Questions and Replies

Reply:

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation coordinates and manages relations between South Africa and BRICS across all three pillars of BRICS cooperation, namely political and security, economic and financial, and people-to-people cooperation. The lead department for international cooperation in medicine and health is the National Department on Health while the lead department for international cooperation in science and research is the Department of Science and Innovation.

The BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre was a key deliverable of South Africa’s BRICS Chairship in 2018. The three departments worked together to ensure that this deliverable was implemented, and a virtual BRICS Vaccine Research and Development Centre was officially launched on 22 March 2022. The Centre aims to pool together complementary advantages of BRICS countries in vaccine research and development, boost the capacity of BRICS countries to prevent and control infectious diseases and provide timely help to other developing countries in need. In addition, the Centre is expected to prioritise joint research and development of vaccines, facilitate information-and-knowledge sharing and support collaborative projects by researchers and institutions from BRICS countries, and to promote inclusive distribution and use of vaccines to ensure accessibility and affordability.

It is expected that South Africa, during its Chairship of BRICS in 2023, will further consolidate BRICS cooperation in the fields of health, science and innovation.

Reply:

1. Fifteen (15) appointments have been made to the following countries in accordance with the prevailing laws and procedures during the period 01 January 2021 up to including 31 January 2022:

	MISSION
	Monrovia, Liberia
	Algiers, Algeria
	Dar es salaam, Tanzania
	Havana, Cuba
	Bamako, Mali
	Ottawa, Canada
	Ramallah, Palestine
	Buenos Aires, Argentina
	Budapest, Hungary
	Bissau, Guinea Bissau
	Colombo, Sri Lanka
	Gaborone, Botswana
	Astana, Nur-Sultan
	Bangkok, Thailand
	Lagos, Nigeria

2. In terms of percentage, 73% of the appointees came from outside the structures of the Department

 

 

Reply:

The spending on the items below was in line with the responsibility of the Department for conducting and coordinating the international relations and cooperation of the Republic at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels through the Foreign Service abroad and through interactions with foreign representatives in the Republic, in accordance with the foreign policy of the Republic. This includes attending high level bilateral structured mechanisms that is Joint Bi-national Commissions, Bi-national Commissions, celebration of National Day, hosting investment and trade fairs/seminars as well as for incoming and outgoing state visits including attending meetings in the multilateral fora’s.

The reply to the question is as follows:

(i) Total amount spent for the Minister:

(a) Catering is R 144 029.02 and

(b) Entertainment is R 10 755.30

(ii) Total amount spent for the Deputy Minister: Mashego-Dlamini

(a) Catering is R 59 551.07 and

(b) Entertainment is R 0

(ii) Total amount spent for the Deputy Minister: Botes

(a) Catering is R 22 824.69 and

(b) Entertainment is R 4 911.93

(iii) Total amount spent for the Department:

(a) Catering is R 7 460 139.61 and

(b) Entertainment is R 9 592 952.83

(c) Total amount spent on accommodation is as follows:

1. Office of the Minister is R 8 646 059,52
2. Office of the Deputy Minister: Mashego-Dlamini is R 1 974 450.16
3. Office of the Deputy Minister: Botes is R 2 135 791.54
4. Total amount spent for the Department is R 97 540 209.25

Reply:

1. Article 13 of the Protocol on the Establishment of the African Union Peace and Security Council provides for the establishment of the African Standby Force (ASF) which is a part of the African Peace and Security Archtitecture (APSA). The ASF has five regional brigades supported by their respective Regional Economic Communities (RECs) or Regional Mechanisms (RMs).

As a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), South Africa is part of the SADC Standby Force which was launched in August 2008. Currently, South Africa is a major contributor to the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) which has made a significant contribution to restoring peace in the Cabo Delgado Province since its deployment in July 2021. Whether SAMIM should be strengthened would be a collective SADC decision and would be determined by operational requirements on the ground.

2. While South Africa does not agree with the presence of foreign forces in the continent, South Africa does not have much power or legal standing to remove any foreign forces in any country, other than in a South African territory. Foreign forces in an African country are there on the basis of a bilateral agreement between the countries involved. One of the founding principles of the African Union (AU), as provided for in Article 4 of the Constitutive Act of the AU, is “sovereign equality”. South Africa cannot interfere in the deployment of foreign forces in a sovereign African country, including deployment of the United States Africa Command, if it is done in terms of a bilateral agreement.

 

Reply:

Between February and March 2022, 90 South Africans (SA) citizens were registered with the South African Mission in Kiev, Ukraine. South Africa endeavoured to assist all 90 to leave Ukraine. Seventeen (17) of the 90 opted to remain in Ukraine, 36 returned to South Africa using commercial flights and 37 remain in countries neighbouring Ukraine. We will continue to work with partner Departments to assist those still in need of assistance.

Reply:

The Department initiated the Giyani Water Services intervention in August 2014 with the intention to address water services challenges experienced by the communities in Giyani. The project was initiated as a Ministerial directive to Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) for immediate intervention in Mopani District Municipality (DM) to address water challenges. LNW conducted assessment of water services infrastructure in Giyani and initiated the following interventions:

• Refurbishment of existing water and sanitation infrastructure, including pump stations, repairs of leaking pipes and reservoirs, borehole development and installation of package plant for immediate supply to social facilities (Nkhensani Hospital)
• Construction of 1.5 Ml/d Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) to augment existing Giyani WWTW
• Revitalization of 154 boreholes to augment water supply in 55 villages around Giyani
• Replacement of about 325 km of inefficient bulk pipelines that supply water to 55 villages around Giyani

        

In 2019, LNW terminated contracts with Professional Service and the Turnkey service provider for Giyani Water services. At that stage, progress on the pipeline was reported to be 50% complete by LNW but was later verified by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to be 35%. Similarly, the additional works were reported to be 92% complete, but subsequent investigations by the DWS indicated that the project progress was 48%.

 

The DWS is intervening to ensure completion of the project and ensure that the residents have access to potable water. The following is being done to fast track the project:

• The Nandoni-Nsami pipeline is being constructed by a contactor with a new PSP as the Engineer to transfer raw water from the Nandoni Dam to the Nsami WTW and progress is at 38% complete
• The additional works are being completed by the DWS Construction unit with the new PSP as Engineer with assistance from LNW for procurement of materials
• The Nandoni to Nsami pipeline will be a raw water pipeline which will join the existing canal
•  
• The supply to the Malamulele area will be potable water supplied via the Mavambe pipeline
• Refurbishment of the existing Nsami Water Treatment Works at the Nsami dam to operate at design capacity to increase water supply to Giyani villages
• Villages in Giyani will be further served by water from Nwamwitwa Dam when it comes online
• The Mopani DM will be assisted to take advantage of unspent Water Services Infrastructure Grant allocations to extend reticulation in the villages and synchronize with completed sections of the pipeline

 

The DWS will has deployed an experienced Engineer in the capacity of a Chief Director to provide effective project management support to LNW and assist in the decision making on the project. An escalation route for unresolved challenges has been established to the Director General and the Minister to intervene.

Reply:

The Vhembe District Municipality (DM) is both the Water Services Authority (WSA) and the Water Services Provider (WSP) that provides water to Thohoyandou.

The Vhembe DM provides water to Thohoyandou and surrounding areas through:

• The Vondo Water Treatment Works is located at Phiphidi supplies water to various communities including Golgota, Thoyandou Units D and G.
• The Nandoni-Thohoyandou pipeline (NR6) supplies water to the following areas: Thohoyandou P East and West, the Thohoyandou CBD, Thohoyandou Units F, J, K, L, M, N, and University of Venda.

It should be noted that the Vhembe DM is in the process of upgrading the Vondo WTW from 52ML/d to 75ML/d to meet the current and future demand for water in Thohoyandou. The project has been allocated R334 258 638.00 through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant. An allocation of R534 322 941.46 has also been set aside for maintenance of the plant. The project commenced on 10 May 2018 and is expected to be completed by 30 June 2022.

---00O00---

Reply:

a) In total 165 297 public servants were found to have received social grants. These were suspended in September 2021, because it was suspected they did not qualify for the grant they had been receiving. All 165 297 cases were then subjected to a full review process, as required in terms of the Social Assistance Act. Progress with the review process is as follows:

(i) 63 212 have been found to qualify for the grant after they completed the review process.

(ii) 3 268 have been found not to qualify for the grant after they completed the review process.

The grant review process is not yet finalised and 98 817 beneficiaries are still to be reviewed.

The process to determine eligibility is an intensive manual process. The teams are still engaging the public servants as they come forward to complete the review process. All those found to have received a grant to which they were not entitled will repay the amount, and also face disciplinary action through their respective departments.

b) An amount of twelve million six hundred thousand rand (R 12, 6 million) has been recovered from public servants who have been found not to qualify for the grant that they received.

c) In following consequence management procedures due processes must be followed. The affected public servants have completed debt acknowledgement forms to enable SASSA to recover the debt. This information has been shared with each Province and affected government departments for them to be able to take appropriate action. To date, SASSA has not receive any reports of the outcomes of these processes.

