Questions and Replies

Reply:

The South African Police Service is to launch the Economic Infrastructure Task Team (EITT) whose role will be to address the scourge of crimes within the non-ferrous metals, essential infrastructure, critical infrastructure, extortion, and illegal mining. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy will work together with the envisaged unit.

Reply:

1. As I had indicated previously, the Department has received, considered and accepted the legal advice on the status of Afrikaans as an indigenous language, and the need for policy adjustment to clearly reflect this fact so that we are not unduly distracted from the important task of developing our historically marginalised languages. The adjusted definition will be published in a Government Gazette. Officials from my Department have been having discussions with officials from the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and there is consensus on the need for an explicitly inclusive definition of indigenous languages in the policy framework.

2. The Honourable member must rest assured that the amendment will be published as per the advice, and I hope this will close this matter once and for all and re-focus our attention on the main task at hand which is bringing dignity and respect to all our historically marginalised indigenous languages as the Constitution of the Republic demand of us.

Reply:

Universities in South Africa have a wide range of liberal arts in their Programme and Qualification Mixes. These are academic fields in history, literature, philosophy, sociology, drama and visual arts, to name but a few.

Traditional and comprehensive universities offer a range of classic and world-renowned liberal arts, with various schools within faculties dedicated to such studies, e.g. the University of Johannesburg has the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture that offers qualifications in creative, hospitality and the visual arts; the University of South Africa, Stellenbosch University, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of the Witwatersrand, University of Pretoria, University of Fort Hare and University of Zululand have a long history in the offering of liberal arts.

Universities of Technology also have a long history in the liberal arts, e.g. the Tshwane University of Technology has a campus dedicated to the liberal arts and the Durban University of Technology boasts of a well-known Faculty of Art and Design.

The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation established the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) through the publication of Government Notice No. 37118 on 5 December 2013. The role of the NIHSS is broadly to enhance and support the Human and Social Sciences (HSS) in South Africa and beyond, and to advise government and civil society on HSS related matters. It does so through its various programmes, including the Doctoral school scholarships, catalytic projects and African Pathways Programme. The NIHSS works with universities, think tanks and research bodies to convene and coordinate PhD-level academic programmes, catalytic research and international research collaboration. The Doctoral scholarships programme is the Institute’s largest programme and works in collaboration with the South African Humanities Deans’ Association and Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges such as the College of Cape Town and Tshwane North TVET College offer qualifications in art and design.

Reply:

(a)(i) The total number of parolees that have not been found by departmental officials during routine visits are as follows:

Region	01 January 2019-31 March 2020	2020/2021 Financial year	2021/2022 Financial year	01 April 2022 to 31 August 2022
FS/NC	1 338	1 221	1 278	1 087
WC	4 1834	21 854	21 889	9 392
KZN	3 411	2 743	3 265	3 670
EC	1 301	1 029	1 320	829
LMN	1 02	405	525	72
GP	1 391	831	1 255	982
National	49 377	28 083	29 532	16 032

(a)(ii) The total number of parolees that did not turn up at departmental offices as part of their parole conditions are as follows:

Region	01 January 2019-31 March 2020	2020/2021 Financial year	2021/2022 Financial year	01 April 2022 to 31 August 2022
FS/NC	708	371	574	372
WC	4 368	1 949	2 352	864
KZN	1 077	976	1 922	1 747
EC	811	695	966	747
LMN	83	81	81	50
GP	241	158	344	299
National	7 288	4 230	6 239	3 279

(b)(i) The following are the number of parolees that have been returned to complete their sentence in correctional centres:

Region	01 January 2019 to 31 March 2020	2020/2021 Financial year	2021/2022 Financial year	01 April 2022 to 31 August 2022
FS/NC	606	453	443	259
WC	1471	636	771	389
KZN	410	151	320	236
EC	440	380	402	331
LMN	83	81	81	50
GP	666	197	296	236
National	3 676	1 898	2 313	1 501

(b)(ii) The following are the number of parolees still on the run and being sought to be returned to correctional Centres:

Region	01 January 2019 to 31 March 2020	2020/2021 Financial year	2021/2022 Financial year	01 April 2022 to 31 August 2022
FS/NC	377	259	296	161
WC	6163	6370	6449	6384
KZN	735	352	363	152
EC	1741	1710	1674	1615
LMN	1003	1001	894	797
GP	426	575	483	323
National	10 445	10 267	10 159	9 432

END

Reply:

Emanating from the Examination IT System, the Resulting and Certification IT System directorate has no outstanding printing of certification and diplomas to qualifying candidates. The Examination IT system could not identify and extract any outstanding qualification to qualifying candidates. Any and other candidates whose achievement records across different examinations (over multiple examination cycles) must apply via their respective TVET colleges for consolidation to meet qualification requirements. 

(a) CERTIFICATION PROGRESS FOR THE PERIOD 31 JANUARY 2022 TO 30 JUNE 2022

Business Studies 

As at 30 June 2022, 571 230 certificates for candidates who sat for Business Studies N4 to N6 qualification examinations between the period November 2021 to June 2022 were issued. This figure represents a total of 192 examination center at 50 TVET Colleges.

Engineering Studies 

As at 30 June 2022, 142 606 certificates for candidates who sat for Engineering Studies N1 to N2 and N4 to N6 qualification examinations between the period November 2021 to June 2022 were issued. This figure represents a total of 28 examination centers.

3.3 NC(V) 

As at 26 September 2022, 149 874 out of 170 300 certificates for candidates who sat for NC(V) Level 2 to 4 qualification for the 202111 examination cycle were issued. Different types of documents are created. These represents the full certificates for candidates who passed all 7 subjects in one examination cycle. The outstanding certificate are a representation of subject statements for candidates who passed less than 7 subjects and candidates who failed all subjects or candidates who were absent for all subjects. No documents are printed for these candidates, but need to be issued with an Umalusi document number for further processes once the student re write the subjects and qualify for a full certificate.

For the period November 20211 to March 2022 the certificates for 2978 candidates are still being processed. The candidates enrolled for the supplementary examination are excluded from the batch certification submitted to Umalusi for approval and printing. The reason being that a candidate could have passed or bettered a mark during the supplementary examination. This is done per level, since the issuing of the higher level is dependent on the issuing of the lower level. This means the candidates must have passed the lower levels before a higher-level certificate can be issued. 

Once this consolidation process is finalized, the records for candidates who passed subjects over multiple examination cycles are consolidated and certificates issued for qualifying candidates.

(b) 3.4 DIPLOMAS 

The following is an update progress made in issuing of diplomas during the period between 01 January 2022 to 30 June 2022 reporting period:

(i) The Certification and Historical records unit issued 34 588 diplomas to qualifying candidates who meet the theoretical and practical component requirements. 

While the number of potential candidates who are eligible for diplomas seemed to be less, consideration should be taken that this is a three years’ qualification comprising of 18 months Business Studies /12 months Engineering Studies theoretical achievement accompanied by 18 months or 2000 hours of relevant evidence of practical experience in commerce or industry, while Engineering requires 24 months or two years of relevant practical experience respectively.    

National N Diploma application declined to candidates not meeting the requirements must resubmit their applications for appeal. 

The above figure represents a total of 50 TVET Colleges.

INTERVENTIONS

Department of Higher Education and Training courier all Certificates and National N Diplomas printed and awarded to TVET colleges and campuses to be issued to qualifying candidates. These qualifications are captures and recorded on the Examination IT System with tracking waybill number for easy tracking and retrieval. It is the responsibility of the TVET colleges to inform candidates to collect their qualification upon receipt by their respective colleges/campuses. 

While it is expected of college to hand over certificates and diplomas to qualifying candidate’s challenges does occur especially with private colleges relocations.

Reply:

This matter has over the years affected various creatives across all domains and genres. It could be attributed to the unfavourable contractual agreements between creatives and their employers and/or management, lack of financial management including tax and budgeting.

The Department has over the years supported and will continue supporting various initiatives to empower and educate creatives in these matters quite early in their careers to have a ‘soft landing’ during troubling times since their sector operates mainly on free lancing.

Over and above that, the Department has a Program that supports Living Legends Legacy Project; creatives over 70 years old and above.

In the last three years the department has also established a Silapha Wellness Program, which is an initiative geared towards sensitising the creatives about such challenges.

Reply:

1. No, Body Building South Africa (BBSA) has not paid the fine. South African Institute for Drug-Free Sports has sent the federation Letters of Demand provided for the debt owed to it in our Annual Financials. BBSA responded with lawyer’s letters despite being informed that the SA Anti- Doping Regulations (2021) and the World Anti- Doping Code (2021) do not provide recourse for a national federation to dispute the fine.
2. The South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has not indicated what actions they have taken to stop BBSA from repeated doping offenses. Section 17(A) that deals with Punitive Measures and specifically Subsection (1) of The South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport Amendment Act; the Department on written recommendations of SASCOC, may cause an investigation to be conducted as it deems fit to ascertain whether the federations comply with the provisions of the Act. The Department is still awaiting written recommendations from SASCOC.
3. (a) As disclosed in the SAIDS 2021/22 Annual Report, eleven (11) tests were conducted at the National Bodybuilding Championships. (b) Ten (10) tests returned positive for various anabolic steroids. The names of the athletes and the substances are disclosed, as is required by the World Anti-Doping Code, in the Annual Report.

Reply:

1. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that the matter is a project driven investigation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) Northern Cape. The Organised Crime component within the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Gauteng Division, Pretoria has been guiding the investigations.
2. The investigation is at an advanced stage. An expert report is awaited. On conclusion of the investigation, the prosecutor will decide whether to institute a prosecution, and if so, on what charges.
3. There is no need to release a statement on the matter.

