, before we proceed I would like to remind you of the following: That sitting constitutes of the National Council of Provinces. That the place of the sitting is deemed to be Cape Town where the seat of the National Council of Provinces is. That delegates in the virtual sitting enjoy the same powersand privileges that apply in a sitting of the National Council of Provinces.
That for the purposes of the quorum, all delegates who are logged on to the virtual platform shall be considered present. That delegates must switch on their videos if they want to speak. And that delegates should ensure that the microphones on their gadgets are muted and must always remain muted. That the interpretation facility is active. And that been noted, that permanent delegates, members of the executive, special delegates some representative are requested to ensure that the interpretation facility on their gadgets are properly activated to facilitate access to the interpretation services. That any delegate who wishes to speak must use the ‘raise your hand’ function or icon. As we usually say, that by now the members are familiar with the use of the ‘raise your hand’ function or icon.
POLICY DEBATE ON BUDGET VOTE 40: TRANSPORT
(Appropriation Bill)
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT: Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, Chairperson of the Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure, hon Kenny Mmoeiemang, dear Deputy Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, Members of the Executive Council, MECs, for Transport, hon members, fellow South Africans. I must start by thanking the Select Committee on Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure for its robust and uncompromising oversight. Your leadership and guidance has kept us on a path that places the aspirations of the people at the centre of our service delivery agenda. The profound words of the renowned American poet, novelist and activist, Maya Angelou, set the tone for our budget vote this year, when she said:
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. This is the essence of our approach to service delivery. Delivering services that people can see, can experience and more importantly, transform their lives in ways that make them feel the progress we are making.
Over the medium-term the department’s planned expenditure will increase at an average annual rate of 7,7%. This means an increase from R69,1 billion in 2022-23 to R81,6 billion in 2024-25.
The Road Transport programme facilitates activities related to the maintenance of the country’s national and provincial road network. An allocation of R76,4 billion goes to the South African National Roads Agency, SANRAL. Transfers to SANRAL account for 33,5% of the department’s budget over the medium-term and 65,5% of the budget of the Road Transport programme. Over the medium-term, R45,3 billion or 59,3% of the allocation to SANRAL is budgeted to upgrade, strengthen and refurbish the national non?toll roads network. An amount of R2,8 billion is allocated the Moloto Road, which traverses the provinces of Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. A budget of R3,7 billion is allocated for the N2 Wild Coast project in the Eastern Cape and R2,1 billion allocated to fund reduced tariffs for the Gauteng freeway improvement project.
We have been working closely with the Minister of Finance to finalise outstanding matters that will enable the final determination by Cabinet on the funding of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project. We have no doubt that the delay in making the final decision on e-tolls negatively affects the SANRAL balance sheet and its ability to raise capital for its catalytic projects. This is a matter Cabinet is ceased with and a pronouncement will be made once the final decision has been taken.
The maintenance of provincial and municipal roads remains one of our biggest challenges. we have a collective responsibility as different spheres of government to ensure that these roads are managed within a framework of national norms and standards to maximise their role in enabling economic activity and access to social amenities. The maintenance of provincial roads is largely funded through the Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant, PRMG. A budget of R37,4 billion has been allocated to the PRMG over the medium- term. Over this period, we have earmarked resources to finance the acquisition of a central roads data repository that will provide a comprehensive and uniform overview of the state of South Africa’s provincial roads.
Through our collective efforts with the private sector and civil society, we will embrace creative solutions to decisively tackle potholes that have become a defining character of our secondary and tertiary road networks. This financial year we will reprioritise our resources to establish a Project Management Unit that will serve as an engineering and project management knowledge repository to assist provinces and municipalities in giving traction to
projects funded through the conditional grants. This unit will also serve as a hub to monitor and track our portfolio of capital projects across all our entities. We will ensure requisite support on capital programmes of our entities. This unit will tap into engineering and project management collective capacity of all our entities reinforced by collaboration with other organs of state. Our efforts to reduce carnage on our roads by 25% in 2024 remain firmly on track. We have been making steady progress with the reduction of fatalities by more than 15% since 2019-20. Although the reduction is largely attributed to reduced traffic volumes due to COVID-19 restrictions, the increased visibility of our officers on the roads played a significant part.
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We are making progress towards classifying traffic policing as
a 24-hour, 7-day job. We must commend the provinces of
Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo for having secured resolutions
by executive councils, taking them a step closer to full
implementation. The completion of this process will enable us
to table the matter before the General Public Sector
Bargaining Council during this year.
As a lead agency in traffic law enforcement, the allocation to
the, Road Traffic Management Corporation, RTMC, increases from
R224 million in 2022-23 to R229 million in 2024-25.
Over the last five years the operating model of the Road
Accident Fund, RAF, which was anchored around litigation, saw
the actuarial liability of the RAF increase exponentially. To
address this unsustainable model, the RAF adopted a new
strategic plan in the 2020-21 financial year.
Through this plan, a new operating model was adopted, which
was anchored on reducing legal costs and, therefore, a move
away from litigation to claims management, thus prioritising
early investigation and settlement of claims within 120 days.
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Improving efficiencies at the driving license testing centres
will be driven by a new service delivery model that will not
only improve the experience of the motorist but will
significantly reduce turnaround times.
We have agreed with provinces and SA Local Government
Association, SALGA, on a bouquet of services that will improve
the experience of the motorists when the visit the driving
license testing centres. This includes the online payment
system at the deployment of smart enrolment infrastructure.
The RTMC is finalizing the agreement with the Health
Professions Council of SA, HPCSA, to enable motorists to do an
eye test at an optometrist of their choice and results
directly uploaded in the system.
We are making headway in tackling the backlog in the printing
of driving license cards. Since January 2022 the Driving
Licence Card Account, DLCA, has produced one 1 026 674 cards.
As on 16 May 2022 we remain with a backlog of 526 841 cards.
We are confident that this backlog will be eliminated by the
end of June 2022.
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We remain resolute in our commitment to position public
transport as an enabler to achieve a 3-shift economy that will
accelerate our economic recovery interventions.
Capacity challenges on the implementation of Integrated Public
Transport Networks, IPTNs, in some of the cities have given
rise to complications that have either delayed or stalled
progress.
The suspension of the Cities of Msunduzi, Buffalo City and
Mbombela had the effect of delaying delivery of a public
transport that responds to the needs of the citizens. We will
work with these cities and assist them in complying with the
National Treasury requirements to get back in the fold of the
Public Transport Network Grant, PTNG.
The rollout of the IPTNs will equally be strengthened by the
establishment of an oversight mechanism under the leadership
of the Minister and the political principals of the relevant
Cities implementing. This will ensure that accountability for
the implementation of the IPTNs at political level.
Seven cities are already operational and are working towards
expanding current services. These are the City of Cape Town,
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George, Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay
and Polokwane; Polokwane is operating a starter service which
will be scaled up to a full service. Three additional cities
are working towards the launch of new services. These are
Rustenburg, Mangaung and eThekwini; eThekwini is currently
experiencing challenges due to unsuccessful negotiations with
taxi operators on the affected routes.
Over the medium-term all 10 cities are expected to be fully
operational with expansions to directly serve major townships.
The grant has allocation of R20,4 billion over the medium-
term. The grant has been reduced by R754 million in 2022-23
and R105 million in 2024-25. These reductions are aligned to
the City of Cape Town’s revised implementation plan and cash
flow projections for the MyCiTi public transport network,
funded through the budget facility for infrastructure through
this grant. Through this facility an amount of R621 million is
allocated through this grant over the medium-term for Phase 2A
of the City of Cape Town’s MyCiTi public transport network,
linking the undeserved areas of Khayelitsha and Mitchells
Plain to the city centre.
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Transfers to the cities of the Public Transport Network Grant
are set to increase at an average annual rate of 14,3% from
R6 billion in 2022-23 to R7,7 billion in 2024-25.
Over the medium term R76 million has been allocated towards
expanding the capacity for public transport grant monitoring.
The department has commenced with the process to procure
expert and technical services to monitor, oversee and fast
track implementation at a city level and improve spending
efficiency and probity.
Cities and provinces must deliver on their public transport
executive obligation. As such we will not hesitate to invoke
provisions of section 5(6) of the National Land Transport Act.
This section empowers the Minister to take appropriate steps
that include issuing directives to provincial executive and
municipal councils, when a province or municipality cannot or
does not fulfil an executive obligation relating to public
transport. These directives are mandatory and must be complied
with.
We are on course in the implementation of the 2020 National
Taxi Lekgotla resolutions. Key among these is the finalisation
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of a subsidy policy underpinned by a public transport funding
model.
Our rail infrastructure is in a major state of disrepair
because of theft and vandalism that has crippled our rail
recovery interventions. The criminals who continue to
undermine our efforts to provide a reliable commuter rail
service must face the full might of the law. And we’ve got
over 28 criminals who have been locked up in terms of this
intervention.
We have equally called for the ban of scrap metal exports who
provide a perverse incentive for this criminality. We remain
ready to work with the Minister of Trade, Industry and
Competition to ensure that such a ban becomes a reality.
The implementation of our multi-disciplinary security
interventions has gained traction with the employment of the
full complement of 3 100 security personnel at Passenger Rail
Agency of South Africa, PRASA. This capacity has been
reinforced with the construction of walls in certain sections
of the network and fencing in others.
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Capital transfers to the PRASA will increase from
R12,6 billion in 2022-23 to R13,5 billion in 20224-25. These
funds will be channelled towards refurbishment of coaches,
rolling stock fleet renewal programme, signalling and other
capital projects which includes security of the rail
infrastructure. For the first this year, after a very, very
long time, after the years of chifambo, siyabangena,
siyangena, PRASA has disaggregated the implementation of
capital project and the awarding, different interested and
those who won the, tenders at PRASA, disaggregated to about
R5 billion allocation for general overhaul. This is a good
sign in the right direction because we see now PRASA beginning
to spend on capital projects.
Operational transfers to PRASA are expected to increase from
R7,2 billion in 2022-23 to R7,8 billion in 2024-25. In
recovering commuter rail services, we had to adjust the
timelines for the resumption of services in a number of these
corridors due to factors beyond our control.
The Mabopane – Pretoria – Johannesburg – Naledi line is a core
network of PRASA in Gauteng and a major priority for PRASA
recovery. The same can be said of the Cape Town – Langa –
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Khayelitsha – Kapteinsklip corridor in respect of the Cape
Town, which is referred to as the Central Line.
PRASA’s Corridor Recovery Plan has identified 10 priority
corridors for resumption of services. Five out of 10 has now
been recovered and we looking forward to full recovery by
November this year. And we’ve got all those corridors that we
can mention, from Cape Town to Pretoria, from Pretoria to
uMlazi and all around the country.
The Mabopane line has already resumed services, which is being
undertaken in 2 Phases. Phase 1 implementation is currently in
full swing with five stations operational in Pretoria,
Hercules, Mountain View, Pretoria North and Mabopane. Six new
trains have undergone the 120km/h test and are ready for
service. Phase 2 will see an additional 15 train stations
renovated and brought back into service. More train trips will
also be introduced with shorter headways.
The return to service of the Central Line is also being
undertaken in 2 Phases. Phase 1 entails restoring services on
the Cape Town to Bellville, Langa to Pinelands and Nyanga
segments. We anticipate the completion of the rehabilitation
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works and resumption of services by the end of July 2022 for
this Phase.
We must also appreciate that the Langa to Bellville via
Sarepta is currently affected by illegal occupation and we are
dealing that, and we are looking forward to moving the
occupiers very soon from the line.
Phase 2 entails recovery of the Nyanga to Chris Hani segment
as well as Nyanga to Kapteinsklip. These segments will take
longer to recover due to the extent of the damage on the
infrastructure. We anticipate to complete this recovery and
resume services by December 2022.
I want to thank all my colleagues, in particular the
Department of Human Settlements and as well the City of Cape
Town and the province for working with us to recover the
service at a faster pace.
In conclusion, this year we will be hosting the International
Maritime Organisation’s, IMO, World Maritime Day Parallel
Event in October. It is our expectation that delegates from
the 173 member countries of the IMO will descend on our shores
in Durban for this prestigious event. At the end of the event,
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we will hand over the flag to the next host, the Islamic
Republic of Iran.
I hereby table Budget Vote 40 of the Department of Transport.
Chairperson, I thank you. [Applause.]
Setswana:
Rre K M MMOIEMANG: Ke a leboga, Modulasetulo wa Khansele ya
Bosetšhaba ya Diporofense, motl. Rre Masondo, ke boe gape ke
lebise tlotlo yaka go maloko a Khansele ya Bosetšhaba ya
Diporofense, le Tona ya Dipalangwa, Rre Mbalula, kere
dumelang.
English:
Allow me to rise on behalf of the ANC to express our support
behind the Budget as tabled by the hon Minister. Informed by
the road infrastructure is an effective way to improve road
safety, and it helps communities by increasing access to jobs,
stores, schools, and other recreational facilities. Lack of
high quality and safe roads, impacts people’s daily
activities. This means that the economy needs reliable
infrastructure, particularly around transport to connect
supply chain and efficiently move goods and services across
borders.
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As mentioned, infrastructure connects households across
metropolitan areas to higher quality opportunities for
employment, healthcare and education. As a result, we are
appreciative of the presentation that the department made to
us in terms of the Budget and also the Annual Performance
Plan, APP in terms of their adjudication around eight areas
that are its priority for the next coming three years.
Amongst those priorities that have been identified, it is
safety as an enabler of service delivery, public transport
that enables social emancipation and an economy that works,
infrastructure build that stimulate economic growth and job
creation and building a maritime nation and elevation the
ocean’s economy, more than that, acceleration transformation
towards greater economic participation, innovation that
advances efficiencies and supports continuous improvement
model. Lastly, governance that is more efficient, effective
and accountable.
These are priorities as aligned with the Medium Term Strategic
Framework, MTSF. But more than that, the Minister in his
budget speech clearly indicated that he is following on the
cue set out by President Ramaphosa in his state of the nation
address; where four areas were ... [Inaudible.] ... Namely;
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rehabilitating the passenger rail network in 10 priority
corridors, as indicated, using Infrastructure Fund to invest
in transport, implementing the rural roads programme through
using labour intensive methods to construct or upgrade 685
kilometres of rural roads over three years. Lastly,
introducing measures to curb the theft or scrap metal or cable
on the country’s infrastructure, including trains.
South Africa is a developing country which has many historical
challenges to deal with to ensure social and economic
transformation. Any modern economy is dependent on its
transport system for its efficient functioning. Therefore, the
economy of the country requires inclusive economic development
and growth for it to defeat our triple challenges. This will
require concerted focus on implementation of the Economic
Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. This requires the recovery
of the transport sector in all modes of transport from the
effects of the COVID-19.
It is worse when we are also confronted with the devastating
floods in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, which
will also need the transport infrastructure that must be
resuscitated. In executing our oversight over Vote 40.
Furthermore, we are guided by what one of our outstanding
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African revolutionary of Guinea-Bissau, Mr Amilcar Cabral
said:
We must walk rapidly but not run. We must not be
opportunists, nor allow our enthusiasms to make us lose
the vision of concrete reality
This is so because the restoration of the road, rail and port
infrastructure is imperative for the normalisation of economic
activity in the province. As a result, we appreciate the
effort by the department in terms of focusing on the transport
infrastructure in terms of port, rail and road in the KwaZulu-
Natal Province, which was also impacted. These impacts on the
economy of the major industrial heartland of the country in
Gauteng and therefore requires to be restored as a matter of
urgency. We appreciate the leadership that the Minister has
provided to one of its entities, SANRAL, to come to the party.
The transport sector supports the functioning of many other
economic sectors in terms of mining and manufacturing
industry, as well as the tourism and leisure industry.
Therefore, the sector creates jobs both directly and
indirectly and plays a critical strategic and positive role in
the economy of all. Therefore, this Budget Policy Vote on
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Transport is occurring at a critical conjuncture in the
economic development of the country. It is critical that the
country is able to reverse the triple challenges of poverty,
inequality and unemployment. The transport sector is a key
driver to ensure inclusive economic development and growth.
The national Department of Transport has a number of critical
vacancies which require to be filled to ensure that programmes
of the department can be efficiently executed. The transport
sector requires skill and capability for its development and
the department should seek such skilled and capable people to
fill the vacancies. There a number of entities which report to
the department and are implementing arms which operate in all
our provinces and it is therefore these entities that must
also focus on enhancing its capacity. It is imperative that
these entities are able to follow the leadership role of the
Minister, putting more emphasis on good co-operative
governance and financial management and accountability.
These entities manage large budgets and projects on behalf of
the national Department of Transport and therefore need to be
fit for purpose. Many of these entities also need to ensure
that they follow the line. The next critical leg in developing
an efficient transport system lies in the co-ordination
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between the national Department of Transport and provincial
Department of Transport, is with regard to public transport
whilst provincial roads and traffic are a provincial function
that operates within common legislation and regulation.
However, at this conjuncture, it is important that there is
heightened co-ordination between the national, provincial and
municipal entities to ensure that the norms and standards set
out by the national Department of Transport in terms of its
policy is followed to the latter.
Furthermore, the Civil Aviation is crucial for the country
given its geography being far away from the major markets. It
is the most efficient mode of transport. It contributes
substantively to the development of the tourism and
hospitality sector. Therefore, the state entities which
operate in this sector, like Airports Company South Africa and
Air Traffic and Navigation Services must operate on world
class standards as legislation regulation guides, to ensure
that the operation of these entities are driven on global
standards.
The Civil Aviation industry was the last transport mode to
commence functioning since the outbreak of the COVID-19
pandemic. These entities have also been stable from a
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governance and financial point of view. The major airports in
the different provinces are functioning and operational.
However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that
the Civil Aviation industry has not fully recovered and it is
important that as part of the Civil Aviation programme of the
department that it focuses on the recovery of Civil Aviation.
Civil Aviation contributes substantively to trade and tourism
industry which are major job creators.
Therefore, there are many regional airports in the different
provinces which were also negatively affected and have not
been operational for a while and these also require to be
nursed back to financial health. Some of those provinces that
do not have such regional airports like the North West, it is
important that this matter is given priority. Civil Aviation
is also a key component of the economic recovery of the
country and requires to optimally contribute to the Gross
Domestic Product, GDP of the country.
The major ports in the different provinces of the coast
require development as those ports are important for the
export of goods and freight as well as imports into the
country. Therefore, the maritime authority has a critical role
to be given guidance by the department. These ports are linked
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by rail and road to the inland markets and therefore
positively contribute to all provincial economies.
Recently, the devastating floods affected the port of Durban
which is the largest port for the import of goods and export.
Port operations require restoring and normalised as a matter
of urgency. This port’s operation not only affects the economy
of KwaZulu-Natal, but also that of the inland market. The
envisaged expansion of the port and container terminals needs
to also focus on dealing with abnormal weather patterns.
A culture of public service and efficiency needs to be
developed to improve service delivery in the transport sector.
This means that the backlog in drivers’ licences, as the
Minister has alluded to, and the issue of efficiently printing
these require more resolution. Of course we note the progress
made, but it is important that in future, we must be able to
anticipate such setbacks. There is also a need to ensure that
there is efficient service in all provinces for renewal of
vehicle licences and motor vehicle registration. The public
require a smooth, pleasant and efficient process and need to
be serviced as such by the Department of Transport at all
three levels of government.
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Moreover, the work of Parliament in relation to the select
committee is characterised by processing legislation for the
different areas in the transport sector. This legislation is
to ensure that the sector is governed on world class standards
and more specifically, to ensure safety standards. There are a
number of regulatory bodies which have been created and a
number are in the process of being created, like the Economic
Regulator. It is imperative that all these bodies ensure
efficiency in the transport sector in all provinces and that
costs are kept at a level which affords the people access to
the different modes of transport.
If transport is not available at the cheapest possible cost,
it can create structural inflation and increase the cost of
doing business in the different provinces. This requires
efficient economic regulation of individual sectors and an
integrated approach to ensure that the transport sector
contributes to economic development and growth. The transport
sector functions largely on fossil fuels which emit greenhouse
gases. It is imperative that a process commences between the
national department and the provincial departments to develop
a plan for the reduction in greenhouse gases in the transport
sector.
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Global regulations and the country’s commitment to
international agreements require such planning to occur and
upon government approval for its implementation. The
international case studies in terms of changes to public
transport sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is
instructive for South Africa. Therefore, this study that have
to be done, will have to focus on road, rail and maritime
pollution and the changes which will have to be effected.
As I conclude, there are many pressing tasks to ensure the
development of the transport sector in all modes of transport
and throughout the value chain of the different modes. The
majority of people who are dependent on a reliable public
transport system in terms of road and rail in the provinces
wish to see improvement in the infrastructure and an efficient
service at the cheapest possible cost. Therefore,
infrastructure, particularly transport maintenance and
development, is the key driver to ensuring an efficient and
functional transport sector.
