Questions and Replies

Reply:

(a)(i)	(b)	(c)	(d)	(e)
Number	Name of Contractor	Type of work	National Route	Estimated Completion Date
1	Geomech Africa (Pty) Ltd	GEOTECHNICAL DRILLING SERVICES FOR THE UPGRADING OF NATIONAL ROUTE 2 BETWEEN UMTENTWENI INTERCHANGE (SECTION 22, KM 34.8) AND HIBBERDENE INTERCHANGE (SECTION 23, KM 5.3)	N2	June 2021
	Geomech Africa (Pty) Ltd	GEOTECHNICAL DRILLING SERVICES FOR THE UPGRADE OF NATIONAL ROUTE 2, SECTION 32 FROM PONGOLA (KM 30.80) TO THE MPUMALANGA BORDER (KM 70.16)	N2	June 2021
	Geomech Africa (Pty) Ltd	GEOTECHNICAL DRILLING INVESTIGATION FOR THE DESIGN OF THE UPGRADE TO NATIONAL ROUTE 2 SECTION 24 AND SECTION 25 BETWEEN LOVU RIVER (KM 12.0) AND UMLAAS CANAL (KM 2.7)	N2	October 2021
2	Leomat Construction (Pty) Ltd	WIDENING OF NATIONAL ROUTE R22 SECTION 5, THROUGH KWANGWANASE TOWN	R22	June 2023
3	Martin & East (Pty) Ltd	MANUFACTURE OF A TEMPORARY VEHICLE RESTRAINT CONCRETE BARRIER SYSTEM FOR THE UPGRADING OF NATIONAL ROUTES 2 AND 3 IN THE EASTERN REGION	N2 & N3	April 2023
4	Raubex Construction (Pty) Ltd	THE UPGRADE OF NATIONAL ROUTE 3, SECTION 2 FROM DARDANELLES (KM 26.6) TO LYNNFIELD PARK (KM 30.6)	N3	June 2024
	Raubex Construction (Pty) Ltd	THE UPGRADE TO NATIONAL ROUTE 3, SECTION 2, FROM CATO RIDGE (KM 20,2) TO DARDANELLES (KM 26,6).	N3	April 2025
	Raubex Construction (Pty) Ltd	THE UPGRADING OF NATIONAL ROUTE 2 FROM KWAMASHU INTERCHANGE, SECTION 25 (KM 28.6) TO UMDLOTI RIVER BRIDGE, SECTION 26 (KM 14.0)	N2	December 2025
5	Raubex KZN (Pty) Ltd	PERIODIC MAINTENANCE OF THE NATIONAL ROUTE N2, BETWEEN SECTION 21, IZINGOLWENI (KM 101.1) AND SECTION 22, MURCHISON (KM 18.4)	N2	June 2022
	Raubex KZN (Pty) Ltd	PERIODIC MAINTENANCE OF NATIONAL ROUTE 2 SECTION 22 FROM MTAMVUNA RIVER (KM 0.00) TO KANDANDLOVU (KM 12.40) - Package 1	N2	April 2022
	Raubex KZN (Pty) Ltd	PERIODIC MAINTENANCE OF NATIONAL ROUTE 2 SECTION 22 FROM KANDANDLOVU (KM 12.40) TO MBIZANA RIVER (KM 24.00) - Package 2	N2	April 2022
	Raubex KZN (Pty) Ltd	RECONSTRUCTION OF THE SLOW LANE ON NATIONAL ROUTE 3 SECTION 3 FROM SANCTUARY ROAD INTERCHANGE (KM 15.2) TO LINK ROAD (KM 21.2)	N3	August 2022
6	Rumdel Construction Cape (Pty) Ltd	THE UPGRADE TO NATIONAL ROUTE 3, SECTIONS 2 AND 3 FROM LYNNFIELD PARK (KM30.6) TO ASHBURTON (KM0.8)	N3	January 2025
7	Tau Pele Construction (Pty) Ltd	PERIODIC MAINTENANCE ON NATIONAL ROUTE 2, SECTION 29 FROM EMPANGENI T-JUNCTION (km 13.00) TO km 28.80	N2	July 2022
	Tau Pele Construction (Pty) Ltd	PERIODIC MAINTENANCE ON NATIONAL ROUTE 2, SECTION 29 FROM km 28.8 TO ETEZA WEIGHBRIDGE (km 44.6)  - Package 2	N2	July 2022
8	Telegenix Trading 799 (Pty) Ltd	MOOI RIVER TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTRE OPERATIONS	N3	May 2026
9	Trench and Blasting (Pty) Ltd	THE PROVISION OF CRUSHED AGGREGATE FROM THE RCL 9 QUARRY FOR THE UPGRADE OF THE N3 BETWEEN CATO RIDGE TO NEW ENGLAND ROAD	N3	August 2026
10	Triamic Construction (Pty) Ltd	CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW KOKSTAD INTERCHANGE AND TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTRE ON NATIONAL ROUTE 2, SECTION 21 (KM 6.4)	N2	November 2023

Reply:

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

1. DPWI:

a) I have been informed by the Department that the total number of supplier invoices that currently remain unpaid (i.e. on the 15 February 2022) for the Department (DPWI) is:

Category	Number of Invoices Outstanding	Total Amount Outstanding
more than 30 days	0	R 0
more than 60 days	0	R 0
more than 90 days	0	R 0
more than 120 days	0	R 0

1. Not applicable;
2. Not applicable.

PMTE:

a) As at Friday, 25th February 2022 the number of invoices that were unpaid and beyond 30 days were 0:

Category	Number of Invoices Outstanding	Total Amount Outstanding
more than 30 days	0	R0
more than 60 days	0	R 0
more than 90 days	0	R 0
more than 120 days	0	R 0

Summary Narrative:

(i) DPWI and PMTE handles and pays on average 858 and 11 300 number of invoices on a monthly basis respectively:

(ii) The department used to have more than 11 500 unpaid invoices over 30 days before the introduction of Reapatala Tracking System;

(iii) Reapatala system is a platform where all invoices of the department are internally received and managed to ensure effective tracking of invoices to be paid timeously;

(iv) Weekly meetings with our regional offices and regular interventions by the Minister through Reapatala reports resulted in the zero (0) and ten (10) outstanding invoices for DPWI and PMTE respectively as illustrated above.

Reply:

1 The Board of Control of PRASA is governed by section 24 of the Legal Succession to the South African Transport Services Act, 1989 (Act No. 9 of 1989) which provides that –

“(1) the affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by a Board of Control of not more than 11 members including the chairman, who shall be appointed and dismissed by the Minister.

(2) At least-

(a) one of the members of the Board of Control shall be an officer in the Department of Transport;

(b) one of the members of the Board of Control shall be an officer in the Department of Finance;

(c) one of the members of the Board of Control shall be nominated by the South African Local Government Association recognised in terms of section 2 (1) (a) of the Organised Local Government Act, 1997 (Act 52 of 1997);

(d) three of the members of the Board of Control shall have expertise and experience in the management of a private sector enterprise.”

(a) There are currently nine Board members, with only two vacancies

(b) The two vacancies have been advertised through a mass advertisement for all Transport entities, and the process of filling the positions is underway.

(2) The Board of Control of PRASA does quorate with the 9 members as the Act requires not more than 11 members rather than 11 members. What will cause the Board of Control not to quorate will be vacancies emanating from non-compliance with section 24 (2) of the Act, of which the 2 vacancies mentioned above are not related to the provisions of section 24(2).

 

Reply:

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

1 (a) I have been informed by the Department that the building was boarded up to prevent any unlawful occupation.

(b) (i) The outcome of the Investment Analysis report recommended that the portion of land on which the damaged house is situated be subdivided and sold on the open market, subject to obtaining all the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.