 

Reply:

The answer is based on some of the DSI’s initiatives and surveys namely: Sector Innovation Fund (SIF), Agricultural Bio-economy Innovation Partnership Programme (ABIPP), R&D Tax Incentive, Business Innovation Survey (2014-2016) and Agricultural Business Innovation Survey (2016-2018).

Sector Innovation Fund (SIF) and Agriculture Bioeconomy Innovation Partnership Programme (ABIPP)

(a) What contribution had the private sector made towards innovation in the Republic in the past two years,

In terms of the Sector Innovation Fund (SIF) programme which is one of the DSI’s initiatives aimed at encouraging the private sector to increase its investment into research, development and innovation. The pilot phase of the SIF programme was implemented in 2014/15, with the second 4-year phase commencing in 2018/19, and the supported sectors were selected through calls for proposals processes.

The SIF programme targets organized industry associations, which the DSI partners with to implement RDI programmes that are aimed at meeting the industries’ competitiveness challenges. These challenges range from the need to develop high-end skills; to the need to identify alternative pest and disease control methods and mechanisms to retain (or develop) new export markets; to working towards a circular economy; to improving operational efficiencies, to dealing with global change and other environmental issues. The partnerships are co-funding arrangements in which the industry partners match the DSI’s funding contribution into each SIF. Total investment by DSI is about R182 million, from 2014 to last financial year and from Industry is about R108million.

The previous financial year, the DST has implemented six multi-stakeholder programmes in the agriculture sector, through its instrument, the Agriculture Bioeconomy Innovation Partnership Programme (ABIPP), and in partnership with the private sector. A total of R73, 375 728.00 has been leveraged from private sector and includes funding from the Grains and oilseeds industries (Grain SA, Winter cereal trust, South African Cultivar and Technology Agency, Maize Trust, Sasol Trust, Oil and Protein Seed Development Trust (OPDT)), Red Meat (RMIRA), and Technology Innovation Agency.  For all other partners there are in-kind contributions by virtue of involvement in other aspects of the project, inputs, knowledge transfer etc

(b) What projects are the most noteworthy in this regard,

There are more than 100 projects across the different SIF programmes, but the outputs and outcomes of a number of these have been instrumental in contributing to the relevant sectors maintaining or improving their competitiveness. Examples include an online phytosanitary certification tool that has enabled the citrus and other horticultural sectors to access and retain export markets; alternative pest and disease control mechanisms that allowed the citrus industry to overcome the EU’s Citrus Black Spot barriers to entry; new packaging and transportation protocols and methodologies that contributed to significant cost savings; plantation management systems that assisted emerging forestry growers and processers to improve their operational efficiencies.

The following is the partnership and the programme under ABIPP:

1. The Strategic Innovation Partnership for Grain and Oilseeds which is a partnership between Grain South Africa (Grain SA), DSI and TIA. They are many government and industry partners in the projects and many co-funders involved. Of the four projects currently under implementation, the Wheat Breeding Platform aims to provide industry with access to improved genetics and higher-yielding, locally adapted wheat germplasm to enhance the sustainability of the local wheat industry and improve South Africa’s self-sufficiency. In the previous financial year, 200 genotypes were identified for distribution and were sent to the collaborating programmes of private companies Syngenta, Corteva and Agricultural Research Council (ARC)-Small Grains. Two cultivars were selected by industry for commercialization. Of these two, one has been submitted for registration with the Plant Breeder’s Rights Act.
2. Soybean Food and Nutrition Development Programme. The programme is a partnership between TIA and Oil and Protein Seeds Trust (OPDT). The projects include the assistance of black emerging farmers to plant soybean and grow into commercial farmers (growing from subsistence, emerging, small scale and commercial).
3. Red Meat Sustainability Programme. The programme is a partnership between TIA and Red Meat Industry Research Association (RMIRA) with the aim of supporting innovations in the red meat industry to contribute to the development of the industry. Under this programme, two projects are currently underway; the “Precision farming of feedlot cattle to enhance animal welfare, health and production” and the “Evaluation of small holder pig production systems in the Cape Metropole District of the Western Cape province in South Africa”.

(c) In which sectors of the economy has the private sector contribution been instrumental

There have been seven SIF programmes in the following sectors: horticulture (post-harvest innovation), citrus, minerals processing, forestry, paper manufacturing, wine and sugar milling. And there are six ABIPP partnership programmes currently contribute in the following agricultural sectors: 1) Wheat, 2) Maize, 3) Soybean, 4) Cotton, 5) Red meat, 6) Potato, 7) Canola, and 8) Cassava

(d) How have the specified projects advanced the development agenda of the Republic

The SIF programme has contributed to high end, industry-relevant, skills development, through supporting at least 438 students and interns from its inception up to the end of December 2021, with just under 8% of these having already become employed as a result of the support. There have also been at least 66 knowledge products that have been produced, at least half of which has been transferred to industry partners, including small or emerging players. About 51% of the students supported are female (with about 27% being Black females), and about 55% of the students are Black. The DSI’s investments also had a huge leveraging impact as it attracted more funding from the private sector.

With regards to wheat, our local sector produces only approximately half of the wheat that South Africans consume and the remaining gap is met through imports.  Initiatives to increase production will therefore reduce the balance of payments for wheat imports.

R&D Tax Incentive

The R&D tax incentive does not address “innovation” per se, but is rather focused on systematic investigative or systematic experimental activities of which the results are uncertain, which activities may be a smaller part of “innovation”. Data is not captured by the DSI on annual contributions of the private sector to R&D, but rather on expected costs of proposed projects over the life of such projects. Also, due to secrecy restrictions of the Income Tax Act, no information on particular projects can be provided.

What is available are values for tax revenue foregone due to participation of taxpayers in the R&D tax incentive (as published in the Budget Review of 2022) which indicated the following impact: Tax revenue foregone for 2016/17 – R234 million; 2017/18 – R266 million, 2018/19 – R279 million and 2019/20 – R199 million.

The above can be translated to the R&D tax expenditure of tax payers that participated in the programme during the particular years.

R&D supported by section 11D R&D tax incentive

2016/17 – R1,68 billion, 2017/18 – R1,9 billion, 2018/19 – R2 billion and 2019/20 – R1,42 billion

The budget review also indicated that roughly half of the total R&D tax expenditure has supported the manufacturing sector over this period.

The large share of support directed towards manufacturing, and to a lesser extent to the agricultural sector, shows that this incentive encourages R&D within sectors that are important for creating jobs.

An average of 291 taxpayers received the benefit of the R&D tax incentive for the first three fiscal years presented (the latest year has a low level of assessment). Of these, 101 taxpayers are from the manufacturing sector; 68 from the financial intermediation, insurance, real estate and business services sector; and 50 from the agricultural sector.

Business Innovation Survey (2014-2016)

The Business Innovation Survey provides key indicators on business sector innovation performance and the understanding of the business sector’s perceptions of the barriers to innovation, which provides essential evidence to promote innovation, going forward. The measurement of innovation is an invaluable opportunity to pause and reflect on where South Africa’s innovation strengths and challenges lie. The BIS indicators are considered among the best for measuring innovation processes, as they directly ask firms, the ‘performers’ of innovation, whether they engage in innovation activities (e.g. by performing R&D, buying advanced machinery used for, or training personnel involved in, the development of new products or processes), whether they introduce specific innovations (product, process, marketing or organizational).

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

Innovation was pervasive across all sectors, but especially in engineering and tech, manufacturing, and trade.

• More than two thirds (69.9%) of South African businesses were innovation-active. They took some scientific, technological, organisational, financial, or commercial steps, duringn2014-2016, towards the implementation of an innovation.
• Innovative South African businesses engaged in the four types of innovation measured in almost equal shares: product innovation (48.2%), organisational innovation (42.0%), marketing innovation (41.7%), and process innovation (34.6%).
• The engineering and tech, manufacturing, and trade sectors reported the greatest concentrations of innovation in 2014-2016.

South African businesses invested in innovation activities that helped them—and their workforces—to prepare for technological and organisational change.

• South African businesses geared for technological change by training their workforces and investing in new information technology. The business innovation activities reported by the largest share of companies were training (59.3%), acquisition of computer software (58.3%), and acquisition of computer hardware (57.2%).
• For both the industrial and services sectors, the biggest-ticket innovation expenditure item during 2014-2016 was the acquisition of machinery and equipment.

More innovation-active South African businesses accessed national and global markets than their counterparts with no innovation activity.