The select committee will be engaged in oversight over the
different modes of transport in the provinces and wishes to
see progress in the different spheres to transport. It is a
critical part of creating a better life for all and ensuring
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economic development and growth. The ANC supports the Policy
Vote on Transport. Thank you, Chairperson.
Mr T J BRAUTESETH: Hon Chairperson, hon Minister, hon members,
fellow South Africans, Elizabeth Browning is famous for
penning a poem that starts with the following words, “How do I
love thee, let me count the ways.” When considering this
budget, I am certainly not in a romantic mood. So, allow me to
alter the title of the poem, “How do I reject thee, let me
count the ways.” It should be clear by now that the DA would
not be supporting this budget, and I would now list some of
the reasons why. The budget itself - it is an undeniable fact
that the transport system enabled an economy, a 1,1% increase
after inflation shows a complete lack of imagination and
foresight.
The transport infrastructure in South Africa is literally
falling apart, and this government sees it fit to only
allocate 6,5% of the fiscus to this essential function - so
much commitment to the infrastructure of South Africa. It is
so well and fine for Infrastructure SA to pursue big builds,
but they are absolutely useless if South Africans cannot get
not actually get to them. Perhaps the Minister will build a
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nice road to Minister Mthethwa’s ridiculous R22 million
flagpole.
The second issue is the spend on rail. The department proposes
spending R12,6 billion on new rail infrastructure. This funds
should be spent on restoring existing infrastructure and
providing minor linkages at crucial points to open up rail
transport infrastructure. The current ... [Inaudible.] ...
shows a complete and utter disconnect of a government that
does not understand rail. After all, under their watch, 95% of
rail services have evaporated over the last decade.
The third issue is the spend on consultants. The department
has revealed its inherent incompetence by increasing the
consultants budget by a whopping 73% despite numerous
vacancies in the ... [Inaudible.]. This shows that the
department is completely naked and exposed in terms of skills
to the point where they are forced to employ consultants to
cover the knowledge gap. The ad hoc employment of consultants
will never be to a co-ordinated approach to mobility
challenges. This state of affairs clearly shows the
evisceration of competence caused by almost three decades of
cadre deployment, job for pals social policy of the government
party.
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The fourth issue is the spend on roads. Here, the priorities
of the department are completely skewed. The lion share of the
budget goes to the SA National Roads Agency Limited, Sanral,
and the scraps on the floor goes to the provinces. While it is
understood that the blue light convoys stick to the national
roads, it may be a lesson for them to occasionally traverse
provisional roads where they are able to see where the
government’s funds to be spend.
The SA National Roads Agency Limited looks after only 10% of
the road kilometres of South Africa, and yet the nine
provinces combined are left with the paltry amount to spend
and repair 90% of the critical infrastructure that will link
communities to the National Road Network. To add insult to
injury, Sanral recently simply cancelled over R17 billion
worth of road build contracts. The reason given was, and I
quote: “The tenders were cancelled due to a material
irregularity in the tender process, where resolution made by
the board in January 2020 was not implemented in the
evaluation of the affected tenders.”
This development has created a crisis in the industry as these
contracts were already been awarded and the companies involved
have already started their necessary planning. So, the
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question is: “What is this material irregularity?” Why did the
Bid Evaluation Committee, BEC, and the Bid Adjudication
Committee, BAC, processes fail to discover the problem? And
what is the board’s resolution that was implemented in these
processes? Perhaps the Minister who is here today can answer
these questions.
Finally, regarding driver’s licenses, in terms of this
essential services, the department remain firmly rooted in the
20th century despite the advancement around them. They
persisted in using an antiquated printing press to deliver
license cards and these sales system failed when the machine
packed up, with no backup machine – nothing! And thus we sit
with a monstrous backlog of frustrated South Africans waiting
for their licenses.
Instead of seizing the opportunity to make digital versions of
the licenses available on an App that a teenager could develop
... [Inaudible.] ... the department chose to ironically
reinvent the wheel. South Africans were advised that the
security on the licenses was insufficient, with no details as
to why. And the new card will need to be development but only
after the approval of Cabinet. Obviously there are lots of
licenses you expect in Cabinet, and would only be available in
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November 2023. In terms of the digital license, that format
will only be available in July 2024 – more than two years from
now. Given the pattern of government in not getting things
done on time, I would advise South Africans not to hold their
breath.
In conclusion, I could continue with the ways the DA rejects
this budget, but that would take the entire time allocated to
this budget. Transport is mobility, and mobility represents
freedom. We have to plan properly and that planning starts
with the threshold of a rural dwelling to a village, to a city
centre, from a harbour to the train or truck, to the
infrastructure needed to move goods around the country. Unless
every step of that journey is taken into account; unless we
employ the professional needed; unless we stop stealing from
ourselves, we will never reach the mobility goals of South
Africans. International best practice must be adopted and we
must move into the 21th century to make our country
competitive. I thank you.
Ms W TIKANA-GXOTHIWE (Eastern Cape): Hon Chairperson of the
National Council of Provinces, hon Minister, hon Deputy
Minister, hon members of the House, my colleagues from various
provinces, delegates from the provinces and distinguished
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guests, good afternoon. Hon Chair and members, it is my honour
and privilege to represent the government of the Eastern Cape
in this debate.
Hon members, we are currently witnessing some serious changes
that continue to alter our operating environment, in a manner
we never imagined before. These changes include the outbreak
of the COVID-19 virus which in its infant stages, virtually
forced the entire world into a hole. Just as we were getting
into grips with it, climate change violation had the Eastern
Cape drenched in water and battling floods. Floods that have
caused massive infrastructural damages, destroying roads and
bridges in many parts across the country, especially in the
Eastern Cape and in KwaZulu-Natal. Who will forget the
collapse of a bridge on the vital R61 road?
The financial impact of these unprecedented and destructive
rains has caused damages estimated to be worth billions of
rand. A devastating blow for a province like ours with an
already huge backlog against a dwindling public purse. In
reflection of the external environment within which we
operate, the reality of global warming has given national and
governments across the provinces a rude awakening. The extent
of infrastructure damage that has been recorded in the
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province, requires a robust and adaptive strategy, in ensuring
that we put sustainable measures in place to mitigate the risk
of recurrences.
Hon Chairperson and members of the House, the Eastern Cape
Department of Transport has embraced the advantages and
efficiencies brought about by technology. The department has
decided in the 2021-22 financial year, to continue driving a
digital transformation agenda introduced in the preceding
year.
This time, the department developed an electronic document
management system which is proving to be a worthy investment,
on how it has already changed the culture in the department
and fast-tracking the processing of documents, in a bid to
improve service delivery which brought about a dramatic
turnaround time on document submission for approval.
Hon Chairperson, in a bid to keep up with the changes in and
demands of our operating environment, the department will
continue with this radical digital transformation approach. In
this financial year, the department aims to develop a business
case for an incident or case management system, to support
virtual reporting of potholes, accidents and any other matters
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within the department’s mandate, while also helping to
transparently monitor the lead times for their resolution.
Hon Chair and members, one capacity challenge that the
department has realized as hampering the ability to deliver
quality and timely transport services in the province, is the
lack of skilled and knowledgeable personnel in critical areas
of our programmes. We have realized that this stems from a
number of industry related factors. These include but not
limited to, the industry requirements for technical staff to
be employed in certain positions, hence the drive in this
financial year is to fully capacitate our Centre of Excellence
in Graff Reinet.
Other notable factors include the changes in the operating
environment of the department, which either continues to
require new technologies or improved way of doing things.
Lastly, the department has a fairly aged workforce, and most
of whom will be leaving the employ of the state through
natural attrition. This requires a robust strategy to ensure
that there is a sound talent management strategy, to sustain
the momentum for achieving a capacitated state.
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To tackle these challenges, the department has introduced a
combination of interventions. These include, retraining
internal personnel, offering training opportunities for
external youth with a view of later creating more sustainable
employment for them within the department and sector at large.
Exploring partnerships with various institutions to assist in
industry compliance of our technicians. In the last financial
year, the department awarded 96 bursaries to external students
who are pursuing various transport related qualifications in
aviation, maritime, civil engineering and transport
management.
Hon Chair, with regards to the transport infrastructure, the
department has indeed lived mostly up to its plans in that,
considerable progress has been recorded on various major
infrastructure investment projects, with special focus on
economic hubs and public amenities such as schools and
hospitals. The projects we are currently working on include,
the last phase of the N2 to Siphethu Hospital in Ntabankulu
currently 30% completion. The two of the Willowvale to Dwesa
road right up to Msengeni Junction currently 82% complete.
Phase One of the Hluleka Nature Reserve project currently 90%
complete. This is to mention just a few.
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Hon members, in the state of the province address, the hon
Premier mentioned the 18 projects worth R7 billion that are
currently being implemented by the SA National Roads Agency
Limited, Sanral in the province. The Minister of Transport,
hon Mbalula, has accepted our request for Sanral to take over
five major roads in the province and these are: Vidgiesville
to Coffee Bay where there is the famous Hole in the Wall Sea
Resort. Engcobo to Elliot which includes Satan’s Nek Pass,
Matatiele to Qasha’s Nek; R61 to Cala via Ncorha and the rest
of R61, that is from Port St John’s to Mtamvuna River in the
borders of Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
There is agreement that while administrative processes are
being finalized for proclamation, repair work will be done on
these roads. This process hon Chair is intended to leverage on
the financial and capacity muscle Sanral possesses.
Regarding traffic law enforcement, the department has
introduced an interim flexi shift system known as 24/2 in
terms of which traffic inspectors are deployed to the most
critical roads during most crucial times, while waiting for
the finalization of the 24/7 policy at national level. This
flexi system has yielded positive results for the province,
since we recorded a 7,9% reduction on road fatalities during
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the past festive season, compared to the previous financial
years.
Hon Chair, the importance of transport service and transport
infrastructure as an enabler for economic development, and a
driver for economic activity can never over emphasized. It for
this reason that we, as the Province of the Eastern Cape wish
to register that availing funds for transport service, is a
massive investment on the economic viability of the Eastern
Cape and the rest of South Africa and a better future of its
people. The Eastern Cape supports the Budget Vote. I thank
you.
Mr M DANGOR: Chairperson, thank you very much. Ministers
present; Deputy Ministers present; member of the executive
council, MECs, present; fellow delegates from the provinces,
the permanent delegates and fellow South Africans, speaking
during the Budget Policy Debate on Transport is critical to
focus on the importance of rail and road transport for
inclusive economic and social development of all provinces in
the Republic. Both are critical for the functioning of the
national, provincial and local economies.
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Road and rail transport directly and indirectly facilitate
shop creation and contributes positively to the GDP of the
country. The country has developed an integrated road network
which links the provinces with national roads and provincial
roads in all provinces. In the provinces, road transport
enables the functioning of the service industry such as
construction, it is an important and economic sector that has
enabled the functioning of businesses in provinces ...
[Interjections.] ...
Mr S B LEHIHI: ... [Interjections.] ...
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: ... hon Lehihi! There seem to be
a problem, there. Hon Lehihi, please, ensure that we don’t
make those disturbances habitual. I am really asking you to
co-operate and minimise interference. Continue, hon Dangor.
Mr M DANGOR: Thank you very much, Chair. While the transport
sector was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, it
has made a steady recovery in terms of road and rail
transportation. It is important that there is a recognition of
these facts in order that there can be a sensible dialogue on
these challenges which afflict the road and the rail transport
sectors. While there are problems which require to be
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addressed, it is fallacious to believe that some narratives
would suggest the breakdown of the raid and road
infrastructure in many municipalities and provinces.
Road transport infrastructure was negatively affected due to
the lack of maintenance in municipalities and provinces. It
was further affected by the weather changes and the flash
floods in many parts of the country. Rail infrastructure was
affected by vandalism and theft, which has disrupted the rail
and commuter’s services. Possibly, the Minister should
consider classifying the theft of rail and other things as
treason. We should stop exporting the export of steel and
copper.
The challenges required to be addressed urgently to ensure
that there is recovery of the infrastructure of the road and
rail networks to enhance the quality of life in the country
and positively contribute to the inclusive economic
development. Over the past few years, maintenance of the road
network in municipalities and provinces have been neglected
leading to the deterioration of the condition of roads in many
areas. The maintenance and development of the road network in
provinces and municipalities is a priority as the condition of
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roads at the provincial and municipal levels leave much to be
desired.
Moreover, the condition of the roads in the provinces and in
the municipal areas also impacts on the safety of motorists
utilising roads transport. No motor accidents should occur due
to the poor condition of the roads. The number of accidents
resulting at times in fatalities is far too high on the roads
in all provinces and increases during the festive season and
the long weekends. This is a matter of concern and is
therefore critical that road safety programs continue and
enforcement of traffic regulations is critical to ensure the
safety of all. The condition of the national and provincial
roads is impacted on by the volume of goods and freight moved
by heavy duty trucks on roads throughout the country. This is
a major impact on the wear and tear of roads.
This translates into more regular maintenance of the road
surface than is normally the case and in most cases reduces
the roads resurfacing time by half. This increase the cost of
maintenance of the road network. However, it is still cheaper
to repair the surface of the roads than to build new roads due
to poor maintenance. The National Department of Transport like
Provincial Transport Department, have been allocated budgets
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for road maintenance and these resources must be optimised to
achieve the greatest value on the national, provincial and
municipal roads to ensure that the maintenance of roads into
the future occurs. This requires greater levels of co-
ordination and co-operation between the three spheres of
government in the transport sector.
There is no longer room for silos between the three levels of
government as service delivery must be optimised and be
efficient. Road maintenance and development is an important
area of creating employment for the communities of the
provinces at different levels, thereby reducing unemployment
in the country. In this allocated budget a number of important
road projects have been budgeted for and these projects need
to occur as a matter of urgency and in this regard it is very
positive that the Moloto corridor road project has been
budgeted for and allocated to SA National Roads Agency,
Sanral. The condition of this road has been a source of
concern for the community in the province.
Given the high level of accidents resulting in the many
fatalities on this road, it is also pressing to note that the
road development is going to occur as a none toll road. The
critical road development is the N2 from Durban to the Wild
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Coast, which is a critical link between KwaZulu-Natal and the
Eastern province. It is also an important part of developing
the tourism industry in the provinces as this industry is also
a major creator of jobs. On rail transport, the ANC government
policy has been the policy to move from the delivery of goods
and freight from road to rail. This requires it to be
implemented in earnest by the National Department of Road and
Transport in conjunction with provincial Department for
Transport and local entities.
If critical transport regulations are followed and weigh
bridges are well functional in all provinces as part of the
moving of freight and goods from road to rail, this will
enable the preservation of the road networks and ensure that
less financial resources required for the maintenance and more
resources are utilised for road development ...
[Interjections.] ...
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: ... hon members, we have a
problem. Muddley and your team there, please, behave. Proceed,
hon Dango.
Mr M DANGOR: The commuter rail infrastructure has been
affected through vandalism and criminal theft of cables and of
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rail lines. It is a very positive note that the recent law
enforcement agencies have arrested a number of people related
to the theft cables and lines. The infrastructure must be
protected and the theft must also stop. More needs to be done
by law enforcement agencies to stop the destruction of rail
infrastructure. Government needs to consider banning the sale
of cable and rail lines from the scrap steel business. The
working class in poor communities depend on the community rail
systems and road transport. It is imperative that the
infrastructure is repaired and maintained at the highest
possible safety standards.
Work on the rail infrastructure has commenced. As announced by
the state President in the state of the nation address of
2020, with the Mabopane line in Gauteng and the central line
in Cape Town, these lines must be operational within this
financial year. It is also pleasing to note that work has
commenced on rehabilitating the roads and rail lines in the
affected by the devastating floods. Much more needs to be done
to rehabilitate the railway stations which service local
communities in all provinces which have been vandalised. The
redevelopment of these – Chairperson, you and I visited Cape
Town railway station, which was a bit sad – railway stations
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should occur within this particular year and hopefully that
will be done.
The movement of goods by freight, rail and road has suffered
from setbacks as there’s been a decline in the volume of goods
of frail by rail. Transnet freight rail needs to change the
business model as the road transport is cheaper to transport
than goods on rail. This is a result of the freight rail
pricing itself out of other requirements rather than seeking
sufficient business in the market freight rail needs to
restructure their business model. In conclusion, Chairperson,
it is imperative that the National Department of Transport is
able to co-ordinate the provincial and municipal departments
to ensure that there’s a restoration of the road and rail
infrastructure and its development. Capacity and capability
must be developed for the transport infrastructure,
maintenance and development.
Security of the rail network requires improvement in order to
preserve what we have and to create new rail and road
networks. Under the current economic condition there is a very
high unemployment rate and low economic growth. It cannot be
business as usual during this financial year, the select
committee will hold the department and all entities
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accountable through enhanced oversight on the delivery of its
program. We are not merely seeking outputs, but we rather seek
deliverable outcomes. The ANC supports this particular Budget
Vote, Chairperson.
However, just in the end, I would like to say that poetry is
one of the things that I actually love and I’ve grown up with.
But, if I look at the poetry that hon Tom was normally a very
positive person finding solutions rather than challenges, this
is the first time I found him to be negative. I thank you very
much, Chairperson.
Mr J MAMABOLO (Gauteng): Hon Chairperson, let me take this
opportunity to greet the hon Minister, the hon Fikile Mbalula,
all Ministers, all Deputy Ministers, all MECs, councillors and
all hon members, the people of our country and all guests.
First of all, hon Chairperson, it gives me a great pleasure
and honour to participate in this very important Budget Vote
on behalf of Gauteng province. I would like to join my
colleagues and hon members who have already welcomed this
Budget Speech delivered by the hon Minister and of course as
the province, we welcome this budget.
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We just want to start by commending the hon Minister Mbalula
the excellent work and leadership he has done and shown in our
province during the very difficult times of COVID-19. The
Minister was with us on the ground going to different taxi
ranks, both to deal with the protocols of COVID-19, but also
to deal we have seen the Minister joining us on the ground to
promote the vaccination drive. We want to welcome that, hon
members.
The second issue is that as the Minister has mentioned, we
welcome the decisive leadership that has been shown and
displayed with respect to a very difficult matter of resolving
the complex problem relating to the renewal of driver licences
which is a problem that emanated as you know hon members from
the difficulties of the hard lockdown. We are pleased with the
progress that has been made and we believe that we are set for
even much more improvements in this area of our work.
Hon Minister and hon members, we are very much pleased as the
province of Gauteng that working with the Minister we have
established two centres of excellence as Driver Testing
Licence Testing Centres, DLTCs, in the City of Johannesburg in
Midrand the Waterfall area and of course in the City of
Tshwane in Centurion. We are very much confident that those
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two DLTCs, are a benchmark and a sight of best practice on how
DLTCs will be managed in our country moving forward.
I can assure you, hon members, that the residents of our
province are appreciative and have already given us feedback
welcoming the two centres of excellence and model offices for
better service delivery by the ANC-led government in providing
services to our people.
We also are appreciative of all the technological innovations
that have been put in place with respect to a campaign that we
call “Request a slot.” Together with the hon Minister, we have
introduced this campaign to respond to the difficulties and
challenges where people have clearly said there was a problem
with an online booking system. We are very much pleased that
that has since been resolved.
We also welcome Minister the announcement you have just made
about rolling out the smart enrolment system. We are pleased
that our province of Gauteng will be prioritised in this
regard. We have already held meetings with the chief executive
officers, CEOs, of Road Traffic Management Corporation, RTMC,
the head of the department in the Department of Roads and
Transport, that included the CEO of Gautrain Management
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Agency, GMA. Of course in those discussions, the system has
already been outlined on how they are going to roll out the
smart enrolment system.
Hon members, this system is going to bring good relieve to the
people in the DLTCs. We know that the current systems are
causing problems of long queues providing defective service
and many other challenges. However, with the announcement that
the Minister has made, on the smart enrolment system we are
already seeing the benefits of these best practices in the two
offices that the Minister has rolled out.
I would like to just also mention – I heard a member of the DA
who was making a call for smart systems and technological
devices like applications, Apps. I think the hon member is too
late and I am not sure in which part of the country he lives.
However, I would like him to visit the province of Gauteng, so
that he can see that the Minister and of course with the RTMC
have already introduced very advanced technological systems.
We have an App where people can apply for a slot. We have
introduced digital platforms and I think he should have
started there by commending the excellent work that has been
done to introduce digital platforms.
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So we know the Minister, he is still in his youthful age. You
can see the energy; he is “Mr Fix it”. We are very much
pleased with the innovation and the smart technological
systems that we are seeing that are already coming on our way.
I hope the hon member will take the challenge of visiting our
province so that we can be able to induct him into much
smarter ways of doing work in transport, led by the hon
Minister.