(ii) (aa) The damaged house will not be repaired as the intention is to sell the property via open tender.

(bb) The investment analysis report has been finalised, and the outcome was that the property be sold on an open market, subject to obtaining all the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.

(cc) The outcome of the report recommended that the property be sold on an open market, subject to obtaining all the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.

 

Reply:

a) Covid-19 showed that there are challenges within the province that are because of fiscal constraints and the impact of medico-legal litigations which impact quality of care provisioning. This was also because of critical staff shortage because of the fiscal constraints impact. Further exacerbating staff morale. The pull of these already tight resources to mitigate Covid-19 resulted in service backlogs in other priority programmes such as HIV and Aids, TB, and Immunisation.

b) The department has developed a five-pillar strategic approach to mitigate and improve the quality of care within the province. These are –

(i) Financial sustainability.

(ii) Medico-legal mitigation strategy

(iii) Service Optimisation.

(iv) Digitalisation and eHealth implementation.

(v) Healthy Communities initiatives with focus on:

• Maternal and child health.
• Communicable and non-communicable diseases.
• Mental health.
• Clinical governance.
• NHI implementation strategies.

On Covid-19 mitigation, the department had an intra-action review sessions in-between the covid-19 waves and shared the lessons were learnt that led to improvement of the response. These included:

(i) Empowering the Community Health Workers to use oxymeters for monitoring home isolated patients and educating communities to seek early intervention and hospital admissions.

(ii) Increased bed capacity to ensure all patients could be accommodated. This was further supported with increased oxygen point availability.

(iii) Improved clinical protocols and monitored management of patient care by clinical managers including ensuring all patients were seen daily including weekends.

END.

Reply:

What action has she taken to ensure that the Mjokwane Secondary School in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga, which was declared a science school, is provided with sufficient (a) number of teachers and (b) learner support material, such as computers?

(a) number of teachers

There are norms and standards which stipulate learners teacher ratio. Mjokwane Secondary School is treated like any other public school in the country in terms of the number of teachers which this school should have. If there are vacant posts, the management of the school would follow all the necessary procedures to appoint teachers.  

(b) learner support material, such as computers

The same applies with learner materials, there are also norms and standards which govern how learner materials should be distributed. All schools in the country operate homogeneously in term of learner materials. For an example, one learner gets one textbook for a subject a learner is offering. Schools which offer Computer Applications Technology (CAT) have computers. Mjokwane Secondary School does not offer CAT hence computer at this school is primarily used for administration purposes. Kindly note the subjects offered at Mjokwane Secondary School from their 2021 Grade 12 Results:

 

Reply:

a) (i) 35 of the scope on the ASIDI programme

    (ii) The scope for electricity is completed

    (iii) 101 of the scope defined on the ASIDI programme

    (iv) 41 of the scope defiend on the ASIDI programme

 

b) (i) Sanitation: 544 on the ASIDI & SAFE programmes

        Electricity: Scope completed

        Water: 87 on the ASIDI programme

        Inappropriate Structures: 28 on the ASIDI programme

    (ii) Sanitation: 263 on the ASIDI and SAFE programmes

        Electricity: Scope completed

        Water:  100 on the ASIDI programmes 

        Inappropriate Structures: 32 on the ASIDI programme

Reply:

(1) There are three categories of educators appointed in a temporary capacity. Those appointed in posts that are temporary in their nature or posts that are additional to the declared school post establishment. These include educators appointed in temporary posts such as Dinaledi posts, growth posts, class size reduction posts etc. Those that are appointed against vacant substantive promotional posts. This is to address the temporary workload increase as a result of the vacant promotional post. And those that are appointed in vacant substantive post level one posts. These are vacant post level one posts that are part of the post establishment of a school and are filled through matching and placement in order to ensure that there is a teacher in front of the class and are continuously being converted to permanent in terms of section 6B of the Employment of Educators Act (EEA) and Collective Agreement 1 of 2018. Therefore only the latter group can be converted to permanent if they meet the requirements of the posts.

As of the end of December 2021, there were 8 713 temporary educators that were appointed in vacant substantive post level one posts.

(2) As indicated above these educators are continuously being considered for permanent placement upon confirmation by the Head of Department after consultation with the school governing body and confirmation that they meet the requirements of the post.

Reply:

The procurement of textbooks and stationery are managed by Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) through their allocated budgets for Learning and Teaching Support Materials(LTSM). The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has developed catalogues for Grades R-12 from which Provinces have to procure textbooks for all their learners in different grades. The DBE delivers only workbooks for Grades R to 9 to about 24 000 public schools. In addition, DBE has developed state owned resources for Reading ( Grades 1-3 Readers and Big books in 11 Languages) Physical Sciences, Natural Science and Technology and Mathematics in selected Grades and provinces have been provided with DVDs with these materials for printing. For stationery, provinces have been provided with allocations on LTSM to procure for all learners. These state owned resources were also made available on DVDs and are accessible through the DBE website.

Reply:

a) (i) 00 and (ii) 397

b) The shortage of scholar transport in KwaZulu Natal is attributed to shortages in funding from the Equitable Share. Discussions are however, ongoing with the respective Provincial Treasury to ensure that the Learner Transport Programme in KwaZulu Natal is funded, adequately. The Sector is also working towards an integrated sectoral school infrastructure planning, in trying to ensure that schools are build where there is a massive need, to relief pressure off the Learner Transport Programme. In the interim, the Sector is also working closely with the Department of Transport through the Shova Khalula Bicycle Programme, with the primary target being learners in rural, remote and poorly resourced areas, who walk longer distances to schools are provided with bicycles. The intended outcome is to reduce travel time for learners and improve school attendance thereby providing relief to the Learner Transport programme.

c) (i) Eastern Cape-R791 380 256.52 and (ii) KwaZulu Natal-R457 000 000.00

Reply:

1.  A temporary raw water pipeline and pump station was installed by the Petra Diamond Mine in December 2019 after the flood damage of the Wilge Dam infrastructure. The temporary pumping system can supply on average, 11 Ml/d to the users. The average demand in Cullinan for the past financial two years was about 10 – 10.5 Ml/d which has been met by the Cullinan WTW. There have been interruptions to supply that are due to power outages.

(2) The Wilge Dam infrastructure, including the pumps, pipeline which was damaged by the flooding is owned and maintained by the Petra Diamond Mines. The Petra Diamond Mine is in the process of repairing the damaged infrastructure. The following progress has been made in this regard:

• Detailed designs and Bill of Quantities for the Civils, Mechanical Electrical and Control & Instrumentation (C&I) designs have been completed
• The Environmental Authorisation was received from Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
• Currently awaiting approvals for Water Use License Application from the Department of Water and Sanitation DWS.
• Tenders for appointment of Contractors have been advertised and appointment of contractors is expected to be concluded by end of April
• Construction is expected to start in May/June 2022. The expected Project completion date is January/February 2023.

(3) Magalies Water has a contract with the City of Tshwane (CoT) for power supply. Power supply interruptions are therefore reported to the CoT for investigation and resolution, whether the interruptions are a result of challenges with their own infrastructure or Eskom related. Interventions to resolve power supply outage challenges include:

• Engagements with the CoT to improve the unreliable electricity supply
• Formal correspondence to CoT, requesting that Magalies Water be exempted from load shedding as this negatively impacts bulk water supply
• The installation of standby generators was explored and found to be unaffordable
• The raw reserved buffer dam has been cleaned and repaired and recommissioned.
• Magalies Water is also exploring the possibility of the Petra Diamond Mine to supply the Cullinan WTW with electricity as alternative power supply.

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Reply:

a) The municipality rations water supply to avoid total collapse of the water supply infrastructure. The water rationing is done on a daily basis at night-time where demand for water is less allowing the infrastructure to build up storage. This is done from 20H00 to 03H00.