Reply:

No.	Institution/University	Turnaround strategy	Total number of protests recorded in 2022
1.	Cape Peninsula University of Technology	The allowances were paid on time to students. The university made some concessions to allow NSFAS qualifying students to register whilst await for the advancement from NSFAS.	There were no protests reported.
2.	University of Cape Town	The University advances all NSFAS funded students with meals, books and accommodation allowance until funds are received from NSFAS.	The university had minor protests this year that were contained. Not all the protests were NSFAS-related.
3.	Central University of Technology	The NSFAS to issue the Funded List and Guidelines to all the universities & TVET colleges at the beginning of the academic year	Bloemfontein Campus: 23-24 February 2022 28 February 2022 07 March 2022 13-14 March 2022 17 March 2022 22 March 2022 24-25 March 2022 06-07 June 2022 8 in total Welkom Campus 04 February 2022 27-30 March 2022 03-04 April 2022 3 in total
4.	Durban University of Technology	There was a delay in payment of the upfront payment by NSFAS as a result payment of allowances to students delayed.	On 8 -11 March 2022 The protests were not only about NSFAS matters. However, the concerns raised by students included the delays in payment of allowances
5.	University of Fort Hare	The university extended the registration period to allow NSFAS funded students to register upon confirmation of funding by NSFAS.	In the beginning of the academic year, there were pockets of demonstrations due to delayed NSFAS lists of funded students
6.	University of the Free State.	All other concerns were addressed during registration period. Only the issue of accommodation took longer and was addressed in May 2022 through engagements between DHET, NSFAS, Students represented by SRC, and UFS management.	From 21 to 23 February 2022 in both Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa campus The concerns raised include withdrawal of offers due to late confirmation of funding from NSFAS for first-time entering students, late confirmation of funding for continuing students, immediate payment of allowances to NSFAS students, N+1/2 Rule, Accommodation for NSFAS funded students
7.	University of Johannesburg.	The University administers funds on behalf of NSFAS for over 25 600 students registered in 2022. All efforts are made to ensure that potential NSFAS students are assisted with registration and allowances at the beginning of the year while waiting for NSFAS to confirm funding whilst waiting for the upfront payment from NSFAS. The University lifted a financial block to 8998 students who were identified as potential NSFAS beneficiaries. This includes 872 SASSA beneficiaries.   The university also set aside a budget for the SRC Trust Funds. A total number of 4462 students were approved for SRC trust fund during the academic registration period. The University of Johannesburg advances all NSFAS funded students with meals, books and accommodation allowance until funds are received from NSFAS in April 2022.	The experienced protests were sectional (groups of common interest protesting – not led by the SRC). On the10th of February 2022, about 50 students attempted to disrupt registration process but the University responded in time to prevent the disruption. All the protests were managed successfully by of course pressurizing the relevant sectors to be responsive by addressing the problems.
8.	University of KwaZulu-Natal	The vast majority of list of demands received from the SRC, includes issues, as students experience them, with respect to NSFAS. Concerns raised include poor communication, non-responsiveness, perceived inequity/bias in applying NSFAS rules, systems, e.g., for appeals, not working well NSFAS funded students were assisted whilst waiting for communication and funds from NSFAS.	27 May 2022, 6 & 14 June 2022.
9.	University of Limpopo	The challenging area with regard to the NSFAS funding has been around the student’s allowances, and in particular, Off-Campus accommodation allowances. The matter was resolved immediately with NSFAS taking full responsibility of the administration of the process as such, further challenges would be resolved within the shortest turnaround time.	14 September 2022.
10.	Mangosuthu University of Technology	NSFAS qualifying students are assisted to register	On 23 June 2022, not NSFAS related
11.	University of Mpumalanga	No protests experienced
12.	Nelson Mandela University	Nelson Mandela University has been working closely with NSFAS. Ongoing communication with the NSFAS agent has proved valuable in addressing certain operational issues. A visit to the NSFAS Office in Cape Town with a multi-stakeholder University team, assisted in attending to some strategic interventions that were required. A productive and meaningful relationship with NSFAS is required with institutions to ensure open and constructive flow of information and planning. An academic year requires prior planning to ensure that universities can enrol new and returning students without any significant disruptions. The sector needs to be engaged through a multi-stakeholder task team and informed well in advance if there will be significant policy changes to ensure adequate risk mitigation and preparation for unintended consequences.	The University experienced protests that closed the campus on 14 February, as well as 3 and 4 March. A management team lead by the Dean of Students engaged on the issues. The main issues of the closure on 14 February being: Students awaiting funding statuses including NSFAS appeals which then result in allowances not being able to be released. This included the Higher Certificate unfunded students Postgraduate student funding Unfunded students that do not qualify for University concessions for registration Historic debt. Following positive engagements, the parties found each other on a number of issues raised. The main issues of the protests on 3 and 4 March being: Extension of the closing date for registration Management agreed on an extension to the registration period from 4 March to 11 March 2022.
13.	North-West University	The NWU has set aside funds to pay allowances from the end of February albeit that an NSFAS payment had not been received. An agreed-upon process and measures involving members of the university management and the student leadership has been in place to address concerns that had been raised by students – some of which were related to NSFAS	The University experienced some unrest in February 2022. The issues raised were NSFAS and registrations related. A meeting was arranged between the SRC and management and matters raised, were resolved.
14.	University of Pretoria	There were no protests at UP on NSFAS.
15.	Rhodes University	The university committed support initiatives that would make NSFAS more efficient and effective.	No protests experienced.
16.	Sefako Makgatho University	University takes upon itself to process and allocate allowances to funded students and later claim from NSFAS.	So far, no protest actions were experienced at SMU during the 2022 academic year.
17.	Sol Plaatje University	There were no protests experienced.
18.	University of South Africa	Protests experienced were not NSFAS related. The protests were led by the labour unions on labour and management related matters.
19.	Stellenbosch University	Stellenbosch University had no NSFAS related student protests in 2022.
20.	Tshwane University of Technology	TUT has implemented mitigating strategies to try and resolve challenges experienced with NSFAS. This involved TUT and NSFAS embarking on a series of engagements to address concerns and queries through the NSFAS Service Agent, robust meetings with Financial Aid Practitioners of South Africa (FAPSA) and Usaf (FEF)	(b) The students protest on NSFAS matters were recorded at Tshwane University of Technology in the beginning of 2022, i.e., during February and March. The most challenging issues that affected all six campuses were recorded as follows: Delay in the release the list of NSFAS Funded students; N+2 Rule of NSFAS; and NSFAS appeals process being slow. . However, there protests were not just limited to NSFAS related concerns. Other student demands also played a role
21.	Vaal University of Technology	NSFAS officials visited the campus to address outstanding challenges regarding NSFAS.	On 10 June 2022, the guard house at the entrance of the campus was set alight.
22.	University of Venda	The University of Venda Strategy is to open registration for all NSFAS potential funded students pending NSFAS confirmation and reimbursement of funds to the university. University decided to pay students allowances towards food and to pay landlords before NSFAS pay to ensure well-being of students and stability on campus. As for book allowances universities decided to wait for NSFAS to pay the university considering the magnitude of the invoice as majority of UNIVEN enrolment is funded by NSFAS.	one protest action was recorded during May 2022.
23.	Walter Sisulu University	The interventions by the University included: Ongoing engagements with institutional and campus SRCs, NSFAS visiting campuses to deal with NSFAS related matters,	Walter Sisulu University encountered protests from February to June 2022 on its four campuses (Zamukulingisa, Mthatha, Ibika and Buffalo City). The concerns raised by students included: unfunded students, and student accommodation not compliant to DHET minimum norms.
24.	University of the Western Cape	No protest actions related to NSFAS issues	.
25.	University of the Witwatersrand	No protest actions related to NSFAS issues
26.	University of Zululand	NSFAS qualifying students are assisted whilst NSFAS has not yet paid the upfront payment to the university.	On 9 March 2022 at the KwaDlangezwa. The concerns raised by students were not only NSFAS related. Students complained against students living off campus and inadequate residences. The University managed to source more off-campus accommodation.

Reply:

The oversight role over water services institutions as per the Water Services Act is the responsibility of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), and this question should be referred to that relevant Department for reply.

Reply:

(a) The upkeep and day-to-day maintenance of this College is administered by the North the West Provincial Department of Agriculture as College is currently residing and reporting under that Department.

(b)(i) The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) are in a process of transferring Colleges of Agriculture to a national competence and having them declared as Higher Education Colleges governed by the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 101 of 1997) but will be funded and managed administratively under the Minister responsible for Agriculture. This will benefit the Colleges in that DHET has established programmes for support to Higher Education Institutions, developing needy colleges towards attaining semi-autonomy and eventually full autonomy to Colleges leading to quicker decision-making and more effective implementation of decisions. College of Agriculture students as well will be able to access bursaries from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) as it is only available to students at higher education institutions. Collaborations and coordination within the Higher Education sector will assist in improving the conditions of the Colleges of Agriculture especially in respect of infrastructure that supports curriculum offerings.

(b)(ii) The Potchefstroom College of Agriculture is administered by the North West Provincial Department of Agriculture, however, DALRRD provides support to the College through the College Revitalisation Plan since 2012. The allocations over the years are as follows:

Financial year	Name of College	Allocation
2011/2012	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R4 500 000,00
2012/2013	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R6 000 000,00
2013/2014	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R7 524 000,00
2014/2015	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R10 000 000,00
2015/2016	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R11 800 000,00
2016/2017	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R9 500 000,00
2017/2018	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R7 000 000,00
2018/2019	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R7 000 000,00
2019/2020	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R2 986 000,00
2020/2021	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R2 466 000,00
2021/2022	Potchefstroom College of Agriculture	R8 500 000,00
Total		R77 276 000,00

(b)(iii) The following Infrastructure, equipment and machinery were developed or procured at Potchefstroom College of Agriculture through Colleges Revitalisation Plan since 2012.

New building constructed	Buildings renovated	Procurement of equipment and machinery	Others
Construction of Poultry house Construction of 20 sow-unit Piggery house Construction of Poultry Abattoir Construction of Greenhouse, Office and Palisade Fencing Renovation of Lecture halls, Examination Hall and the assessment rooms security system– Phase 2 Construction of new Laboratories (Practical Training Facilities) Building of One multi-purpose lecture hall with a capacity of 150 student Construction of mini pack house for the horticultural unit	Renovation and installation of new machines in the Dairy Refurbishment of student kitchen and dining hall Renovation of students infrastructure and Alex/ Pampoen boere pit (6 hostels and 2 Halls)	Procurement of stand-by Generators Procurement of 89 KW tractor Procurement of nine double cab bakkies Procurement of 24 row wheat drill Procurement of farm agricultural equipment Procurement of ICT equipment; computers, laptops, printers, projectors, etc Procurement of Tractor GPS, Air Conditioners and Installation of 2 X Canopies Supply and delivery of Tractor, Ridger, Plough and Slasher,	Installation of Bio-metric Access Control System in the Admin Block and student hostels Installation of galvanized steel palisade for the centre pivot, Piggery House, layer house and whole campus Installation of High Mast Lights Provision of Wi-Fi on the campus

Reply:

a) To accelerate Land Reform, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) implemented the Proactive Land Acquisition Policy (PLAP) in terms of which the state has acquired over 170 000 hectares of land to date. The land is allocated and leased out to farmers for a period of 30 years and the lease can be extended for another 20 years.

In order to ensure equitable access to land, the Beneficiary Selection and Land Allocation Policy (BSLAP) was formulated to ensure transparent allocation of land with priority being given to vulnerable groups, i.e. women, youth and people with disabilities. Over 76 000 hectares of land was allocated to women, over 52 000 hectares to youth and about 489 hectares to people with disabilities. The policy also prioritises the allocation of land to communal farmers to decongest communal areas.

The Department further identified and released 700,000 hectares of state land for agricultural purposes.