Hon Chairperson, hoping that I still have time and I would
really like to mention this profound issue which the hon
Dangor has mentioned of welcoming the resources sector side of
fixing the Moloto Road. As the province of Gauteng, we are
deeply delighted that the Minister in his Budget Speech has
assured all of us. We have every reason to celebrate the
assurance which says that the money is been set aside to be
invest in the upgrade and the improvement of the Moloto Road
particularly on the part coming into Gauteng province.
We are looking forward Minister to SA National Roads Agency,
Sanral, and yourself making sure that you know those resources
speedily bring relief to road users and the people on that
very important corridor where currently, Minister there are
challenges. However, we commend you for the announcement that
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you have made. We are quite sure that the people in our
province in Mpumalanga, will be deeply delighted to hear that
resources have been set aside for that.
We are also happy Minister with the speedy interventions,
prompt, swift, decisive and efficient way in which you rolled
out the smart coaches and the smart rail system that we have
seen in Mabopane Corridor. This is not something yet to come,
it has already happened. I was there and had an opportunity to
ride the new smart coaches and also on the Saulsville
Corridor. That Minister has assured the people of Gauteng that
the challenges that Passenger Rail Agency of SA, Prasa, was
having we have already seen the smart rail systems that have
been rolled out.
All we are looking for Minister is let us expand to the other
areas that require these very important interventions of
making sure that finally we migrate mobility to rail as the
hon Dangor was saying.
The other important intervention that we want to welcome in
this Budget Speech relates to the fact that the Minister has
finally presented to the nation the White Paper on the
National Rail Policy. Hon member, we believe that that White
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Paper on the National Rail Policy brings much more required
clarity, consistency, guidance and clear way forward on where
the country is going with respect to rail.
Hon Chairperson, we welcome the policy directive that has been
announced on rail. To that extent we wish the next speakers
would be very you know appreciative of the progress that the
hon Minister has made under very difficult conditions to take
us where we are. Thank you very much. As for the doubting
Thomases and those denialists, we will continue to engage them
because the facts will speak for themselves. Thank you very
much.
Mr T APLENI: Thank you very much, Chairperson. Chairperson,
the EFF rejects the Budget Vote 40 on Transport. Before 1994,
there was not much attention paid to the effective planning of
transport system in South African policy and legislation, as
emphasis was often placed on those who wished to provide
public transport services through Acts, such as the Black
Services Act of 1952, and the Black Transport Services Act of
1957. 28 years later, not much has changed or been achieved as
transport needs for the majority of South Africans are still
not being met.
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The department failed to overcome challenges of providing a
more effective system of public transportation. Transport
needs, such as safety, shorter travel times, less
overcrowding, affordable taxi fares, reduced walking distance
and improved access to facilities are still a challenge for
the black majority of our people. In a country where 70% of
its population depends on public transport for their economic,
social and general activities, a reliable, accessible and
affordable and overall efficient public transport system
should be a priority.
Yet, this department requires constant reminding that the
provision of safe, reliable, accessible and affordable public
transport infrastructure is a fundamental prerequisite for the
socio-economic development of the South African population.
That its development holds potential of providing for decent
wages and working conditions for workers in the transport
industry, as well as those sectors that depend on it.
It is therefore rather unfortunate that today we gather here
to consider the Budget Vote for the Department of Transport.
The taxi industry might be asking themselves what new thing is
there to offer that deserve the Budget for this department,
after a continual failure to deliver on the promises made to
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them about Taxi Recapitalisation Programme that continues to
be a dismal failure. Our mothers and fathers continue to be
victims of robberies because of the lack of reliable and safe
transport in this country.
The ANC government boasts about having introduced scholar
transport but thousands of school children in the rural areas
of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape are still walking long
distances to school. Learners who continue to miss school
because of the scholar transport that continues to disappoint
might be asking, what difference is this Budget Vote going to
make in their lives after years of continued disappointments?
The failure of the ANC government to provide a safe, reliable,
accessible, and affordable public transport is once again
evident as there are areas where the most affordable and mover
of millions of commuters is not functioning. Poor South
Africans are spending a bigger portion of their hard-earned
incomes on expensive transport. With blame being shifted to
looters of rail tracks, yet no mention is made of how much
PRASA spends on security and why the looting of rail tracks
continues unabatedly despite the security measures that are in
place.
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The worst negligence by this department however has to be the
way they let the passenger rail system go. Rail passenger
traffic in South Africa decreased over the years with only
237,3 million rail passenger journey reported in 2018, as
compared to the 616,992 million rail passenger journey in
2009. This decline in rail passenger traffic is directly
attributable to corruption, maladministration, mismanagement,
appointing of incompetent individuals disguised as cadre
deployment and lack of funding in the country’s passenger rail
transportation infrastructure.
The same is true for the infrastructure for transporting
goods. Movement of goods is mainly by road due to the failure
of rail, as a consequence, the roads are in a mess and full of
potholes because they were not build for trucks that carry
such heavy loads. The government has failed to address crucial
aspects of public policy planning in a sustainable manner. The
Department of Transport has failed to fill vacancies, as it
sits with 171 vacant posts, which is something which has
become a norm as targets are not being achieved.
The ruling party has ignored the potential which the transport
sector has of acting as a catalyst for economic development
and job creation. The department is chronically handicapped,
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and cannot even meet the targets they have set for themselves.
We reject this Budget as there has been poor responses to the
needs of low income travellers who make up the vast majority
of South Africa’s urban population.
I am very worried that the guy who just spoke with me, was
blowing hot air about the people who are opposing. We will
never agree to politicians opening opportunities to other
politicians and their families to loot the money of the state.
Thank you very much, Chairperson.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT: Hon Chairperson, Minister of
Transport, hon Fikile Mbalula, Members of Executive Council,
MECs of Transport, hon members of the NCOP, our honoured
guests, ladies and gentlemen. Chairperson, for 28 years since
the dawn of the democratic dispensation; it has been a
tireless and committed daily mandate of the government let by
the ANC to tackle the structural inequalities, unemployment
and poverty created by a legacy of centuries of the apartheid
regime and colonial rule.
The country’s Reconstruction and Recovery Plan is one of such
plans aimed to stimulate equitable and inclusive socioeconomic
growth. The recent challenges presented by COVID-19 and other
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disasters exacerbated an already dire economic landscape.
Regardless of these realities, as a country we have
tenaciously forged to move together in building a resilient
and development-oriented nation.
Chairperson, due to time constrains, we will focus on fewer
targets among others. This financial year we have proposed a
number of policy and legislative amendments in an effort to
seek efficiencies and cost effectiveness in the running of our
state-owned enterprises, the department itself and the sector.
On maritime safety, with a budget of R487 million, South
African Maritime Safety Agency, SAMSA, will continue to drive
the promotion and growth of the South African Ship Register.
We must inform the house that we now have eight convention
vessels under our register and intend to grow this register to
about 50 vessels and more in the near future.
One of the priority areas for SAMSA to deliver this year is to
facilitate the re-opening of bunker and ship to ship
operations in Algoa Bay, to facilitate transformation of the
sector, including opening up job creation opportunities for
South Africans.
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Chairperson, in line with its mandate of ensuring a seamless
movement of goods, services and people across the borders, In
Jan 2022, the Cross Border Roads Transport Agency, CBRTA,
launched an online permit application and permit issuance
system called “Cross Easy”. This system allows people to apply
and receive their permits from their respective offices and
homes, hon member of DA. This will be a major contributor to
the security of cargo moving across our borders whilst
ensuring that passenger carriers follow allocated routes. This
financial year the CBRTA has been allocated a budget of
R274 million.
Hon Chair, the Minister of Transport, hon Fikile Mbalula,
announced on 1 July 2021 that the Administrative Adjudication
of Road Traffic Offences, AARTO, roll out will be implemented
in four phases. Most of the activities in the implementation
project schedule are close to completion. However, some of the
outstanding activities have been put on hold pending the
appeal at the Constitutional Court.
For the current financial year, with a budget of R486 million,
Road Traffic Infringement Agency, RTIA will embark on AARTO
legislative training and awareness in all 44 districts with
the view to increase readiness, ensure access particularly in
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rural areas for the anticipated national rollout. They will
further, establish 37 AARTO Service Outlets and procure AARTO
mobile offices in all 9 provinces creating 98 job
opportunities.
Hon members, civil aviation remains one of the sectors worst
hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The International Air Transport
Association, IATA, indicated that the impact of COVID-19 in
2020 resulted in: 64% of the global fleet grounded, airports
revenue around the world dropped by 54,6% and South Africa was
not spared, however, IATA, has forecasted a potential overall
improvement on traveler numbers to reach 4 billion in 2024,
which exceeds pre-COVID-19 levels. Our aviation state-owned
entities are readying themselves for this recovery.
Hon Chairperson, South Africa through South African Civil
Aviation Authority, SACAA, will be audited on aviation
security compliance by the International Civil Aviation
Organization, ICAO in August this year. We were last audited
in 2011 and achieved 81,3%, hon member of EFF. And we hope to
improve our performance in the upcoming ICAO aviation
security, we likely to actually get 90%.
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As a country, we are doing very well in commercial aviation,
however, we are concerned about the increase in the number of
accidents in the general aviation and these are small
privately owned aircrafts. Stringent measures to curb these
accidents have been communicated to all aviation stakeholders.
However, while accidents are increasing in the general
aviation, the country has reduced the number of fatal
accidents by 25%. This is an achievement towards meeting the
Minister’s target of reducing aircraft accidents and
fatalities by 50% in the current strategy cycle.
For the Financial year, SACAA has been allocated a total
budget of R771 million. Chairperson, as part of the recovery
and reconstruction efforts in the current financial year,
ACSA’s focal area will be on strengthening its cargo and
logistics services with the main aim to diversify its revenue
generation through supporting development of aerotropolis.
While Air Traffic Navigation Services, ATNS, continues to
manage the satellite voice and data communication networks
covering, first South Africa and other 27 African countries.
The introduction of these networks or communications systems
have gone a long way in improving aviation safety over African
skies.
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Hon members, South Africa will bid for re-election in the IACO
Council at the 41st ICAO Elective Assembly scheduled to take
place in Montreal, Canada from 27 September this year to 7
October.
Hon members, on rail safety it is critical that we inform the
House that with a budget of R278 million the in the Rail
Safety Regulator, RSR, will commence with the development and
implementation of a digitised and an integrated Information
Management System, to meet the requirements set out in the
Railway Safety Regulator RSR Act, hon member of DA. RSR will
also focus on improving safety level in the reached areas as
well as level crossings.
Chairperson, with a modest budget of R42 million for the
2022-23 financial year, the Ports Regulator of South Africa
will continue to implement the Multi-Year Tariff Methodology
and Tariff Strategy to ensure that the pricing of both the
port infrastructure, and the services and facilities provided
in the eight commercial ports owned by the National Ports
Authority, NPA, are cost-reflective and where applicable,
adjusted for inflation for inflation.
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Hon members, for this financial year, we have prioritized
skills development and training in order to organically build
capabilities and capacity of the transport sector. We have
also continued to recruit young talent, especially women and
persons with disabilities either as interns or as new entrants
or even senior executives.
The total budget for training and skills development for the
year is R26,8 million. Of which R15,4 million, which is 57% is
for our University Bursary Programme, from where we are
funding 330 students per year who are studying various
transport qualifications at 13 South African tertiary
institutions, including universities. Some have graduated,
others are graduating even this year.
We also appeal to the private sector to partner and/or
collaborate with the department to ensure that our young
people find employment and improve the skills capacity of the
sector.
It is important to highlight that through-out the transport
sector we have ensured the implementation of a gender-
responsive budgeting approach. Such a commitment will ensure
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that we fight the scourge of Gender Base-Violence and Femicide
in the sector.
Hon members, as the transport sector, we were hard hit by
COVID-19 and we lost quite a number of our capable employees.
I must commend our national and provincial departments as well
as SOEs Employee Health and Wellness Units for heightening and
strengthening preventative measures and providing tremendous
psycho-social support to infected and affected employees and
their families. We extend our heartfelt condolences to all the
families of the fallen employees across the transport sector.
Chairperson, we committed ourselves to appoint the required
skills, experience and expertise, especially at senior and
executive levels.
To this end, we are proud to inform the House that we now have
five capable women Chief Executive Officers, CEOs, in our
twelve state-owned entities and of course, one Deputy
Director-General for Integrated Transport Planning, who also
is a woman. These women run the ATNS, ACSA, SACAA, Port
Regulator, and the RSR and of course the Real-time Transport
Protocol, RTP branch. We must commend our Minister and boards
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for responding so positively to the call to transform our
sector.
We have also appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Cross-
Border Road Transport Agency, C-BRTA. We are in the process of
boards appointments where board tenures are about to expire or
have vacancies.
As I conclude, I wish to, thank the Minister of Transport,
thank the MECs and the honourable members of the select
committee. And, also extend my appreciation to the acting
Director General, DG and the staff of the Department of
Transport, as well as the Chairs and CEOs of our state-owned
companies for their commitment, hard work and support.
We immensely appreciate the strategic contributions and
collaboration that exists between us and all our critical
stakeholders in the transport sector. Let’s us unite and grow
South Africa together. The future belongs to those who prepare
for it and build it today. Hon Chairperson Mr Brauteseth,
transport ... [Inaudible.] ... allocated 6% of the total
budget and I agree with you that it is an important sector,
but of course health, of course education, of course the
security of our people are equally important ... [Inaudible.]
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...balance. And for EFF you always reject so, will not be
surprised. I thank you very much. [Applause.]
Mr T S MTSHALI (KwaZulu-Natal): Chair, hon Minister, hon
Deputy Minister, members of the NCOP, please receive my warm
greetings. Hon Minister Mbalula, first and foremost, I am sure
you will appreciate that while we are facing serious
challenges, and serious problems in our country, we have
certain fellows who just come and want to engage on romantic
issues focusing on romantic poems, failing even to suggest to
you, hon Minister, any suggestions as part of the solutions.
That is why ...
IsiZulu:
... umasiqhuba thina, bona bafika ngokuzokhala. Zibambe
ziqine ngezandla zombili ...
English:
... hon Minister, while they continue to engage on romantic
issues, we are not here for romance. What is worse is that
they are even very far closer to the beauty that we could even
pay attention to. Allow me to rise and present a debate on the
Budget Vote having been tabled by the Minister. The budget
that has just been presented by the Minister of Transport
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indeed talks to and responds to the needs and the aspirations
of the people of this country, especially the people of
KwaZulu-Natal who recently were hit by heavy rains that caused
havoc in their province.
That being said, allow me hon Chair, to send our deepest
condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones
during these difficult times, and may God be with them as we
still are also praying for those that are still not yet been
found. We hope that in due course, as the research unit
continues to try all they can do to find them, they will be
found.
As the province of KwaZulu-Natal, we are pleased, hon
Minister, by the pronouncement you have made, but moreso, by
the commitments that are complimented by the timeframes on
when and how the work will be done. It is known that as the
Department of Transport, we are the hardest hit by the floods
of the recent months. These floods left the trail of
destruction to our road infrastructure. We must thank you hon
Minister for assigning a team of engineers to work with our
province in the process of repairing and reconstructing our
road infrastructure. Since day one, the team have been hard at
work, ensuring that the rebuilding of our province starts.
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We must indicate, hon Minister, that you have been on the
ground, and first-hand information has assisted you to be able
to respond appropriately. The assessments have been concluded
and the process for the damaged infrastructure has thus begun.
We have categorised our responses into short as well as the
medium and long-term priorities. The short-term priorities are
responses that had to ensure that we open all major access
roads to allow the economic flow but also to ensure that
people are able to go to work, and children are able to go to
school.
To successfully do that, we have to utilise our internal teams
through Vukayibambe Routine Maintenance Road Programme team to
assist by removing the debris and clear all the access roads.
On the other side, we have the SA National Roads Agency
Limited, Sanral, dealing with our national roads, in
particular, N2 south near Umgababa had to be closed after the
far left lane on the northern carriageway collapsed and
settled by over a meter and moved down the embankment.
As a result, the intervention of Sanral had shown great
results and this must be appreciated, hon Minister. While we
all thought we were done with the assessment, in particular on
12 May Minister, we woke up to a large sinkhole on the busy N3
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towards Durban, after a key rate interchange. I am happy
however, hon Minister, to announce to you that the sinkhole
has been fixed and the road reopened.
We believe that by the end of this week in particular, N2
Umgababa and Port Shepstone as well, will be reopened and our
people will be able to access it. It is important that we move
with speed in ensuring that all our key economic roads are
used for transportation of goods are open so that our province
can remain open for business to ensure economic recovery.
In total, the province had round about 169 projects which
include gravel road, tar and bridges that need an
intervention. That being said, as KwaZulu-Natal department of
transport, they have been able to submit 49 bridge sites to
the national Department of Public Works for consideration. Out
of that number, 18 bridges in particular, those that are on
site, have been assessed and approved for the implantation
within the financial budget of 2022-23. Nine bridge sites have
been assessed and the SA National Defence Force is currently
busy with the feasibility report. Once approved, they will be
added to the 18 for the implementation.
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The total of 22 bridge sites still requires assessment and
feasibility to be conducted by the SA National Defence Force
engineers. The assessment of this bridges sites should have
been concluded by the end of May. The total cost, which is
estimated for the recent damage in our province is sitting at
about R6,3 billion.
We once again extend our appreciation to His Excellency
President Cyril Ramaphosa for having declared this tragedy a
national disaster. This is very important as we seek to pick
up the pieces as it were, rebuilding and reconstructing our
province. We fully understand that enormity of work ahead of
us but we can assure this House that our teams are equal to
the task. We also appeal to our people that they be a little
bit patient with us as we are in this journey to restore hope
and return the people’s lives to normality.
As a Department of Transport, just on 5 May, the department
was able to adopt an allocated budget of R12,4 billion for the
financial year 2022-23. We are however aware that in order to
speedily respond to this tragedy, we need to reprioritise our
budget spending, and as a result we have made an amount of
R2,6 billion for the floods repairs. This then seeks to say
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that we are not going to wait for the national department but
we will start the work as we go along.
As a Department of Transport in KwaZulu-Natal, we have always
found ourselves following from behind due to the incline
weather conditions in our province. This will be noted as
well, because since 2019 we had severe rainfalls and as a
result many roads and bridges were washed away. In December
last year, we had a similar situation and again in January we
had floods that affected many areas of our province. Some of
these roads and bridges that were damaged were still in the
process of getting them repaired. Now that we had these recent
floods it really has made the situation even worse.
As a matter of fact, the transportation sector should start
looking at the impact of climate change in our sector so that
we can find futuristic solutions that will also change the way
that we build our infrastructure. But as it may, we are
however determined and we shall prosper. The whole country has
been with us and they provided us with humanitarian relieve
during our time of need and they continue to do so, and we
thank them. Let me quote what former President Samora Machel
once said: “Solidarity is not an act of charity, but mutual
aid between forces fighting for the same objective.”
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As I conclude, let us made a clarion call to our people that
we were with you during the difficult times, we cross all the
rivers, we have seen the roads that are affected and we are
still working with you. It is a journey that we are going to
be working with you in repair and reconstruction so that we
get things back to where they were. We thank the national
government by ensuring that they work with us during this
difficult time. Those that will speak against the progress
made by the ANC-led government, we know ... [Interjections.]
Yes, as I learned hon Chair, we must say that we are a
government at work. We do confirm and commit to a better
tomorrow than we are today ad we will walk this journey with
you so that we ensure that the province of KwaZulu-Natal gets
to be reconstructed and our roads are in a good condition
again. I thank you, hon Chairperson.
Ms M M LERULE-RAMAKHANYA (Limpopo): Thank you Chairperson, hon
A M Masondo, to the hon Minister, hon Fikile Mbalula, to the
Deputy Minister, hon Sindisiwe Chikunga, to the Chairperson of
the Portfolio Committee on Transport, hon Zwane, to the select
committee chairperson and also to the hon members of the
House, my colleagues, MEC in attendance and all of us who are
doing presentations and also the fellow South Africans.
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Tshivenda:
Ndi masiari.
English:
Chairperson, we have made a commitment to our people that we
will strive for the provision of safer transport to ensure
that even the less fortunate and underprivileged members of
society have access to social amenities and economic
activities.
Transport remains the economic backbone of the country without
which the country would not be able to progress well. It is
therefore, imperative that we appreciate the good work and the
realisation of commitments made in the past financial year and
the current budget by the hon Minister.
Hon Chair, I would want to take this opportunity to encourage
the hon members of the committee to keep records when they do
site visit to all the provinces. They need to record the
changes that the department is doing as my other colleagues
has already said, MECs from the other provinces not only to
rely on motions coming from one ward or from their own
village. Twenty-eight years later we see change and
transformation in the transport industry.