The Department of Water and Sanitation instructed eThekwini Metro as the WSA within its jurisdiction to undertake an investigation on the ongoing water supply interruptions within and surrounding Umlazi areas. The report indicated short, medium, and long terms solutions to mitigate the water supply challenges in the Umlazi areas.

The table below shows the short, medium, and long terms solutions that eThekwini Metro has initiated and planned to undertake to stabilize the Umlazi water system:

Item	Intervention	Description	Budget Required	Funding Source	Financial Year
1.	Short Term	Dedicated day to day operation and maintenance of Umlazi water supply system	R560 000 per month (outsourced excluding internal costs)	Internal O&M Budget	2021/2022
2.	Medium Term	Optimized maintenance of the Umlazi water supply system	R560 000 per month (outsourced excluding internal costs)	Internal O&M Budget	2021/2022
3.	Long Term	Replacement and Upgrade of the Umlazi water supply system	R2 billion (including bulk and distribution networks)	Not funded yet	N/A

Water supply into Umlazi system comes from Durban Heights Water Treatment Works (DHWTW) located in Reservoir Hills through the twin southern aqueduct lines, 1200mm steel and a 950mm diameter pipes. This aqueduct supplies Shallcross, Chatsworth, Northdene, Queensburgh, St Wendolins, Washington Heights, Welbedatch and ultimately Umlazi (including Nsimbini, Folweni and Golokodo).

The condition of the 950mm diameter pipe has deteriorated over the past four years which caused frequent major leaks that required major repairs resulting to a decision to isolate all sections of this pipe. The impact of the pipe isolation resulted in reduced system input volume to all downstream areas (Chatsworth, Shallcross, St Wendolins, Nagina, Northdene, Queensburgh, Welbedatch, Umlazi, Folweni, Nsimbini and Golokodo). This affected most the critical points (furthest and highest points), Umlazi 2 which supplies C, F, G, H, N & W Sections and ultimately Nsimbini, Folweni and Golokodo.

(a-c) The municipality, together with its water service provider (Umgeni Water) is in the process of refurbishing and upgrading bulk infrastructure which includes upgrade and replacement of bulk pipelines. The refurbishment of Reservoir 3 began in November 2019 and is scheduled to be completed by August 2022.

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Reply:

Answer: 1(a): In terms of the equitable share, 48% of the overall budget should be allocated to Basic Education in the provinces but this is not always the case. The allocation of the budget (i.e. equitable share) in the provinces is the prerogative of the Provincial Executive.

Answer 1(b):  The Public Ordinary Schools’ operations are funded through the National Norms and Standards for School Funding (NNSSF). The NNSSF takes into account the quintile (Q) ranking of the schools which is pro poor with the poorest (Q1 to Q3) which are no fee schools receiving the highest subsidy. 

Answer question 2: The Department of Basic Education (DBE) does not have policy relating to the funding of Special schools.  The draft policy was not approved due to budget constraints. The DBE has developed Guidelines for Resourcing for Inclusive Education System in a quest to guide the PEDs whilst working towards a policy document in this regard.

Answer question 3: According to the National Treasury 2022 Budget, the equitable share formula for basic education is based on the age cohort 5 to 17 for school-going age and not 7 to 15. Table 2 is an example of the 2022 Budget. There is no earmarked or specific funding for learners above 17 years. The same allocation for the age cohort 5 to 17 is also extended to learners above 17 years. 

Reply:

a) Bilateral political and economic relations between South Africa and Ireland are strong, the direct investment volume of Irish companies in South Africa is estimated at R23.66 billion with an average project size of around R815.51 million per project. In total, there are twenty (20) Irish companies in South Africa who employ an estimated 8 000 people. These include investments in sectors such as renewable energy, agriculture and ICT. The export basket from South Africa Ireland in 2020 was composed of both primary agricultural products such as citrus fruits, apples and grapes, and value-added products such as tools; motor vehicles; chemical wood pulp, and mineral products such as coal; while the import basket from Ireland into SA consisted of mainly value-added products such as medicaments, powered aircraft, automatic data processing machinery, orthopaedic appliances, among others. South African products such as vegetables and fruit showed significant improvement in exports to Ireland.

b) During 2021 South African exports amounted to R 2, 661,777,372 compared to R 1,715,160,914 in 2020. The balance of trade is still very much in Ireland's favour as Irish exports to South Africa amounted to R 6, 570 billion compared to R 6, 501 billion in 2020.

Reply:

a)  Construction of the water pipeline from Xhariep Dam to Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is scheduled to start in July 2025. The next phase of the project will comprise of detailed designs, securing funding and contracting agreements.

b) It is envisaged that the project will be completed by June 2029.

Reply:

Significant strides and efforts continue to be made in educating particularly learners on water safety. Some of leading initiatives being, Swimming South Africa’s Water Safety Education, popular Learn to Swim, Ocean Splash Water Safety, Lifesaving Water Safety Awareness.

One of the major barriers to ensuring that the current programmes reach all the corners of the country remains access to facilities such as swimming pools. Inadequate provision of swimming pools and poor maintenance thereof by the Municipalities has a direct impact on rate at which water safety programmes are rolled out.

Reply:

1) Section 196 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, (the Constitution), regulates the Public Service Commission (PSC). Key provisions relevant to the question at hand provide as follows:

(a) Section 196(1) of the Constitution provides that there is a single PSC for the Republic.

(b) Section 196 (4)(e) of the Constitution provides that the PSC must report on its activities and the performance of its functions, including any finding it may make and directions and advice it may give, and provide an evaluation of the extent to which the values and principles set out in Section 195 are complied with.

(c) Section 196 (5) of the Constitution provides that the PSC is accountable to the National Assembly.

(d) Section 196 (6) of the Constitution provides that the PSC must, in terms of subsection (4)(e), report at least once a year to the National Assembly, and in respect of its activities in a province, to the legislature of that province.

(e) Section 196 (7) of the Constitution provides that PSC has the following 14 commissioners appointed by the President:

(i) five commissioners approved by the National Assembly; and

(ii) one commissioner for each province nominated by the Premier of the province

Commissioners are envisaged to form part of a single PSC, and required to follow the same polices and decision making processes of the PSC. Given the above, the PSC reports annually to the National Assembly on its activities in terms of section 196 (4)(e) of the Constitution, 1996, as a single entity.

Commissioners are appointed in terms of section 196 (7) of the Constitution and not in terms of the Public Service Act and therefore not accountable to the Minister for the Public Service and Administration. The PSC’s budget is appropriated through the Minister. The National Assembly is regarded as the employer and responsible for the performance of the PSC.

It is also worth mentioning that during discussions on the legislative process around the Public Service Commission Amendment Act, 2019, the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration/ Performance Monitoring & Evaluation agreed that Parliament should set the criteria for renewal and the assessment of the performance of Commissioners and that it is not a function of the PSC. The PSC did provide input on this to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee in November 2021.

2)Please refer to response above.

End

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

 

Reply:

The cultural and creative economy makes a significant contribution to the economy and employment in South Africa. The South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) research funded by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture through Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) reports that Cultural and Creative Industry (CCI) contributed R74.4bn to the country's GDP between 2016 and 2018. In the report titled Economic Mapping of the Cultural and Creative Industries in South Africa 2020 (SACO 2020) it was found that the core creative industries contributed 3.05% to the South African GDP in 2017, that is R155 billion, and the supporting industries had a share of 2.24% of the GDP at R115 billion, which is a total share of 5.29% of the GDP. In 2018 the direct impact (also called “Value Added”) of the CCIs was R74.39 billion which accounts for 1.7% of South Africa’s GDP. Furthermore, in same period of 2018, the CCIs contributed R271.9 billion to the capital stock of South Africa.