• Businesses with innovation activity were more likely to have sold their goods and services on national markets (58.1%), when compared to non-innovation-active businesses (37.7%). More non-innovation active firms accessed selected provincial markets (57.4%) than any other market.
• In addition, more innovation-active businesses accessed global markets, including
• Markets in the rest of Africa, Europe, Asia, and other countries, than non-innovation-active businesses.

Quality improvement was the top-rated innovation outcome for innovation-active businesses.

• Improved quality of goods and services was considered by 38.0% of product and process innovators as a highly successful outcome of innovation, followed by increased revenue (31.8%) and improved profit margins (30.9%). Similarly, for 49.5% of organisational innovators, improved quality was the most highly rated innovation outcome.
• Improved health and safety (27.0%) or reduction in environmental impacts (23.3%) were reported by a significant number of product and process innovators when compared to financial or quality outcomes.
• Entering new export markets or increased export market share as a highly successful innovation outcome was reported by only 7.5% of product and process innovators.

innovation was not a widely connected phenomenon.

• Only about one-fifth (20.8%) of innovation-active businesses reported collaboration activities as part of the development of their innovations. The five most widely reported reasons to collaborate were accessing information, accessing R&D, accessing expertise, cost sharing, and accessing new markets.

• 2014-2016: private research institutes and government research institutes were sources of information for only 7.8% and 7.4% of innovative businesses respectively, while universities and higher education institutions were used as a source of information by only 2.8% of innovative businesses.

major obstacles to innovation included mostly financial but also some market factors.

4

• Barriers that innovation-active businesses identified as most important concerned financial and market factors. Eight widely reported obstacles included lack of funds from within
• the business or business group (31.5%) or from external sources (25.0%); the excessive cost of innovation (22.5%); lack of credit or private equity (24.8%); difficulty in accessing government grants (21.5%); uncertainty about demand for innovations (19.3); market competition (16.4%); and lack of customer demand (8.6%).
• For non-innovation-active businesses, the most widely reported barrier to innovation was a lack of demand for innovations (20%).

Agricultural Business Innovation Survey (2016-2018)

Agricultural Business Innovation survey measures the scale, nature and outcomes of innovation in South African agribusinesses in order to provide evidence required to inform decision-making and policy. The results of Agricultural Business Innovation Survey can aid policy actors in improving existing instruments and funding mechanisms to enhance current and desired forms of innovation in South African agribusinesses as a whole, and within specific subsectors.

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS

• 1. During the period 2016 to 2018, 62.0% South African agricultural enterprises were innovation active. These are enterprises that engaged in any form of innovation activity. So, about 38.0% of the enterprises did not engage in any innovation activity. Innovation activities are many and can comprise combinations of
  2. The data shows that the agricultural sector is changing and firms are investing in a wide range of innovation activities to help them adapt and prepare for the future. The survey results indicate that South African agricultural enterprises were most likely to be investing in training (65.4%) their employees to help them adapt to new processes and technologies that are transforming the agricultural sector. Enterprises were also investing in the acquisition of machinery and equipment (57.2%), as well as acquisition of computer software (49.2%). In addition, a significant proportion of agricultural firms were investing in intra-mural R&D (48%) and extramural R&D (44%).
  3. Most technological innovations in agricultural enterprises are incremental and new to the firm or market. The data indicates that almost 50% of all product innovators developed products that were new to their firms, followed by 49.5% of product innovators who indicated that they developed innovations that were new to the market, and a smaller proportion, 13.7%, reported innovations that were new to the world.
  4. Firms were provided with a list of possible answers to indicate the outcomes they derived from their innovations. These were grouped into categories and included some shorter and longer-term effects. There were multiple outcomes of innovation, and these reflect the different types of innovations implemented by firms. The top three outcomes reported as highly successful by the highest proportion of innovation-active enterprises were improvement in soil fertility (23.1%), followed by increased variety of crops/species/animals (20.2%), followed by development of new intellectual property (IP) (18.4%).
  5. The share of businesses that were innovation-active in the farming and fisheries sub-sectors was larger than it was for the entire agricultural sector, while a smaller share of forestry businesses was innovation-active than the entire agricultural sector, with process innovation more frequently reported by those who do innovate.

Reply:

According to the North West Provincial Department of Social Development, there are no records of ECD facilities that belong to social workers. Instead, social workers are employed by the Department to provide monitoring and oversight to ECD facilities to ensure compliance with norms and standards as per the provision of the Children’s Act.

Reply:

The CSIR showcases its services and capabilities through various communication platforms, targeting multiple stakeholders, including the public sector, state-owned enterprises, the private sector, not-for-profit organizations and international entities.

With the support of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the CSIR carries out the following awareness-raising activities:

• Open/technology demonstration days – The CSIR open days showcase the CSIR's infrastructure, its people, skills, technologies, innovations and capabilities.
• Site visits and tours – The CSIR regularly hosts South African and international delegations from the public and private sectors to raise awareness of its capabilities and share information and knowledge.
• Biennial conference – The CSIR will be hosting its 8th biennial conference in October 2022. The conference objectives include sharing the organization’s progress, breakthroughs and impact in research, development and innovation, and illustrating how the CSIR can help them industries strengthen their offerings and their overall competitive edge.
• Mass media campaigns – The CSIR implements mass media campaigns. The current campaign, called "Did You Know?", aims to familiarize stakeholders with some of the technologies that the CSIR has developed.
• Career days – These events target grade 10 to 12 learners from rural schools. CSIR scientists and researchers showcase their work and share experiences with learners. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, career days were hosted at CSIR campuses across the country and at schools.
• General media engagements – There are general engagements with the media to communicate developments in research and opportunities that are available, such CSIR technologies that are open for commercialization.
• Exhibitions/trade fairs – The CSIR raises awareness of its services and capabilities at events such as Science Forum South Africa, the Innovation Bridge, BioAfrica, the Manufacturing Indaba, the Mining Indaba, the Digital Indaba and Africa Tech Week, among others.
• Public outreach – With the support of the South African Agency for Science and Technological Advancement, which falls under the National Research Foundation, an entity of the DSI, the CSIR participates in public outreach programmes, including visiting schools and exhibiting at science festivals to promote the public understanding of science.

Furthermore, in the past three years, the CSIR has ring-fenced some of the Industry Innovation Partnership funding received from the DSI to raise its profile and inform small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) about its activities and offerings, including the following:

• CSIR business development managers facilitate engagements with industry to discuss CSIR offerings that might be of value to their enterprise and supply chain development sections.
• Articles about SMMEs that the CSIR has supported are published and radio interviews are arranged. These emphasize that the SMMEs have received support from CSIR industry-facing centers.
• The CSIR facilitates tours of its facilities to raise awareness of products developed for SMMEs, the infrastructure on offer, and the expert scientists and engineers who work with SMMEs.

Reply:

(a) The total number of national adoptions from the period of 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2022 is 1634.

(b) Figures of inter-country adoptions from 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2022 are 174.

Reply:

The transfer of ECD function from the Department of Social Development to Basic Education does not involve the absorption of ECD practitioners. ECD practitioners are not employed by Government, but by ECD facilities that are registered with the Department and are privately owned.

Reply:

The National Development Agency fund CSOs to strengthen their capacities in contributing towards eradication of poverty. The NDA funds CSOs, including Cooperatives to respond to social and developmental challenges experienced in poor communities across the 9 provinces.

(a)In the Northern Cape the NDA funded 66 CSOs in the current MTSF: 2018/19 – 2022/23 financial year to the tune of R8 545 779,03. The funding of the CSOs resulted in the creation of 494 job opportunities (see the breakdown below):