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The Department of Transport continues to strive under very
difficult conditions brought by Covid-19 in 2020. The pandemic
has led to sharp decline of revenue in various sectors,
including transport itself. The budget for the financial year
presented by both the hon Minister and the Deputy Minister
signals the intend for a speedy economic recovery and the will
to continue providing better services and creation of jobs to
our people. This is one department, Chairperson, led by a
result-driven Minister. It is with no doubt that the promises
and the projection presented will not just be in paper but
tangible programmes that will change and transform the lives
of millions and benefit the economy of our country.
In Limpopo, we have already witnessed the infrastructure and
the jobs created by the budget that have been read and which
have been previously allocated.
Chairperson, it is encouraging to see the reduction of the
road carnage by 20% in the first quarter of this year. It was
also highlighted that the reduction could be attributed to low
traffic volumes due to traveling restrictions imposed
following the declaration of the state of disaster.
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I partially agree that the restriction had an impact but I
want to attribute the success to our law enforcement agencies
and officials as well.
Chairperson, the long Easter weekend has taught us that with
proper planning we shall not fail. You will know that Limpopo
is listed amongst the top three provinces with the highest
number of fatal crashes in the country. But we have managed to
reduce the fatal rate. Drastically, the number of vehicles
that passed through the toll gates to the province suggested
that we have more vehicles despite the absence of the Moria
Easter Church Conference.
The present of law enforcement and their visibility in all our
roads, we thank the Minister and the Road Traffic Management
Corporation, RTM, for the deployment. The trucks that they
have given to the province, which are helping us on testing
our road worthiness of all the vehicles either way in our
local municipality roads and also during roadblocks is also
contributing so much to the reduction of accidents that we
have in our own roads.
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So, on behalf of Limpopo, we welcome the budget because it is
strengthening the law enforcement agencies and the planning
that makes us look better.
Chairperson, I am delighted that there is a process in place
to classify traffic policing as a 24 hour seven-day job where
Limpopo province has received green lights for the department
and the respective councils to budget and implement
accordingly. I am saying this precisely because of what we
experienced on weekends. Most of the fatal accidents are
reported in the late hours on weekends when there are few
officers on duty.
Chairperson, we attend this session disappointed by the young
person who is 25-years-old who was arrested yesterday at
Mookgophong on the N1 doing 234 kilometers per hour. And this
shows that the budget that has been presented here if we
strengthen our law enforcement it will help us to reduce such
behavior on our roads.
With proper planning and co-ordination there is no doubt that
our goal of reducing the carnage on our roads by 25% will be
reached.
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The budget as articulated will focus mainly on the
infrastructure, which assures us that transportation of goods
will be done on time and safe jobs and infrastructure that
confirms safety for public transport users and to assist with
ourselves to suppress the numbers.
Chairperson, air travel and air transportation where the
planes accidents has gone down by 25% making it the safest
mode of transportation. There is a need for other provinces
like Limpopo and others to push on marketing and using air
travel to their provinces. The investment of resources and
allocation of adequate budget is key for the realisation of
the said targets.
Chairperson, it is encouraging to see the persistent care and
attention given to our public transport operators. Millions of
our people rely on public transport to commute from their
homes to respective places of work and it is only through
subsidised public transport that they can afford.
The will and passion towards public transport as a very
important stakeholder is slowly but surely changing the
attitude of how we engage with the operators.
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I must commend the Taxi Maputla Programmes undertaken for the
past two years ago to profesionalise, regulate and transform
the industry.
We are reporting very few incidents and accidents involving
public transport operators since the programme and the
industry is showing signs of adjusting.
Hon Chairperson, the allocation of the R76 billion to the SA
National Roads Agency SOC Limited, Sanral, would surely be
widely applauded looking at the state of our roads in the
country and also at our own roads in Limpopo.
Many parts of our province and our country are affected by
rains that leaves most of our roads in a very bad state. We
owe it to our people to move with speed and maintain the road
network as a way of revitalisation of our own economy.
The Sixth Administration under the leadership of President
Cyril Ramaphosa has invested heavily on infrastructure and we
owe it to our people to ensure that we have maintenance plan
to keep our roads safe. And we applaud the Sanral budget
because it focused on the major routes that connect provinces
and to neighboring countries. It is reassuring that the
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department is concern about the situation at the local spheres
where municipalities are struggling to complete projects and
fix potholes.
It is evident, Chairperson, that the allocated grants to the
province and the local spheres is not adequate to deal with
the challenges that our people face daily.
Limpopo is strategically located as a connecting province to
the region and other countries. So, the railway network budget
and programme is critical.
As we deal with the sabotage railway network, we note that a
transportation of people remains the core but transportation
of goods within and outside our borders by our railway network
remains critical for the economic activities within the
region.
A lot has been said about the railway. I know the Minister is
very passionate about the railway services and your efforts,
hon Minister, is evident that you want to resuscitate the
railway as a very critical and important mode of transport.
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Our people in the townships are struggling to access economic
activities without the trains and I believe you would be able
to restore the services in all the affected area.
Chairperson, in conclusion, on behalf of Limpopo we support
the budget as it has been articulated by the hon Minister and
the Deputy Minister. And we take this opportunity to thanks
the department and the RTMC for the support and the programmes
that we share between ourselves as a province and the national
department. We hope that this budget will be able to go and
serve the people of South Africa. And we are hoping, hon
Chair, that we are not going to have any court case contesting
this budget in court because that in itself deter or delay the
support or the services that we are able to give to the people
of South Africa.
On behalf of Limpopo, we support the budget. Thank you very
much. [Applause.]
Mr S F DU TOIT: Hon Chair, I’m glad that MEC Mamabolo of
Gauteng is on this platform. The MEC hon Faith Mazibuko took
part in an NCOP discussion on the Zoom platform on
7 September 2021, where the traffic light infrastructure at
the N12-R558 intersection, that is Soweto-Lenasia, was
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discussed. That infrastructure has been broken for years. I
also contacted MEC Mamabolo’s office on numerous occasions,
without reaction. The national traffic is affected in his
province and crime is rampant as a result thereof. When will
that infrastructure be repaired, MEC?
Afrikaans:
Uitdagings waarmee ons egter te maak het is die feit dat die
vervoerstelsel in Suid-Afrika in so ’n mate verval het dat
oorbelading van sekere sektore plaasvind en die verval van
hierdie kritiese infrastruktuur burgers duur te staan kom. Die
politieke wil ontbreek om dit reg te stel.
Met verwysing na die padinfrastruktuur in die
Noordwesprovinsie, was daar tydens ’n onlangse NRVP
provinsiale week na beplande instandhouding en infrastruktuur
hervestiging verwys, wat daarop neergekom het dat ’n 10-jaar
plan om die Noordwes se paaie op standaard te bring voorgelê
is. Die ironie is dat die huidige begroting nie eers
voorsiening maak vir die volledige eerste jaar se beplande
volledige koste nie, wat nog te sê die nege daaropvolgende
jare.
English:
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The Automobile Association confirmed in March 2022 in a
newsletter that poor road infrastructure is contributing to
South Africa’s poor road safety levels and must be addressed
urgently if meaningful strides to the country’s horrendous
road safety record are to be made. The association says:
If targets to reduce road fatalities in South Africa are to
be met — such as halving the number of road deaths in the
country by 2030 — urgent attention must be paid to road and
municipal infrastructure, or these targets will remain
unattainable.
Afrikaans:
Die VF Plus verwelkom die feit dat befondsing vir hierdie
begroting beskikbaar gestel is om na beide nasionale asook
provinsiale padinfrastruktuur om te sien. Dit is egter die
spandering en die aanwending van hierdie fondse wat
kommerwekkend is.
Die begroting skiet egter tekort, aangesien dit ’n bewese feit
is dat tenders, in die meeste gevalle waar swart ekonomies-
bemagtigde kontrakteurs betrokke is, teen verhoogde tariewe
toegeken word, wat daartoe lei dat oorspandering op projekte
plaasvind.
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Dit is ’n bewese feit dat die afwesigheid van
spoorinfrastruktuur en algemene treindienste die resultaat van
die regering se oksiderende uitwerking op hierdie land is. Die
kultuur van verwoesting, wetteloosheid, diefstal en plunder
het ons spoorinfrastruktuur, of eerder die tekort daaraan ...
waar ons vandag is.
English:
Even National Treasury mentioned in their supporting documents
of this Vote that the Passenger Rail Agency struggled for many
years to roll out its modernisation programme, which was meant
to improve the reliability of services and increase the number
of passengers. National Treasury went further to state:
The recent appointment of a permanent board for the
Passenger Rail Agency of SA is expected to lead to the
intensified implementation of its modernisation programme.
In other words, the reason for the department failing in so
many instances up to now, as well as in so many other
departments, was wrong human capital at the helm — cadre
deployment. It cost the department and the country millions.
Afrikaans:
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Dit voel met tye of hierdie perd al holrug gery is, maar dit
bly ’n realiteit.
English:
The wrong jockey is on the horse. With cadres making the rules
and spending money in this department, opportunities will be
lost, solutions will be few and success even less.
Afrikaans:
Dankie, Adjunkvoorsitter.
Ms M LATCHMINARAIN (Mpumalanga): Hon Chairperson Mr Masondo,
Hon Deputy Chairperson Ms Sylvia Lucas, Hon Minister of
Transport Mr Fikile Mbalula, Deputy Minister, hon members of
the NCOP, special delegates, ladies and gentlemen, good
afternoon. Hon Chairperson, let us appreciate the opportunity
to participate in this policy debate on the Transport budget.
Transport challenges can never be discussed in isolation from
road infrastructure, and I will articulate reasons for my view
as I make my presentation.
Mpumalanga has a road network size of approximately
13,837 kilometres across all three districts, of which
5,474 kilometres is paved and 8,363 kilometres is unpaved. The
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five worst condition ratings recorded during 2019 are
roughness, binder condition, failures or potholes, crocodile
cracks and unpaved shoulders.
The visual condition index, VCI, of the coal road network in
the province decreased from 64% in 2018 to 63% in 2019. The
VCI of the noncoal haul provincial roads remained at 60% in
2019. Though the percentage of poor to very poor roads has
decreased by approximately 3% since 2018, the current
percentage of poor to very poor roads is 29%, indicating a
high maintenance and rehabilitation need.
Three per cent of provincial paved roads are very poor,
requiring expensive rehabilitation interventions. A further
26% of provincial paved roads are poor, requiring immediate
intervention to prevent further deterioration. Thirty-seven
per cent of provincial paved roads are fair, indicating a high
need for preventive maintenance interventions such as reseals.
If these roads are resealed, further deterioration associated
with expensive future rehabilitation costs can be postponed.
The recommended poor to very poor proportion of the paved road
network is 10% or less. The provincial road network at 29% far
exceeds the 10%, highlighting the huge maintenance backlog.
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The department is still struggling to meet the current road
infrastructure maintenance demand in the province. This is
primarily due to the following: The reduced equitable share
funding allocation; the withdrawal of the coal haulage fund;
an ageing paved road network; and the deteriorating road
conditions which far exceed the rate at which maintenance is
undertaken.
Mpumalanga primarily depends on the following funding sources,
which over the years have assisted in sustaining and improving
the network:
Firstly, is the coal haulage fund. The goal of the coal
haulage road rehabilitation and repair programme was to
rehabilitate the then failing coal road network, and
adequately maintain the network in order to sustain reliable
coal supply to Eskom power stations in the province. In the
process the following objectives were achieved:
Improving the condition of coal roads and transportation
service levels;
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Maintaining the coal road network on an ongoing basis to
ensure sustainable and reliable coal supplies to power
stations;
Reducing vehicle operation costs; and
Improving the safety of the coal road network for all users.
Secondly, is the Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant. This
funding is to supplement provinces’ budgets for roads
infrastructure maintenance. Currently, it provides more than
70% of the funding; and
Thirdly, is the equitable share. This funding is raised from
the equitable division of revenue raised nationally amongst
the three spheres of government.
Mpumalanga’s public infrastructure and roads in particular
suffered immense damages caused by tropical cyclone Eloise
and the heavy downfall in the beginning of 2021.
Since the withdrawal of this fund, we have experienced an
enormous increase in road accidents and fatalities, as well
as our public transport operators joining protests against
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government due to the damage and continuous repair of their
vehicles.
Subsequent heavy rains were experienced towards the end of
2021 and early 2022. The damages were further exacerbated by
the continued low investment in maintenance activities, that
is our preventative and routine maintenance.
Although we have commenced with some key capital projects in
areas such as Nkomazi, Chief Albert Luthuli and
Bushbuckridge, this will not be enough to build a reliable
and good transport infrastructure.
The province has strategic routes which support the
province’s interprovincial and regional economic activities.
These include the following:
Firstly, are the coal haulage routes. These routes provide
access between coal mines and Eskom power stations. There are
four capital projects currently under construction that fall
under the coal haulage road network, that is the
rehabilitation of road P36/1 between the N12 and Delmas; the
upgrading of road D2274; the rehabilitation of road P29/1
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between Kendal and Delmas; and road P182/1 which is north of
Hendrina; and
Secondly, are our tourism routes. These are key routes which
provide access to tourism destinations and corridors. There
are four projects which are currently under construction on
our tourism routes. They are the rehabilitation of road D3930
from Acornhoek towards Hluvukani; the rehabilitation and
maintenance of road P170/1 from Graskop; and the
rehabilitation of road P8/1, phase 3 between Bambi and
Mashishing.
As I conclude, there are also safety improvement projects on
some tourism roads which are under construction. These are
the repair of a sinkhole on road P9/1 between Sabie and
Graskop; and slip failure repairs on roads D1043 and P57/1.
Our communities have become intolerant to unresolved service-
delivery challenges, and as we debate this policy budget, we
need to ask ourselves what legacy do we want to give to our
communities and what impedes us from improving the conditions
of our roads. As we gradually approach the national general
elections, voters will be merciful ... less to
nonperformance. I will close with a quote from an unknown
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author which says, great leaders possess special attributes
that distinguishes them from others. In their acumen, they
are highly conscious about the ... [Inaudible.] ... their
environment in order to serve the masses and understand the
direction that they are going.
Hon Chairperson, Mpumalanga supports the Budget Vote as
tabled by the hon Minister. I thank you.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: Hon Deputy Chair, hon Minister, at a meeting
held on 3 May 2022 regarding the state of our provincial,
secondary and tertiary roads, you stated that these roads are
of concern to you and that the department’s approach to
service delivery needs to change.
This Minister is absolutely true, and I trust that these
remarks will be put into action as we can no longer sit back
and allow the already heavily burdened tax payer to pay the
price through the loss of lives, injuries and damaged
vehicles, mainly due to the conditions of our roads. One life
lost, is one life too many.
There are various factors contributing to the state of our
roads. One such is the fact that the rail infrastructure has
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all but collapsed which has led to the majority of companies
having to resort to the transportation of goods by road. This
in itself is not only an expensive method of transportation
for the business owner, but these vehicles place an extreme
burden on the road network as the majority of the roads are
not built to carry these loads.
Minister, it is therefore imperative that you, as a matter of
urgency engage with National Treasury to assist in providing
even more funds for the maintenance and/or rehabilitation of
all roads under your jurisdiction but more especially the
rural roads, keeping in mind not to usurp any constitutionally
defined powers of the province or the local municipalities.
One only has to look at Mpumalanga, the province where I come
... [Interjection.]
Ms L C BEBEE: Order Chairperson.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: Sorry, the province where I come from to see
the impact heavy vehicles transporting platinum, ore, and coal
to Mozambique...
Ms L C BEBEE: Order Chairperson, point of order.
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Mr M NHANHA: Ai Mamu Bebee you are disturbing mani! Just keep
quiet you are disturbing Mamu Bebee.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: ..., Richards Bay and Durban Harbour have on
our roads [Interjection.]
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Boshoff, just one
moment please. Is there a call for order? Who is calling for
order? Can we allow hon Boshoff to continue?
Ms L C BEBEE: You must switch on your video.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: A video, it’s fine, thank
we will sustain that order. Thank you very much. I am sorry
hon Boshoff, it is requested, members must put on videos
because, usually even if it’s not directly broadcast, it is
recorded for later broadcast. So, I am sorry for that, we will
give you one more minute and you may continue.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: Hon Deputy Chair, my video is on.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: It’s just that we don’t
see you.
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Ms H S BOSHOFF: My video is on.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: If you have a problem, you
may continue. Thank you.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: Thank you very much. Hon Minister, speaking of
the Mpumalanga roads. In Mpumalanga, we do not need road
signs, you have to follow the potholes to get to the towns
that you wish to visit.
I want to bring to your attention as well is that the tourism
sector has been hit very hard, as many bus and tour operators
refuse to travel the rural roads as they do not want to put
their passengers lives at risk. This has had an impact on the
informal traders, the tourism businesses and they need every
cent to survive.
As you know Minister, the state of any roads are crucial in
securing feasible investments and ensuring economic growth. No
sane investor will invest in an area where the first “port of
entry” is in a state of disrepair and unfortunately the
majority of secondary roads in the country have contributed to
businesses closing down and jobs being shed.
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Minister, you hold the power in your two hands, and I implore
you to use it to show the citizens of this country you care by
fixing not only our roads, but our transport system as well.
Speakers today have applauded you for the extra budget for the
Moloto Corridor. However, hon Minister, what you did not say
is that the National Treasury, tabled the statement that says
the rail part of this project will be discontinued, and to
rather focus on the widening the road. Whilst this project is
underway, commuters making use of bus the transport to get to
work and back, are subjected to the poor service delivery
given to them by the Putco Bus Company.
Hon Chair, this decision does not make sense as the President
in his state of the nation address in February stated that
this project is receiving the attention it deserves with the
necessary budgetary requirements. Now, the community have to
hear that the project has been abandoned. The rail project I
am referring to after millions has been spent on a feasibility
report. The disappointment of the KwaMhlanga Community knows
no bounds, and once again they have been let down by
government. It is evident the lives and livelihoods of this
community are not taken seriously by [Interjection.] the
ruling party.
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The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: As you conclude hon
member.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: Thank you Deputy Chair. Minister, take note,
2024 is around the corner and these elections will bring about
the change this country needs.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Thank you very, hon
Boshoff, I gave you two more minutes and you are still
continuing as you conclude. Thank you [Interjection.]
Ms H S BOSHOFF: Thank you, hon Deputy Chair and I was
interjected and I still have 35 seconds left on my clock.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: I gave you two more
minutes.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: [Inaudible.] ...myself...
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Boshoff, I hope you
have now concluded. Hon Hadebe is now your turn.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: I have not concluded ... [Inaudible.] ...
myself and I ...
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The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Boshoff, you time has
expired.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: [Inaudible.] ... 55 seconds ...
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Boshoff, if you have a
problem, you can take it up, but you time has expired. Can we
please respect the presiding overseer, please? Please? We will
continue and we will call now hon Hadebe to continue with the
debate.
Ms H S BOSHOFF: If we respect the presiding officer; so you
must respect the speaker as well.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Boshoff, can you
please respect the presiding officer. You may continue hon
member.
Mr N M HADEBE: Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister, hon Deputy
Minister, hon members, this department has been tasked with
the importance of ensuring the safety of every South African.
Transporting South Africa has an effect on the users and non
users of various networks. It is an enabler of economic access
and the freedom of movement for the people of this country.
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This department has severe shortcomings with regards to its
management and performance of its entities. We are
consistently seeing these entities engulfed with
irregularities costing billions of rands. The cancelling of
projects where there are irregularities is welcomed. But these
entities need to become more proficient in their approval of
projects, as they cost the people of the country when there’s
no development.
The development and implementation of many projects are seen
and for good course by people as an enabler in the hope for
the better environment through job accessing and economic
growth.
We have also not forgotten the millions of rands in salaries
that goes to employees that are being in Passenger Rail Agency
of South Africa, PRASA. An entity riddled with problems of
financial security, underdevelopment and the security of our
rail networks.
Unfortunately, this department is really failing to deliver on
its mandate. We are all currently observing the poor states of
our roads, the poor maintenance and overall of lack
development.
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Before there was flooding in KwaZulu-Natal, KZN, there was
severe existing road infrastructure shortcomings, to say the
least. In the Ladysmith area of KZN and from Bergville Town
towards Qwaqwa the roads are in need of urgent maintenance.
This causes problems for the local communities as these areas
rely on rural tourism. Where if people are unable to make use
of the roads. The local people of the area suffer due to loss
of income.
Additionally, these areas are suffering as a result of water
shortages and rely on water tankers. The roads need to be
accessible enough so that local communities are able to get
tankers to service their needs.
We support the committee’s call for this department to provide
a comprehensive national, provincial and municipal account of
all road maintenance and expenditure. They must also submit a
three months’ focus on road maintenance that will be
completed.