It is revealed in the preliminary SACO 2022 CCI Mapping Study that in 2015 the cultural and creative economy made up 5.6% of jobs in 2017 it increased to 5.9% and in 2019 to 6% of all employment in the country.

Further the Department has several interventions that it has and continues to implement; ranging from the Presidential Employment Stimulus Program; Creation of spaces; the Community Arts Development Program; the Visual Arts and Design Program; the Public Art Program; the National and Provincial Flagship Projects (including Festivals; Exhibitions and Cultural Events); amongst others. For an example; the Presidential Employment Stimulus Program has translated into a creation more than 36 000 jobs; as a result contributing to employment; reconstruction and recovery of the sector. The Department has also implemented an intervention that is part of ensuring that there an enabling environment through creation of spaces where the cultural and creative industries can thrive. Already great progress has been made in venturing into Limpopo; Mpumalanga and North West which are the only provinces that did not have Performing Arts Institutions at the calibre of those in Western Cape; Gauteng; Free State and KwaZulu Natal. The Flagship projects focus on preservation and promotion of culture in the country; through partnership with key stakeholders and alignment to the Social Cohesion and Nation building agenda

These and other programs mentioned above are key in bringing in a sense of identity; reflecting and encouraging local content; and promotion of the national identity.

My Department, through the community library grant, is employing a total number of 2489 contract staff to manage and provide access to library and information services to the citizens. In 2020/21, as part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus package, the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) was allocated an amount of R60 million in response to the job losses that came as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Half of the amount, R30 million was allocated to the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa (NARSSA) for the digitisation of archival records and the remaining R30 million to NLSA for the digitization of newspapers and periodicals. The allocation was mainly to be used towards the appointment of 326 unemployed youth and the procurement of digitisation equipment. As a result thereof, 453 youth benefited from the project which commenced in November 2020 to December 2021. In addition to this, 12 unemployed youth were also appointed at NARSSA to assist with cleaning services. They were appointed in September 2020 and are still in the employ of the Department. Investigations are underway to see the possibility of extending their contracts for additional 12 months.

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

Operators are required to investigate all occurrences and report the to the Railway Safety Regulator. The type of investigations the Railway Safety Regulator conducts is where occurrences result in any of the following:

 (i) Multiple (more than one) injury or fatality in any occurrence category.

(ii) Significant damage to property including assets.

(iii) Significant environmental damage.

(iv) Any occurrences on the network which may attract significant public interest or may give rise to a possible evacuation of a community or part thereof, occurrences which may affect the normal public road usage or an injury/death to a public figure.

a) On 7 November 2021, at approximately 00h35, it was reported that Transnet Freight Rail Blue Train that was staged at Union station had run away and derailed at SCAW SA siding. The Railway Safety Regulator responded to the occurrence site to determine facts which contributed to derailment.

Transnet Freight Rail has indicated that they are conducting a Board of Inquiry (BOI) into the cause of the derailment to establish facts surrounding the occurrence and develop recommendations aimed at reducing the recurrence of the occurrence. The BOI is expected to be concluded by end of February 2022.

b) On 16 January 2022, at 11h18, it was reported that a Blue Train derailed during shunting at the Transnet Freight Rail yard in Pretoria at 11h00. No injuries were sustained, with no impact on assets and operations.

This occurrence does not meet the requirements for the Railway Safety Regulator to respond to site in accordance with the Railway Safety Regulator procedures, since it did not result in fatalities and/or injuries to operators’ employees, members of the public and passengers. There were no injuries sustained and no impact to assets and operations as a result of this occurrence.

Reply:

1. The backlogs are with SCRA and RAASA. Hitherto, SCRA has already cleared past backlogs in other four RROs, with 24 000 files remaining at Desmond Tutu Refugee Centre. All these files are already on paperless platform and are awaiting final enhancements which should be finalized early March 2022 before they are loaded on the SCRA platform for finality.

RAASA backlog opening balance is 123 500 and the newly recruited members have already started to consider these files.

(2) The Department of Home Affairs has entered into a multiyear agreement with the United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR) for the implementation of the Backlog Project aimed at providing support to the Refugee Appeal Authority to finalise and deliver appeal decisions. The project aims to introduce support mechanism that will not only address the existing backlog, but to put in place new systems and capacity to prevent new backlogs from forming. The agreement sets out the essential elements of the project and relevant obligations of the parties over a period of four years. For the full four years of the project, UNHCR will contribute to the recruitment of additional 36 members of the Refugee Appeal Authority.

On 25 January 2022 I met the UN Assistant Higher Commissioner for Protection to review this partnership and related work. In that meeting it was agreed that as part of the next five-year period, an assessment focusing at the first instance asylum process will be undertaken to enhance the already done work in ensuring that these kinds of backlog do not reoccur. The assessment report will determine further assistance, if any.

(3) The numbers are as follows:

Month	Cape Town	Durban	Musina	Gqeberha	Desmond Tutu	Total
April	216	318	33	76	582	1225
May	2654	4405	1252	131	4630	13072
June	3059	3629	3039	1087	8335	19149
July	3409	3765	1143	396	5864	14577
August	3123	3455	847	281	10123	17829
September	1742	2255	945	295	9764	15001
October	1030	1271	469	139	4124	7033
November	835	924	365	119	3294	5537
December	403	496	220	111	1713	2943
Total	16471	20518	8313	2635	48429	96366

END

Reply:

(i) I never purchased any vehicle since 29 May 2019. The vehicle I am using

was purchased before I arrived in the department.

(ii) Deputy Minister

a) BMW

b) 520d

c) 2019

d) R668 000.00

e) Order was issued on 19 December 2019

END

Reply:

No such correspondence was ever received by the Department of Transport.

Matters of recruitment, selection appointment and placement of CEOs and Board Chairperson and Board Members of State Entities as well as Director General of Departments are governed by respective legislative and regulatory prescript as applicable in the Public Sector.

The Department of Transport ensures full compliance with all such laws, regulations and process

(a)(b) (c) Not applicable

Reply:

a) PRASA, is currently running multiple investigations into scrap metal theft, and together with law enforcement agencies, is running multi-disciplinary operations in the pursuit of combatting crime (with investigation continuing to close down on syndicates).

On 31 January 2022, the Minister of Transport, joined PRASA’s ongoing operations, where there were multiple incidents and raids conducted that resulted in arrests.

To date there has already been 1 500 arrests due to these operations with many receiving lengthy prison sentences.

b) Damages, over the period from the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 to date, is in excess of R1,2 billion.

Reply:

Background

The department of Transport has made an assessment on the condition of road network in South Africa based on the road condition data available from the various road authorities, which is summarised for paved roads in Table 1 and for gravel roads in Table 2 below.

Table 1: Summary of Paved Road Condition

Table 2: Summary of Un-Paved (Gravel) Road Condition

There are numerous factors influencing the performance of a pavement. The following five are considered the most influential:

• Traffic is the most important factor influencing pavement performance. The performance of pavements is mostly influenced by the loading magnitude, configuration and the number of load repetitions by heavy vehicles.
• Moisture can significantly weaken the support strength of natural gravel materials, especially the subgrade. Moisture can enter the pavement structure through cracks and holes in the surface, laterally through the subgrade, and from the underlying water table through capillary action. The result of moisture ingress is the lubrication of soil particles, loss of particle interlock and subsequent particle displacement resulting in pavement failure.
• Subgrade: The subgrade is the underlying soil that supports the applied wheel loads. If the subgrade is too weak to support the wheel loads, the pavement will flex excessively which ultimately causes the pavement to fail. If natural variations in the composition of the subgrade are not adequately addressed by the pavement design, significant differences in pavement performance will be experienced.
• Construction Quality: Failure to obtain proper compaction, improper moisture conditions during construction, quality of materials, and accurate layer thickness (after compaction) all directly affect the performance of a pavement. These conditions stress the need for skilled staff and the importance of good inspection and quality control procedures during construction.
• Maintenance: Pavement performance depends on what, when, and how maintenance is performed. No matter how well the pavement is built, it will deteriorate over time based upon the above-mentioned factors.

a) As an Honourable Member may be aware, it is difficult to eradicate potholes on the road network as the emergence of new potholes depends entirely on the extent and nature of rainfall in that month or year.