DALRRD has also developed the Land Donations Policy to encourage landowners to contribute to land reform, as recommended by the Advisory Panel on Land Reform and Agriculture. The policy provides a framework on how a donation can be done including associated incentives to those who donate land i.e. tax incentives.

DALRRD is currently processing applications for awards of land by labour tenants, which were lodged not later than 31 March 2001. The Department is, therefore, working with the Special Master on Labour Tenants to settle all outstanding labour tenant claims as ordered by the Land Claims Court.

Communal tenure remains another priority for Land Reform: following the Communal Land Tenure Summit held from 27-28 May 2022, and taking into account the outcomes of the Summit, the draft Communal Land Tenure Policy and Communal Land Tenure Bill have been formulated and once finalised will follow the normal processes of government before it is tabled in Parliament.

Regarding Tenure Policies and Legislative Development: The Upgrading of Land Tenure Rights Act 112 of 1991 (ULTRA) Bill was passed into law to comply with the Court Judgement and the Regulations have been finalized and will be published during the 2022/2023 financial year.

The Communal Property Associations Amendment Bill was approved by Cabinet and the Extension of Security of Tenure Act, 1997 (Act No. 62 of 1997) (ESTA) Amendment Bill was also passed into law. Regulations will be published in the 2022/23 financial year.

The Commission on Restitution of Land Rights has developed a backlog reduction strategy to accelerate the finalization of land claims. These mechanisms are at an implementation stage.

b) The Department’s Rural Development Mandate Outcome 6: Integrated and inclusive rural economy:

The Department is engaged in the finalisation of the Draft Integrated Rural Development Strategy, building on the lessons learnt from the implementation of the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) and the Integrated Sustainable Rural Development Strategy (ISRDS). The Department continues to play its role to “initiate, facilitate, coordinate and act as a catalyst for the implementation of a comprehensive rural development programme leading to sustainable and vibrant rural communities”, working closely with provincial and other national departments through the District Development Model (DDM) and Rural District Plans as well as with Traditional Councils.

The Strategy further recognises that rural development and rural economy objectives are transversal in nature and cannot be successfully implemented without the collaboration of Traditional leaders and traditional communities because rural areas are largely under the custodianship of Traditional Councils. Sustainable communities and inclusive rural economies require a bottom-up community-driven participatory approach that places traditional communities and rural people at the centre of development.

The National Development Plan (NDP) (2012) identifies the following four key points relating to rural development: (i) Rural communities require greater social, economic, and political opportunities to overcome poverty; (ii) To achieve this, agricultural development should introduce a land reform and job-creation/livelihood strategy that ensures rural communities have jobs; (iii) Ensure quality access to basic services, health care, education, and food security; and (iii) plans for rural towns should be tailor-made according to the varying opportunities in each area.

Intergovernmental relations should be addressed to improve rural governance.

The Department in conjunction with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation have also finalized the first National Spatial Development Framework (NSDF) for the country, which was approved by Cabinet in March 2022. The NSDF is a strategic long-term spatial planning instrument with a 2050 – time horizon. One of the key objectives of NSDF is to assist in the redress of multiple social and economic problems and ensure decisive, collaborative, integrated state and non–state action. The NSDF proposes the identification, development and strengthening of a series of Regional Rural Development Anchors to create a functional polycentric rural service delivery network, that will enhance rural development and more efficient land reform delivery.

The District development model (DDM) provides a platform to align and integrate multi-sectoral contributions from all spheres of government toward sustainable rural development. The DALRRD has also developed Rural Development Sector Plans (RDSPs) to reflect the Department’s programmes and priorities in line with the mandate of the Department. The RDSPs are plans that package the Department’s interventions and contributions at a district level and elements of these plans are incorporated into the District One Plans to ensure better integration in Rural Development interventions in line with spatial development opportunities and priorities.

The Department remains the driver of the Agri-Parks Programme that aims to uplift impoverished rural communities into the agricultural value chain. The Department provides critical infrastructure such as fencing and irrigation to rural communities to assist them, with improving their production. These communities are linked to Farmer Production Support Units, which are constructed in rural areas to provide communities with agricultural support services. The Department continues to construct Farmer Production Support Units (FPSUs) that provide rural communities with a range of facilities such as mechanisation, pelleting machines for feed, silos to store grain, pack houses with refrigeration, access to state vets and training. Many of these services were in the past only reserved for commercial farmers in rural areas. This allows rural communities to improve their production and enter the agricultural value chain with their small-scale production and creates a sustainable path out of poverty.

The current programmes through which the Department executes its work include the following:

• Socio-economic infrastructure projects to support Farmer Production Support Units (FPSUs), Animal and Veld Management Programme (AVMP) and River Valley Catalytic Programme (RVCP). This includes mechanization such as: fencing, animal handling facilities, stock water dams, boreholes, canals, dip tanks, pump houses, pack houses, irrigation pipes and schemes, silos and storage facilities and rural roads.
• The AVMP, focuses on bringing arable and grazing land into production by providing all the required infrastructure like fencing, boreholes, irrigation systems, cattle handling and dipping facilities, dams etc. In addition, the AVMP supported re-greening and soil rehabilitation.
• The RVCP, focuses on the catalytic utilization of river systems to bring the land into production and would typically develop irrigation schemes with all the associated infrastructure. Both the AVMP and RVCP provide infrastructural support to commonages, communal areas, traditional areas and farmers occupying state-owned facilities (where requested by Land Reform).
• Road infrastructure remains a high priority in national, provincial, municipal and farm roads to promote economic viability through safer, swift transport logistics of agricultural produce. As part of the implementation of the Comprehensive Rural Development Programme (CRDP) and Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP), repair and rehabilitation of rural roads are critical to facilitate road logistics from farm to harbor and to market. The Department is coordinating a Public-Private Partnership initiative which will include national, provincial and local governments as well as agricultural organisations. Rural Roads are economic catalysts for impoverished rural communities. It provides entry for communities to access basic services and to take produce to the markets. The Department will work with farmer organisations and their counterparts in all spheres of government to implement the repairing and rehabilitation of rural and farm access roads to facilitate improved access for rural communities into the agricultural value chain and broader rural economy.
• Development and Implementation of skills development opportunities for rural youth through the National Rural Youth Services Corps (NARYSEC) which aims to build the capacity of rural youth through various skills development interventions and working with public and private sector partners to facilitate the transitioning of recruited youth into economic activities.
• Research of new innovative technologies, including Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and promote indigenous knowledge systems in rural communities to contribute towards improving the quality of lives of rural communities working in partnership and collaboration with institutions of higher learning, research agencies and technology agencies.

Reply:

1. The challenges are disputes between the concerned group and the Bjatladi Communal Property Association (CPA) committee, more specifically on governance issues.

2. Yes. The cause of the challenges is the governance issue, coupled with allegations of corruption and maladministration against the current CPA committee. On 16 September 2022, the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development together with Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) held a meeting with both the concerned group and the current Bjatladi CPA committee with the intention to resolve their disputes, however, the two groups are not ready to work together.

Professional mediation was recommended, to which they needed to consent within five working days. To date, the two groups have not consented to participate in the proposed mediation.

Reply:

(1) (a) and (b)

The Department and SA Tourism work with Provinces and Local Government through the MINMEC structures. The Department also works with sister departments as well as entities at a National level through the government clusters and bilateral mechanisms. Furthermore, the Department convenes the National Tourism Stakeholder Forum (NTSF) which is a platform that amongst others enables engagements between industry and the various departments that contribute to tourism growth and development. These platforms cover the entire spectrum of matters pertaining to tourism growth and development including marketing and promotion of destination South Africa, product development and enhancement amongst others in as far as government’s role is concerned.

(2) No

Reply:

Since the inception of the Land Reform programme, a total of 2.8 million hectares had been redistributed to municipalities under Commonage grant (COMG), Settlement Land Acquisition Grant (SLAG) for settlement and Land Redistribution for Agricultural Development (LRAD) for agricultural purposes and this land is held in title by communities and individuals. This involves a total of over 67 000 women benefiting in the form of accessing land for various needs including agriculture and tenure security.

For the implementation of the Proactive Land Acquisition Policy (PLAP), the state has acquired over 2.4 million hectares of land which benefited about 5 000 women mostly in the form of allocation and leased agreements for a period of 30 years extendable for another 20 years.

The Restitution programme has settled 172 933 land claims to female headed households.

Reply:

1. I have been informed that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has not yet concluded its re-assessment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) cases. It is not possible to stipulate a specific date as it is an ongoing process. However, efforts are made to ensure that the matters are referred as speedily as possible.

2. The hundred and twenty-nine (129) investigations referred to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI) are as follows:

a) Prior to September 2021, a total of 59 TRC cases were under investigation by DPCI. These were overseen by Priority Crimes Litigation Unit (PCLU) until the matters were migrated to the respective provinces in April 2019.

b) A further 55 cases were identified for re-opening by the PCLU. These pertain to the deaths in detention, where detainees who were detained for contravention of security legislation or died under circumstances which necessitated further investigation. Some investigations also pertain to deaths where the deceased died in alleged confrontations with the police.

Division	Number of Matters under Investigation
1. Western Cape	9
2. Free State	2
3. Mthatha	10
4. Eastern Cape	13
5. North West	5
6. Kwazulu-Natal	29
7. Mpumalanga	4
8. Northern Cape	3
9. Johannesburg	25
10. Pretoria	11
11. Limpopo	10

We are in possession of a list of matters under investigation. However, it must be emphasized that this information is confidential, and the risk in the release of this information is that it might compromise further investigations. This creates challenges for investigators and prosecutors alike, once suspects/witnesses/persons of interest are made aware of matters under investigation.

On 20 June 2022, the National Director of Public Prosecutions directed, through an internal memorandum which was circulated to all the divisions, that in all TRC matters that are under investigation, dedicated prosecutors must ensure that contact with the families is made. It was also emphasised that families must be updated regularly on the progress made in their matters. It was also directed that a name list of all families together with their contact numbers be obtained. This name list was also forwarded to the office of the Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions. Prosecutors were encouraged to engage actively with families to ensure that a more victim-centred approach is followed.

END

Reply:

1. To date, a total of R28 048 067 (twenty-eight million forty-eight thousand and sixty-seven Rands) has been provided to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) towards the Maritime Domain Awareness Satellite (MDASAT) constellation. The funding covers research and development costs, including compensation of non-academic staff (engineers), student bursary support and constellation launch costs. The cost of the full constellation of nine satellites is R97 978 338 (Ninety-seven million nine hundred seventy-eight thousand three hundred thirty-eight), the balance of which has not yet been secured.