This department needs to work closer with the Department of
Education in upgrading and setting standards of scholar
transport in order to priorities the safety and reliability of
our youth. We have seen major issues with the current models,
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that exist and learners are the ones that are suffering. With
abovementioned being said hon Deputy Chairperson, I wish to
state that the IFP rejects the budget. I thank you.
Cllr D De VOS (Salga): Hon Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Deputy
Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Minister of Transport, hon Deputy
Minister of Transport, hon Chief Whip of the NCOP, hon House
Chairpersons, hon permanent delegates and hon special
delegates, SA Local Government Association, Salga, has
recently elected new leadership that will represent local
government over the next five years. This leadership is
acutely aware of difficulties in service delivery.
One of the key areas of delivery is transport. The complexity
of service delivery in the way the Constitution has divided
transport functions amongst the three spheres of government
requires all of us to collaborate well in delivering
transportation effectively and efficiently to our people. The
Constitution enjoins both national and provincial government
to assist municipalities with capacity. The National Land
Transport Act further entrenches this view. We are happy that
the Minister acknowledges this and commits to ensuring that
the right capacity is built.
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In supporting this assertion, we call upon the Minister to
work with us in ensuring that we all collaborate in building
this capacity at the local level as well. Working together
through the District Development Model will be particularly
helpful. Another useful starting point would be to ensure that
the division of revenue amongst the three spheres is
commensurate with the division of responsibilities amongst the
three spheres. The new leadership of the SA Local Government
Association, Salga, acknowledges the role that transport plays
as both an economic catalyst and support for service delivery.
There are a few matters that the SA Local Government
Association national conference held in March 2022 raised
regarding the transport sector, and I would like to highlight
the following: Firstly, the distribution of funding for roads
is skewed towards national roads. The national roads agency is
responsible for 3% of the network but receives 33,5% of the
department’s budget and 65,5% of the road transport programme;
the President of the Republic in his state of the nation
address highlighted the need for resurfacing rural roads. We
anticipated that the Ministry of Transport would then allocate
dedicated conditional grant for surfacing of rural roads;
municipal roads are excluded in the dedicated roads
maintenance grant; we note the impending possible devolution
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of bus subsidised contracts to municipalities when the service
is underfunded and there is an extensive part of the road
network that remains not proclaimed and unclassified.
As the name reflects, the Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant
includes only provincial roads while the extensive network of
municipal roads especially in our rural areas struggle with
maintenance. Municipalities have authority over most of the
road network. Most of the roads that are used for commuting
purposes are local roads. These roads are not being maintained
because municipalities do not have capacity and are not
assisted to have capacity through such conditional grants.
However, the Minister acknowledges that not only provincial
roads have deteriorated but municipal roads as well.
There is no direct expression of including municipal roads
under the Provincial Roads Maintenance Grant. The Minister’s
speech did not refer to inclusion of municipalities in the
proposed central roads data repository. However, the SA Local
Government Association acknowledges and appreciates the
assistance that municipalities receive through the
department’s rural roads asset management system programme.
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Within the total road network of over 750 000kms, 131 000kms
is unproclaimed roads which means these roads do not belong to
any specific road’s authority. They are commonly referred to
as “orphaned” roads. The public expectations are that
municipalities must maintain these roads even though they are
“orphaned”.
The SA Local Government Association understands that the
unproclaimed roads challenge hindered the efforts for
rehabilitating infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal after the
recent floods. The SA Local Government Association urges the
Department of Transport to resolve this as a matter of
urgency. The SA Local Government Association is also aware
about the intentions of the Department of Transport to devolve
the subsidised bus contracts to local government. This comes
on the back of the Public Protector’s ruling on the interim
contracts and the recent High Court ruling in Gauteng. Should
the decision to proceed with the devolution, the funding must
follow the function otherwise municipalities will not be able
to deliver the function.
The SA Local Government Association also urges the Department
of Transport to find practical expression to the President’s
ambition of surfacing rural roads that can function as
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economic catalysts in many rural areas. The SA Local
Government Association also appreciates the department’s
willingness to work with municipalities that have been
suspended from the Public Transport Network Grant. Finally,
hon Chairperson, the Budget is an indispensable tool by which
the aspirations of our constituency are realised. We trust
that the Minister of Transport will heed our request. We
remain available to work with the Ministry and the department
in navigating these complexities associated with providing
efficient mobility for our people. I thank you, hon
Chairperson.
Mr J J LONDT: Thank you, hon Deputy Chairperson, hon Minister
and hon members ...
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: ... long time!
Mr J J LONDT: Can you hear me?
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: We can hear you. It’s long
that we haven’t seen you ... [Laughter.] ...
Mr J J LONDT: ... [Inaudible.] ... Firstly, before I start the
speech proper, Cllr De Vos, I quickly had to google you to see
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where you are from. I wanted to start off by congratulating
you, as I drove through Graaff-Reinet last week, on how
beautifully cleaned the town is. But then I actually read out
further and I saw you actually lost the municipality of that.
You were the mayor and you got rewarded the district
mayoralship. Unfortunately, yesterday a coalition of
corruption put the ANC back in power but I’m sure that will
not last long as they say that there’s no honor amongst
thieves.
Nevertheless, to get to the speech proper, believe it or not,
I will start off this ... [Inaudible.] ... by linking up with
the hon Apleni, because we cannot deny that one of the worst
legacies left by the pre-94 governments is the spatial
development planning. With those lucky enough still to have a
job, having to spend a disproportionate amount of their time
of the income and their time having to commute between places
of work and home. It should have been a responsibility of a
caring government to help address this. This doesn’t even
speak to the hours and hours that loved ones lose out on
quality family time because of a failing public transport
system that forces more and more people on ever congested
roads.
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Hon Tikana-Gxothiwe and hon Dangor, I just realised something
and in realising this, I do have a little bit of sympathy for
you when you sit as an ANC caucus trying to figure out how to
defend the incompetence of your own government in addressing
these terrible legacies of apartheid. You just run out of
ideas to defend anything. But then, lo and behold, what
happens you find natural disasters that you can blame, whether
that’s COVID-19 whether that’s flood, or anything else that
happens. I’ve got a story for you, and it might be news.
COVID-19 and natural disasters happen across the world, yet
it’s only here that it’s such a high rate our government
steals the money that should go to these affected areas and
life of cadres.
Hon Mamabolo, two points in your speech. Firstly, if you think
the citizens of Gauteng are impressed with your performance,
you will get a rude awakening come June 2024 when you cannot
use your very important person, VIP, drivers in traffic and
you must navigate your way to work the same way as ordinary
citizens to take up your seat on the opposition benches.
Secondly, I am indeed a doubting Thomas and a denialist when
you refer to Minister Mbalula as a youth. Hon Dangor, there is
however one thing that you said that made me sit up; one, that
the select committee will hold the department accountable,
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that is commendable, and I will hold you to that as well, hon
Dangor; the second thing that you said was that the theft of
rail infrastructure should be treason.
I am more than happy that we as legislators in the NCOP take
hands across the aisle to do something about that. However, I
have got a novel idea that maybe you might buy into as well.
Let us not stop there. What about we say the theft of public
resources by those in positions of power should be treason.
Those entrusted with upholding and protecting the
Constitution, the country and the citizens we serve, should be
dealt with even more severely when they transgress? I suspect
when it comes to that and you have to hold your colleagues
accountable, you would not want to do that.
On the department’s website, it proudly proclaims; “transport
the heartbeat of economic growth and social development.” If
we do go with this saying, the department claims to be the
heart of our economic life. If we look at the increased
unemployment, the rise in the cost of living, the stagnant
economy, it is clear that there is something wrong with this
heart. The COVID-19 pandemic made everybody, or most people,
much more than I expected we had, medical experts, but, for
those that do not claim to know everything, the term “code
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blue” is a hospital emergency code used to describe the
critical status of a patient.
Hospital staff may call a code blue if a patient goes into
cardiac arrest - that is, if the heart is not working - as
respiratory issues or experience any other medical
emergencies. We are experiencing a medical emergency with our
economic heart that is not pumping enough blood through our
broken railway veins, our potholed-riddled veins with our
arteries being clogged by fat. Well, by fat as of fat cats
that ... [Inaudible.] ... black, yellow and green. Hon
Minister fix it, or Minister fear – I’ll use the word –
nothing, let me give you a prediction. The country will call a
code blue during the next election and get rid of you and your
party because despite the blustering, you are in fact,
Minister fix fokol. Thank you.
Ms M L MAMAREGANE: Speaker, the Budget Policy Vote is
occurring within the context of low economic growth and high
unemployment. In order to address the issue of low economic
growth and high unemployment, the ANC government introduced
the Economic Reconstruction and Development Plan in
consultation with its social partners, namely, business and
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labour at National Economic Development and Labour Council,
Nedlac.
A critical part of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery
Plan is infrastructure development. A critical part of
infrastructure development is the restoration and development
of transport infrastructure as this will in turn positively
support inclusive economic ... Am I audible, Deputy
Chairperson of the NCOP?
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms S Lucas): You are
audible. You just have a problem of your connectivity. So, I
think you can hear me. You can continue.
Ms M L MAMAREGANE: Okay, thanks, hon Deputy Chairperson of the
NCOP. In the state of the nation address, President Ramaphosa’
spoke to four critical areas in the transport sector, which
require attention and will form part of the government’s
programme to enhance the transport sector and these are:
Rehabilitating the passenger rail network in 10 priority
corridors; using Infrastructure Fund to invest in transport;
implementing the rural roads programme through using labour
intensive methods to construct or upgrade 635 kilometres of
rural roads over three years; and introducing measures to curb
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the theft of scrap metal or cable on the country’s
infrastructure, including trains.
Our focus, Deputy Chairperson, in this Budget Policy Vote is
on developing the transport sector as a key economic driver
for ensuring economic development and growth. This is to
enable job creation directly in the transport sector and
growth. This is to enable job creation directly in the
transport sector and indirectly through servicing other
important sectors of the economy. This requires the
development and maintenance of the infrastructure of the
transport industry to serve the vast majority of the people in
the country.
The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms S Lucas): Mamaregane,
if you can switch off the video your audio might improve.
You can continue but just switch off the video.
Ms M L MAMAREGANE: Hon Deputy Chairperson, I was just saying
public transport has been dominated in all provinces by buses,
taxis and rail. Most working class people utilise more than
one mode of transport or utilise the same mode more than once
to get to work on time. Our people from working class
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communities spend much time travelling to and from work to the
detriment of family life. Students from working class
communities also face a similar plight. This means that it is
important that as part of the development of the public
transport network that it becomes integrated and efficient.
Deputy Chairperson, part of the department’s priorities for
this financial year in terms of the Medium-Term Strategic
Framework is safety and security as an enabler of service
delivery and public transport that enables social emancipation
and an economy that works. This in turn is linked to the
programmes of the Department of Transport in terms Integrated
Transport Planning, Rail Transport, Road Transport and Public
Transport. All these programmes directly and indirectly should
impact on creating an integrated an efficient public transport
sector in the provinces which for commuters should be at the
cheapest possible price.
In terms of public transport by road economies of scale is
required for the cheapest cost to the commuters to become a
reality. This will also enable less traffic on the roads
especially during peak hours.
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The taxi industry plays an important role in the public
transport system as it transports the bulk of the commuters in
most parts of the country. Taxi violence and protests is still
a matter of concern and issues which give rise such protests
need to find forums which enable the resolution of issues
which give rise to conflict.
Hon Deputy Chairperson, the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, system
needs to be extended to more cities. In the 2020-21 financial
year the grant was reduced from 13 cities to 10. It is
important that the National and Provincial Department of
Transport ensure that more cities are prepared to introduce
the BRT system and improve public transport. Institutional
capacity and capability requires to be developed in the
different cities to ensure that the BRT programme can be
extended. It cannot be that institutional capacity cannot be
developed in the provinces for the extension of the programme.
This will enable more cities to receive the PTNG grant. It is
positive to note the extension of hours for the BRT has been
extended due to demand. Deputy Chairperson, this is a sign
that the public transport system is moving in the right
direction.
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Hon Deputy Chairperson, a number of regulatory entities are
being created by the department and these entities play a
critical role to ensure that functioning of the different
components of the transport sector. It is critical that the
Economic Regulator needs to create a competitive environment
which ensures that costs in the transport sector are able to
ensure cheapest possible costs to the end user. The same must
apply to the Port Regulator as this will ensure that state
entities in the sector need to operate efficiently and be
dependent on market volume handled rather than a reliance on
regulatory margins to meet their revenue requirement.
Governance issues are important in all entities reporting to
the department and all board positions need to be filled.
Senior management positions must also be filled to enable
financial control and accountability of the entities. The
implementation of the programmes of the entities is critical
as deliverable outcomes are important to the functioning of
the transport sector.
The transport sector has regulatory authorities dealing with
safety such as the Rail Safety regulator and Civil Aviation
authority. The country has ...
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The DEPUTY CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP (Ms S Lucas): Is hon
Mamaregane, still on platform? Can we just hear from the
Table? Can you still observe her? I don’t want to continue and
after that she come back because she didn’t hear us. It
usually happens. It seems as if she is no longer in the
platform and the platform kicked her out. Let us continue and
request the hon Minister to conclude the debate.
The MINISTER OF TRANSPORT: Chairperson, let me first thank hon
members for their valuable input in terms of our budget.
The collapse of the rail infrastructure is a well-known well-
stated reality and it affects both passenger and freight and
logistics. And our answer to that is the rail policy that we
have just made public.
The rail policy is going to intervene in terms of consertions,
Private Sector Participation, PSP, public-private
partnerships, PPPs, to ensure that we revive the branch lines
in the country. It’s a revolution that is coming, the rail
policy. And at the same time to ensure that when it comes to
logistics we are able to intervene to assist Transnet, among
others, we are in collaboration with the business. But we
opening up space for business also to come to the party. So,
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that rail policy is a big intervention and none of ... we are
only [Inaudible.] member spoke about.
Our capital programme only targeting modernisation also
intended to sustain the current system until we deal
[Inaudible.] commission [Inaudible.] praise. We just running
[Inaudible.] we are running [Inaudible.] process [inaudible.]
We have invested in modernisation of the passenger rail system
with manufacturing capability having been developed. We have
more than 90 new train sets that have now been manufactured at
Gibela factory, here in South Africa in eKurhuleni. And for
some who have not seen this place please come and see what we
are doing there. It is marvellous. The blue train which are
named istimela sabantu, comes from here in Mzansi [South
Africa] in Nigel, by the democratic government. We are doing
away with the yellow trains and that is the manufacturing
programme of the democratic state.
The new PRASA trains that will run at 120km/h are being
deployed in different provinces as we speak. You go to
KwaZulu-Natal you’ll find them, Western Cape and even in the
new corridors here in Gauteng you’ll find them, go to
Mabopane, it’s new train sets that you’ll see there.
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SANRAL will respond to you in relation to the cancelation or
non-cancelation of contracts. I will be with them on Monday to
explain in detail what sort of decision that have been taken.
All I can tell you is that from the history of state capture,
I will never support any corruption, even if it is coming in
billions. I will never be put under pressure by corrupt
people, even if they can have millions. What President
Ramaphosa wants from me and the Deputy Minister is a proper
accountability. And if the board is out of line I won’t
hesitate to deal with them. They’ve got no right to stop any
contract in this country. There’s got to be cogent reasons why
contracts have been stopped or they’ve not been processed. So,
there can never be an agenda to delay an infrastructure
programme of government. To that extend, this matter has been
reported at Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating
Commission, PICC, which chaired by the President, and this
coming Sunday I’m going to meet with Sputla Ramokgopa, who’s
the Head of Infrastructure, and Patricia de Lille to align our
catalytic projects, but those that have been gazetted so that
there are no gaps in relation to the work that we need to do.
But I’ve written to SANRAL in relation to the project, and on
Friday we’ll give you a comprehensive answer; come with your
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pens and everything else, to the media. But we’ll also account
to Parliament in relation to these projects.
World over, consultants are utilized, hence the South African
construction companies are now at global stage and working in
other countries. The major projects that are paid under
consultants include the following: oil pollution prevention,
marine rescue coordinator centre, accident [sound cut off.]
will move like that.
We’ve got to go through Cabinet, we are not running a banana
republic. First thing, if there’s corruption in this you are
going to blame it on Cabinet. So, Cabinet must process all the
important fundamental project in this country through various
departments without entrenching red tape in what we seek to
do.
The key aspect of the mobile driving license security and its
verification by law enforcement agency is a key component even
going to the future.
Saalberg regional agreements that South Africa is signatory,
to require that driver’s license must be in a position of a
physical license, it is for this reason that South Africa,
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even when we introduce the digital mobile driving license
users, will be issued with both digital and physical card for
verification. We’ve got a bouquet of intervention.
Smart early use that we are introducing, we’ve got the online
... MEC Mamabolo was talking about if you come here in
Midrand, I’m speaking here from the podium of rail safety
regulator, from the boardroom, so, I’m not speaking from a
hotel, I’m speaking from the offices of our entity. So, this
is state capacity, I don’t need to go to a hotel. Then I have
a bandwidth problems like all hon members to basically speak
to you; so, I’m loud and clear from where I am. And I take the
criticism. In certain things we should have been far and then
it is indeed correct that we can do better to protect our
network. One thing I will not do with the Deputy Minister is
to lie to everybody.
As oi conclude I want to thank my team, the department
officials and I want to thank the MECs that I work with
because this is a concurrent function and all the
municipalities. And who should I thank again? [Laughter.]
Deputy Minister, I did thank you. Okay, even my personal
assistant, PA, wants me to thank her. But I want to thank
everybody, the advisors and so on, we’ve got a long way to go
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in terms of our work. And I want to thank you, hon members,
for giving us an opportunity to explain ourselves, it is not
the end of the day, we are always accountable and I think some
of you have raised very critical and constructive suggestions
which we’ll take into consideration as we move forward.
The most important thing is not for us to argue with the
perceptions, we must be seen to be doing exactly the opposite
in relation to what the perception is, even if it is negative.
Because we can’t stand here and argue with perceptions that
whether you are fear nothing or we are fear something and all
of that, it’s up to you, history will absolve me. So, I’m not
here to argue whether you are fearful of me or not. Thank you
very, hon members.
Debate on Budget Vote 40 concluded.
POLICY DEBATE ON BUDGET VOTE NO 32: FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND
THE ENVIRONMENT
(Appropriation Bill)
The MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT: Thank
you very much hon Deputy Chair. Allow me to acknowledge our
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Deputy Minister Ms Makhotso Sotyu, MECs present, hon Tebogo
Modise and members of the Select Committee, chairpersons of
the entities reporting to our department, our Director-
General, Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala and team environment, CEOs of
our public entities and hon members.
It has been several weeks since KwaZulu-Natal, parts of the
Eastern Cape and North West provinces suffered severe damage
from floods. This tragic event has left many counting the
cost, not only of the loss of loved ones, but also the damage
caused to homes, infrastructure and the economy.
Severe weather events, a phenomena associated with global
warming, are a reminder that climate change is already part of
our lived reality.
The sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change, IPCC, says that by 2030, 50% of the world’s
population will live in coastal areas that are exposed to
floods, storms and tsunamis and the phenomena will intensify
the vulnerability of communities already living in conditions
of poverty.
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In the face of this reality, the importance of early warning
systems and effective rapid response to disasters cannot be
over emphasised.
Over the past 50 years worldwide, more than 11 000 weather,
climate and water related disasters were reported. While the
number of disasters increased five-fold in recent times, the
number of deaths decreased almost three-fold since the 1970s.
This is thanks to improved early warnings and disaster risk
reduction strategies by countries.
In our country the Weather Bureau has a proven track record in
predicting extreme weather events with the recent flood
warnings for KwaZulu-Natal a good example of timeous warnings
given to both disaster management and the public.
Over the next three years we will be investing over a hundred
million rand to upgrade and modernise weather systems to bring
radar and hence forecasting in line with modern and very short
term prediction standards.
Hon members, however good our forecasting is, if we are to
prevent loss of life we must begin to climate proof our
infrastructure and our human settlement patterns.
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In 2020, Cabinet approved the National Climate Change
Adaptation Strategy. Thus far, we have supported all 44
district municipalities to develop climate change adaptation
strategies. The provincial climate change strategies for
Limpopo, North West, KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape have
been reviewed in partnership with international advisors. We
must now move with urgency to ensure these strategies are
turned into funded plans.
In the coming year we will be assessing those of the remaining
five provinces to update adaptation risks and vulnerabilities,
and integrate climate mitigation response emissions profiles
and implementation components into municipal operations.
The Climate Change Bill is now with the NA and will be brought
to you for consideration later this year.
An effective air quality management system must begin with
proper monitoring stations. The resources for air quality
monitoring in the priority areas are allocated to the SA
Weather Services which manages 17 stations in the national
priority areas and provides support to local government.