It is true that potholes cannot be eradicated, however, to ensure that roads are properly maintained, my department is providing support (supplementary funding of just over R12 billion per annum to provinces) through the Provincial Road Maintenance Grant that is ringfenced for the maintenance, rehabilitation, strengthening of paved roads, re-gravelling, gravel road blading and blacktop patching (including pothole repairs).

b) The value of maintenance backlogs to address the road condition was estimated to be R197 billion in 2013. Based on the assessment of the 2017 data and additional data being collected, this figure is expected to increase and the process to update this calculation is work in progress.

Reply:

(a) The down time percentage for 2020 - 21 financial year is 1,26% and the reason for down time at affected offices in Annexure A was related to cable theft.

(b) The down time percentage for April 2021 and February 2022 is 4.39% and the reason for down time at affected offices (Annexure B) was related to load shedding at some offices without generators.

(c) The Department never closed its offices due to system downtimes and continued to render services that are not system-dependent such as births, marriages and deaths certificates.

 

ANNEXURE A

 

See the link for Annexure A & B:  https://static.pmg.org.za/RNW373-2022-03-_-_Annexur_A_B.pdf

a) In FY 2020-2021

Percentage of Branch Servers Outages (2020 - 2021)
	Total Downtime
	Downtime	Uptime
	1.26	98.74

 

ANNEXURE B

b) 1 April 2021 – 9 February 2022

Percentage of Branch Servers Outages (2020 - 2021)
	Total Downtime
	Downtime	Uptime
	1.26	98.74

END

Reply:

The Department of Public Service and Administration has not purchased new vehicles since 29 May 2019 for either the Minister or Deputy Minister of the Department for Public Service and Administration. Details of the existing vehicles purchased by the Department for use by the Minister and Deputy Minister for Public Service and Administration are as follows:

i) Minister for the Public Service and Administration:

Seat of Office: Pretoria

(a) Make: Audi.

(b) Model: A8 3.0 TDI Quattro Tiptronic.

(c) Year of Manufacture: 2015.

(d)Price: R750 000.00

(e) Purchase Date: 2 June 2016.

Seat of Office: Cape Town

(a) Make: Mercedes Benz.

(b) Model: GLC 250D.

(c) Year of Manufacture: 2018.

(d) Price: R799 664.11

(e) Purchase Date: 19 January 2018.

ii) Deputy Minister for the Public Service and Administration

Seat of Office: Pretoria

(f) Make: Audi.

g) Model: A7 Sportback 3.0 TDI Quattro.

h) Year of Manufacture: 2015.

i) Price: R735 700.00

j) Purchase Date: 20 June 2016.

Seat of Office: Cape Town

f) Make: Ford

g) Model: Everest 3.2 TDCI.

h) Year of Manufacture: 2016.

i) Price: R714 500.40

j) Purchase Date: 18 April 2016.

End

Reply:

a) The number of persons currently employed in the Public Service as at 14 February 2022 is 1 230 835.

b) The total number of persons that will reach the retirement age of 65 in 2025 is 131 176.

Source: PERSAL

End

Reply:

a) The Department has mobilized all relevant stakeholders within the state, and across all three spheres of government, based on their respective mandates to develop and implement a plan to remove the shacks built along the railway line.

The relevant stakeholders are:

• Department of Transport, Department of Human Settlements, Department of Public Works and Infrastructure;
• Western Cape Provincial Government represented by the Departments of Transport and Public Works as well as Human Settlements;
• The City of Cape Town;
• The Housing Development Agency (HDA); and
• PRASA

Collectively, the stakeholders have identified parcels of land to which the illegal occupants in the railway reserves could be relocated to. The relocation was opposed by communities adjacent to the parcels of land identified for the resettlement of the illegal occupants. Alternative parcels of land are being further identified for acquisition to be used for the resettlement.

b) The provision of housing settlements is not within the mandate of the Department of Transport. Hence the Department has partnered with the Department of Human Settlements through the Housing Development Agency (HDA) for the provision of housing structures to those families that would be relocated from the railway reserves. To this extent an Implementation Protocol has been initiated to be signed by all stakeholders involved in the removal of families that have settled within the PRASA reserves. The objective is to identify suitable land for human settlements on which basic services like water and sanitation, roads and other amenities can be installed.

Reply:

(a) The question has been sent to Eastern Cape Head of Department for a response. 

(b) The Department will provide the response as soon as it is received. 

Reply:

(i) FY 2019-20

(a)    28

(b)    103

(c)    87

(d)    The electricity scope for ASIDI was completed in previous years.

(e)    DBE does not do renovations in ASIDI to eliminate pit toilets.

 

(ii) FY 2020-21

(a)    32

(b)    41

(c)    100

(d)    The electricity scope for ASIDI was completed in previous years.

(e)    DBE does not do renovations in ASIDI to eliminate pit toilets.

Reply:

The shortfall has been addressed through engagements with National Treasury. Details of the NSFAS allocation will be shared following the Budget Vote Speech of the Minister of Finance on 23 February 2022 and publication of the Budget Review.

Reply:

a. Post:

Deputy Director – Ref No: DBE/43/2021

Branch: Social Mobilisation and Support Services

Chief Directorate: Care and Support in Schools

Directorate: National School Nutrition Programme

(I) Job Requirements:

Three year relevant (NQF level 6) post matric qualification or equivalent qualification as recognised by SAQA; Four (4) years’ relevant experience at supervisory/middle managerial level in a Nutrition related field (must submit academic record or statement of results with application). Knowledge of relevant education policies and current trends in the field of education and nutrition; Knowledge of the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS); Knowledge of policy formulation; Knowledge of project and financial management; General knowledge of research methods and tools; Good knowledge of public sector legislative and regulatory environment; Proven experience in report writing; Proof of a valid driver’s license is a prerequisite (travel extensively).Skills Required: Coordination, facilitation, analytical, critical and creative thinking; Strong report writing skills and communication (verbal and written); Attention to detail and high level of accuracy, effective public relations and public speaking skills; Self-disciplined; Ability to work well under pressure with minimum supervision; Leadership, management and conflict resolution skills; Strong organisational, planning and problem solving skills; Supervisory and Inter-personal skills; Proven ability to engage in proactive and informative discussions at all levels; A high degree of sound judgement in dealing with Government Officials, counterparts and other role-players. Computer literate in MS Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint.

ii) Date of Advert

1. July 2021

iii) Closing date of advert

30 July 2021

iv) Qualification requirements

Three year relevant (NQF level 6) post matric qualification or equivalent qualification as recognised by SAQA

 

(2)         Status of post DBE/43/2021

Shortlisting to be held 04 March 2022

        b. Post:

Deputy Director – Ref No: DBE/44/2021

Branch: Social Mobilisation and Support Services

Chief Directorate: Care and Support in Schools

Directorate: National School Nutrition Programme

i) Job Requirements:

Three year relevant (NQF level 6) post matric qualification or equivalent qualification as recognised by SAQA; Four (4) years relevant experience at supervisory/middle managerial level; Knowledge of relevant education policies and current trends in the field of education and nutrition; Knowledge of policy formulation; Knowledge of project and financial management; General knowledge of research methods and tools; Good knowledge of public sector legislative and regulatory environment; Proven experience in report writing; Proof of a valid driver’s license is a prerequisite (travel extensively).Skills Required: Coordination, facilitation, analytical and creative skills; Strong report writing and communication (verbal and written); Attention to detail and high level of accuracy, effective public relations and public speaking; Critical thinking and self-discipline; Ability to work well under pressure with minimum supervision; Leadership, management, conflict resolution; Strong organising, planning and problem solving; Supervisory and Inter-personal; Computer literate in MS Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint.

ii) Date of Advert

1.      July 2021

iii) Closing date of advert

30 July 2021

iv) Qualification requirements

Three year relevant (NQF level 6) post matric qualification or equivalent qualification as recognised by SAQA

 

(2)         Status of post DBE/44/2021

                             Shortlisting was held 15 February 2022 – Submission is on route for approval of shortlisted candidates

c. Post:

Assistant Director – Ref No: DBE/45/2021

Branch: Social Mobilisation and Support Services

Chief Directorate: Care and Support in Schools

Directorate: National School Nutrition Programme

i) Job Requirements:

The applicant should have a three-year relevant post matric qualification (NQF Level 6) or equivalent as recognized by SAQA; and at least three years’ experience in the relevant field with a proven record in project management; Understanding of government strategic vision and public service legislation and policies pertaining to the education sector in South Africa; Knowledge of project and financial management; Co-ordination, facilitation, analytical and creative skills; Strong communication (verbal and written); Computer literacy skills (MS Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint) and interpersonal skills; Experience in community nutrition will be an advantage; Proof of a valid driver’s license is a prerequisite. Skills Required: Project management; Conceptual and analytical skills; Financial management; Coordination and training/facilitation skills; Assessment and provision of guidance on the nutritional needs of schoolgoing children; Report writing, Strong communication and interpersonal skills; Leadership, conflict resolution, negotiation and problem-solving skills; MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint; Ability to establish and work with a spectrum of stakeholders

(ii)         Date of Advert

1. July 2021

iii) Closing date of advert

1. July 2021

iv) Qualification requirements

The applicant should have a three-year relevant post matric qualification (NQF Level 6) or equivalent as recognized by SAQA

(2)         Status of post DBE/45/2021

Shortlisting to be held 08 March 2022.

Reply:

The provincial education department, Western Cape Education Department (WCED) is dealing with the matter via the disciplinary procedures.

They reported that the teacher was not suspended pending the investigation as her presence at school will not jeopardise the investigation or endanger the wellbeing or safety of the learner. The learner was placed in another class. The social worker, who is supporting the learner confirmed that the learner is happy in her new class.  The WCED has a policy of zero tolerance with regard to corporal punishment. The allegation is being investigated. If there is substantive reliable evidence for a charge of misconduct, the teacher will be formally charged.   

Reply:

During the recently concluded African Union (AU) – European Union (EU) Summit which took place in Brussels, Belgium from 17-18 February 2022, the European Union Commission President, H.E. Ms Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU’s Global Gateway Investment initiative, aims to invest €300 billion in public and private infrastructure schemes around the world by 2027.

Ms von der Leyen announced that under this initiative, Africa will be allocated funding worth €150 billion in investments over the next 7 years on the following focus areas:

• Investments
• Health
• Education

According to the AU-EU Summit Declaration, the Africa-EU Package is aimed at boosting large-scale sustainable investments, supported by Team Europe Initiatives, with due consideration to the priorities and needs of the African countries, including:

i) Investment in energy, transport and digital infrastructure aligned with the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa Priority Action Plan II (PIDA PAP II);

ii) Energy transition that is fair, just and equitable, taking into account specific and diverse orientations of the African countries with regard to access to electricity;

iii) Green transition including supporting the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) of African Countries under the Paris Agreement to enhance mitigation and adaptation;

iv) Digital transformation that supports trusted connectivity through investments in infrastructures and an affordable and enhanced access to the digital and data economy while boosting digital entrepreneurship and skills;

v) Sustainable growth and decent job creation, including by investing in the establishment of youth-owned businesses in Africa;

vi) Transport facilitation and efficiency of connected transport networks; and

vii) Human development, notably through scaling up mobility and employability of students, young graduates and skilled workers. It will also support industrialisation and the development of sustainable and resilient value and supply chains.

Currently, there is no action plan or list of projects regarding the investment package announced at the Summit.

As per normal practice following the AU-EU Summit, both the AU and the EU are supposed to jointly develop an action plan detailing the projects which will be financed and implemented by both partners during the next three years.

 

Reply:

(1) (a), (b), (c) (d) (i)(ii) and (2). The two sub-questions have been referred to the Limpopo Department of Education and the response will be forwarded as soon as information is received from the province. 

Reply:

1.     Introduction:

The Department of Higher Education and Training is responsible for Universities (of all types), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges and Community Education and Training (CET) Colleges. 

The Department published the Policy Framework to Address Gender-Based Violence in the Post-School Education and Training System on 17 July 2020 (Government Notice 410 of 2020). The strategic objectives of the Policy Framework are:

• Strategic Objective 1: Enabling Environment

Create an enabling environment in the Department and Post-School Education and Training (PSET) institutions to ensure the effective implementation of the Policy Framework, actions and programmes. These include: regulations, norms, standards, guidelines and standardised procedures; structured engagements with other Government departments, agencies, entities and non-governmental organisations; institutional policies are implemented; as well as accountability, monitoring and evaluation. The Policy Framework not only allows for the participation in and the establishment of national structures and mechanisms intended to enable implementation of PSET institutions’ policies, but also gives a monitoring mechanism to collect and report on relevant and strategic data and information.

• Strategic Objective 2: Prevention and Awareness

Promote the safety of all students and staff by putting in place comprehensive prevention and awareness programmes intended to raise the importance of policies and services addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV), as well as other measures aimed at preventing incidents of GBV in PSET institutions. PSET institutions are also required to exercise sufficient degrees of control over third parties such as visitors to the university or college, as well as employees of companies contracted to provide some form of service to the institution. The Policy Framework also protects staff and students that are placed in workplaces to complete practical training.

• Strategic Objective 3: Support and Assistance

PSET institutions must provide for comprehensive support and assistance and refer the survivors of GBV appropriately to specialised support and assistance. This support and assistance must be properly and systematically recorded and appropriately reported. The support must be in line with the National Instructions, National Directives, List of Designated Health Establishments and Additional Services directives under the Sexual Offences and Related Matters Act (SORMA) (Act 32 of 2007). PSET institutions must therefore ensure that affected parties receive multi-disciplinary support including, where appropriate, support from HIGHER HEALTH, Thuthuzela Care Centres and local health facilities. The Department, HIGHER HEALTH and PSET institutions must provide guidance around the structures, mechanisms and processes that are in place to address GBV in line with national regulatory framework and international obligations. PSET institutions should develop and review internal anti-GBV policies in line with the Policy Framework (July 2020).

It is the responsibility of PSET institutions to implement the Policy Framework at institutional level. The Department monitors the implementation of the Policy Framework and is finalising the Social inclusion Review and Implementation Model (SI-RIM) that is a mechanism to provide information for reporting purposes.

HIGHER HEALTH, in collaboration with several Departments (including the Department of Higher Education and Training), experts and institutions developed Institutional Implementation Guidelines and supporting protocols and standards for Institutions to address GBV.

2.    Sexual Offences and GBV data/information:

Reporting of sexual offences cases by individuals remains low in all PSET institutions because of several factors such as the fear of stigmatisation, unwillingness of survivors to expose perpetrators (especially in cases of intimate partners) and the fear of possible further victimisation and harassment. Students and staff are encouraged by the Policy Framework and Guidelines to promptly report any GBV cases to campus security or the GBV ‘Responsible Office’ and to the South African Police Service (SAPS) [According to the SORMA].