Table 1: Breakdown of CSOs funded by NDA in the Northern Cape

#	Name of CSO	District/ Local municipality	Amount Funding	Services rendered	Number of work opportunities
	Val’s Primary Cooperative	Frances Baard/ Sol Plaatje	R66 846.61	Sewing Cooperative	5
	Kgatelopele Sewing Cooperative	J. T. Gaetsewe/ Joe Morolong	R195 551.26	Sewing Cooperative	4
	Women Outside the Box	J. T. Gaetsewe/ Gasegonyana	R66 846.61	Sewing Cooperative	6
	Souskyn Cooperative	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R65 632.78	Sewing cooperative	2
	Bona Bontle Cooperative	J. T. Gaetsewe/ Gasegonyana	R46 103,82	Sewing Cooperative	6
	Katleho ECD	Frances Baard/ Phokwane	R47 656,54	ECD	3
	Ipeleng ECD	J. T. Gaetsewe/ Dikgatlong	R49 803,48	ECD	2
	Thutopele Cooperative	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R104 392.20	Sewing Cooperative	6
	Litlho lentle cooperative	Frances Baard /Dikgatlong	R31 314.77	Sewing Cooperative	5
	Legacy Network	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R44 121.94	After care services	2
	Sonstraaltjies Kleuterskool	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R40 370.91	ECD	3
	Vrolike Vunkies ECD	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R51 834.77	ECD	3
	Loxton Laslappies Cooperative	Pixley Ka Seme/ Ubuntu	R48 041.76	Sewing Cooperative	6
	Sambese Cooperative	Pixley Ka Seme/ Emthanjeni	R85 185,46	Sewing Cooperative	6
	Kgotso Arts & Crafts	Frances Baard/ Phokwane	R57 354.02	Arts & Crafts	2
	Emmanuel ECD	J. T. Gaetsewe/ Gasegonyana	R50 343.20	ECD	4
	Kalahari All Trade	J. T. Gaetsewe/ Gamagara	R49 846,78	Sewing Cooperative	5
	Isago ya Bahumi	Frances Baard/ Sol Plaatje	R93 778,35	Sewing Cooperative	11
	Baheso Brick Making Cooperative	Frances Baard/ Sol Plaatje	R293 034.00	Bricks	9
	Happy Kids Day Care	Frances Baard/ Sol Plaatje	R48 895,57	ECD	3
	Popagano Food Garden	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Tsantsabane	R50 736.14	Food garden	12
	Tswelelang Agricultural Cooperative	J. T. Gaetsewe/ Joe Morolong	R103 106.76	Food Garden	5
	Ubunele Cooperative	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R44 617,87	Sewing Cooperative	8
	Op en Wakker Cooperative	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Kai Garib	R57 472,45	Sewing Cooperative	11
	BCAMS cooperative	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R40 442.91	Sewing Cooperative	2
	SASDO	Frances Baard/ Sol Plaatje	R371 100.31	Food garden	4
	Lebelelang Centre for Disability	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Tsantsabane	R53 351.00	Disability Centre	2
	Remmogo recycling	Frances Baard/ Dikgatlong	R87 880.44	Recycling waste	9
	Vinknessie ECD	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R77 725.75	ECD	1
	Tshenolo Drop in Centre	Frances Baard/ Dikgatlong	R90 031.90	Soup Kitchen	6
	Chrysanthemum Cooperative	Frances Baard/ Sol Plaatje	R43 816,15	Sewing Cooperative	5
	Zenisha Play & Learning Centre	Pixley Ka Seme/Siyathemba	R 92 043.60	ECD & Disability centre	6
	Ezebeleni ECD	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R28 655.79	ECD	6
	Rethabile ECD	Frances Baard/ Sol Plaatje	R74 885,69	ECD	6
	Boitumelo Special School	Frances Baard/ Sol Plaatje	R370 147.59	Disability Centre	3
	Rerokela Sechaba	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Tsantsabane	R95 260.00	Sewing Cooperative	8
	Green Plan Cooperative	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R98 164.00	Recycling waste	5
	Boago Care Village	J. T. Gaetsewe/ Gasegonyana	R90 145,92	Food garden	5
	Susanna Wesley ECD	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R56 972,25	ECD	3
	UAP Soup Kitchen	Z. F. Mgcawu/ Dawid Kruiper	R69 453,45	Soup Kitchen	4
	Enkosi Crèche & Preschool	Pixley Ka Seme/ Umsombovu	R143 214,23	ECD	6
	22 CSOs for the Covid 19 Response Plan	All Districts	R4 110 000.00	Response to Covid 19	222
	3 CSOs for the Presidential Economic Stimulus Programme	Pixley Ka Seme & Namakwa	R759 600.00	Community profiling	62
	Total		R8 545 779,03		494

(ii) The CSOs are involved in providing various development services in the communities, including Early Childhood Development services, income generation interventions and food security through Co-operatives.

Reply:

Name of University	(1) Ratio of NSFAS to non-NSFAS students in campus accommodations	(2) What is the total number of beds (a) at each higher education institution and (b) reserved for NSFAS students
Cape Peninsula University of Technology	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 54% and 46% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 12 798. (b) At least 8335 beds are occupied by NSFAS students (this is based on data compiled from prior years and the current year)
University of Cape Town	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 65% and 35% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 7870 (6888 UCT owned and 982 Leased). (b) UCT does not reserve spaces for NSFAS students but UCT prioritises NSFAS students for on-campus residence accommodation.
Central University of Technology	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 96% and 4% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 1 139 (890 Bloemfontein campus; 249 Welkom campus).   (b) Students are placed on first come first serve principle, thus no beds are reserved for students.
Durban University of Technology	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 96% and 4% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 14 697. (b) 14 097 occupied spaces on residences for NSFAS students. 14161 are in residences, representing 74% residence uptake of this cohort. This translates into 96% of the total number in residence (14697) the remaining 4% (536) representing self-payers who are non-NSFAS.
University of Fort Hare	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 68.8% and 32,2% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 10 002 total beds (Alice Campus: 6024 University-owned and East London Campus: 3978 University-leased).   (b) UFH does not reserve spaces for NSFAS funded students. A residence admission policy is used for placement. Students are placed according to their academic performance and affordability.
University of the Free State	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 76% and 24% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 6 692 capacity for on-campus accommodation (Bloemfontein Campus: 4 418; QwaQwa Campus: 1 496 and South Campus: 778). (b) The university has a placement and renewal policy which governs the process of placement of students in the residences. Notwithstanding very strict adherence to the policies, 5 115 NSFAS students are accommodated in on-campus accommodation (represents 76% of the total capacity).
University of Johannesburg	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 40% and 60% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 7 188. (b) 2 541 are allocated to NSFAS funded students.
University of Kwazulu-Natal	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 76% and 24% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 20 004. (b) 15 203 are allocated to NSFAS funded students.
University of Limpopo	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 65% and 35% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) 7 326 beds for students on campus. (b) Residence admission and registration is dependent upon the Residence Admission Policy (Approved).  Application and Academic Performance are the main prerequisite for a student to qualify for accommodation. No reservation is done on the basis of NSFAS and or other Funding/Sponsor.
Mangosuthu University of Technology	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 87% and 13% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 1416 MUT owned residence (622 university owned beds are reserved for first year NSFAS funded students and 794 are non-NSFAS. A further 8581 beds are in leased accommodation (8150 are NSFAS funded and 431 are non-NSFAS). (b) 622 on campus/university owned is reserved for first year NSFAS funded students. Placement in leased accommodation is done on preference basis, either NSFAS or Non-NSFAS funded.
University of Mpumalanga	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 58.8% and 41.2% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds on campus is 1353 beds. Accredited Private Accommodation is 6467 beds. (b) We do not have beds reserved specifically for NSFAS students. Beds are allocated on the basis of the University Housing Policy which does not give preference to NSFAS students.
Nelson Mandela University	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 85% and 15% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 4 298 (PE and George). (b) There is no bed reservation for specific categories of students except that first preference is given to out of town students.
North-West University	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 59% and 41% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 11 319. (b) 6 454 occupied spaces on residences for NSFAS students. NWU beds are not reserved on the basis of the funding ability of a student but based on academic performance first, within the scope of the diversity targets of the institution.
University of Pretoria	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 37% and 63% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 7 027. (b) 35% (2 251) occupied spaces on residences are reserved for NSFAS students.
Rhodes University	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 63% and 27% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 3 683 of which 2 324(63%) are occupied by NSFAS funded students. (b) NSFAS funded students are prioritised for campus accommodation
Sefako Makgatho University	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 57.3% and 42.7% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) has a total student accommodation capacity of 5015. (b) SMU does not have specified beds that are reserved for NSFAS student as the majority of our students are NSFAS sponsored. However, 2,877 NSFAS sponsored students are occupying the campus accommodation.
Sol Plaatje University	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 75% and 25% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 1 812 (1 365 allocated to NSFAS funded and 447 non-NSFAS students). (b) A further 740 beds are allocated at University accredited accommodation (612 allocated to NSFAS funded and 128 non-NSFAS students).
University of South Africa	Non-residential	Non-residential
Stellenbosch University	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 30% and 70% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 7 667. (b) 30% occupied spaces on residences for NSFAS (first year) students. 2 190 students to 5 406 non-NSFAS students = 7 596 students placed in campus accommodation as at 31 March 2022.
Tshwane University of Technology	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 80% and 20% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 7 248 (7 248 are TUT owned and 5 798 of these occupied by NSFAS funded students and 1 450 by non-NSFAS students). A further 4 766 beds are in University leased accommodation and occupied specifically by NSFAS funded students: 98.8% versus 1.2%).  (b) Spaces available in University owned accommodation is not reserved for NSFAS students. All applicants, whether self-funded or NSFAS-funded may register on a first-come-first-served basis. TUT also has 9 781 beds in accredited accommodation and all 9 781 beds are fully occupied by NSFAS funded students.
Vaal University	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 78% and 22% for non-NSFAS	(a) Total number of beds is 4 731 (currently 4 088 beds are occupied and 643 under renovation). (b) 90% reserved for NSFAS funded students.
University of Venda	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 81% and 19 for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 9 776 (3 317 on campus University owned and 6 459 beds off-campus accredited residences).  (b) We do not reserve accommodation for NSFAS students, however we are aware that about 75% of our students are NSFAS funded.
Walter Sisulu University	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 95% and 5% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 21 000 (5000 WSU owned and 16 100 leased). (b) Total beds for NSFAS funded students 18 854.
University of the Western Cape	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 70% and 30% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 3302. (b) 75% occupied spaces on residences for NSFAS students.
University of the Witwatersrand	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 55.2% and 44.8% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 6 508 for university owned and leased (3 596 occupied by NSFAS funded students). (b) Wits does not reserve beds specifically for NSFAS-funded students. All NSFAS-funded students who apply for Wits accommodation and meet requirements get assistance. (Wits reserves through policy 50% (47% in 2022) of all residence beds for first year students).
University of Zululand	Ratio of NSFAS funded students is 78.7% and 21.3% for non-NSFAS students.	(a) Total number of beds is 5 324 (4 195 occupied by NSFAS funded students and non-NSFAS 1129) (b) The beds are generally reserved for funded students, so the non-NSFAS would be mainly for students funded by other funders.