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The department also manages 43 strategically located stations
outside the priority areas until the end of this year. Local
government has been capacitated to take over the stations in
future. These training programs are coordinated with the
support of the SA Weather Service and the National Association
for Clean Air.
Hon members, far too much plastic litter is leaking into our
rivers and streams and as we saw in the recent floods, this
ends up on our beaches and oceans.
While organic debris will biodegrade, plastic waste needs to
be collected by hand. The dramatic scale of the problem was
brought home to me when I joined KwaZulu-Natal MEC of Economic
Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Mr Ravi Pillay
recently to assist with mop up operations at Blue Lagoon Beach
in Durban.
Following that visit I can report to you today that Plastics
SA funding civil society organisations to support beach clean-
up operations in a number of areas across eThekwini. Our own
department will be allocating more resources to support this
programme because the scale and extent of the debris is beyond
the provincial government’s capacity.
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But having said this, the root of the plastic litter problem
lies in the fact that a number of local municipalities are
facing serious challenges with waste collection services which
results in illegal dumping.
In an attempt to assist the municipalities, the department
engaged with Cogta and National Treasury in 2018/19 to enable
municipalities to procure specialised waste vehicles through
the Municipal Infrastructure Grant, MIG.
Over and above that, we have further assist selected
municipalities with the purchase of waste collection vehicles
and what is known as yellow fleet. As a result, 24
municipalities will be given waste management vehicles valued
at almost R44,5 million.
In Mpumalanga, the Mbombela and Bushbuckridge municipalities
will each be provided with two compactor trucks and a skip
loader, while the Ba-Phalaborwa municipality in Limpopo will
be supplied with two compactor trucks and a tractor loader
backhoe.
Compactor trucks will also to be provided to the Collins
Chabane and Masilonyana municipalities, with one already
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having been delivered to the Matjhabeng municipality last
month.
Skip loaders are to be delivered to the Matzikama, Merafong
and Makana municipalities, and front end loaders to, amongst
others, the West Rand, Dannhauser, Dawid Kruiper and Moses
Kotane municipalities.
It is anticipated that the purchased fleet will have a huge
impact on improving of waste collection and landfill
operations.
I similarly led Good Green Deeds clean-up campaigns in Phillip
Nel Park in Tshwane, Kagiso in Mogale City and joined the
clean-up drive in Mangaung recently.
Hon members, at the beginning of this month I released the
panel review report on the artificial breaching of the St
Lucia Estuary in January 2021.
The review found that while the breach was contrary to the
Global Environment Fund’s recommendations that no artificial
breaching should occur, the breach had happened in terms of
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the Estuarine Management Plan which permits limited breaching
for ecological reasons.
Among the panel’s recommendations is that maintenance
breaching could continue in exceptional circumstances, which
needs to be clearly defined before any further action can take
place. Also recommended is that iSimangaliso develop and
intensify an in-house monitoring plan and build capacity to
collect monitoring data.
To assist with flood relief to farmers in the uMfolozi-
Msunduzi floodplain as a result of back-flooding, the report
recommends clearing the Msunduzi and beach channel of
vegetation and sediment to allow water to flow freely from the
floodplain to the mouth. Also recommended is dune maintenance
to limit encroachment of vegetation.
The panel stated that moving forward, it is clear that the St
Lucia Lake, protected and managed by iSimangaliso Wetland Park
Authority, can no longer be managed as an isolated system.
Activities in the floodplain and catchment areas of the feeder
rivers contribute to the health of the St Lucia system.
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South Africa, as you know, is a signatory to the convention on
biodiversity. The post 2020 Biodiversity Framework, which will
be considered in Kunming, China in September this year has
three inter-related aspects; conservation, sustainable use,
and equitable community beneficiation.
Cabinet has endorsed these three principles because they are
in line with our own domestic policies and legislation. This
means that going forward, it will be necessary to ensure that
all three aspects are included in all policy documents.
Moving forward, the department will be working with other
government departments, including Agriculture and Rural
Development, Water and Sanitation, as well district, local
municipalities, and other stakeholders, to find solutions that
will safeguard the priceless heritage that we have at
iSimangaliso, while supporting the livelihoods of those who
live outside the park.
Hon members, in a country revered for our conservation
successes and which boasts an abundance of wildlife, poaching
is bound to be a problem. In recent years, South Africa has
had to deal with more and more sophisticated international
criminal syndicates targeting not only unique and rare plant
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species for their ornamental value, but also our rhino
population and abalone stocks.
Early in February this year we reflected on the rhino poaching
statistics for 2021 and acknowledged the steady decline in
rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park, intensive poaching
activities have shifted to the Ezemvelo area of KwaZulu-Natal.
As a result, key departmental resources have been deployed to
actively support Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and the SA Police
Services, SAPS. This support includes assistance to law
enforcement officials and joint operations managers as well as
the nerve centre in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.
As the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park is part of the Zululand
Integrated Wildlife Zone, the national department has also
been assisting the park to link up with potential donors that
could support urgent priority interventions, aligned to
Ezemvelo’s Rhino Crime Combating Intervention Strategy.
With the additional resources from the SAPS that have now been
deployed to the area, and the ongoing dedicated work of the
Ezemvelo rangers, the department is expecting increased
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arrests and we will continue to support this integrated effort
over the next few months.
With regard to the poaching and smuggling of marine resources,
such as abalone the integrated compliance and enforcement
programme of the NatJOINTS Priority Committee on Marine and
Ocean Crim known as Phakisa Initiative 5, has had a
significant number of successful operations in the past
financial year.
During these operations marine resources acquired illicitly
and associated equipment to the value of R 55 million were
confiscated. The removal of the tools of the trade is critical
to disrupt the illicit activity, even if only for an interim
period.
In order to re-focus our efforts around the management of the
abalone resource and how best to prevent and combat the
illicit trade, the department together with a broad range of
stakeholders will be developing an inclusive and holistic
strategic response and action plan for the prevention and
combatting of trade in illegally harvested abalone.
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Hon Chair, South Africa’s efforts to protect unique biomes for
present and future generations is key to ensuring the
integrity of our biodiversity. In addition to the array of
national and provincial parks, municipal and private reserves
scattered across the country, we also boast a network of
botanical gardens that protect area-specific unique and
diverse plant species.
Earlier this year, I declared a portion of land as an
extension to the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden in
the Western Cape. This is one of 11 gardens managed by the
South African National Biodiversity Institute, SANBI.
The 1.1-hectare portion of conservation estate is situated in
the centre of the coastal fynbos region where the flora is at
its richest, boasting the main fynbos plant families such as
proteas, ericas and restios, including irises, daisies and
orchids.
The World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa, WWF-SA, the
property in Bettys Bay in 2018 for the purpose of allowing
SANBI to manage the site as an extension to the existing
botanical garden. The addition of this portion of land to the
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garden supplements its conservation value, expands the natural
wetland habitat and serves as a natural corridor for wildlife.
South Africa’s first botanical garden in Limpopo, the
Thohoyandou National Botanical Garden in the Vhembe Biosphere
Reserve will be officially launched on Sunday this weekend.
This garden, which is on a portion of provincial state-owned
land and which has been managed as a nature reserve by the
Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and
Tourism,LEDET, includes a representative portion of the
Soutpansberg Mountain Bushveld, a Vulnerable vegetation type
with only 2.2% under protection. The addition of the garden
will contribute to the representivity of the major biomes and
vegetation types of South Africa into the national botanical
garden system.
The Thohoyandou garden will serve as a biodiversity centre for
the province showcasing traditional botanical garden
infrastructure and, biodiversity research facilities which
will be of benefit to the province.
An amount of R20 million has been secured from the
department’s environmental programmes, and a further
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R20 million from the Department of Tourism, for garden
development and tourism destination promotion. These projects
are expected to create temporary jobs and work opportunities
for the local community and enhance the garden as a tourist
destination.
Hon members this year, the department’s environmental
programmes aim to create 62 000 work opportunities across the
different “working-for” programmes and will target women,
youth and persons living with disabilities.
Through our natural resources management portfolio, across the
nine provinces, teams will clear 127 00 hectares of alien
invasive species for the first time. Our teams will also
conduct follow-up clearing operations on 450 000 hectares of
land and rehabilitate 100 wetlands. The working on fire
programme will continue to provide assistance to respond to
veld and forest fires through its bases allocated across the
nine provinces.
This year we will support the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism
Authority in the OR Tambo District Municipality. with the
construction and renovation of accommodation units.
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Twenty infrastructure projects are to be undertaken in support
of Traditional Authorities in Limpopo, thus improving economic
opportunities for emerging game farmers in the province as
part of the development of the wildlife economy. Similar
projects will be initiated in Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
conservation areas in the Umkhanayakude District Municipality.
The Department has had significant progress in transforming
the fishing sector. To date, we have issued 15-year fishing
rights to more than 100 small-scale fishing co-operatives
comprising one hundred thousand fishers in the Northern Cape,
Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal. This year the process must be
concluded in the Western Cape.
Many provinces and municipalities are involved with us in
supporting these important co-operatives. I urge those who
have not yet joined to meet with us so we can extend
programmes to improve tools of trade, business acumen, and
marketing opportunities for these enterprises.
Hon members, allow me to conclude by thanking the Chairperson
of the Select Committee Hon Tebogo Modise and all the
committee members for your support for the department’s
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programmes in the past year and for your continued oversight
which ensures that the work we do leaves no one behind.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to our Director
General, Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala and team environment, which
includes the CEOs and chairpersons of the boards of our
entities, for all your hard work despite the challenges posed
by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It is very important for me to take this opportunity to thank
our Deputy Minister Ms Makhotso Sotyu for all the support she
gives to me and to our environmental courses day in and day
out with the never tiring energy levels.
I would also like to thank the MECs and mayors who carry joint
responsibility with me for ensuring a healthy environment. We
look forward to continuing our partnership with you as we work
to effectively combat climate change and biodiversity loss as
we build a new deal for people and nature. I thank you
Ms L C BEBEE: Thank you, Deputy Chairperson, greetings to the
hon Chairperson of the House Bab’uMasondo, the Minister and
also Deputy Minister, hon members of the House, ... also the
special delegates from different provinces I greet you this
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afternoon, the ANC views and understands the budget as an
instrument to finance government policy priorities. These
priorities of government it is through the budget that the
aspirations of our people for a better life can be achieved
and this can be found in the stated purpose of the vote which
... is to lead South Africa’s environmental, forestry and
fisheries towards a better life for all. This Budget Vote 32
allocates funds to the nine programmes and a total of 49
subprogrammes under the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
the Environment.
There can be no doubt that South Africa has one of the
progressive pieces of legislation in the world. The National
Environmental Management Amendment, NEMA, laws are well
designed to help advance our responsibility towards
environmental protection and also meant to establish and
review land use guidelines, examine land ... use patterns to
determine their impact on the quality and quantity of natural
resources; and to carry out surveys, which will assist in the
proper management and conservation of the environment.
We have as a country, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
legislation and this piece of legislation serves as a model
for other countries and is considered to be one of the most
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advanced ... Institutional frameworks for disaster management
in the world. We have taken note of how the budget allocation
to provinces and what the expected outcomes are.
Regarding climate change, one of the ways in which we can help
deal ...effectively with climate change is through putting in
place a legislative mechanism to ensure the realisation of
this objective. We have passed as the Parliament, as indicated
earlier, commendable pieces of legislation. What needs to be
done is total implementation and execution of policy
objectives, within the given legislative framework.
The devastation and the loss of life caused by floods in the
provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape has
highlighted the grave importance of climate change early
warning systems. The United Nations said that successful early
warning systems will save lives and jobs, and infrastructure
and supports long-term sustainability.
This Budget Vote will see the finalisation climate change
legislation and the Bill Climate Change has already been
introduced in Parliament. This piece of legislation is very
important and in its Chapter 3, it spells out the
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responsibilities of provinces ... and municipalities in terms
of climate change response.
Government has adopted the National Adaptation Strategy which
provides for an integrated and co-ordinated approach to
managing adaptation measures to the impacts of climate change
by all state organs, including local communities. It is our
oversight interest in this Parliament to see the full
implementation of this strategy in order to realise
government’s commitment to climate change mitigation plans.
The South African Weather Services (SAWS) is mandated by the
Weather Service Act of 2001 to produce weather and climate
change information, and thus collaborate, through a social
compact, with other private institutions, community and
research organisation and provides severe weather warning and
advisories to the National Disaster Management Centre.
The purpose of forestry management, the department tells us,
is to develop and facilitate ... the implementation of
policies and targeted programmes to ensure the management of
forests, the sustainable use and protection of land and water,
and the management of agricultural risks and disasters.
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The forestry branch has been allocated R1,998 6 billion over
the medium-term. What is of greatest importance for us as the
ANC is to see, not only the outcome of budget implementation,
but we are interested in seeing the impact of this budget
allocation in helping transform the lives of our poor
communities, especially those living within forest lands. As
the ANC, we would like to see interventions put in place for
the full potential use of the forestry sector to drive
empowerment, transformation, economic growth and decent work,
as well as the expansion of the sector.
IsiZulu:
Sekela Sihlalo wami ngithi angikusho lokhu ukuthatha kombuso
ka-ANC kwenza ukuthi abantu bakwazi ukuthi babe ngabanini
bemvelo kanye namahlathi, ukuze bake bezwe ukuba
ngumninimhlaba ababuthola emhlabeni ukuthi bunjani ngoba
babehlala becwasa njalo kube ngathi ayikho into umuntu omnyama
angayenza. Siyabonga Khongolose.
English:
Thanks to the government of the ANC that made sure ...
IsiZulu:
...ukuthi abantu bakwazi ukuba nezinto zabo.
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English:
The ANC supports the budget. Thank you very much, Mama.
Ms C LABUSCHAGNE: Thank you, Deputy Chairperson, hon members,
and hon Minister. Life in South Africa is not easy for more
than half of our population. We are struggling with a
lacklustre economy impacting on every aspect of our lives, and
more so on the vulnerable and poor people. I would have loved
to say that today’s debate on the Budget of the Department of
Forestry, Fisheries and Environmental Affairs will lift us out
of the doom and gloom, if it was not for the mere fact that
our environment that should serve as a sustainable source to
ensure our health and wellbeing, is severely challenged. This
department’s strategic plans and Budget covers nine programs
and various sub-programs as well as six entities covering
environmental management, conservation and protection.
In this, the fourth year of their strategic plan, there are
quite a few new developments and initiatives; and or
management plans that we welcome and hope will be implemented
with the desired results. Strategies, master plans and simply
plans in general, as we know, creates hope and invites
cooperation, while failed, cancelled and unimplemented plans
creates mistrust and disillusionment, of which we already have
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enough - due to years of state capture, cadre deployment,
corruption, policy uncertainty on many levels and indecisive
political leadership. We can just look at Sri Lanka to realize
the real impact of these scenarios.
The matter of land invasions, a common occurrence and very
often politically inspired, became a challenge to the
implementation of the Forestry Master Plan. An Action Plan has
been developed for the Western Cape in terms of section 29 of
the National Forest Act. But Minister, land management
problems in the Department of Environmental Affairs also
exists outside the ambit of forestry. For example, land in a
province that belongs to a national department, not being
transferred to that province has unique challenges when it
comes to invasions and the management thereof. Such as
Knoflokskraal in the Western Cape. These situations create
service delivery problems that also have a negative impact on
the yearly Auditor-General process.
I would like to request the Minister to minimize red tape,
money and working hours spent on issues that hampers service
delivery by implementing a War Room on Land Transfer and
Management within this department to address this issue. The
biggest percentage of this department’s Budget is spent on
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Environmental Programs that covers the Expanded Public Works
Program providing temporary job opportunities for mostly
vulnerable people of our country.
Minister, this is a good program, but the Western Cape has
concerns about the payment method and consequently, the cash
flow challenges created by this system. The contract between
the national and the provincial spheres is working, but the
challenges lie within the contracts with small and medium
entities like NGO’s when payments are not done within 30 days.
payments are more likely taking 90 days and have devastating
impacts on these entities. I would like the Minister to look
into this matter without inviting more challenges from the
Auditor-General.
We are all aware that we have to minimize waste to landfill
sites to ensure a healthy environment for the future. We
welcome the initiative of including the yellow fleet to local
governments via Management Infrastructure Fund, MIG funding as
well as the support to district municipalities and local
governments via training but have a concern about the
financial sustainability given the poor state local
governments are in. A longstanding problem with industry tyres
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will hopefully addressed by the Industry Waste Tyres
Management Plan – we will monitor that, Minister.
Biodiversity and conservation is an important program,
especially the monitoring of strategic water sources and
rehabilitation of wetlands. Biodiversity programs has been
announced as a priority by the President but seems somehow not
that important according to the Budget, except if the Minister
has in mind that the private sector will mainly fund these
projects. Another target is the 5% expansion of land for
conservation, which is great, but who will fund it?
Minister, international agreements are being agreed to and
signed. For example, United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization, UNESCO with impacts on budgets in
the areas where these sites are. In the Western Cape, we have
five biospheres and are mainly managed by private entities
with serious budget constraints. Our request is if the
Minister will consider a R1 by R1 support for these programs?
The fisheries program is the worst affected by the Budget. The
Total Allowable Catch that has been legally challenged and
where the court indicated must be scientifically considered,
raise concerns about the capability of research and monitoring
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of stockpiles to ensure sustainable harvesting of fish and
other stock. I also hope that The Fishing Right Allocation
Process in the Western Cape will address the issues of all the
applicants. The appointment of fishery development workers in
coastal areas by the Marine and Living Resources Fund are
welcomed. Another ongoing concern is the poaching of abalone
and West Coast Rock Lobster and a successful implementation of
a focused strategy would be a first, as the strategy to save
rhinos is not that satisfactory at the moment.
We are experiencing the long predicted impact of climate
change through severe weather conditions and consequently
disasters – resulting in the loss of lives. Air quality
affecting people’s health has been taken to court, while the
Minister is going to convene a panel to evaluate applications
for exemption of emissions for some companies, based on the
accepted argument of a just transition.
We are in a tight spot and hopefully we are not weighing
people’s jobs and livelihoods against people’s health and
lives. The Climate Change Bill, currently in the National
Assembly, will serve as a framework for a just transition,
including mitigation and adaptation strategies on all spheres
of government. This Bill has implications for all spheres of
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government and will be a challenge for local government
especially. The promised funds derived from COP26 are still in
negotiation, while KwaZulu-Natal is suffering from the
aftermath of a climate change induced disaster. This again
raises concerns if we really consider all risks when
assessments are being done and if scientific research are
being taken seriously by all levels of government.
Minister, I do hope that the Development Bank of South Africa,
as the implementing agent of the Green Fund, will step up to
the plate in funding urgent mitigation and adaptation projects
while the Presidential Climate Change Advisory Council
negotiate to determine if and how we will utilize these
promised funds. I thank you.
Mr M MVOKO (Eastern Cape: MEC for Finance, Economic Development
and Environmental Affairs): Hon Deputy Chair, hon members of the
House, hon Minister Creecy, Deputy Minister, chair of the
committee and its committee members, ladies and gentlemen, good
evening. As the Eastern Cape government, we wish to welcome the
Budget Vote for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the
Environment as presented by the hon Minister Barbara Creecy.
What she presented came at an opportune time as the country is
dealing with severe effects of climate change affected KwaZulu-
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Natal and some parts of the Eastern Cape. The recent events have
highlighted our vulnerability to climate-induced disasters, and
its impacts hold significant risks for South Africa in general
and the Eastern Cape province in particular, as we have witnessed
recently.
A recent study commissioned by the Department of Economic
Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism indicates that
for every year of drought, it costs the local economy
R2,8 billion. It is therefore imperative that steps are taken
to reduce our vulnerability and mitigate the impacts of climate
change. We support the calls for the finalisation of the Climate
Change Bill so that the country holistically deals with the
effects of climate change, sooner, rather than later.
From this financial year, we have identified climate change as
one of the high impact projects that the province will seek to
embark on. This is also because the Eastern Cape is an area of
convergence of eight of the country’s nine biomes, making it the
most diverse of South Africa’s provinces. It is known that the
protected area system is inadequate to conserve the Eastern
Cape’s internationally recognised natural capital and the
protected area estate needs to be expanded.
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We have therefore set ourselves to embark on the development of
a climate change programme in the OR Tambo Region, focusing on
disaster risk reduction and ecosystem-based adaptation, and we
will prioritise the following. One, a greenhouse gas mitigation
with a focus on waste and air quality management. Two, the water
sector, specifically ecosystem-based adaptation to ensure
disaster risk reduction. Three, environmental education in
support of community empowerment and raising awareness on
climate change impacts and opportunities. And lastly, building
community resilience with a core principle to co-create projects
with communities.