Reporting structures and procedures of sexual offences are clear in all policies. The Department collects strategic and relevant information from institutions annually. It does not require information on individual cases. Some institutions have a secure online system for recording, monitoring and analysing data, however, they do not provide data to the Department.

In specific:

• The University Branch does not collect individual data. There is no standardised reporting mechanism which would outline how cases should be reported, to whom and how the data would be managed. Universities are managing their own reporting, and no comparative data is being collated.
• The TVET Branch has recently (in 2021) developed a Survey Hub to collect sexual offences and GBV data at institutional level.
• No formal data collection processes are in place by the CET Branch. Processes are in place to do so in future in collaboration with HIGHER HEALTH.
• HIGHER HEALTH as the implementation agency for addressing GBV in PSET institutions, are only collecting data of students requesting psycho-social support due to inter alia sexual offences and GBV. HIGHER HEALTH collects data in public TVET colleges and universities of all types only where they have a presence in the form of mental health services operating under HIGHER HEALTH Centres/support.
• When sexual offences by TVET and CET colleges’ staff members are reported, they are dealt with by the Labour Relations Officers in the Department as cases of misconduct and proper recording of cases is available.

3.    Answers to Questions

Question 1 (a): What is the total number of students have reported sexual offences (assault) in the institutions of higher learning in each province (i) in the past three academic years and (ii) since 1 January 2022.

This question cannot be answered as requested due to different data sources and dissociation of data.  The following data has been provided:

TVET College Data

TVET Colleges are managed through 6 Regional Offices that combines North-West and Mpumalanga; Northern Cape and Western Cape; and Free State and Gauteng. The other regions are Limpopo, Eastern Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal.  Furthermore, the data recorded for all the years was submitted by TVET colleges and is not verified. For 2019 and 2020 there was no standardised tool for reporting of data, while in 2021 colleges reported online through the Survey Hub. The reports from colleges varied as such this cannot be taken as a true reflection of what transpires in colleges.

• Report as at December 2021

The TVET Branch utilises the Survey Hub to collect data from colleges on various areas of student support services. The last report was developed in December 2021 and the findings were as follows:

• Two regions reported cases of physical assault whilst the highest number of reported cases in one college is fifty (50) at Central Johannesburg TVET college and the other colleges recorded at total of fifteen (15) cases;
• The regions reported eighty-eight (88) cases of rape - the highest number reported in Eastern Cape (50 cases); 31 in Gauteng/Free State and 7 cases in Northern Cape/Western Cape;
• Other unspecified cases reported are seven hundred and fifty-three (753); and
• Some colleges outlined the incidences in the report whilst others did not.
• Report for 2020

2020 data was collected from colleges but are not disaggregated. The types of incidents reported are physical assault (15 cases), rape (26 cases), sexual assault (16 cases), touching and innuendo/insinuation (9 cases), incest (9 cases) and unwanted sexual touching (11).

• Report for 2019

Colleges reported cases of physical assault (15) and rape (15).

CET College Data

Of the 9 CET Colleges, only 2 colleges reported cases viz.: Gauteng and Western Cape CET Colleges.  In the past three years Gauteng has reported six (6) cases of sexual harassment and the Western Cape reported 2 cases. 2 students in Gauteng reported cases since January 2022.

HIGHER HEALTH Data

HIGHER HEALTH provides prevention as well as support services to anyone facing trauma because of GBV. This applies to students and staff who have reported GBV previously (even prior to joining the PSET sector) or currently.

80 067 students completed a GBV curriculum between January to December 2021 and from there students completed risk profiling on GBV, after which they were referred for GBV-support services, as outlined below.

HIGHER HEALTH’s 24-hour toll-free crisis line (0800 36 36 36) reports that 18 928 students utilised the crisis service from January to December 2021.

HIGHER HEALTH’s data on GBV services includes students who receive the following interventions:

• GBV & Mental Health early risk detection;
• GBV & Mental Health psychosocial counselling and support; and
• Linkage to Thuthuzela Care Centres and other tertiary based GBV support systems.

Table 1:

Total number of students who received HIGHER HEALTH support on sexual offences and GBV cases, according to province

Province Year	Universities	TVET Colleges	CET Colleges
	2020-2021	2020-2021
Eastern Cape	1 113	2 401	Services commenced in 2022
Free State	956	1 091
Gauteng	1 115	2 834
KwaZulu Natal	367	2 435
Limpopo	113	1 950
Mpumalanga	185	723
North West	871	615
Northern Cape	9	569
Western Cape	10 660	4 424
Total	15 389	17 042

Labour Relations Data Involving Staff in TVET and CET Colleges

Table 2:

Total number of students who reported sexual offences and GBV cases against staff, according to province[11]

Province Year	TVET Colleges	CET Colleges
	2019/20	2020/1	2021/2
Eastern Cape	0	0	No new cases reported	No information available
Free State	0	3
Gauteng	1	0
KwaZulu Natal	0	1
Limpopo	1	1
Mpumalanga	0	1
North West	0	0
Northern Cape	0	0
Western Cape	0	1
Total	3	7	0

There are no other data available on students’ cases.

4.    Question 1 (b): What are the types of sexual offences that have been reported?

The types of sexual offences and GBV reported are:

• physical assault,
• rape,
• sexual harassment,
• sexual assault,
• sex for marks,
• touching and innuendo/insinuation, and
• Incest.

5.    Question 1 (c): What is the number of incidents that have occurred with and/or involved staff members

The university branch does not collect data on individual staff’s misconduct.

Table 3:

The number of incidents that involved staff members from TVET Colleges (all):

Province Year	TVET Colleges	CET Colleges
	2019/20	2020/1	2021/2[13]
Eastern Cape	0	0	No new cases reported	0
Free State	0	3		0
Gauteng	1	0		1
KwaZulu Natal	0	1		0
Limpopo	1	1		0
Mpumalanga	0	1		0
North West	0	0		0
Northern Cape	1	0		0
Western Cape	0	1		0
Total	3	7		1

6. Question 2: Whether there is a dashboard to analyse sexual offence cases. If not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

• The University Education Branch does not collect individual data on sexual offences. There is no standardised reporting mechanism which would outline how cases should be reported and managed.
• The TVET Branch started in 2021 to provide reporting through the Survey Hub.
• The CET Colleges do not have mechanisms, nor systems to report and analyse abuse cases. The Department, working with HIGHER HEALTH is putting in place the mechanisms to deal with GBV, including sexual harassment or assault cases. It is expected that by the end of 2022 the colleges will have GBV policies as well as tools of reporting, monitoring and analysing cases in the CET colleges.

Reply:

1 (a) The total damage to schools in both Provinces amounted to: R203 900 949.77

(b) affected provincial  education departments have been requested to respond to any information on goods and services. 

2. The request has been referred to provincial departments and a response will be provided as soon as it is received.

Reply:

a) There are currently 3 legal claims for damages against the NDA, namely:

(i) With regard to the Pannar Seeds (Pty) Ltd vs NDA refer to my reply to Parliamentary Question 307.

(ii) Uhuru Printers (Pty) Ltd vs NDA (R3 507 000 .00 plus interest). This matter is currently before court. Uhuru Printers took the NDA to court claiming damages for the alleged breach of contract. The contract was awarded irregularly as it discovered that it was awarded after the expiry of the validity period. The NDA on the instruction of the then board cancelled the contract. On advice of legal counsel, the NDA instituted an application to review the decision to award the tender to Uhuru Printers, which is also currently pending before the High Court.

The review application was heard on 12 February 2021 and the Court gave an order in favour of the NDA by default in the following terms:

a) The NDA’S decision to award tender number NDA10/MC01/13 (“the tender”) to Uhuru it is reviewed and set aside

b)  It is declared that no valid and lawful agreement came into existence between the NDA and Uhuru pursuant to the aforesaid decision to award the tender to Uhuru

c) The costs of this application shall be paid by Uhuru.