Reply:

To date, all qualifying applications received for the R350 grant since May 2020 to March 2022 have been paid. There are approximately 20 000 applications in an appeal status which have not been paid as yet. Work is currently underway to resolve outstanding appeals.

Improvements have been implemented to ensure that everyone who is approved is able to access their funds. Additional access channels introduced are; Payment into personal bank accounts, which accounts for 58% of all payments for those who access their funds through the post office. Additional channels through retailers have been opened. The retailers currently participating are Pick & Pay, Boxer, Checkers, Shoprite and Usave. Negotiations with the Spar group to allow approved applicants to access their relief grant are at an advanced stage, further announcements will be made shortly.

Payment through mobile phones, will be another access channel available as soon as the contracts with the banks have been finalised. It is expected that this option will be available for the next iteration of the grant from April 2022 to March 2023.

Reply:

The Honourable Member is advised to refer to my reply to Parliamentary Question 122 on the same subject.

Reply:

(a) The Department appointed contract employees after having identified a need for such employees in a number of Sub-Programmes.The Department then undertook a process to create posts on the Organizational Structure, in line with the identified need. Upon approval of the new Organizational Structure, the Department then advertised a number of posts, including a level 7 post in terms of Customer Care.

(b) The Department informed all Contract Employees that their contracts will not be renewed upon expiration date as the Department intended to advertise such posts. The person in question was advised to apply like all other Contract Employees. The person in question indicated that she is not interested in a Salary Level 7 post, which was the level of the post she occupied all along. The person in question declined the offer in writing to apply. She therefore forfeited the right to lay claim to the post or any other post because she conscientiously opted to not apply, consequently she terminated her own service in this regard as she denied herself the opportunity to be appointed permanently through the normal recruitment processes prescribed by law.

Reply:

Departmental plan to ensure that young persons are ready for the new world and the Republic does not fall further on global scale

On 7 June 2019 the then Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, appointed a

Ministerial Task Team on the Implications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for Post-School

Education and Training (4IRMTT) (Government Notice No 839 of 2019) to advise on how the Department should respond to the challenges and opportunities posed by the 4IR.

The purpose of the MTT was to investigate the capacity of the PSET system to: contribute to the 4IR; provide / produce skills that are in line with the needs of the 4IR (building capacity for functioning in the 4IR); and embrace the affordances of the 4IR. The MTT Report has since been presented to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, currently two departments within the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation are working together on the implementation of the recommendations arising out of the Ministerial Task Team on Fourth Industrial Revolution for Post-School Education and Training. However, the Department of Higher

Education and Training has been implementing the following initiatives related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution:

1. DHET Partnership with CISCO and HUAWEI - The DHET has partnered with CISCO and HUAWEI to support, in the updating of existing curriculum to align with industry demands in the digital skills area. Under Cisco agreement, at least 300 lecturers are being trained at all 50 TVET Colleges to upgrade their skills in ICT related NC(V) qualifications; under the Huawei agreement, lecturers at 32 TVET colleges are being trained to support the introduction of subjects such as Routing & Switching, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, WLAN, and Security and Cloud Computing.
2. Occupational Programmes aligned to priority sectors of the ERRP - Colleges are also identifying Occupational Programmes that will be introduced for purposes of aligning to the priority sectors as stipulated in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan (ERRP) in Partnership with Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) and INDLELA. These will be supported through funding from SETAs and/or the National Skills Fund, guided by research undertaken through the Labour Market Intelligence Partnership (LMIP) and Sector Skills Plans (SPPs), which has highlighted the growing demand for digital and ICT skills across a variety of job roles.
3. Demand led skilling model for the Global Business Services and ICT industries - With support from the Presidential Employment Stimulus to the tune of R100 million, the National Skills Fund is managing the roll out of a demand led skilling model for the Global Business Services and ICT industries. This initiative is expected to be expanded in future years through insourcing funding from other public and private sector funders.
4. Approval and accreditation of programmes - One of the provisions of the ERRP Skills Strategy is to ensure expanded access to short programmes and full qualification required for the economic growth of South Africa. This also demands that quality councils introduce greater flexibility in their approval processes to ensure faster turnaround for timely approval and accreditation of programmes to respond to changes and innovations in ICT related fields, among others.
5. Expanded university enrolments - The university enrolment planning process enables institutions to collectively achieve the goals for the system within the context of system parameters and the government’s priorities. The Department has commenced with its midterm review of the approved 2020 – 2025 university enrolment plans, which will cover the 2023 – 2025 academic years. The review will provide a national picture of enrolments, average annual growth, graduates and further information on national imperatives and priorities for all higher education institutions. This process will culminate in a revised Ministerial Statement on Student Enrolment Planning for the period 2023 – 2025 to ensure that the country can achieve its objectives for expanding university enrolments within a sustainable financial framework.

Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) priority skills related to 4IR:

Some SETAs, in their Sector Skills Plans (SPPs) have identified Fourth Industrial Revolution occupations as part of their priority skills, such as:

1. Agriculture Sector Education and Training Authority (AgriSETA)

1.1 As a key change driver 4IR was utilized as a vehicle to prioritize the following occupations in the sector: Industrial Mechanician, Planning Managers (Manufacturing), Processing Unit Managers, Plant Managers (Manufacturing), Engineering Managers,

Agricultural Engineering Technicians, Agricultural Product Processing Engineering

Technologists, Crop Production Mechanization Engineering Technologists, Environmental Protection Professionals and Conservation Scientists. These occupations are directly linked to 4IR where the integration of various technologies assist farmers in increasing efficiencies. The Occupations listed above form part of AgriSETA’ s priority occupations and are prioritised in the 2022/23 financial year through funding of bursaries, Graduate Placement and Learnerships.

2. Banking Sector Education and Training Authority (BANKSETA):

2.1 The SETA developed occupational qualifications on three levels to be registered with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations to address the growing need for formal qualifications related to Cyber Security.

2.2 The SETA allocated funds to re-skill and or upskill employees whose roles may be impacted by automation, artificial intelligence, and the increased need for data analytics.

2.3 There is dedicated funding allocated to IT related skills and some of the programmes funded include Data Management, Cobit 5 and Analysing Data.

2.4 Programmes for unemployed youth on the Kuyasa Learnership include modules in Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, Designing and Implementing a Data Science Solution on Azure, Microsoft Azure Artificial Intelligence Fundamentals, and Designing and Implementing an Artificial Intelligence Azure Solution.

2.5 A training programme in Cyber Security was implemented and recently the SETA also started to train high school students on skills for the future which include Coding, software programming and data science.

3. Construction Sector Education and Training Authority (CETA)

3.1 The SETA in response to changing world and technologies in the context of 4IR revised its Sector Skills Plan (SSP) to address issues of green technologies and 4IR skills including use robotics and drones in the sector. Emerging skills in this regard are highlighted. The SETA is also planning to review its training material across the board to speak to contemporary skills and innovations in line with the 4IR.

4. The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA)

4.1 The impact of 4IR on the chemicals industry is seeing increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), use of computer systems to perform tasks that would require human intelligence and the following are focal areas in CHIETA Strategic and Performance Planning Process and inter alia also focusing on the youth and rural learners.

4.2 The SETA is currently exploring 4IR opportunities and planning to open CHIETA Innovation Hub by 2025. The Innovation Hub would be dedicated to supporting the growth of very early-stage technology-based businesses in the South African chemicals industry. Learning and digitization of skills development through the virtual/simulated coded welding programme. Various new economy 4IR skill demands on the industry to be supported through the CHIETA Annual Performance Plan (APP).

4.3 As part of Research capacity building for students from previously disadvantaged institutions, the SETA funded the Vaal University of Technology to develop master’s students, through the development of a chitosan membrane for electricity production project, which will be utilised to develop fossil batteries for electric cars and capacitate the students with fourth industrial revolution skills. The University will be working with Pet Industrial, using their facilities for membrane Development.