As climate change escalates in priority, it becomes even more
important to support our economy with reliable low-carbon
sources of energy. Over the next few years, we expect significant
new investments in wind and solar farms, embedded and self-
generation, green hydrogen and other low carbon sources. Through
its Independent Power Producer Support Programme, the department
will continue the work of supporting new energy projects and
additional electricity infrastructure.
I agree with Minister’s assertion that we need to keep our
country clean and ridding our environment of unwanted and
unsightly waste so we are able provide a healthy environment for
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all to live in. I wish to state that Eastern Cape is one of the
beneficiaries of waste management programme that the Minister
has spoken about. One of our municipalities, Senqu, has
confirmed being the beneficiary of the yellow fleet provided by
the Department to Transport’s waste in municipalities. We want
to thank the Minister and her department for that.
In support of this programme, we initiated an Expanded Public
Work Programme last year, working with seven identified local
municipalities across the Eastern Cape, for the preservation of
the environment in those localities. We invested R35,9 million
for the roll-out of this programme, creating 1 272 work
opportunities. For 2022-23, we have set aside R24,6 million to
continue with this programme, targeting to create a total of
670 work opportunities.
Waste recycling and the circular economy doesn’t only speak to
healthy environment, but also offers huge opportunity to save
valuable raw materials and energy associated with the processing
of these materials. Waste recycling has shown a steady grow over
the last few years. In 2019 we recycled 165 tons of waste which
has grown to 1 201 tons in 2021. There are 1 690 informal waste
pickers operating at refuse disposal sites throughout the
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province and are credited with removing 1 108 tons of waste from
our refuse sites.
Since the intervention programmes initiated between national
government and provinces to address the poaching of our
country’s wildlife, the Eastern Cape has lost no rhinoceros to
poaching during the past two years. We believe that this can
largely be attributed to the co-operation and continual
collaborative efforts between national government and us, the
Police, SA National Parks, SANParks, the National Prosecuting
Authority and the private sector. We agree with the Minister
that the rhinoceros will be better protected if we build
partnerships with private game farm and nature reserve owners,
who have the means to breed these animals and ensure their safety
through anti-poaching efforts.
Thank you once more for the opportunity, we are hopeful that we
will work together as government to ensure safe and friendly
environment for our people to live in, and above all, put all
efforts to improve the lives of our people. I thank you.
Ms W NGWENYA: Thank you, Deputy Chairperson, hon Baba Masondo,
Chairperson of the House and you Deputy Chairperson, hon
Chairperson, Mr Nyambi; Chief Whip, Mr Mohai; Minister,
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Barbara Creecy; Deputy Minister, M M Sotyu, and members of the
House members of the media and fellow citizens.
Hon members, yesterday 18 May was indeed a critical day in the
calendar of political events of South Africa because it
reminded us of the day, which the former Deputy President and
the Secretary-General of the African National Congress, Tata
Walter Sisulu was born. Tata Walter Sisulu was born on 18th
1912 the same year as the ANC was founded and believe that he
would have turned 110 years old this year.
Hon Deputy Chairperson, I believe that the majority of our
members in the House will agree with me that the late Walter
Sisulu has indeed sacrificed his life for the liberation of
the country. On the bases of his sacrifice, I want to ensure
that words of Nelson Mandela when he said, "Many of us have
gained positions, received accolades and have been acclaimed
but none of us match the leadership and humility of a great
man such as Walter Sisulu." I am indeed touched by these
words, since they inspire us as we debate the Budget Vote 32
of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
Hon Deputy Chairperson, just as the Freedom Charter had said,
"South Africa belongs to all who live in it black and white,
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our cities and towns belongs to all who live in it black and
white.” We, in the ANC, regard the Freedom Charter as the
living soul and the heartbeat of our country’s progressive
Constitution. It is the foundation of the Vision 2030 of the
National Development Plan.
The ANC remains committed to the realisation of NDP Vision
2030 and to address the triple challenges of poverty,
unemployment and inequality. In the NDP we find the highlights
of key strategic goals of government and these are aligned to
the Medium-Term Strategic Framework of government. It is for
this reason that we call upon all South Africans to reach a
new consensus and the President of the Republic hon Ramaphosa
had asked in his 2022 state of the nation address, that indeed
South Africa belongs to all who live in it. It is the
responsibility of all South Africans that through a social
compact by working towards the reconstruction and the recovery
of our economy we shall achieve our aspirations.
The ANC has declared 2022 the "Year of Unity and Renewal to
Defend and Advance South Africa's Democratic Gains.” We have
as a nation one of the best Constitution in the world. Our
country’s Constitution, in Section 24 guarantees to everyone,
a right to “an environment that is not harmful to his or her
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health and wellbeing”, and this is in line with the United
Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment one
of the most important departments of our government. They have
within the department nine programmes and about 49
subprograms. It is a biggest department with a very huge
responsibility. The department does a very commendable job
under very trying circumstances and in carrying it out its
mandate, it gives unconditional support to provincial and
local government spheres.
Deputy Chairperson, on environmental programmes, the total
budget allocation to the department is R8,947,9 billion. The
budget allocation of the budget goes towards environmental
programmes, at around R3,748,7 billion and the allocation
increase at an annual rate of 3% over the MTEF. The department
contributes to the creation of job opportunities through the
Expanded Public Works Programme, EPWP, and this programme is
linked to various entities in the department. Given the
realities of high unemployment rate in our economy, the
creation of about 314 439 job opportunities is greatly
welcomed. The EPWP job opportunities do not only provide a
source of income for the thousands who had been employed, but
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it also provides them with the acquisition of new skills and
sector knowledge. It provides a basis upon which our people
can begin a process of meaningful uplifting their economic
status.
Deputy Chairperson, on chemicals and waste management, our
cities and towns are filthy. Pollution is caused by human
activity. The biggest polluters are corporations, especially
the mining companies. The impact of pollution on our
environment is a great cause for concern.
This vote plans to divert about 9,8% of waste from our
landfill sites and it will increase to 15% in 2023-24 and by
18% in 2024/25. The percentages can certainly be increased
given the challenges relating to our landfill sites and given
certain municipalities being unable to acquire new landfill
sites and the current one are running full. We note the
initiatives that the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
Environment has been presented in support of waste recycling
buy back centers. Buy back centers not, only do they assist in
term of ensuring that our environment is kept clean, they also
provide economic opportunities for the waste pickers to sell
their waste recyclable material.
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There are many opportunities found with the waste recycling
industry, especially the recycling of metal which contributes
directly to our trade balance account as it helps reduce the
total amount of steel we import as a country. We do recognise
that there is a need to offer training and skills development
for co-operatives in the waste recycling industry. The ability
to offer such training will ensure the growth of the waste
recycling and will have a direct impact in the total
percentage of the waste that we can divert from going to our
landfill sites. There is a need for a renewed public-private
partnership around waste recycling industry and its entire
related value and supply chain.
IsiZulu:
Akuwenzi umqondo lokhu Sekela likaSihlalo ngempela, ukuthi
kungani abantu bakithi abaningi kangaka bengasebenzi ekubeni
kunokungcoliswa kwemfucuza okungaka ezweni lakithi.
English:
Mining dumps and water pollution and contamination from big
industries is a great concern for communities, living and
working in and around these cities and town where such
activity is taking place. Small farmers around mining towns
are complaining about the contamination of underground water
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by mining activities and these has a negative impact, not only
on their agricultural production, but also to the environment
and affects the health of the surrounding communities. Hon
Deputy Chairperson, let me borrow the wise words of Sisulu, in
1964 he said:
As long as I enjoy the confidence of my people, as long
as there is a spark of life of energy in me, I shall
fight with courage and determination of the freedom of
all South Africans.
IsiZulu:
Sengivala Sihlalo ohloniphekileyo, i-ANC iyaleseka leli Voti
lama-32 loMnyango wezamaHlathi, iziNhlanzi kanye nezeMvelo.
Kuyasiqinisekisa ukuthi leli voti kanye noMyango bazofinyelela
emigomeni yabo ebekiwe, futhi baqhubeke nokubhekana nakho
konke ukukhathazeka okuvezwa kule nkulumo-mpikiswano yevoti
lesabelomali. UMnyango wenza umsebenzi omuhle kakhulu
ekufezeni umsebenzi wawo njengoba ubekwe esigabeni sama-24
soMthethosisekelo futhi udinga ukwesekwa yizinkampani
ezizimele ngokusebenza isivumelwano sezenhlala kahle.
English:
Deputy Chairperson, the ANC support this vote. I thank you.
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Mr A ARNOLDS: Deputy Chairperson, Minister, the Department of
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment under you watch
continue to waste scarce sources, while communities staying in
and around our forest are not benefiting at all. Fisheries in
South Africa are currently underdeveloped. There is a need to
transform in restructure the fishing industry in order to
address the historical imbalances and to achieve equity in the
fishing industry.
Section 2 of the Marine Living Resources Act, makes way for
the Minister to introduce new entrance into the fishing
sector, yet what we find is that fishing is being moved away
from the traditional coastal communities to service the high
earned market, deliberately so. This creates ... [Inaudible.]
... for coastal fishing communities who depend on fishing for
the livelihoods. But, also for a sense of community as
traditional fishers used to fish not only for themselves and
their families but also used to donate excess fish to
orphanages and old age homes.
Your own National Development Plan, NDP, speaks about the
importance of fisheries for the coastal communities but small
scale fishers are not enjoying the benefit of the country’s
resources.
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As the EFF, we know the extension of the appeals process with
regards to the conclusion of fishing rights in the Western
Cape. And acknowledge the suffering of the fishing communities
under your government. Under the ruling government, fishing
has become fully commercialized breaking down social bonds
that community once had and stripping communities off the
livelihood.
Under the policies of this department, we are once again
reminded that this government and all its Ministers, have no
concern for the living conditions of the poor people in South
Africa. This government has no interest in the realities faced
by its people as commercial interest continue to be priorities
over the needs of our people.
We see this in the department, how the department allows
fishing companies, large ... [Inaudible.] ... which would
otherwise sustain small scale fishing. The ANC is therefore,
responsible for the poverty, unemployment and inequality,
where small scale fishers are suffering.
The same injustices occur in forestry. Where small growers and
foresting communities were not even considered when the
National Forestry Act was crafted. Majority of South Africans
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do not share equally in the natural resources under the
stewardship of your department.
Your senior management positions in your department for the
appointment of a woman stands at 45% although you set a target
for 47% which is still below 50%.
Air pollution continues to affect many South Africans,
suffering from respitory illnesses. Under you watch air
quality monitoring and enforcement responsibility has been
neglected.
As the EFF we reject the R8,9 billion budget allocation in the
2022-23 financial year because of your non-compliant supply
chain management policies. We reject your lack of project
planning and implementation which often goes by without any
timeframes put in place.
The fisheries management branches have never delivered
services aimlessly due to human capacities shortages. We
reject the lack of financial management, lack of good
governance and irregular expenditure. And we demand a clean
audit because the country is bleeding of corruption and
mismanagement, making the poor majority to further suffer
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under your government. For these reasons, the EFF rejects
Budget Vote 32 of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and
the Environment. Thank you, Chairperson.
The DEPUTY MINISTER OF FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND THE
ENVIRONMENT: Thank you very much Chairperson and good evening
to all members. The hon Minister Barbara Creecy, all MECs
present on the platform, hon Members of Parliament, ladies and
gentlemen. Hon Chair, let me also align myself with what
Minister Creecy alluded to, as we have just seen, witnessed
and experienced the recent catastrophic and fatal floods in
KwaZulu-Natal. Climate change is already introducing itself in
our country, and already and rightfully so, calls for
enhancing early warning systems, have been made.
We wish to assure our nation that our government and relevant
national, provincial and local governments are working
tirelessly on all these systems, to ensure that the disaster
risk management strategies are in place and effectively
implemented. In the process enabling our communities to have
response capabilities ... [Inaudible] ... of first aid in the
midst of severe weather such as storms and floods.
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Hon Chair, for instance after some of the ambient monitoring
systems fell into disrepair a few years ago, our department
intervened to repair some of these, which included the
Pelonomi Air Quality Monitoring Station in Mangaung
Metropolitan Municipality in the Free State. Our Ministry
undertook an inspection visit at this station in October 2021.
We are very pleased to say that the Pelonomi Ambient Air
Quality Monitoring Station is now operational and reporting to
the SA Air Quality Information Systems.
Chairperson, it is a fact that, carbon emissions are causing
climate change, and we must address this efficiently and
effectively. Notwithstanding, we are well advised as the
country to continue to find a holistic approach in addressing
climate change. Through the National Protected Area Expansion
Strategy, strategic expansion interventions are being
undertaken to identify geographic priorities for expanding the
protected area estate in South Africa.
An urgent priority for us is to ensure effective management of
our existing protected area estate, that has continued to
provide direct jobs and further facilitate economic
activities, through associated value chains particularly in
rural communities. Through the South African National
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Biodiversity Institute, South Africa is also continuing in
establishing itself as a leader in promoting nature-based
responses, such as ecosystem-based adaptation and ecosystem-
based disaster risk reduction, as part of our national climate
change response.
South Africa is also an active signatory to a treaty signed in
2002, by South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Through this
treaty, we have seen the restoration of this important cross
border conservation landscape, where it has now been possible
to return this year, the rhino to Zinave National Park in
Mozambique, after becoming literally ... [Inaudible] ...more
than 40 years ago.
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the treaty, a date is
to be set that will be scheduled by the Ministries as endorsed
release of the rhinos, as fundamental process and progress, in
the Commemoration of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier
Conservation Area’s 20th Anniversary. Our government has also
approved and adopted the implementation plan of the Commercial
Forestry Masterplan, and the greening plan of planting
10 million trees over the period of five years, starting in
the financial year of 2019-20.
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This means our government is not only focusing on sustaining
the wood, it is also focusing on production and transformation
in the forestry sector. Currently, our department and the
Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, are in active
engagements with the affected municipalities to facilitate,
that all lease-expired state land should be recommission back
for forestry commercial plantations, with the aim to enter
into a community forestry agreement with the communities that
are now currently occupying that land. This process has
already started working together with the private sector.
In this instance, the department will be transferring four
plantations, three in Eastern Cape and one in Limpopo. The
transfer will be done through Community Forestry Agreement to
communities in line with the National Forests Act of 1998 as
contained in the masterplan. This will be accompanied by the
development of a post-settlement support plan, that will give
guidance on how the communities will be supported once the
plantations have been transferred to them. We are not going to
dump the transfer to the communities. We will work together
with the communities in order for us to make sure that, they
are well sustained.
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Hon Chair, XV World Forestry Congress that our I attended
earlier this month in Seoul, South Korea, has also shown that
South Africa is in fact one of the key role global players in
the forestry sector. The congress was hosted under the theme:
“Building a Green, Healthy and Resilient Future with Forests”.
Members adopted the Seoul Forest Declaration, which conveyed
the urgent need for action to achieve a green, healthy and
resilient future with forests. It also endorsed the Youth Call
for Action and the Ministerial Call on Sustainable Wood. This
will assist the country towards our initiative of using
sustainable wood, whilst ensuring that youth and women enter
and fully participate in the forestry sector.
Either as large-scale or as small-scale forest growers, our
youth and women sectors must be embraced as co-investing
partners in the Green Economy to ensure that there is
equitable wood supply, poverty reduction, climate change
mitigation, the restoration of degraded forest-landscapes, and
the creation of employment.
Chairperson, through the environmental programmes, the
department is also funding the implementation of
infrastructure projects through the People & Parks and
Biodiversity Economy subprogramme. I think the Minister also
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alluded to that. Small-scale and developing game farmers are
supported through the allocation of seed funding for
infrastructure development and processing facilities. These
include ranching and breeding facilities, hunting outfitters,
venison processing, biotrade and bioprospecting processing
facilities.
Chairperson, drought threatens lives and food security, and is
already having significant negative socioeconomic and
environmental challenges. It is therefore imperative that,
appropriate global attention and action is focussed on
addressing drought. It is a fact that in many cases, women are
more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and drought,
primarily as they constitute the majority dependant on natural
resources that are threatened by climate change, and who
continue to face social and economic barriers that limit their
coping capabilities. I think hon Bebee also did mention the
issues of women that are suffering because of climate change.
Waste management, and the contribution of this sector to the
growth of circular economy, continues to receive attention.
The waste sector which has an annual resource value of
R25,2 billion, contributes to the rapid growth of circular
economy, just under 1% to the National Gross Domestic Output,
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and employs more than 170 000 individuals. The National Waste
Management Strategy 2020, is helping with the waste diversion
of 21% with an amount of R22,6 million tonnes from the land
sites across the country.
As government continues to scale up cleaning campaigns across
the country, we had also visited the Matjhabeng Local
Municipality in the Free State recently as Minister alluded
to, as part of the many clean up campaigns our department has
undergone. It is through a number of interventions by the
department that we hope the waste challenges will be
addressed. This includes the provision of the equipment
necessary to compact waste at landfill sites, deliver waste to
these sites and to dispose of waste in the correct way. Thank
you Minister Creecy for prioritising waste management in
support of our struggling municipalities.
A waste free environment is important. To create a country
free of litter and other waste in which we all recycle,
upcycle, reuse or repurpose materials requires a commitment by
all of us as the citizens of the country.
As I conclude hon Chair, I would like to thank the Minister
for her leadership in our department. My gratitude is also
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conveyed to our Director-General Ms Nomfundo Tshabalala and
team environment, including the chairpersons of the boards and
chief executive officers of our entities, for all their
support and hard work during the past year. I would also like
to say a special thank you to you our members of the select
committee under the leadership of the chairperson, Mme Tebogo
Modise. I thank you very much Chairperson.
Afrikaans:
Mnr S F DU TOIT: Agb Voorsitter, watter eienskap, karaktertrek,
nee, leefwyse, ontbreek op hierdie stadium by soveel Suid-
Afrikaners? Trots en selfrespek.
Ek was deel van ’n Parlementêre afvaardiging wat verlede week
’n amptelike besoek aan ons buurland Namibia afgelê het. Ons
was aangenaam verras deur, by ons aankoms en soos wat ons om
en deur Windhoek en die nedersettings beweeg het, opgemerk het
dat inwoners wat hierdie stukkie aarde deel in gemeenskaplike
simbiose leef deur hul omgewing skoon te hou.
English:
Hon members, we in Namibia have a zero-pollution policy. This
was a statement by one of the Namibian councillors. No paper
or plastic waste in the streets, no sewage smell at the
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wastewater treatment plants and no water leaks anywhere. If
this can work in a neighbouring African country that has an
unemployment rate of about 36,8% and is dependent on tourism
and nature for survival, why can’t we do the same?
Minister Creecy mentioned in the National Assembly debate that
plans are in place to ensure better management of landfill
sites. This is welcomed but South Africa needs a change in its
approach towards real threats.
Afrikaans:
Soveel Suid-Afrikaanse burgers moet ’n kopskuif ondergaan.
Hierdie departement se begroting is verklein, met slegs
R8,9 miljard beskikbaar vir die 2022-23 finansieële jaar. Dit
is totaal ontoerykend en die regering het skynbaar geen begrip
oor die omvang en die bedreiging wat omgewingsbesoedeling vir
die land en sy inwoners inhou nie. Die beskerming van
hulpbronne is nie slegs hierdie Departement van Bosbou,
Visserye en Omgewingsake se verantwoordelikheid nie.
English:
The protection of our environment and natural resources is the
responsibility of every other department in the country.
Departments can only conserve, protect and nourish our
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resources if we approach it as a collective and ensure that
there are consequences for noncompliance, consequences for the
executive of municipalities if these municipalities do not
manage their wastewater treatment plants responsibly,
consequences for the executive of municipalities if these
municipalities do not manage their refuse sites responsibly
and consequences for the executive of municipalities if these
municipalities do not implement zero-leak policies without
allowing state capture to take place.
The culture of a proud nation, irrespective of cultural
background, must be instilled and promoted. Every citizen must
have self-respect and understand that we have a moral
obligation to preserve our scarce environmental resources. How
wonderful will it be if we can unashamedly, without fear of
disappointment, invite the world to visit our municipalities,
ons klein dorpies [our small towns] and metros, to experience
a clean South Africa, a country that is proud to offer its
beauty and diverse culture to tourists and investors, and for
the world to enjoy.
Afrikaans:
Voorsitter, hier is steeds ruimte vir verbetering in Minister
Creecy se departement, maar die onus rus op elkeen van ons om
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nie slegs te kritiseer en van die kantlyn af voorstelle te
skree nie, maar om die vlammetjie van kultuur en van trots wat
ons soveel ontbreek, aan te blaas, om weer selfrespek te hê.
Ons sal dan korrupsie kan verminder, want jou gewete kla jou
aan; Besoedeling verminder, want ons moet ’n nalatenskap vir
ons kinders verseker; Onwettige jag en stropery verminder,
want ons moet die natuur bewaar; en ons sal ’n skoon en
veiliger omgewing hê, want ons het trots vir onsself en ons
medemens.