2. Since its launch on 13 January 2022, the MDASAT-1 constellation has been in the commissioning phase of its mission, which is the first phase of satellite operation and begins immediately after deployment. The satellites automatically deployed their antennas and the immediate message about battery voltages reading were excellent. Both the primary ground station at CPUT and the secondary at the Houwteq Assembly, Integration and Testing Facility (DenelSpaceteq) successfully tracked, commanded, and decoded the signals. Automatic beaconing was switched off, after some tests were performed with the Telemetry, Tracking and Command (TT&C) communications. All the satellites’ subsystems responded well, and all communication links, power operations and TT&C of all three satellites report a healthy status.

There has been a delay in the full commissioning of the Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) and payloads due to a few technical challenges related to the orientation (spin and tumbling) of the satellites in space. These challenges are being investigated by reproducing them on the engineering models in the lab before developing a software update that will be installed through the onboard software-defined radio.

3. The data currently being received from MDASAT-1 is being used to commission the various satellite subsystems and payload. Maritime domain awareness data has not yet been acquired due to the satellites still being in the commissioning phase of the mission. Once the satellites are fully commissioned, data will be integrated into the National Oceans and Coast Information Management System that will provides decision support tools for oceans governance and marine protection.

Reply:

1. The details of the new Ikhala TVET College Campus situated in Sterkspruit are:

a) In planning: None

b) Construction: The new Campus is currently at 96% physical completion and a dispute is in progress between the Principal Agent, MSW Project Managers and Consultant Engineers and the Contractor, Uphala Construction. The resultant determination founded in favour of the Contractor. As a result, an application for additional budget is in progress. Once the funds have been approved, the buildings will be brought to completion. This process is expected to take three to four months. In the meantime, the site is secured by onsite security.

c) in Completion: None.

2. There are currently 4 sites in construction in addition to Sterkspruit that are not yet fully completed:

a) Gert Sibande TVET College, Balfour Campus, 98% Physical Completion with Estimated Completion date of end November 2022; Mthashana TVET College, Vryheid Engineering Campus, 34% Physical Completion, Estimated Completion October 2023; Umfolozi TVET College, Bhambanani Campus, 64% Physical Completion, awaiting new tender processes for Phase 2 and new contractor. Tender will be published once Departmental procedures are in place; UMgungundlovu TVET College, Greytown Campus, 75% Physical Completion Phase 2, Tender Documentation in development.

b) As indicated above, the phase 2 process for the Bhambanani and Greytown sites will commence once the Department has finalized its tender processes and appointed the new contractors. The following sites have been completed:

• • • Umfolozi TVET College, Nkandla A Campus in Nkandla Town;
    • UMgungundlovu TVET College, Msinga Campus near Tugela Ferry;
    • Esayidi TVET College, Umzimkhulu Campus at Umzimkhulu;
    • Ikhala TVET College, Aliwal North Campus in Aliwal North;
    • Ingwe TVET College, Ngqungqushe Campus in Lusikisiki;
    • Waterberg TVET College, Thabazimbi Campus in Thabazimbi,
    • Mthashana TVET College, Nongoma;
    • Kwagqikasi Campus in Nongoma; and
    • East Cape Midlands TVET College, Graaff Reinet Campus in Graaff Reinet

Reply:

(1) (a) The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) undertook consultations with the relevant industries and the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC) as the lead Department on trade policy matters. The engagements resolved that the trade challenge should be addressed through a bilateral Ministerial meeting with the affected countries. DALRRD is implementing this resolution. The Director General wrote to his counterparts requesting urgent bilateral engagements on the matter. The outcome of the engagements will be shared with organised industry.

(b) The impact of such closures is lost market opportunities for the industry and loss of revenue to the State. This also undermines the efforts of free trade as contemplated in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Furthermore, consumers of the affected products in these countries are more likely to experience an increase in prices of these commodities due to shortages/supply constraints.

According to the 2nd Quarter Agricultural Economic Review, vegetable prices registered a marked decrease, and this could be directly attributed to the short effects of the import bans. Price depression likely occurred as producers redirected, (as a short-term measure) these export consignments into the domestic market.

The current import ban includes tomatoes, carrots, beetroots, potatoes, cabbage, lettuce, garlic, onions, ginger, turmeric, chili peppers, butternut, watermelons, sweet peppers, green corn, and fresh herbs. Over the past 5 years, 98% of vegetables in Botswana originated from South Africa.

(2) No. The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has not yet communicated with her counterparts in Botswana and Namibia. She is awaiting the outcome of the meetings of the Director General with his counterparts in Botswana and Namibia.

Reply:

a) In relation to the University of Limpopo, NSFAS took a decision to deploy Senior Officials to attend to the conflict between the University of Limpopo, landlords and the students. At a meeting attended by these stakeholders and NSFAS in Polokwane on 22 September 2022, an agreement was reached on how to proceed. This agreement will be submitted for consideration and approval by the Board and the Minister. It should be noted that NSFAS only pays allowances upon receipt of claims on behalf of qualifying students by the University. However, the University has been busy with a verification exercise in order to comply with the Norms and Standards of DHET and the funding guidelines by NSFAS. The verification exercise took longer than expected and was met with some resistance from some of the landlords and students, especially the decision by NSFAS that off-campus allowances be paid directly into the landlords’ bank accounts. The agreement reached at the meeting was that for the rest of the 2022 academic year, off-campus allowances should be paid to the students who will settle their rental obligations with the landlords, as has been the case to date. The verification exercise should be continued until 2023 to allow landlords to make the necessary improvements to their properties so as to eventually comply with the minimum standards set by DHET. The meeting recommended that a fixed allowance of R1 820 be paid to all qualifying students until the verification exercise is concluded. 

b) As part of the student-centred model NSFAS took the decision to improve the administration of student accommodation. This will include accreditation of accommodation, grading and assigning costs to the different grades, linking students to accommodation, and ultimately paying accommodation providers directly. Part of the model will include increased capacity for accommodation. NSFAS plans, as of 2023, take over the accreditation of student accommodation. A system will be available for all potential housing suppliers to enlist their properties so that students can have a wider choice of accommodation. NSFAS will use this platform to expedite the allocation of suitable student accommodation and ensure that landlords are paid a fair value according to the accommodation provided directly.

Reply:

There is no budget set aside for physical therapy for inmates living with disabilities specifically, costs for physical therapy for inmates are accommodated under the budget for Health Care Services for inmates. The budget for health care services for inmates is one hundred and eleven million, six hundred and twenty-nine thousand and two hundred (R111 629 200.00).

END

Reply:

a) (i) and (ii) Yes, the Department has included gender sensitivity into its policies and budget. Further, the Department has developed Gender Indicators/Analysis Tools for Finance, HR, Supply Chain Management and the generic one for other Branches that assist them in the implementation and monitoring of the gender sensitivity policies and /or programmes. These Gender Indicators are used as guiding tools by different Branches within the Department on how to include gender sensitivity into their policies and/or programmes. Furthermore, the Gender Directorate monitors the implementation of the policies and programmes of the Department.

b) (i) The application of the Maintenance Act is covered in terms of training on Marriage

and Divorce for all PVT candidates, both the PVT Schools and those in PVT contracts.

For the past four (4) years, the numbers are tabulated below:

2022 (to date)	4 010
2021	4 303
2020	4 014
2019	4 335

 

Additionally, for practitioners, this is also covered in the training of Marriage, Divorce and Child Law seminars, which is discretionary.

2022 [As at July 2022]	130
2021	272
2020	135
2019	168

(iii) Maintenance officers are fully trained and knowledgeable on the Maintenance

Act, Act 99 of 1998?

The Department do make provisioning to fund training programmes that address various sets of skills. These sets of skills encompass core competencies, scarce & critical skills and/or transversal skills.

Maintenance Officers falls within core competencies, scarce & critical skills of the Department. The table below illustrate the total number of Maintenance Officer trained per programme:

Name of the Programme	Number of Maintenance Officers	Period
a) Training on the Maintenance Act 99 of 1998	3 African Females, 3 African Males, 1 Coloured Female, and 2 Coloured Males. Total: Nine (9)	1 April to August 2022
b) Records Management	1 African Male. Total: One (1)
c) TransUnion	1 African Female, 3 African Males, and 2 Coloured Females. Total: Six (6)
d) Departmental Induction	1 African Male and 1 Coloured Female. Total: Two (2)
e) Anti-Corruption and fraud	1 African Female. Total: One (1)
f) Sexual harassment policy and procedure	1 African Male and 1 Coloured Female. Total: Two (2)	1 April to August 2022
g) Ethics in the workplace	1 African Male and 1 Coloured Female. Total: Two (2)
h) Labour Relations	1 African Male Total: One (1)
i) Grievance and disciplinary procedure	2 African Male Total: Two (2)
j) Employee Assistance Programme	3 African Females, and 4 African Males. Total: Seven (7)
k) Service Excellence	1 African Female and 1 African Male Total: Two (2)
l) Maintenance Clerks and Officers Training	6 African Females, 4 African Males, 9 Coloured Females, and 4 Coloured Males. Total: Twenty-three (23)
m) Domestic Violence Act Workshop	1 Coloured Female Total: 1 (One)
n) ICMS Domestic Violence	1 African Female Total: One (1)
o) ICMS Maintenance	1 African Female Total: One (1)
p) Crafting of Performance Agreement	1 African Male Total: One (1)
GRAND TOTAL	Sixty One (61)

On annual basis, the Department develops the Workplace Skills Plan (WSP), and the training for Departmental officials are implemented and/or coordinated throughout the specified financial year in line with the WSP. Furthermore, the annual training report is compiled to verify the implemented training against the WSP.

Reply:

a) The land redistribution programmes have initiated the Proactive Land Acquisition Policy (PLAP) wherein the state has acquired the land and later allocated and leased it out to farmers for a period of 30 years through the Beneficiary Selection and Land Allocation Policy (BSLAP). BSLAP was formulated to ensure transparent allocation of land with priority being given to vulnerable groups such that 50% is allocated to women and 40% is allocated to youth.

(b)(i),(ii),(aa),(bb) Please refer to the table below.

(aa) Province	(bb) District	(i) Women	(ii) Youth
Eastern Cape	Amathole	1	1
	Chris Hani	0	2
Free State	Fezile Dabi	1	1
	Mangaung Metro	1	0
	Xhariep	2	1
Gauteng	Sedibeng	2	3
	West Rand	1	0
Kwazulu-Natal	Umgungundlovu	3	1
	Zululand	1	1
Limpopo	Waterberg	1	1
Mpumalanga	Ehlanzeni	1	0
	Gert Sibande	3	5
	Nkangala	4	2
North West	Bojanala	2	2
	Dr Kenneth Kaunda	4	1
	Ngaka Modiri Molema	1	0
Northern Cape	Namakwa	1	0
	Pixley Ka Seme	0	1
	ZF Mgcawu	3	0
Western Cape	West Coast	5	3
Total		37	25

Reply:

(a) The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) implements two policies that are directly geared towards bolstering knowledge productivity in higher education institutions. The first policy is the Research Outputs Policy (2015) which provides a framework for the evaluation and subsidy allocation for research outputs produced by South African universities. The second policy is the Policy on the Evaluation of Creative Outputs and Innovations produced by South African Higher Education Institutions (2017).