4.4 Infusing the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) simulated training to extend the reach of CHIETA services and add greater value to learners. Digital training ecosystems.

5. Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA)

5.1 The 4IR Project(s) currently supported by the SETA and nature of support or objectives of the project: Influence of Emerging Technologies and Artificial Intelligence Skills in the Sector. This Research Project is to ensure that the EWSETA has relevant, up-to date data and information with respect to the influence of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence skills in the energy and water sector; and the 4IR Aquatech Accelerator is a sector specific programme that seeks to fast-track sustainable solutions for Africa’s water-energy-food nexus challenges, this is a mentorship driven programme that is designed to identify, develop, support, fund, and up-scale a new generation of 4IR enabled solutions.

5.2 The SETA has partnered with MTN in their Annual MTN APPS Award where it will be leading the development of an Energy and Water Education APP which provides young people the opportunity to not only apply their 4IR skills in developing the APP, but also in interacting and using the winning APP.

5.3 In SETA career guidance interventions, the SETA will start to embed 4IR skills and careers within the energy and water sector, into the awareness and communication roadshows for example: drone technology (used widely in the renewable energy sector).

5.4 The Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA) has partnered with the 4IR-AquaTech Business Accelerator programme, which aims to capacitate young entrepreneurs with skills through a 6-month mentorship programme designed to identify, develop support, fund and upscale a new generation of 4IR enabled solutions to address the Eastern Cape Province’s pressing food-energy-water nexus challenges. The programme kicked off in June 2021 with a 4IR Aqua-Tech sociotechnical debate and hackathon to focus on the Eastern Cape water crisis.

6. Education, Training & Development Practices Sector Education Training Authority (ETDPSETA)

6.1 The ETDP SETA is supporting its Stakeholders, Constituencies, and the Unemployed persons in acquiring skills in 41R. The following are a few of the programmes implemented:

6.1.1 Unemployed persons: currently 250 unemployed young people have registered with the university of Johannesburg and Southwest College on digital skills programmes, namely, Artificial Intelligence and Computer Programming.

6.1.2 41R Research Chair - the ETDPSETA has partnered with the University of Johannesburg and established a research chair on 41R. The research looked at the processes of programme implementation at identified TVET Colleges, systems, and processes on how to automate TVET systems for effectiveness and incorporation of 41R principles and programmes. The research recommendations were distributed to the TVET colleges for 41R implementation.

6.1.3 41R Centres of Excellence in TVET Colleges - 10 TVET Colleges have received financial support to establish 41R mini laboratories and encouraged to work with the relevant industries for the delivery of programmes. Each TVET has been allocated an initial amount of R4m to commence with the project;

6.1.4 Support for Community Education and Training Colleges (CETs) - an amount of R5.4 has been set aside to support CETs to establish digital learning platforms to benefit students and lecturers;

6.1.5 Department of Basic Education - ETDPSETA has provided financial support to DBE to improve teaching and learning. A TV Channel has been established through this support. Several initiatives are in place to digitise teaching and learning which include training of teachers in coding, robotics and ICT Integration into teaching and learning.

6.1.6 Provision of Laptops and data to the unemployed young people - all unemployed beneficiaries that are supported by the ETDPSETA receive a laptop

and data in addition to the stipends- bursaries, internships, cooperatives development and learnerships and skills programmes.

7. Food & Beverages Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FOODBEV)

7.1 FoodBev SETA held a capacitation workshop in February 2022 with the Theme: Expanding Access to Quality Skills Development programmes in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for the Food and Beverages Manufacturing Sector. The aim of the workshop was to capacitate our stakeholders with technological skills needed in the Food and Beverages Manufacturing Sector.

7.2 The SETA is involved in training and upskilling/reskilling of 200 SMEs on the digital world of small businesses in the sector.

7.3 The SETA is funding towards 10 PhD and 40 Masters Research and Innovation bursaries which respond to 4IR needs in the sector.

8. Fibre Processing & Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FP &M SETA)

8.1 The SETA has reviewed occupational qualifications to be registered with Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) ensuring that 4IR skills focusing on digitization and innovation are incorporated in the updated occupational curricula.

8.2 The FP&M SETA has implemented a number of technical & innovative projects in partnership with FP&M SETA employer associations and large employers to address Business Economic Recovery and Reconstruction (ERRP) e.g., National Bargaining Council for Clothing Industries, Printing South Africa, Forestry South Africa, Celrose Clothing, TVET SA and Prestige Clothing to upskill employees. Learnerships & skills programmes focused on automation, digitising design (CAD & CAM) and preproduction processes, use of artificial intelligence, use of additive manufacturing, robotics and coding, entrepreneurship and business coaching and mentoring.

8.3 The FP&M SETA has prioritized Economic Recovery and Reconstruction (ERRP) promoting sector growth, employment retention and sustainability.

8.4 The FP&M SETA funded workshops, skills summit and conferences to support promotion and advocacy of 4IR skills and skills for the digital economy for employees e.g. FP&M SETA Skills Summit - Future Perfect Digital and Innovation skills for business recovery and reconstruction, IPM Conference.

8.5 As per Annual Performance Plan 2022/23, targets were increased for occupational programmes to reskill and upskill workers for job sustainability.

8.6 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) promotes upskilling of workers facing possible retrenchment, in entrepreneurship, 4IR skills and business coaching and mentoring.

8.7 4IR skills incorporated into FP&M SETA priority skills to be promoted in FP&M sector - robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, big data specialists, analytics, Internet of Things, Block Chain, Automation, augmented reality, cyber security, data analysis and cloud computing.

9. Financial and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET)

9.1 The SETA has introduced an indicator in the Annual Performance Plan for 2022/2023

to do digital skills trainings for unemployed youth. The Sector Skills Plan for the sector identified some Information and Communication Technology skills like software development, systems administration. The response from FASSET was to pilot a digital skills programme where FASSET has developed two initiatives: the SETA adopted Microsoft Power Apps as a platform of choice because of the dominance of Microsoft in the desktop space. The platform was also selected because of the low-code requirement and the SETA has allocated around R5m to train 500 leaners in the following areas: Microsoft Office, Microsoft Digital Literacy, Microsoft Digital Literacy for Windows, Microsoft Planner, Microsoft data analytics, Microsoft Power BI, Analysing Data with Power BI.

10. Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA)

10.1 To facilitate effective workplace training and to adequately prepare students with tools to deal with the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” in line with the requirements of the health and welfare sector, the HWSETA in its funding interventions includes special funding that prepares students adequately for the new workplaces.

10.2 To prepare students for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the HWSETA incorporates some technical and work readiness skills into the funding model. These include: Work readiness: Resume writing, self-presentation, time management, professionalism, and work etiquette and Technical Skills: Technology-based skills (Beginner, Intermediate or advanced computer programmes). Information technology students/ graduates are funded for coding or computer programming short programmes. These are applying to both employed and unemployed workers.

11. Media Information and Communication Technologies SETA (MICTSETA)

11.1 The MICT SETA has developed an Integrated Digital Skills Strategy (IDSS). This Strategy sets out a structured series of initiatives intended to contribute to the capacities of South Africans to meet the skills gap challenges arising from the increasing deployment and adoption of 4 IR technologies and the impact of these on the world of work, education and broader society.

11.2 To ensure that the South Africa especially the ICT Sector does not fall behind, the implementation of the Integrated Development Strategy has achieved the following:

• Developed a total of 28 4IR qualifications inclusive of full and part qualifications.
• Some of the qualifications have already been submitted to SAQA for final approval;
• Developed qualifications and submitted to QCTO for verification and recommendations to SAQA;
• Qualifications currently under development; and
• Established 4IR Research Chairs in Public Universities.

12. Manufacturing Engineering & Related Services Education and Training Authority (MERSETA)

12.1 The SETA is involved in a number of experiential learning and skills for 4th Industrial Revolution, with various universities such as: Cape Peninsula University of

Technology, Central University of Technology, Durban University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Nelson Mandela University, North-West University, Rhodes University, Tshwane University of Technology, University of Cape Town, University of The Free State, University of the Western Cape, Vaal University of Technology; and Technical and Vocational Education and Training Colleges such as: Vuselela TVET College, Boland TVET College, College of Cape Town, East Cape Midlands TVET College, Ehlanzeni TVET College, Ekurhuleni East TVET College, False Bay TVET College, Vhembe TVET College, Ekurhuleni West TVET College and False Bay TVET College.

13. Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA)

13.1 The PSETA has partnered with Microsoft South Africa to provide digital skills programmes to public sector employees. The online platform, Batho Pele Digital Skills enabled by Microsoft Community Training, gives public servants free access to learning content ranging from entry-level digital literacy skills to advanced skills for technical roles. The programmes on the platform are available to the entire public sector, from local, provincial, and national government to the legislative sector, public entities and state-owned entities. The courses offered are basic digital skills and digital literacy and Microsoft office programmes used in the workplace.