English:
The responsibility is ours to play the oversight role, but
let’s not fulfil this role by approaching it like outsiders
and critics. Our legacy will be determined by our current
actions. We must be responsible now.
Afrikaans:
Neem dit op uself. Vat verantwoordelikheid en wees die
verskil. Wees die verantwoordelike persoon wie jy is en ...
ander trots op jou kan wees, in opregtheid. Dankie Voorsitter.
Cllr K PHUKUNTSI: Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Deputy
Chairperson of the NCOP, hon Minister of Forestry, Fisheries
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and Environment, hon Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries
and Environment, hon Chief Whip of the NCOP, hon House
Chairpersons, hon permanent delegates and hon special
delegates, the SA Local Government Association, Salga, would
like to thank the hon Minister on this budget speech. It comes
right after the devastating floods that caused loss of life
and severe destruction of infrastructure in the KwaZulu-Natal
province, as well as the Eastern Cape and North West
provinces.
As a sector, we recognise that simply rebuilding
infrastructure without addressing climate change resilience
means that our communities will remain vulnerable to
calamities such as the one we have just witnessed. On the
other hand, Salga is encouraged by a growing recognition that
municipalities can be part of the solution to address climate
change, especially as South Africa places itself on a pathway
to build back better from these floods and the COVID-19
pandemic.
The department’s efforts in rallying the whole country to
respond to climate change through the passing of the Climate
Change Bill is noted and supported by Salga. Salga also
welcomes the work of the Presidential Climate Commission to
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lead South Africa’s just transition journey. However, a
transition can only be considered just if it considers the
local circumstances of those most impacted.
Salga has lamented the absence of a local government
representative in this Presidential Climate Commission.
Municipalities are areas of major economic development and
places where the complexities and challenges of rapid
population growth, urbanisation, food and water insecurity,
and service delivery collide with climate change impacts. As
frontline providers of core infrastructure services, they are
where policy implementation and community engagement happen.
Therefore, what municipalities do and how they respond to
climate change will affect the extent and pace of the broader
transition to sustainability. Local government should thus be
at the heart of South Africa’s climate change action and the
just transition agenda which will have profound implications
for the future competitiveness of municipal economies and the
livelihoods of their citizens.
Salga applauds the work of the department in supporting all
44 district municipalities with climate change adaptation
strategies. However, it is also crucial that smaller local
municipalities with huge vulnerable populations be supported
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to develop and update their risk vulnerability assessments and
climate action plans that can be packaged into projects ready
to receive the much-needed climate finance to ensure
implementation.
Indeed, the Minister highlighted the challenge of air
pollution in this country.
Mr M NHANHA: Order Chair!
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Yes, Nhanha, let’s hear what your
point of order is.
Mr M NHANHA: Chairperson, Cllr ... [Inaudible.] ... is hiding
away from us.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Nhanha, that’s not a point of
order. Please proceed, Cllr.
Cllr K PHUKUNTSI: Salga applauds the work of the department in
supporting all 44 district municipalities with climate change
adaptation strategies. However, it is also crucial that
smaller local municipalities with huge vulnerable populations
be supported to develop and update their risk vulnerability
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assessments and climate action plans that can be packaged into
projects ready to receive the much-needed climate finance to
ensure implementation.
Indeed, the Minister highlighted the challenge of air
pollution in this country. The department’s efforts to provide
support to local authorities to perform the air quality
management function is welcomed. As Salga, we support these
efforts and will work with the department and all stakeholders
to implement innovative technical support and infrastructure
solutions to ensure that municipalities effectively perform
this function.
Salga welcomes the work of the department on the White Paper
on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of South Africa’s
Biodiversity and the High-Level Panel report. We continue to
advocate for the recognition of municipalities as conservation
authorities and appeal to the department to continue to engage
local government authorities, both as a collective and
individually as management authorities, towards building and
sustaining a harmonious policy environment.
Firstly, Salga also welcomes the support of the department to
municipalities to improve waste service provision. Despite
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this support, waste management services are not at an
acceptable standard in the country and most public spaces
remain littered with illegally dumped waste. It is for this
reason that we would appeal to the Minister and the department
to invest in a national public awareness campaign that will
rally the whole of society in keeping our environment clean.
This requires a sustained momentum of activities by all
spheres of government and the private sector to change public
behaviour towards responsible waste management practices to
keep the country clean.
Secondly, there needs to be a conducive environment for the
government, especially by municipalities in particular, to
enter into innovative partnerships with the private sector and
civil society, to effectively perform the waste management
function. Experience has shown us that municipalities on their
own struggle to address all waste and other environmental
challenges facing the country. We require collaborative
efforts from all spheres of government and the private sector
to perform waste management functions.
Salga would like to express gratitude for the department’s
support as it rolls out the Councillor Induction Programme to
equip councillors who will be serving in the environment
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portfolios in municipalities. This programme will capacitate
councillors to ensure that municipalities are performing all
environmental functions and be able to effectively play an
oversight role. We are also looking forward to cohosting the
Local Government Environment Indaba with the department and
all sector partners to mobilise support to ensure
environmentally sustainable and climate-change resilient
municipalities.
Operation Phakisa has implications and opportunities for
municipalities. As a result, we urge the department to ensure
the alignment of all Phakisa programmes with Municipal Spatial
Development Frameworks, integrated development plans, IDPs,
sector-specific infrastructure plans and investment
frameworks. This will assist municipalities to leverage on the
socioeconomic opportunities in the environment sector and
align them to their own IDPs and economic development
objectives.
In conclusion, Salga really appreciates the collaborative
partnership we enjoy with the department, and that where
critical challenges are identified, the department mobilises
the sector to resolve them urgently. We are committed to
mobilising the whole of local government to step up and
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contribute towards climate change resilience, putting people
and nature first in pursuit of a resilient world where we do
not just service climate shocks and stresses but thrive in
spite of them all.
As I conclude and wrap up, I just want to quote the words of
Wangari Maathai, “We owe it to ourselves and to the next
generation to conserve the environment so that we can bequeath
our children a sustainable world that benefits all”.
So, as Salga we are going to make sure that our municipalities
are climate-change resilient. We thank you, Chair.
Mr C F B SMIT: Thank you hon Chair, am I audible?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Yes, you’re audible.
Mr C F B SMIT: Okay, it’s because I’m having load shedding,
I’m sitting by candle light so if my network goes down just
indicate to me so that I can switch off my video.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Yes, please proceed.
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Mr C F B SMIT: Hon Chair, hon members, fellow South Africans,
hon Minister, I firstly have to refer to some of the speeches
that were done today.
Firstly, the hon Minister Creecy, you referred to the plastic
pollution problem we are sitting with in South Africa. I came
across a lot of people that would drive with me and then throw
their rubbish out the window so I immediately tell them no,
pick it up and then they say no but it is job creation. So hon
Minister, I want to ask, what is being done to educate our
children at school level not to dump and throw their garbage
all over the place?
When I was at school we had a frequent chicken parade of
picking up garbage and also had a song that we sung in
Afrikaans.
Afrikaans:
Morsjors, tel op jou papiere. Morsjors, waar is jou maniere?
English:
Hon Minister Creecy, you warned us of the impact of climate
change in the near future. The problem is that your ANC
administration does not take this seriously as your budget
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clearly speaks for itself. Giving the tip of the tale from
treasury.
Hon Bebee, yes we have one of the most advanced environmental
legislative regimes. Just a pity it is an unfunded mandate and
impossible for the ANC administration to enforce the law as
they say we are driving a Rolce Royce but we can only afford a
City Golf.
Hon MEC Mvoko, your speech on climate change sounded more like
more like a letter to father Christmas. A wish list and no
self-initiated plans.
Hon Ngwenya, after we’ve had to listen to your message script
directly from the Luthuli House, I realised that we should
actually ask you where is the rest of the budget for this
department as you’re one of the celebrities in the Zondo
Report.
Hon Chair, this department has the responsibility to defend
our environment and natural resources and in essence the
dignity and basics. I have no choice but to say it has failed
in exactly this duty. It is under resourced and given lip
service by the ANC administration when it comes to budget. I
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think the reason might be that there are not enough tender
opportunities to pocket money. That is unless you get creative
like the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture with a
R22 million flag.
Why it, because you are unable to regulate nor prosecute
municipal officials for disregarding our natural environment
and sensitive systems
Water is already a scarce resource and is at critical levels
but municipalities like Mogalakwena, eMfuleni and Sol Plaatjie
to mention just a few [Inaudible.] of millions of litres of
raw sewerage into our [Inaudible.] systems and wetlands.
In Mogalakwena [Inaudible.] manager and accounting officer to
no avail. Opening [Inaudible.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: You’re not audible hon member.
Try to speak a bit louder.
Mr C F B SMIT: ... water violation [Inaudible.] that
stipulates exactly [Inaudible.]
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The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Please proceed. Hon Smit seems to
be in some sort of a problem there. Will ask the Table to
please assist.
Mr C F B SMIT: Thank you Chair. Violations at
the...Chairperson? Chairperson can you hear me?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Please proceed.
Mr C F B SMIT: Thank you. [Inaudible.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Hon Smit? Hon Smit you seem to
have drifted away and you’re hardly audible now. Please try
and speak to the microphone.
Mr C F B SMIT: [Inaudible.] Green Scorpions on violation...
Chairperson can you hear me?
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: I can hear you a little bit now.
Please try to be consistent and be closer to the microphone.
Mr C F B SMIT: [Inaudible.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: Please try again.
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Mr C F B SMIT: I’m trying my best Chairperson.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: You are better now.
Mr C F B SMIT: Okay, thank you. We laid multiple complaints to
the Green Scorpions on violations on Bakwena dumping site
where animals [Inaudible.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: We seem to be losing you hon
member.
Mr C F B SMIT: [Inaudible.] ... for weeks now and smoke is
causing serious medical problems amongst surrounding
communities of which now [Inaudible.] because of it. We are
still waiting for the report from the Green Scorpions
[Inaudible.]
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: We seem to have lost hon Smit so
we’ll proceed. Our next speaker is hon Nyambi.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): Hon Chairperson of the
House, Ntate Masondo, Deputy Chairperson, Mme Lucas, hon House
Chairperson Mme Ngwenya, hon Minister Creecy, hon Deputy
Minister, Sotyu, MECs from our provinces, fellow members and
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ladies and gentlemen, I know that the hon Smit was failed by
the candle. So, that is why I will forgive him. Instead of
focusing on the ball, he was more focussed on the man because
he could not read his speech. The candle was not doing justice
to him. So, for that reason I will leave him. The list said
about many things he said about hon member was to focus on the
debate, the better for today.
Those of us who have free distribution to playing politics
during Budget Votes, should not look further than ... North
West ...
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON: Hon Nyambi, you are not audible the way
you should be! Try and focus.
The HOUSE CHAIRPERSON (Mr A J Nyambi): ... and elsewhere in
the country to appreciate what this department is dealing
with.
It is therefore, fitting for me to take this moment to pay my
condolences to families who have lost their loved ones. I also
pray for strength to those who have to rebuild their lives,
after they have lost almost everything. The ANC stands in
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support of Budget Vote No 32 of the Department of Forestry,
Fisheries and the Environment.
Siswati:
Akwehlanga lolungehlanga, bakitshi.
English:
Whereas it is convenient for some of us to blame it all on the
ruling party, our glorious movement the ANC, mention has to be
made of the fact that what we saw happening with the recent
floods, is the accumulation of 100 years of poor planning
management. I say poor planning management for fear of falling
into the same ditch as many finger pointing and point-scoring
colleagues are trying to do today.
Years of dispossession and subjugation have ensured that the
vast majority of our people are condemned to inhabitable
spaces of our beautiful and bountiful country. In the
meantime, the minority continue to live in higher planes,
building fortresses to shelter themselves from elements of the
weather.
However, hon Chairperson, the time has come for the structure
of our economy to be tackled in such a way that the motherland
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provides equally for all her children irrespective of race,
colour or creed. It starts now, with the presentation of this
budget by the hon Minister which I am sure we will all rise to
embrace. If we do not do that, hon Chairperson, we run the
risk of perpetrating the devastation that continues to be the
portion of the vast majority of our people.
We will continue to entangle the country in a vicious circle
where the people engage in dangerous practices such as
deforestation which in turn, leads to fatal natural disasters
over a period of time.
Our people scare the forest in search of firewood for cooking
and other various forms of domestic energy. This is a double
edged hazard. That as I have said, leads to deforestation by
also contributes to the erosion of the ozone layer through the
emission of dangerous gases from open fires as it has been
explained by the hon Minister.
The provision of clean energy to the masses of our people has
become urgent. We appreciate efforts that are being made by
the sister departments in ensuring that there are multiple
role-players in the energy sector who will contribute to the
national energy grid.
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Hon Chairperson, South Africa is blessed with thousands of
kilometers of shoe land that should present an opportunity for
us to tap into the reach tapestry of the ocean economy. We
really qualify to be labelled Africa’s ocean basket. All we
need to do, is to ramp up efforts and ensure that we empower
as many of our people to literally catch the fish for
themselves instead of us catching the fish for them.
We need to deal with the redtape whenever it occurs to allow
ordinary man on the shoreline to run a thriving business
without causing damage to the environment.
Driving through Strandfontein Beach in the Western Cape, I
have often marvel at how man and women out of living from
driving through you see them selling the marine bounty on the
side of the road. However, I look forward to the day when
these men and women will be supported to start trading at the
safe industrial scale. This they can do with our continued
support. I am sure we will not fail, when it comes to that,
hon Minister.
Further away, in St Lucia, I also see a lot of men and women
who require the same support. Any reluctance to pass this
budget will be a huge smug on their faces.
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May I also remind this House, hon Chairperson that South
Africa also home to over 20 national parks which are home to
most amazing creatures on planet earth. It is our duty to
ensure that these are our creatures. We do not only have to
preserve them for their aesthetic, but also for their
contribution to tourism.
I cannot count the many times I was the only South African
passenger on the airline operating between Cape Town and
Mpumalanga with the rest of others being tourists. They love
our Kruger National Park and they really love seeing the big
five.
However, the threat of poachers decimating our rhinos has
always loomed large. Some of which are domestic which others
being transnational.
Again we need to ramp up efforts to fight the scourge of
poachers and that would be seamlessly done by adopting the
budget as presented by the Minister that has been today,
eloquently supported by members as hon Smit you fail to
understand it.
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These national parks hon Chairperson, should not be set aside
as an enjoyment by international tourists only, sister
departments should consider partnership that would create
packages necessary to promote local tourism more than just the
open day or week, hon Minister.
It is heartbreaking to learn that some communities closer to
national parks have not had the full benefit of assessing
these parks. They end up developing attitudes that can only be
helpful to poachers who use the communities as hide outs for
their activities that are against the law. There are just
under 10 transfrontier consecutive areas which our
jurisdiction all of which require our attention. These allow
of ease of transit, for tourist between international borders.
However, any sought of slip up within these areas could pose a
serious threat to national security.
That is why hon Minister, it becomes urgent and imperative
that we empower this department through this budget to
strengthen the various agencies working with these areas.
Hon Chairperson, we are signatory to Climate Change Protocol
and time is running out for us to start walking the talk. Our
duty as the national legislature is to ensure that at all
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times we follow up on our commitments through settling up
monitoring and oversight mechanism. We need to ensure that the
executive follows the latter and speed of our commitment to
significantly reduce hazardous emissions.
In our last meeting at a Joint Standing Committee meeting of
the Chairpersons, we have made a commitment to move with speed
in ensuring that such a joint committee is set up this year.
We cannot stand aside and allow other countries such as
Germany to make pronouncement on our funds for a just
transition to be safe-guarded. It is our duty as this House of
Parliament or as Parliament to set the pace even as we accept
help from elsewhere.
Hon Chairperson, some people are failing to understand as I am
speaking that we have ample time as members of the committee
to engage and the Minister and her Deputy were able to assist
us to understand what is it that we will be doing and why we
have to be effective and efficient when doing oversight.
When we approve or when we support, we are not doing it just
because it is fashionable, but it is responding to the
challenges facing our people on the ground.
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Allow me hon Chairperson, in conclusion, to thank the Minister
and her team for the comprehensive presentation of the budget
with the assurance that we will always be on hand to lend
support where ever same is needed. The naysayers like the hon
Smit and doubting Tomases have always been in our midst, but
that should not deter us or you hon Minister, the Deputy and
MECs for doing what is right or what is needed to be done.
That is why as the ANC we support this Budget Vote. Thank you,
hon Chairperson.
The MINISTER ON FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND ENVIRONMENT:
Chairperson, let me start by asking hon Labuschagne to forward
a letter to me with regard to the payment problems that she
alluded to, and I will give it full attention and see whether
we can assist. As you correctly point out, we have been doing
a lot to verify performance before we pay because of our
difficulties with the Auditor-General. However, please send me
a letter and let’s see what we can do because it is my fervent
belief that small businesses must be paid timeously for the
work that they undertake.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear hon Smit but he was documenting
some environmental challenges and I would like to extend the
same courtesy to him. If he could write a letter to me about
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the problems that he was referring to. Let’s see whether we
can attend to them.
There was a question posed with regard to where the money is
for biodiversity and conservation. I think there has been
concern in the budget process that a large chunk of the
biodiversity and conservation budget appears to have
disappeared. It’s merely a reassignment to the environmental
programmes and it’s because we have important partnerships
with the SA National Biodiversity Institute, Sanbi, SA
National Parks, SANParks, and iSimangaliso, where we are
improving infrastructure in these facilities. We are also
improving ... and removing alien vegetation and restoring
wetlands, and all in all, this programme is creating
approximately 9 000 work opportunities. So, I don’t think hon
members have to be afraid that we are decreasing the budget
for biodiversity and conservation. On the contrary, we are
trying to make sure that more of our resources are channelled
towards our national parks and our botanical gardens, which we
think really need to be creating these work opportunities.
I want to take this opportunity to say that hon Nyambi is
absolutely correct. Unless communities living on the outskirts
of our national parks benefit directly from having those parks
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there, you will never have a sustainable strategy for dealing
with poaching. Obviously, poaching does require law
enforcement activities but ultimately you have to find ways to
provide work opportunities so that young men in particular are
not lured into becoming the foot soldiers of poaching
syndicates. I really want to agree with hon Nyambi that our
programmes in our national parks and our commercialisation
strategies from the recent conferences that SANParks and
iSimangaliso have been holding, have to be directed towards
creating more work opportunities in rural areas where there is
very little else.
Let me take the opportunity to congratulate MEC Mvoko on his
programmes to provide carbon sinks, on ecosystem restoration,
on green energy initiatives that the Eastern Cape government
is taking and also the partnerships that we have to improve
waste management. Let me agree with him that, going forward
community education is going to be one of the most important
ways we can ensure that vulnerable communities become more
climate resilient. It is not necessary for vulnerable
communities to be totally powerless in the face of climate
change if we ensure that they have relevant early warning
systems with regard to severe weather events and if we also
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help them to understand the mitigation measures that they can
take.
I want to thank hon Phukuntsi, our representative from the SA
Local Government Association, Salga, for the partnership that
we enjoy with Salga. It’s extremely valuable to us and I think
it is helping us to improve air quality, waste management and
a range of other areas. As you know, we are always open to
extending that partnership and I think key areas that you’ve
raised are with regard to your status as conservation
authorities and also Phakisa Initiative 5. We are open to
constructive suggestions from yourselves with regard to these
initiatives.
Let me say that we have now reached the point with regard to
the Fishing Rights Allocation Process, Frap, where at the end
of this month we will begin the appeals process. And, it’s
only after one has applied one’s mind to the appeals process
that one would want to make any definitive statement on the
extent to which we have or have not transformed the fishing
industry. I would just urge all those fishing institutions
that are dissatisfied with Frap and are interested parties in
whatever way, you have until 29 May to file your appeals, and
please do so.
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There is absolutely no truth, hon Arnolds, that we have not
supported the small-scale fishing sector. It is on my watch
that we have handed out 15-year rights to 10 000 small-scale
fishers in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern
Cape. We are now working with the Department of Small Business
Development to develop these co-operatives and entities, and
to ensure that we improve the basket of species. We also
involve them in the comanagement of the fishing resource.
The CHAIRPERSON OF THE NCOP: As you conclude, Minister.
The MINISTER ON FORESTRY, FISHERIES AND ENVIRONMENT: As I
conclude, let me thank all the hon members for their
participation in this debate. In particular, let me take the
opportunity to thank my Deputy Minister and also the MECs
present, and everybody else who has come from provinces across
the country to focus on environmental issues which are of
great concern to all of us. We value your inputs and
suggestions, and we look forward to continuing with the
productive working relationship. I thank you.
Debate concluded.
The Council adjourned at 18:51.
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