Over and above the two policies, there are various initiatives under the umbrella programme we call the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP) which also incentivises capacity development initiatives of academics at all our universities. The policy recognizes quality creative outputs in the subfields of Fine Arts; Visual Arts; Music; Theatre; Performance and Dance; Design; Film and Television and Literary Arts. Under innovation the policy recognizes Patents and Plant Breeders’ Rights.

Since the implementation of the policy from 2005, South African universities recorded notable growth in the number of research publications produced by academics in the sector. Table 1 below attests to the steady growth of research outputs, from 7 230 units in 2005 to 21 734.4 units in 2020.

The growth of research outputs from the universities has also impacted positively on the growth of academics with doctoral degrees as shown in Table 2 below.

Several independent studies have shown that the policies of the Department and the UCDP have increased research productivity and the number of doctoral graduates from South African universities. The graphs in Table 1 and 2, confirm that research productivity is on the rise in South African universities.

Table 1: Total Publications Units awarded, 2005 - 2020

See the link for Table:  https://pmg.org.za/files/Table_1.pdf

(b) What are the strides the Department has made thus far to ensure that higher education institutions around the Republic are keeping up to world standards in light of the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

 

The Ministerial Task Team on the 4th industrial Revolution established in 2019 sought to investigate and advise the Minister on how the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system should take up opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The Report of the Ministerial Task Team on the Implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for Post-School Education and Training was presented to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 18 September 2020. Since the Report’s release in 2021, the Department and the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) are developing an Implementation Plan of its recommendations. Progress on implementation was reported to the Social Protection, Community and Human Development (SPCHD) Cluster on 17 August 2022. We have recorded several partnerships and progress by universities, colleges and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in advancing 4IR interventions within the PSET Sector.

Various initiatives are taking place in all the four sub-sectors of the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system, and they are captured in a database that has been developed by the Department. These include initiatives that (a) contribute to the 4IR (research, development and innovation); (b) provide/produce skills that are in line with the needs of the 4IR (building capacity for functioning in the 4IR); and (c) embrace the affordances of the 4IR in the PSET system, how it is managed, administered, equipped, teaching and learning taking place and how assessment is being done (impact of the 4IR on PSET).

Universities, TVET and CET colleges, through already established structures and partnerships are resourced and capacitated in the implementation of 4IR initiatives. The Department is actively supporting institutions, for example, it has, through an EDTP SETA partnership, established 4IR Centres of Excellence in 10 TVET colleges and, through a partnership with Intel, initiated the establishment of a series Artificial Intelligence (AI) Labs. The first was established at Orbit College where 20 mentors were trained to implement AI

Curriculum in the college. In collaboration with the MICT SETA, TVET College Curriculum

was developed in 4IR Technologies and an 4IR Learning Factory was established in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), to name a few.

An Inter-Departmental Committee for the 4IR in PSET (4IRIDC) was established in 2021 to coordinate the Department’s efforts in the 4IR; to drive the implementation of the recommendations of the Report; and to monitor its implementation. The 4IRIDC is finalising a Framework for 4IR Implementation in the PSET that will further guide and support PSET institutions in implementation and provide a tool to monitor implementation.

Reply:

(1). The List was not published late, the NAC published the approved list on the due date (30th September 2022) on all the social media platforms. The social media sites were our quickest way to disseminate the approved list following the crash of the NAC website due to extremely heavy traffic. The website was then restored after a couple of hours and the information was also made available on that platform.

Council does not and did not adjudicate any applications. Please refer to point 2 above where they clarified the role of Advisors vs the role of Council Members. Additionally, the ACT clearly states that “Panel Members advise the NAC on the merits of applications”. This means that they advise, but do not approve, as that is the role of the Council (as the Accounting Authority of the entity). All final Council-approved Applicants are from the pool of applications that have been adjudicated by the Advisors.

Reply:

The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) supported Incubation ecosystem provides a bouquet of interventions in multi-disciplined sectors including relevant technologies and all nine verticals of the Fourth Industrial Revolution through Township based Digital Hubs and ICT focused Incubators. To emphasise, these incubation ecosystem are well equipped to provide entrepreneurs with skills relevant to the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

No.	Incubator	Province
Digital Hubs
1	Botshabelo Digital Hub	Free State
2	Galaxcoc Digital Hub	Gauteng
3	Kwamashu Digital Hub	KwaZulu Natal
4	Limpopo Digital Hub	Limpopo
5	Mafikeng Digital Hub	North West
6	Mpumalanga Digital Hub	Mpumalanaga
Technology Business Incubators
7	SmartXchange	KwaZulu Natal
8	Softstart Business Technology Incubator (SBTI)	Gauteng
9	IHub Nelson Mandela Bay	Eastern Cape
10	Africa Beyond 4IR (AB4IR)	Gauteng
11	Propella	Eastern Cape
12	Tucsnovation	Gauteng
13	Firi JHB	Gauteng
14	Firi CPT	Western Cape
15	Daily Grind	Western Cape

No.	Province	Number of Incubators
1	Eastern Cape	2
2	Free State	1
3	Gauteng	5
4	KwaZulu Natal	2
5	Limpopo	1
6	Mpumalanga	1
7	North West	1
8	Western Cape	2
15

Seda is planning to establish a Township and Digital Hub (proposals are currently at adjudication stage) in the Northern Cape (Namakwa region) which will operate within the 4IR space moving forward.

The DSBD is further entering into strategic partnership with NEMISA which would be anchored around the following: (a) physical technology production, (b) transformative tech applications, (c) digital platforms, and (d) digitally traded services. This partnership, together with some that we will explore in the digital space as we expand our incubation footprint, will go a long way in providing needed skills in new technologies driven by the fourth industrial revolution.

STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS

MINISTER: SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Reply:

The Department of Higher Education and Training (the Department) centralised procurement of infrastructure for 16 TVET colleges. Nine colleges have since been finalised, three are an 85% to 99% completion rate and four below an 85% completion threshold. The Department continues to engage TVET colleges on the monitoring of their infrastructure delivery. 

The centralisation of infrastructure at universities is limited by the autonomous nature of university councils. However, the Department has set in place monitoring mechanisms to trace the procurement, delivery and expenditure on projects in order to improve the coordination and delivery of infrastructure across all institutions the Department has: 

• Appointed a Chief Director: Infrastructure to facilitate streamlining of infrastructure delivery; and 
• Appointed Implementing Agents to accelerate the infrastructure procurement processes, as well as project management of infrastructure. 

The Implementing Agents will also assist with capacity building at institutions where challenges of delivery have been experienced. The Department is currently in the process of following the guidelines as outlined in the Infrastructure Delivery Management System (IDMS) and the Framework for Infrastructure Delivery and Procurement Management (FIDPM). It is also in the process of developing a portfolio and programme plans. Priority projects have been identified and included in the draft plans. 

Reply:

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Reply:

1. The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) is aware of the interview of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the North West Chamber of Commerce, and has researched for this study, but to no avail. The DSBD nonetheless note that there is a high number of foreign owned informal and small businesses but unfortunately there is no definite statistics in this regard.

Section 15 of the Immigration Act of 2011 provides for the Minister of Trade and Industry to stipulate the minimal financial and capital contribution or investment required for a Business Visa which as off 2014 has been set at R5million. The Department is of the firm view that this requirement does regulate and manage the entry and participation of foreign nationals in the small business sector. It seems that many foreign owned small businesses are operated by foreign nationals who have applied or secured Refugee or Asylum seeker status, rather that foreign nationals who have secured a business visa. The DSBD perspective is that the Refugee and Asylum seeker system has been heavily abused and corrupted with many economic migrants claiming refugee status. In this regard, the DSBD has engaged and supported the Minister of Home Affairs in his efforts to clamp down on corruption and abuse of our immigration laws.

The Immigration Act of 2011 also provides for designation of sectors that are undesirable for a business visa – meaning that while a foreign national may get a business visa – they may not engage in the sectors that have been designated as undesirable for a business visa. The following business undertakings are currently listed under the regulation or directive of the noted Act as undesirable:

• List of undesirable business undertakings in relation to an application for Business Visa [Section 15(1A)]

• 1. Business that imports second hand motor vehicles into the Republic of South Africa for the purpose of exporting to other markets outside the Republic of South Africa.
  2. The exotic entertainment industry.
  3. Security industry.

• List of undesirable business undertakings in relation to an application for a Corporate Visa [Section 21(1A)]

1. Exotic entertainment.
2. Hospitality industry.
3. Fast food outlets and franchises.
4. Cosmetic and beauty industry.

The DSBD has also been made aware that some South Africans are fronting on behalf of foreign nationals when applying for these work permits, which are then handed over to the foreign nationals upon approval.

The DSBD is currently reviewing the Businesses Act no.71 of 1991 with the intention of introducing provisions that will be aligned to the Immigration and provide for further powers to the Minister of Small Business Development in regulating the entry of foreign nationals to the small business sector; as well as better protections for South African informal traders including spaza shops.

Furthermore, the DSBD is mindful of the extent to which South Africa SMMEs are disadvantaged by the encroachment of foreign owned business. It is for this reason, that the DSBD is supporting the SMMEs especially the micro and informal enterprise through financial and non-financial programmes such as Informal Micro Enterprises Development Programme (IMEDP). To make these South African businesses more competitive, IMEDP provides appropriate tools and equipment to business (spaza shops, hair salons, garden services etc.) and the support is in a form of a grant.

2. DSBD has implemented the support to the SMMEs and Co-operatives that were affected by the Covid 19 through the Debt Relief Fund and Township and Rural Enterprise Programme (TREP). In this regard, DSBD spent an amount of R500m to support Covid affected SMMEs. Regarding tax relief National Treasury as the custodian of tax policy has also implemented tax relief to all business affected by Covid 19.

3. State contract and tenders are regulated by Preferential Procurement Framework and PFMA to ensure their implementation and remove corruption in the process.

STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS

MINISTER: SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Reply:

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Reply:

The mitigating measures that the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) is implementing to prevent and minimise business failures are as follows:

1. Rolling out Business Development Support Services as part of the non-financial support component through the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), Incubators and Digital hubs with a view to provide a broad range of enterprise development support to small businesses including Co-operatives.

2. Implementing various financial support incentives such as Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (TREP), Informal and Micro Enterprises Development Programme (IMEDP), Business Viability Programme, Small Enterprise Manufacturing Support Programme (SEMSP) and Shared Economic Infrastructure Facility (SEIF) to support the growth and sustainability of small businesses.