13.2 For the unemployed the PSETA has partnered with Microsoft South Africa and its implementing partner Afrika Tikkun Services on the Global Skills Initiative South Africa (GSISA) in rolling out digital skills across the country. PSETA is a strategic partner to the project and supports unemployed learners to access this opportunity and promote the initiative through its networks to ensure that as many unemployed learners as possible have free access to the best resources, to improve knowledge and capabilities.

PSETA has allocated per province a minimum of 2 000 spaces for unemployed South African citizens to participate in this programme.

14. Safety and Security Education and Training Authority (SASSETA)

14.1 For the current workforce, SASSETA offers drone pilot training to the private security and policing subsectors; and electronic case and evidence management (court online, and caselines) training to the Justice and Legal Services subsectors.

14.2 For unemployed youth, SASSETA has awarded R15 million in bursaries to Universities South Africa to assist with the historical debt of students so that they can graduate and enter the economy; and R3 million to the University of the Witwatersrand to assist with the registration of new students. The target for both interventions is ‘missing middle’ students who are studying in the 4IR fields that are relevant to SASSETA and in terms of the Occupations listed in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan. Examples of this are ICT Systems Analyst; ICT Security Specialists and Computer

Network and Systems Engineers; Software Developer, Programmer Analyst, Developer Programme, and ICT Project Manager.

15. Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA).

15.1 To understand the Transport Sector’s 4IR skills needs and occupations that are affected by the emerging technology and might require re-skilling and upskilling; TETA has commissioned a research study on the Impact of 4IR on the sector. The research study is aimed at identifying 4IR skills sets for all 8 sub-sectors in the transport sector. To ensure that the transport sector workforce is upskilled and reskilled; and that the unemployed receive training that will increase their employability, partnerships will be formed with institutions in the post school system to include the 4IR skills and occupations in curriculum. TETA entered a partnership with Stellenbosch University and Tshwane University of Technology to develop training programmes that will address the 4IR skills needs in the industry. Part of these projects include training the employed in the industry and unemployed on the developed 4IR training programmes.

The TETA is also funding projects to provide training for drone pilots to respond to the need of drones across all sectors of the economy.

15.2 The SETA is also funding unemployed learners on drone pilot training.

16. Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W &RSETA)

16.1 In line with the Annual Performance Plan (APP), the W&RSETA is providing bursaries to the unemployed youth within the sector in the following 4th IR related occupations: Software Developer; Business Analysts and Computer network engineer; Systems engineer; Data Analyst; System Architect; Data Scientist; Programming; Cyber security, and Mobile Application Designer.

17. Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Services SETA)

17.1 The Services SETA conducted research studies to understand the impact of 4IR on the services sector workforce. Findings of these have informed the update of the Sector Skills Plan 2022/23 and the Annual Performance Plan 2022/23 targets. To respond to these challenges the Services SETA has prioritised capacity to supply, focused on development of occupational qualifications and short skills programmes to address skills scarcity and to offer the current workforce that may face redundancy due to 4IR second opportunities.

17.2 The following short skills programmes have been finalised and registered with the QCTO: Spatial Intelligence Data Scientist and Advanced Spatial Intelligence Data Scientist.

17.3 The Services SETA Sector Skills Plan 2022/23 prioritises ERRP Skills Strategy with a specific on digital skills (4IR) and the Annual Performance Plan 2022/23 will prioritise these digital skills through short Skills Programmes, Learnerships, Internships and Bursaries among others such as: Data Centre Operations; Data Analysis; Data Science; Internet of Things; Cybersecurity and Digital Marketing. 

Reply:

The Department is providing psychosocial support to orphaned and child – headed households through the following community-based services :

• Food and Nutrition: The Child and Youth Care Workers provides a safety net for children within their communities and where they can access food when the food provision in their families is insecure or where the children are at risk of stunting and malnutrition. This service thus improve the children’s food security & nutrition intake by ensuring access to community nutrition opportunities (cooked meals, food parcels, and food vouchers).
• Educational Support: This support is aimed at increasing access to and attendance of schools through for example, supporting children to overcome obstacles to attendance – such as lack of school uniform, transport, lack of parental support for schooling and to support children in their educational performance. Furthermore, children are assisted to develop post-matric plans and to access tertiary education.
• Economic strengthening: The service aims at supporting and increasing the economic base of households through facilitating access to social security grants, entrepreneurial and other economic strengthening activities.
• Health promotion: This service is aimed at empowering children and adolescents to access health care services consistently. Improve children’s health through better access to health care, promote and support access to sexual reproductive health services for girls and boys, and the early identification and support to children with disabilities, promote and support good water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) habits.
• HIV and AIDS services: The services are aimed at reducing children’s risk of contracting HIV by improved HIV awareness and sexuality education, promoting known HIV status of children, support ART uptake and adherence and mitigating sexual and substance risk-taking behaviour of adolescents.
• Social behaviour change groups: The children are referred to these programmes which are aimed at promoting positive life changes. The groups such as YOLO, Chommy, Family matters, counselling sessions and loss and Grief Support.

If further intervention is required, these target groups are being referred to the Social Workers for by Child and Youth Care Workers for further assistance.

Reply:

There is currently no cash pay point serviced by the South African Post Office (SAPO) in the area in question as it was decommissioned during the 2017/2018 financial year as the area had two merchants, namely Net 1 and a Bray Shop named Solomon shop (operated by Shazam) which were offering cash back services.

The number of beneficiaries receiving their grants in Bray reduced over time to less than 50 clients which led to Net 1 withdrawing its services in the area as it became too expensive. Solomon shop was then left as the sole merchant servicing the area. The current number of social grant beneficiaries is very low, which makes it uneconomical to maintain a fully-fledged cash pay point services in the area.

The Morokweng SASSA local office conducts monthly monitoring oversight visits on the merchant, and has so far not detected any untoward behaviour. However, investigations will be conducted to ascertain if the Merchant (Solomon Shop) is charging beneficiaries a fee to withdraw money,. SASSA will also conduct consumer education to empower beneficiaries, and engage its banking stakeholders to offer mobile banking services in the area. Monitoring processes, in Bray, will be intensified henceforth.

The nearest Post Office to Bray is at Tosca which is about 54 kilometres, which, although still far, is nearer than the Vryburg that is 220km away.

Reply:

a) There are 61 (sixty-one) NPOs registered in terms of NPO Act in Hantam Local Municipality. The registered NPOs are based in the following towns that fall under the municipality, namely; Brandvlei, Calvinia, Loeriesfontein, Middelpos, Nieuwoudtville, Swartkop.

b) Registered NPOs in the Hatam Municipality are grouped as per the NPO Register under the following activity areas (sectors) as depicted in the table below:

Town	Sector	Number of NPOs
Brandvlei 11	Development and Housing	3
	Law, Advocacy, and Politics	1
	Religion	2
	Social Services	5
Calvinia 26	Culture and Recreation	2
	Development and Housing	10
	Education and Research	1
	Environment	3
	Health	1
	Law, Advocacy, and Politics	2
	Philanthropic intermediaries and voluntarism promotion	1
	Social Services	6
Calvinia West 9	Culture and Recreation	2
	Development and Housing	2
	Social Services	5
Loeriesfontein 9	Development and Housing	3
	Health	1
	Religion	1
	Social Services	4
Middelpos 1	Social Services	1
Nieuwoudtville 5	Development and Housing	3
	Education and Research	1
	Religion	1

(C) The NDA has funded 4 CSOs in the Hantam Local Municipality in the past years, these organisations are in income generation projects in the agriculture sector (vegetable and poultry farming, others are providing social services such as support to vulnerable groups and food security (soup kitchen). The total amount of funding the NDA has granted to the organisations in Hantam Local municipality is R1 844 175.00 to date.

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

No such correspondence was received.

Reply:

No request was received from Minister Mbalula for permission to travel to Ukraine.

 

Reply:

No. I have received correspondence from the leaders of political parties represented in Parliament and the Judicial Service Commission, as required by the Constitution.

Section 174(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, requires the President as the head of the national executive, after consulting leaders of political parties represented in the National Assembly and the Judicial Service Commission, to appoint the Chief Justice.

For the purpose of promoting transparency and encouraging public participation, I invited the public to nominate suitable persons to be considered for the appointment as Chief Justice. I appointed a Panel of eminent persons with relevant experience to shortlist candidates from the list of nominees.

As required by the provisions of the Constitution, I have consulted the leaders of the political parties represented in the National Assembly and the Judicial Service Commission on the candidates I identified from the shortlist for the appointment of the Chief Justice. This process has been concluded as I have received the responses from the political parties’ leaders and the Judicial Service Commission.