3. On the reform side, the Department is implementing the localisation policy framework and finalising the SMMEs and Co-operatives Funding Policy, NISED Master Plan as well as Incubation and Business Development Services Policy. In addition to the above, the Department is a key participant in the Financial Sector Development Reform Programme and is leading the SMME Access to Finance Action Plan that is aimed at alleviating challenges confronting small businesses in the country. The primary objective is to ensure that small businesses flourish, and potential entrepreneurs are incentivised to consider entrepreneurship as a career option.

4. The DSBD has developed a new programme called the Co-operatives Development Support Programme (CDSP) with an objective to support co-operative enterprises financially and non-financially. DSBD, together with its agencies, the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) and Seda seek to assist co-operative enterprises to address the following identified and encountered market failures:

The Department of Small Business Development has developed a new programme called the Co-operatives Development Support Programme (CDSP) with an objective to support co-operative enterprises financially and non-financially.

DSBD, together with its agencies, sefa and Seda seek to assist co-operative enterprises to address the following identified and encountered market failures:

• • 1. Lack of participation in the formal economy by co-operatives,
    2. Lack of effective and professional managerial capacity within the co-operative entities capable of efficiently running and managing both the association and business component of the co-operative to minimize tension between the two and thus grow and develop the co-operative
    3. Low or non-participation by co-operative enterprises on all other incentive programmes
    4. Lack of access to finance
    5. Lack of working capital to allow effective market entry
    6. Lack of improved assets value
    7. Lack of targeted business development support.

As part of ensuring the growth, development, and sustainability of these co-operative enterprises, Seda was tasked with assisting the co-operatives with non-financial support inclusive of, but not limited to pre-formation, business development services, trainings and workshops etc., while DSBD through sefa, will be supporting the co-operatives financially and providing programme oversight.

DSBD has also concluded a Memorandum of Understating (MoU) with the German Co-operative and Raiffeisen Confederation (DGRV) with an objective to facilitate job creation through supporting and capacitating communities, officials, and groups for development of viable and sustainable co-operatives within their space.

STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS

MINISTER: SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Reply:

(a) and (b) In light of the fact that such a process will have implications for affected parties, e.g.employees it is prudent that the relevant information will be made available upon conclusion of the whole process.

These are some of the issues that will be considered in the merger. It is not at this stage the intention nor the indication that jobs will be lost. The purpose of the merger is a decision taken in the Cabinet meeting of 9 June 2021 that there should be a cut down on the number of entities so that there is a consolidation of purpose. The intention was never about cutting off of jobs.

Reply:

1. Of the initial list of 3898 schools included in the Sanitation Appropriate for Education (SAFE) programme, work proceeded at 2786 schools.  The balance of schools was either closed, merged or found to have appropriate sanitation.  All of the 2786 schools were allocated to implementing agents for planning, design, tender and construction.

2. Of the 2786 school on the original list of SAFE, sanitation projects at 2359 schools have already progressed to practical completion.  The balance of 324 sanitation projects are scheduled for completion in 2022/23.

3. During 2021/22, an additional 622 schools dependant on basic pit toilets were identified.  These additional schools were subsequently allocated to implementing agents.  Some of the sanitation projects at these schools may achieve practical completion in 2022/23, but the bulk of the sanitation projects at these additional schools are scheduled to achieve practical completion in 2023/24.   

Reply:

(a)(b) 

The attached table indicates the number of learners per province and grade between 2002 and 2020.

Reply:

1 a) Minister Pandor participated in the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) on 21 September 2020. The theme of the meeting was “The Role for the Non-Aligned Movement in Post-Pandemic Global Recovery: The Way Forward”, which formed the basis and the context for the discussions. The revitalisation of the Non-Aligned Movement with a view to strengthen and make the organisation fit for purpose in a post-COVID-19 era was topical and thus dominated the discussions. Additionally, the discussions focused on reaffirming the commitment of NAM members to the organisation and its principles as established in the Bandung Conference in 1955 and the need to buttress efforts to achieve its goals towards the promotion of global peace and security, nuclear non-proliferation and attainment of sustainable development. Members stressed the importance of strengthening coordination in the implementation of the NAM agenda and in support of the self-determination of Western Sahara and Palestine.

1 b) On 22 September, Minister Pandor participated in the High-Level Ministerial meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) focusing on preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism on the continent. The meeting took place against the backdrop of increasing incidents of terrorism and violent extremism across all regions in the African Continent. In this regard, the meeting deliberated on ways to strengthen the AU’s efforts towards addressing the threat. The meeting recognised the existing peace and security frameworks of the AU and reaffirmed that focused implementation and enhanced coordination is vital in the AU’s efforts to address the challenge posed by terrorism. In this regard, the PSC underscored the need to strengthen the oversight role of the AUPSC to ensure effective coordination and collaboration between all stakeholders, including Member States, Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), the AU Commission, notably the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL), and Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA), as well as other relevant AU Organs and institutions.

The meeting adopted a Communiqué as an outcome of the meeting. Please see attached additional information. The Communique emphasises the need for collaboration by all Regional Economic Communities (RECs), mobilise necessary resources and implementation of relevant decision such as the Malabo Summit on Terrorism and Violent Extremism.

1 c) Minister Pandor held eleven bilateral meetings on the margins of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA77) High-Level Week to discuss multilateral issues, as well as ways to strengthen bilateral political and economic relations. The list of countries that were engaged were: Cuba, France, Ghana (President Nana-Addo), the President of the General Assembly, Latvia, Nicaragua, Tanzania (Former President Jakaya Kikwete), The Netherlands and Russia.

2. On 23 September, a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Consultations between South Africa and Paraguay was signed by Minister Pandor and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, Mr Julio César Arriola Ramirez. The Memorandum of Understanding serves as a framework for the development and consolidation of cooperation at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.

3. The Minister’s working visit to New York was budgeted for as the High-level Week of the UN General Assembly takes place annually in September at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

COMPILER DETAILS

Additional Information

AFRICAN UNION		UNION AFRICAINE
		UNIÃO AFRICANA

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 3243 Tel.: (251-11) 5513 822 Fax: (251-11) 5519 321

Email: [email protected]

PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL

1107TH MEETING

23 SEPTEMBER 2022

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

PSC/MIN/COMM. 1107 (2022)

DRAFT COMMUNIQUÉ

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1107th meeting, held on 23 September 2022, on the theme – Strengthening Regional Organizations for the Maintenance of Peace and Security in Africa: Preventing and Combating Terrorism and Violent Extremism in the Continent:

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling the Declaration and Decision [Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec.(XVI)] adopted during the 16th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa held on 28 May 2022, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, which decided, amongst others, the establishment of a Ministerial Committee on Counter-Terrorism to give impetus to the Continental fight against terrorism;

 

Committed to the implementation of its previous decisions and pronouncements on preventing and combating terrorism and violent extremism in Africa and related themes, particularly, Communiqué [PSC/PR/COMM.1048(2021)] adopted at its 1048th meeting held on 15 November 2021; and Communiqué [PSC/MIN/COMM.1040(2021)] adopted at its 1040th meeting held at the Ministerial level on 22 October 2021;

Emphasizing the cardinal principles of subsidiarity, complementarity and comparative advantage, which guide the significant role played by the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), who, on many occasions, are primary responders to crises and conflict situations in their respective geographic areas of jurisdiction;

Noting the opening remarks by H.E. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana and PSC Chairperson for September 2022, the remarks by H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission, the statement by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism; also noting the statements made by the representatives of the RECs/RMs;

Reaffirming the solidarity of the AU with the people of the Continent, particularly those adversely impacted by the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism; and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council: 

1. Expresses grave concern over the expanding and worsening scourge of terrorism and violent extremism on the Continent, exacerbated by the influx of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs), mercenaries and private military enterprises, and deplores the growing linkages between terrorism and transnational organized crime, including illicit exploitation of, and trade in minerals, and illicit financial flows with debilitating impact on the economies of the Continent;

1. Strongly condemns the barbaric acts of terrorism and their attendant adverse impact on ordinary citizens and civilians, committed on the Continent by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes; reiterates the AU’s determination to rid Africa of the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism, which cannot be justified under any circumstances, and expresses AU’s full solidarity with the affected countries and the victims of terrorism;

1. Underlines the imperative of enhancing comprehensive regional and continental approaches to address the growing scourge of terrorism and the underlying root causes and structural drivers associated with youth participation in violence including redressing the socio-economic imbalances that exist, with the view to economically empowering the people, especially the women and youth, in this regard, stresses the need to prioritize political solutions alongside military and security interventions; while recognizing that terrorism, radicalization and recruitment have been attributed to many causal factors such as democratic governance deficits, economic deprivation and marginalization, and lack of effective and legitimate governance structures for the provision of sustainable political and socio-economic infrastructures ;

1. Underscores the need to further enhance cooperation, coordination and complementarity of the regional and continental efforts, strengthening synergy and harmonization of interventions, as well as information and intelligence sharing and lessons arising from countering terrorism to reinforce the overall response to the threat of terrorism;

1. Highlights the need for context-specific interventions tailored to address the security, governance, development and humanitarian needs of the affected countries and regions with the participation of local community leaders, faith-based leaders, youth, women and the representatives of children;

1. Emphasizes the need to leverage the immense resource espoused by Traditional, Cultural, Religious and Community Leaders in an effort to de-radicalize the youth, given the enormous respect and influence these leaders command in the communities they lead;

1. Underscores the need to strengthen the oversight role of the PSC to ensure effective coordination and collaboration between all stakeholders, including Member States, RECs/RMs, the AU Commission, notably the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL), and Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA), as well as other relevant AU Organs and institutions;

1. Encourages the RECs/RMs, who are yet to do so, to establish policy organs on peace and security, to ensure that all the regions have right architectures to respond to conflicts and crises, as well as terrorism and violent extremism; further encourages RECs/RMs with policy organs on peace and security to share expertise with those who are yet to establish theirs, and requests the AU Commission to provide the requisite support, where required and upon request;

1. Urges the RECs/RMs to fully utilize the cooperative mechanisms established to address country- and region-specific issues, most notably the Sahel Fusion and Liaison Unit (UFL), the Nouakchott Process on the Enhancement of Security Cooperation and the Operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture in the Sahelo-Saharan Region, the Djibouti Process and the Accra Initiatives established to respond to growing insecurity linked to violent extremism in the region;

1. Urges international partners to ensure zero tolerance for terrorism regardless of the targets or motives, and to take appropriate practical measures to ensure that their respective territories are not used by terrorists for inciting, instigating, organizing, facilitating, participating in, financing, or for the preparation or organization of terrorist acts intended to be committed against other States or their citizens;

1. Reiterates the need to further enhance collaboration between the AU Commission and RECs/RMs; in this regard, requests the AU Commission to support the RECs/RMs to undertake the following:

1. Explore best ways and means of further improving the implementation of policy interventions aimed at addressing the root causes and drivers of terrorism and violent extremism, especially the democratic governance deficit and the absence or weakness of governance structures in peripheral and remote territories, as well as political, social and economic marginalization;

1. Accompany the Member States affected by the scourge of terrorism through mobilization of requisite resources, including funding needed for strengthening institutions for delivery of social services, such as education, justice, health care and entrenching democracy, good governance and the rule of law;

1. Promote the development of economic opportunities, in particular trade facilitation and cross-border infrastructure and cooperation, to strengthen the regional integration necessary for the consolidation of peace and security, and reorient the people away from terrorism and violent extremism;

1. Strengthen existing mechanisms at the level of RECs/RMs, to compile a list of persons, groups and entities involved in terrorist acts, including FTFs, as well as those sponsoring them; with a view to tracking, monitoring, reporting on, and proposing policy responses to prevent the expansion of the threats of terrorism and violent extremism with the support of the AFRIPOL, CISSA and  ACSRT;

1. Establish regional counter-terrorism centres to support national efforts in preventing and combating terrorism;

1. Put in place mechanisms for supporting initiatives of local communities both for deradicalization, reconciliation, inter-communal dialogue and for implementing measures for addressing the humanitarian and socio-economic needs of affected populations;

1. Harness the comparative technical advantages of Africa’s governance and development institutions, including the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the African Development Bank (ADB), and relevant AU Commission Departments, in developing and implementing peace enhancing development projects, including quick impact projects in areas liberated from terrorist groups, that are aimed at promoting the provision of social services and support the livelihoods of people in marginalized regions;

1. Convene inter-RECs/RMs policy coordination meetings horizontally among RECs/RMs, including at ministerial and heads of state and government levels taking note of the best practices of the Joint Summit of ECOWAS and ECCAS on peace, security and stability and the fight against terrorism and violent extremism held in Lomé, Togo in July 2018;

1. Use existing platforms and mechanisms, including the inter-regional knowledge platform (I-RECKE) for early warning and experience sharing, joint planning and collective action, launched in July 2022, in Lusaka, Zambia;

1. Support national Governments in investing in community policing and civil military relations in order to mobilize and sensitize the population against terrorism and violent extremism with the view to capturing the hearts and minds of the population, and creating a mindset change; and

1. Harmonize counter-terrorism and related laws at the regional level to facilitate greater regional integration and effective response mechanisms to terrorism, violent extremism and other related crimes such as drug trafficking, human trafficking and maritime piracy.

1. Underscores the need for RECs/RMs to be adequately financed, well-resourced and equipped to ensure that the Regional Standby Forces (RSFs) and security institutions engaging in conflict management and counter terrorist operations have the capacity for early and effective response;

1. Looks forward to the convening of the first meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Terrorism as established by the Decision [Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec.(XVI)] adopted during the 16th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa in May 2022;

1. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

Reply:

(a),(b) and (c). The question asked by the Honourable Member falls within the Executive Authority of the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) and not the Minister of Basic Education. 

Reply:

1. Yes, Deputy Minister Ms Candith Mashego-Dlamini accomplished all the goals set for the visits to (a) Sierra Leone and (b) Liberia in West Africa to deliver vaccines.

The Deputy Minister visited Liberia on 24-28 September 2022 and Sierra Leone on 28-30 September 2022, respectively, to handover 79, 200 doses of the Johnson and Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines to each of the countries. These vaccines were handed over as part of a gift of the partnership and friendship between the Republic of South Africa and the two governments. The contribution of COVID-19 J&J vaccines has deepened the mutually beneficial cooperation with Liberia and Sierra Leone and enhanced bilateral relations. South Africa is striving to ensure that the Continent is "COVID Free" and to ensure that Africans are vaccinated to meet the World Health Organization (WHO) threshold. The doses presented to these countries were produced at the pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Gqebera, South Africa, which is being operated by Aspen Pharma. The vaccine is proudly manufactured at a South African plant under license approved by the WHO. Liberia and Sierra Leone are among the first of 26 countries benefiting from this initiative.

2. No bilateral agreements were signed in both countries as the purpose of the visit was to deliver COVID-19 vaccines.

3. Total cost of the Deputy Minister’s travel to West Africa was R299 698.20.

Reply:

• In the context of Southern African Development Community (SADC) and African Union (AU) at large, reference is made to “integration” and not “unification”. The integration agenda of the African Union is driven by the respective Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
• • In the case of South Africa, the SADC remains the primary focus of the country’s foreign policy, which is aimed at the promotion of security and political stability, which are pathways towards addressing key challenges of underdevelopment, unemployment, and poverty.

• • Since its formation in 1980, SADC has adopted dozens of legal instruments aimed at deepening the regional integration agenda. Accordingly, South Africa continues to reaffirm her commitment to the regional integration agenda in line with the provisions of these instruments, which cover such sectors as trade and investment, energy security, food security, infrastructure development, health and education, mineral resources as well as peace and security.

• • The SADC integration objectives and strategies are articulated in the SADC Blueprints namely, the SADC Vision 2050 and the Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030. South Africa was one of the key contributors in the development of the RISDP and it is involved in the development of its Implementation Plan.

• • In the context of the foundation aspect of RISDP 2020- 2030, which underpins the pursuit of Peace, Security and Good Governance in the region, South Africa plays an active role in efforts to ensure peace and security in the region. In this regard, SADC is engaged in finding a lasting solution in the Republic of Mozambique, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Kingdom of Eswatini and the Democratic Republic of Congo. SADC also deploys electoral observer missions in countries that conduct elections as was the case in Angola on 24 August 2022 and in Lesotho on 7 October 2022. This is in line with the SADC Principles and Guidelines governing democratic elections.

Reply:

(a) Approximately 88 ordinary and special schools in the Eastern Cape, which is a generally rural province, cater for autistic children, (b) while 380 schools cater for children with serious learning disabilities. 

Reply:

The most reliable estimates of dropout rates by grade are derived using STATS SA’s General Household Surveys, which are conducted annually. This is a nationally representative survey of South African households and collects information about the highest level of education attained by each member of the household. If a person’s highest level of education is grade 11, for example, and they are old enough to be unlikely to still be in the process of completing a higher level of education, it can then be assumed that they exited the education system at that point. The sample sizes are not large enough to permit precise estimates of dropout for each grade and province separately. The table below shows the estimated percentages of children reaching each grade, and conversely, the estimated percentages of children dropping out after each grade. Based on this methodology, data collected in a particular year is reflective of dropping out in the years preceding that year, but not necessarily of dropping out in that year. As the table shows, grade survival rates (or completion rates) have been increasing over time in recent years. Using GHS data from 2019-2021, the estimated percentage of youths who completed grade 12 had reached a figure of 57,0%.

Survival rates and drop-out rates for each grade

2015-2017	2017-2019	2019-2021
	Percentage reaching at least this grade	Grade-specific dropout rate	Percentage reaching at least this grade	Grade-specific dropout rate	Percentage reaching at least this grade	Grade-specific dropout rate
Total cohort	100%		100%		100%
No schooling		0.6%		0.6%		0.7%
Grade 1	99.4%	0.2%	99.4%	0.1%	99.3%	0.0%
Grade 2	99.3%	0.2%	99.3%	0.3%	99.3%	0.2%
Grade 3	99.1%	0.5%	99.0%	0.2%	99.1%	0.2%
Grade 4	98.6%	0.4%	98.8%	0.3%	98.9%	0.4%
Grade 5	98.2%	0.6%	98.5%	0.6%	98.4%	0.4%
Grade 6	97.6%	1.5%	97.8%	1.4%	98.0%	1.3%
Grade 7	96.2%	2.9%	96.5%	2.7%	96.7%	1.9%
Grade 8	93.4%	4.7%	93.9%	4.3%	94.9%	3.8%
Grade 9	89.0%	9.3%	89.9%	8.9%	91.3%	6.8%
Grade 10	80.7%	15.6%	81.9%	15.3%	85.1%	12.4%
Grade 11	68.2%	25.0%	69.3%	23.7%	74.6%	22.4%
Grade 12	51.1%		52.9%		57.9%

Notes: Own calculations using General Household Survey datasets, STATS SA.
Three years of GHS data are pooled together with the purpose of increasing the sample size and therefore constructing more stable estimates over time. For the GHS datasets of 2015-2017, only persons born between 1991 and 1993 were included; for 2017-2019, only persons born between 1993 and 1995 were included, and for 2019-2021, only persons born between 1995 and 1997 were included. These age ranges were decided on in order to ensure that persons included would have been old enough to have been unlikely to still be completing school but young enough so as to reflect recent trends in school completion and dropout.

Reply:

The STEM subjects have enjoyed special attention over the last few years, given the need to provide learners with the space to develop their problem solving and critical thinking skills and the imperative to address the needs of a technologically advancing economy. However, the emphasis on the STEM subjects does not imply a neglect of the non-STEM subjects. In the support programmes of the Department of Basic Education, all subjects are given attention, with more attention being devoted to subjects where there is evidence of under-performance. For example, the Department has over the last few years devoted a significant percentage of its annual budget to reading as part of developing language competency. The Department is currently devoting much attention to the Business, Commerce and Management Sciences (BCM) subjects i.e. Accounting, Business Studies, and Economics given the decline in the enrolment for these subjects.   

Reply:

Please see attached for detailed progress. 

Reply:

At the onset, it should be clarified that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a Regional Economic Community (REC), while the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is a trade bloc, which is composed of a free trade area with a common external tariff amongst the member countries.

The SACU is the oldest Customs Union in the world which was formed in 1910 among countries of Southern Africa namely: - Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa, with headquarters in Windhoek, Namibia. Since adopting the 2002 Agreement, SACU has often been used as a benchmark for arrangement of this nature, particularly in the African continent where different regions seek to integrate their economies further.

The SACU is complemented well by the Common Monetary Area (CMA) wherein four of the

five countries are member namely: - South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia. Under this arrangement, the South African Rand is a legal tender. The South African Rand therefore is the common currency in the CMA.

Botswana is the only member of SACU that does not recognise the Rand as a legal tender due to its withdrawal from the arrangement in 1975, which replaced the Rand as the official legal tender in 1976. The revised and improved version of this arrangement was adopted in February 1992 when the Multilateral Monetary Agreement (MMA) which underpins the CMA was signed and came into force in 1994. The South African Rand is therefore a common currency in four of the five Member States of SACU, which also belong to the CMA. No date has been set to get Botswana back into the CMA.

Reply:

(1) (a) What programmes and procedures did her department put in place to mitigate the dropout rate of learners,

Ensuring that children attend school during the compulsory schooling age band, and striving to increase the percentage of youths who successfully complete twelve years of schooling, in other words Grade 12, are central to the mission of the Department. A large range of activities and initiatives are aimed at advancing this mission. They have been successful insofar as dropping out before successful completion of the National Senior Certificate has been on the decline, and schooling among children at the compulsory ages has for many years been kept at almost 100%, though there were some setbacks during the pandemic. Successful completion of twelve years of schooling in South Africa is approximately on a par with that seen in other middle income countries, as explained in several of the Department’s annual reports on the results of the National Senior Certificate (available on the DBE website).