Reply:

The introduction of lifestyle audits for Members of the Executive has taken far longer than originally anticipated. While we have begun with lifestyle audits for senior public servants, it is important that we extend this practice to Members of the Executive.

Much work has been done on the approach and methodology to lifestyle audits of Members of the Executive. However, the finalisation of this work is being held in abeyance pending the submission of the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. This is so that any additional measures required to strengthen Executive accountability and conduct can be considered holistically.

Reply:

In the wake of the July 2021 civil unrest, I appointed an Expert Panel to critically review the security services’ handling of those events. Among other things, the panel recommended the appointment of suitable persons into the leadership of the security services.

On 25 February 2022, I announced the termination, by mututal agreement, of the contract of the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, General Khehla Sitole with effect from 31 March 2022.

On 28 February 2022, I announced the appointment of Ambassador Thembisile Majola as the Director-General of the State Security Agency with effect from 1 March 2022.

On 31 March 2022, I announced the appointment of General Sehlahle Fannie Masemola as the new National Commissioner of the South African Police Service.

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

The President of the Republic has not entered into any agreements with any vaccine manufacturers. Such agreements are entered into by the relevant line department.

Reply:

I have not expressed dismay at anything the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation has done in fulfilment of her mandate.

2. South Africa’s position on the conflict in Ukraine has been articulated on several occasions, most recently in my response to Questions for Oral Reply in the National Assembly on 17 March 2022, where I stated the following:

“The international community needs to work together to achieve a cessation of hostilities and to prevent further loss of life and displacement of civilians in Ukraine. It needs to support meaningful dialogue towards a lasting and meaningful peace, which ensures the security and stability of all nations.

“As a country, we are committed to the articles of the United Nations Charter, including the principle that all members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means. We support the principle that members should refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of other states.

"That is why, at the UN General Assembly Emergency Special Session, South Africa strongly urged all sides to uphold international law, including humanitarian law and human rights law, as well as the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty as well.

“While there are people within our country and elsewhere that want South Africa to adopt a more adversarial position, our position seeks to contribute to the creation of conditions that make the achievement of a durable resolution of the conflict possible.

“Our approach is informed by an analysis of the causes of this conflict. This includes a view shared by many leading scholars, politicians and other people, that the war could have been avoided if NATO had heeded the warnings from among its own leaders and officials over the years that its eastward expansion would lead to greater, not less, instability in the region.

“While it is important to understand and articulate the causes of the conflict, and advocate for peace building measures, we cannot condone the use of force or violation of international law.

“We also need to recognise that coercive measures, such as sanctions outside of the legal prescripts of the United Nations, may serve to prolong and intensify the conflict.”

3. Many countries have diplomatic representation in South Africa. It is the practice of our government that when a diplomatic mission is hosting a key event, a Minister is assigned to represent our government.

This applies to all countries represented in South Africa. South Africa will continue with this diplomatic practice, which all diplomatic missions expect. The assignment of Ministers to these events is coordinated by State Protocol. This practice is also extended in all our diplomatic missions abroad when they are hosting such events.

Reply:

The Red Tape Reduction Team (RTRT) has a mandate to identify priority reforms and work with other departments and agencies to simplify regulatory processes and unblock specific obstacles to investment and business growth. This is aligned to government’s commitment in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan to “reduc[e] the cost of doing business…[through] regulatory changes that seek to optimise the regulatory environment”.

This includes what is often referred to as “cutting red tape”, namely the removal of unnecessary or excessively complicated regulations and inefficient administrative processes which not only create frustration but increase compliance costs, especially for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs.

The RTRT will work with and build on existing programmes to improve the business environment, in particular those run by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the Department of Small Business Development.

Being based in the Presidency, the RTRT will take a whole-of-government approach to addressing some of the challenges faced, including working with sub-national spheres of government. The RTRT will accordingly play a supporting and coordinating role within government.

The terms of reference are being finalised, and will reflect the mandate described above.

Reply:

a) Particulars of the members of the CRL Selection Panel are as follows:

NAME	INTEREST GROUP	CAPACITY
Professor Sihawukele Ngubane	Academic (Language)	Chairperson
Hosi Nwamitwa II	Traditional Leadership Sector	Member
Dr Wally Mongane Serote	Culture and African Religion	Member
Mr Ashwin Trikamjee	Religious Communities (Hindu)	Member
Ms Marlene Bethlehem	Religious Communities (Jewish)	Member
Father Tseko Rakeketsi	Religious Communities (Christian)	Member
Ms Marah Louw*	Culture (Artistic Communities)	Member

B) In terms of section 9 of the CRL Rights Act, the President appoints the chairperson and no fewer than eleven (11) and not more than seventeen (17) persons as members. Persons recommended to the President by the CRL Selection Panel for appointment as members of the CRL Commission in terms of section 11(3)(d) are listed below:

NAME & SURNAME	CATEGORY
1. Prof. Luka David Mosoma	Religion
2. Ms Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva	Culture
3. Ms Sheila Khama	African Religion (Traditional healer)
4. Ms Tsholofelo Mosala	Youth/Culture
5. Mr Sicelo Emmanuel Dlamini	Language (Persons with disability)
6. Dr Oscarine Nokuzula Mdende	African Religion (Traditional Healer)
7. Prof. Pitika Ntuli	Religion (SACC)
8. Dr Sylvia Mmamohapi Pheto	Tradition
9. Dr John Mphaphuli	Religion
10. Rasta Sipho Mantula	Religion (Rastafarian)
11. Mr Mxolisi Eshwell Zwane	Language
12. Dr Muneer Abduroaf	Religion (Muslim)
13. Rev. Micah Mhlupheki Nthali	Religion
14. Mr Phumlani Victor Mzobe	Youth/Culture
15. Ms Nomalanga Tyamzashe	Culture
16. Ms Ramokone Tryphina Kgatla	Language
17. Adv Richard Botha	Culture
18. Dr Leshabela Herbert Maduane	Culture & Language (Academic)
19. Dr Johannes Gogome Tshifularo	Tradition
20. Mr Mandla Langa	Culture
21. Inkosi Sydney Xolile Ndevu	Tradition
22. Mr Renier Schoeman	Religion

* Ms Marah Louw did not participate in the process due to ill health.

Reply:

Mechanisms are in place that address the grievances of Directors-General.

Section 35 of the Public Service Act, 1994, as amended, provides for procedures in respect of grievances of employees in the Public Service, including Heads of Department.

Subject to the above, grievances of Heads of Department are handled in terms of Chapter 10 of the Senior Management Services (SMS) Handbook. This specifies the procedural stages to address the grievance of a head of department either to the relevant executive authoirty or the Public Service Commission directly.

Reply:

The appointment of members of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Commission) is regulated in terms of the Commission on Cultural, Linguistic and Religious Communities Act, Act 19 of 2002 (“the Act”).

As required by section 11(4) of the Act, the members of the Commission that I appointed on 7 June 2019 were from the names submitted to me by the Selection Panel.

The following persons were appointed by the Minister of Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) as members of the Selection Panel in terms of Section 11(1)(d) of the Act:

1. Professor Sihawukele Ngubane (Chairperson)
2. Hosi Nwamitwa II
3. Dr Wally Mongane Serote
4. Mr Ashwin Trikamjee
5. Mr Marlene Bethlehem
6. Father Tseko Rakeketsi
7. Ms Marah Louw (Did not participate in the process due to ill health)

The Selection Panel, after concluding the interviews, submitted a list of 22 persons. According to Section 9(1) of the Act, the Commission consists of a Chairperson appointed by the President and no fewer than 11 and no more than 17 other members appointed by the President. After consideration of the list of the names provided by the Selection Panel, I appointed the current 13 members of the CRL Commission:

1. Prof Luka David Mosoma
2. Ms Sheila Khama
3. Ms Tsholofelo Mosala
4. Mr Sicelo Emmanuel Dlamini
5. Dr Oscarine Nokuzula Mdende
6. Prof Pitika Ntuli
7. Dr Sylvia Mmamohapi Pheto
8. Dr Muneer Abduroaf
9. Ms Nomalanga Tyamzashe
10. Ms Ramokone Tryphina Kgatla
11. Adv Richard Botha
12. Mr Mandla Langa
13. Mr Renier Schoeman

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

 

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

 

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

 

Reply:

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

a) I’ve been informed by the Department that out of the six Councils for the built environment professions, only two of them have the positions of President of Council being vacant. That is the Engineering Council of South Africa (ESCA) and the South African Council for the Landscape Architectural Profession (SACLAP).

The SACLAP Council has just been appointed and will have its first meeting during the month of April 2022. The Council members will then be able to elect the President and Vice-President of the Council.

ECSA is yet to decide on who will be elected as President, to replace the late Mr Lebea.

All the Acts of Parliament establishing the six Councils provide for the election of the Presidents by the Council members themselves.

b) As indicated above no officials are implicated as the filling of the positions of the President of a Council is the domain of the Councils themselves.