The problem of learners not successfully completing Grade 12 (or anything equivalent outside the schooling system) should be seen in the context of relatively weak results among many of those learners who do obtain the NSC. Here South Africa is behind other economically similar countries. The problem is reflected in the comparably low Grade 9 TIMSS results, even in 2019 and after a couple of decades of improvements, improvements attributable in large part to government’s focus on quality schooling. Clearly, these improvements should continue. It is this need that lies behind certain high-level targets in government’s Medium Term Strategic Framework, for instance that more Grade 12 youths should obtain the mark thresholds in mathematics and physical science needed to enter university programmes generating critical skills in areas such as engineering, chemistry and financial accounting.

To sum up, existing initiatives have contributed to a reduction in dropping out over many years, and this trend shows no sign of slowing down, as will be explained below. South Africa’s international rankings suggest that currently an even larger problem than dropping out is the levels of skills among youths who do succeed in obtaining the National Senior Certificate. While the Honourable Member of Parliament’s question relates to dropping out, the response must be understood in this wider context.

Moreover, it is critical to understand efforts to promote successful completion of schooling in terms of the reasons why youths drop out of school. The current research confirms that it is those learners who do not cope with their studies who are the most likely to drop out, and poverty in the home plays a large role here. According the 2019 General Household Survey, 34% of youths aged 16 to 18 are not at school essentially because they are not coping academically. Another large factor, according to this source, is the 25% of youths indicating ‘no money for fees’. Even here, coping academically plays a role: parents and guardians may decide that a child who is not performing well as school is not worth investing in. (See the Department’s series of publications General Household Survey (GHS): Focus on Schooling.)

In line with the international and local evidence, and in line with the policy advice provided by organisations such as UNESCO, government’s strategies aimed at increasing ‘survival’ to Grade 12 are multi-pronged, with a special emphasis on dealing with the effects of poverty and on improving learning and teaching in the classroom. The following can be considered key initiatives behind past reductions in dropping out, and likely drivers of future improvements in this regard:

• The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP). This intervention encourages children to attend school, and promotes learning by reducing levels of hunger and malnutrition, which inhibit successful learning.
• No fee schools. This longstanding intervention ensures that children and youths in poorer communities are not prevented from attending school due to the inability of the household to pay for school fees.
• Policies on teenage pregnancies. Government Notice 704 of 2021 formalised policy on the protection of the schooling of pregnant learners. Among females aged 16 to 18, around 10% did not attend school due to pregnancy, according to the 2019 GHS.
• Ongoing strengthening of the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS). A more focussed curriculum is one reason that has been put forward as a reason for past improvements in South Africa’s performance in international testing programmes – see the Department’s Action Plan to 2024.
• Efforts aimed at improving learning in the early grades. A key government priority is improving reading, and learning and teaching in general, in the early grades. Several interventions contribute towards this, including the shift in the responsibility for pre-schooling from the social development sector to basic education, the Early Grade Reading Study and associated teacher development innovations, and the introduction of the Systemic Evaluation.
• Special examination preparation support for Grade 12 learners. Activities here, aimed largely at ensuring that learners leave school with the NSC, include the so-called winter schools.
• The expansion of the learner-level enrolment and attendance monitoring systems. The Learner Unit Record Information and Tracking System (LURITS), the SA-SAMS school management system and the partnership-driven Data Driven Districts (DDD) initiative have all contributed to a more robust approach to monitoring exactly where in the country dropping out is occurring. These systems proved invaluable for providing information on, for instance, where children were not returning to school during the pandemic.

(b) what do the specified programmes and procedures entail,

There is extensive publicly available reporting on all the initiatives listed above. The Honourable Member of Parliament should please consult past annual reports of the Department, and other reports dealing with specific initiatives. The NSNP, as a recipient of a DBE conditional grant, is extensively reported in the annual reports of the provincial education departments. The basic planning framework for no fee schools is regularly updated – see for instance Government Notice 1730 of 2022. Materials relating to the ‘annual teaching plans’ developed to cope with the impacts of the pandemic and its after-effects, are available on the DBE website. How data were used to understand patterns of dropping out during the pandemic can found in a few reports on the DBE website, including Pandemic-related losses in contact time across seven provinces according to SA-SAMS data and The COVID-19 pandemic, enrolments, dropping out and attendance explained.

(c) does each province have its own programmes and procedures

Provinces all have some initiatives of their own, but alignment across the various programmes within each province, across provinces, and between the national and provincial levels is continually promoted, in particular through the HEDCOM structure (functioning in terms of the National Education Policy Act) and its sub-committees.

(d) how are the programmes and procedures monitored and audited

The overriding framework for this is provided by the Public Finance Management Act and the National Education Policy Act. Some initiatives have been evaluated externally by the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME). This includes the NSNP, the CAPS and support to Grade 12 learners. The relevant reports are available in the Evaluations Repository of DPME. Departmental annual reports, which provide details on the whole range of initiatives, are audited with respect to both spending and outcomes.

and (e) what number of learners have been guided to finish their schooling through the programmes (i) nationally and (ii) in each province;

It would be impossible to attribute successful completion for individual learners to specific interventions, as they are highly inter-connected. However, it seems clear that improvements in terms of successful completion of Grade 12 are the result of the variety of programmes aimed precisely at this outcome. According to the last NSC report of the Department, the percentage of youths successfully completing Grade 12 improved from 45% in 2005 to 57% in 2019, and number of matriculants continued to rise beyond 2019, despite the pandemic. The difference between 45% and 57% translates to around 130 000 additional youths achieving the ‘Matric’ in 2019 relative to 2005.

(2) whether she will furnish Mr B B Nodada with the (a) audit and (b) monitoring reports for each of the programmes nationally and provincially?

All relevant audit and monitoring reports are available online. The responses provided above point the Honourable Member of Parliament to specific documents.

Reply:

(a) i. The number of Funza Lushaka bursaries (FLB) that have been awarded since it was established.

Year	No. Bursaries
2007	3662
2008	5185
2009	9141
2010	10073
2011	8619
2012	11620
2013	14301
2014	14245
2015	13865
2016	14036
2017	15135
2018	13700
2019	12953
2020	13082
2021	11905
2022	12087
Grand Total	183609

 (ii) Information that is immediately available allows for reporting of placements from the 2013 to 2021 period. During this period 33 113 bursary recipients graduates that were eligible for placement were placed after graduation.

(iii) No there was no monies paid back by the Students that graduated.  After graduations, the students are given six month to be placed in public schools.

(b) What are the reasons that the remaining graduates were not placed in each (i) year and (ii) province in each case? 

REPLY: Each year the reasons for the non-placement of FLB is primarily the same.  The placement of Funza Lushaka bursary recipients depends on the availability of vacant posts that match their qualifications. This approach has not changed since the inception of the programme. Therefore, some graduates remain unplaced each year mainly due to the unavailability of suitable vacancies. According to policy, the filling of educator vacancies follows an order which prioritises matching and placement of educators declared in addition; conversion of educators appointed in temporary capacity;  then the matching and placement of the Funza Lushaka and provincial bursary recipients in the remaining vacant posts. In some Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) bursary recipients compete for the remaining vacant posts with all other first-time appointments and this reduces the potential number of graduates placed. However, many of those that are not placed in the year that they are available for placement do join the system in the subsequent years.

Reply:

1. Under the ASIDI programme (Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative) and the SAFE programme (Sanitation Appropriate For Education) the progress regarding inappropriate structures was as follows:

• A total of 40 new schools were planned for 2019/20, actual delivery was 24 new schools
• A total of 32 new schools were planned for 2020/21, actual delivery was 32 new schools
• A total of 21 new schools were planned for 2022/22, actual delivery was 21 new schools

 

2. Under the ASIDI & SAFE programmes, the progress regarding water supply was as follows:

• A total of 225 water projects were planned for 2019/20, actual delivery was 85 water projects
• A total of 100 water projects were planned for 2020/21, actual delivery was 100 water projects
• A total of 100 water projects were planned for 2021/22, actual delivery was 112 water projects

3. Under the ASIDI & SAFE programmes, the progress regarding sanitation was as follows:

• A total of 717 sanitation projects were planned for 2019/20, actual delivery was 99 sanitation projects
• A total of 600 sanitation projects were planned for 2020/21, actual delivery was 263 sanitation projects
• A total of 1000 sanitation projects were planned for 2021/22, actual delivery was 1019 sanitation projects

   4. Under the ASIDI programme, there are a total of 3033 projects, of which 2984 have already progressed to practical completion:

• A total of 1300 projects in EC of which 1258 achieved practical completion
• A total of 154 projects in FS of which 154 achieved practical completion
• A total of 16 projects in GP of which 16 achieved practical completion
• A total of 448 projects in KZN of which 448 achieved practical completion
• A total of 888 projects in LP of which 881 achieved practical completion
• A total of 135 projects in MP of which 135 achieved practical completion
• A total of 18 projects in NW of which 18 achieved practical completion
• A total of 19 projects n NC of which 19 achieved practical completion
• A total of 55 projects in WC of which 55 achieved practical completion
• The balance of ASIDI projects are scheduled for completion in 2022/23 

5. Under the SAFE programme, there are a total of 3408 projects, of which 2352 have already progressed to practical completion:

• A total of 1447 projects in EC of which 753 achieved practical completion
• A total of 106 projects in FS of which 106 achieved practical completion
• A total of 1 projects in GP of which 0 achieved practical completion
• A total of 1212 projects in KZN of which 990 achieved practical completion
• A total of 469 projects in LP of which 334 achieved practical completion
• A total of 98 projects in MP of which 96 achieved practical completion
• A total of 73 projects in NW of which 73 achieved practical completion
• A total of 1 projects n NC of which 0 achieved practical completion
• A total of 1 projects in WC of which 0 achieved practical completion
• The balance of SAFE projects are scheduled for completion in 2023/24  

Reply:

The question was referred to the Eastern Cape Education Department with a response date of Wednesday, 05 October 2022. To date, there has been no response from the province. 

The response will be shared as and when it is received.

Reply:

(a) 

There were 138 982 non - South African learners who did not provide their documentation to be captured in our School Administrative System. Of the 138 982, 6 489 were attending Grade 12.

Reply:

(a) The Department of Basic Education is not responsible for the issuing of certificates. Certification is a competency of the Quality Assurance Council, Umalusi. However, there has never been a distinction  between South African Citizens and Non-South Africans. All candidates that register for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination and satisfy the requirements of the NSC are issued with the certificate.   

(b) Zero

(c)(i) None

(c) (ii) The matter does not have to be addressed as it is non-existent