Uhuru Printers thereafter applied for a rescission of the default judgment granted in favour of the NDA. We are awaiting the court decision on the rescission application.

(iii) Fairdeal vs the NDA (R 199,990.40). The NDA procured the services of the Plaintiff to train and accommodate members of civil society organisations. The plaintiff failed to deliver contracted services as per the Service Level Agreement. This resulted in the termination of the contract and the NDA withheld the transfer of the remaining tranche, which resulted in the plaintiff instituting legal claim for damages.

Fairdeal Poultry has failed to set the matter down and get a trial date. At some stage, the plaintiff instituted a parallel process by reporting the matter to the Public Protector but failed to follow through with all the necessary processes.

b) The amount claimed by the plaintiffs against the NDA are reflected above per each case, but the true amount will only be known once a competent court of law has decided on the merits of each case brought against the NDA.

Reply:

(i) No official vehicle has been purchased for use for the Minister since 29 May 2019.

(ii) Approval was obtained for the procurement of official vehicles for both Deputy Ministers on 14 October 2021. Official orders were placed on 01 December 2021 with the approved suppliers for both vehicles:

Deputy Minister Mashego Dlamini

(a) Toyota

(b) Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 VX A/T

(c) 2022

(d) R635 434.80

(e) Vehicle to be delivered in April 2022

Deputy Minister Botes

(a) Audi

(b) Q5 TDI QUATTRO S TRONI

(C) 2022

(d) R660 057.80

(e) Vehicle to be delivered in May 2022

Reply:

Attached find here: Reply

Reply:

1. (a) in terms of the Communal Property Association (Act No. 28 of 1996) Section 2 indicates in detail who can be approved in terms of the legislation. In summary this will be

• A community that has received land through the Restitution of Land Rights process
• A community that has received land through other forms of land reform programmes and want to hold the land collectively
• A community that may on their own agree that they want to hold the land asset collectively which may have been donated or sold to the said community
• A community which may have received land prior to the enactment of the legislation and would now want to hold it collectively as a juristic persons

There are certain requirements that the Act outlines how these communities may arrive at a determination that they want to hold such land collectively.

(b) After agreement the community will seek to register their entity. Some of these requirements as stated in the Act are as follows:

• The two copies of the proposed constitution initialled on each page and signed on the last page by the elected Chairperson and Secretary of the CPA;
• The affidavit by the person who acted as the Chairperson of the meeting where the Constitution was adopted;
• The written explanation of the way in which the association complies with the provisions of Section 2 of the CPA Act;
• The appointment of the Designated Officer;
• The explanation of the way in which the Constitution of the Association complies with the Schedule to the CPA Act;
• The list containing names and ID Numbers of all persons alected as the first committee of the CPA;
• The appointment letter for the Authorised Officer in terms of Section 7(2) of the Act;
• The report by the Authorised Officer setting out his observations of the Constitution adopting meeting;
• The list of individuals or households who are members of the CPA;
• The principles for the identification of other persons entitled to be members of the Association and the procedure for resolving disputes regarding their rights;
• The approved Memorandum for the acquisition of the Land;
• The attendance registers of the meeting where the CPA Constitution was adopted;
• The notice of intention to adopt the CPA Constitution;
• The minutes of the meeting that adopted the CPA Constitution.

2. Yes. The Communal Property Associations Act, 1996 (Act No. 28 of 1996) is applicable across all Provinces.

Reply:

In 2000, the United Nations Security Council recognised the gendered impact of war, and the exclusion of women in peace-building processes through the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325. To strengthen the reach and impact of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, the Global Network of Focal Points on Women Peace and Security was established in 2016, to ensure that UN Member States adopt gender responsive peace and security policies that can meaningfully respond to emerging security challenges and permutations of violence.

The Global Network is an acknowledgement that while good practices have emerged in the implement of the WPS agenda, the global community needs less rhetoric and more action based on the ultimate objective of the WPS Agenda that is to prevent wars from happening and not making wars safer for women.

South Africa and Switzerland are the 2022 Co-Chairs of the Global Network of Focal Points on Women Peace and Security taking over from Canada and Uruguay. The Global Network is a voluntary body of like-minded UN Member States. Under the stewardship of South Africa and Switzerland, the Global Network will continue to implement and localize the WPS Agenda through National Action Plans. The National Action Plan (NAP) of South Africa was adopted by Cabinet in March 2020.

Our National Action Plan provides policy makers and security actors with a new set of tools to plan for large-scale, coordinated collaboration to support the strategic priority of creating a safe and peaceful South Africa and the continent. It also provides concrete action steps to help government and civil society to evolve out of conflict peacefully, through the involvement of women as peace anchors in communities during localised conflicts such as the July 2021 unrests, service delivery protests, gang violence, student uprisings as well as development and implementation of gender responsive policies and programmes.

The National Action Plan on WPS seeks to reinforce the existing frameworks on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, provide protection and support for women experiencing violence, and focus on the behavioural changes required to build a South Africa at peace with itself. It is particularly designed to support the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide which is anchored on five key interventions:

• Urgently responding to victims and survivors of GBV;
• Broadening access to justice for survivors;
• Changing social norms and behaviour through high-level awareness raising and prevention campaigns;
• Strengthening existing architecture and promoting accountability; and
• The creation of more economic opportunities for women who are vulnerable to abuse because of poverty

Furthermore, the Gender-based Violence and Femicide National Strategic Plan (GBVF-NSP), envisages bold leadership, strong accountability across government and the broader society to respond to GBVF and has entrenched firm technical and financial support. In addition, South Africa is conscious of the heightened risk of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) during conflict by aggravating factors, including the polarization of gender roles, the proliferation of arms, the militarization of society, and the breakdown of law and order. South Africa will leverage on this chairship by working with AU Member States and other stakeholders in the fight against SGBV in conflict and post-conflict settings. The subsequent long-term and complex impacts of SGBV continue to affect individuals and communities after conflict ends.

South Africa will leverage on its role from a premise that addressing SGBV is an integral aspect of the overall Women, Peace and Security agenda. SGBV affects the health and safety of women and has significant impact on economic and social stability. We recognise that sexual violence can threaten international peace and security, and that it is frequently used as a tactic of war to dominate, humiliate, terrorise, and displace women. It is for this reason that South Africa will also use its tenure as the Global Network Co-Chair to strengthen its current Capacity Building Programmes on Conflict Resolution, Mediation and Negotiation. The programmes target women and youth both domestically and in the conflict-ridden countries in the continent.

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South Africa supports the principle of free movement of persons on the continent. However there remains a set of enablers or preconditions that are necessary for the successful implementation of the AU Protocol which need to be met by member states ahead of its ratification. These include but are not limited to:

• The fact that not all member states are on the same level of facilitating free movement of persons in Africa;

• Challenges related to free movement of persons, amongst others, national security, public order, public health and socio-economic disparities;

• There is a phased approach which needs to be met related to the implementation of the protocol and the free movement of persons;

• The infrastructure (which in many countries is still not available) that needs to be put in place such as, machine readable passports compliant to international standards, and compatibility of ICT systems at ports of entry to facilitate exchange of information;

• The need to still set up the legal infrastructure such as, bilateral return agreements, the AU legal instruments on extradition and mutual legal assistance, the AU framework on African Passport and its relationship with free movement of persons, and Interface of Movement Control systems with INTERPOL (red notice system) and individual Member States prohibition/undesirable person’s lists and the UN warning lists.

The SADC Member States acknowledged, that movement of persons in Africa is relevant and critical for continental integration and Africa’s economic development, and thus in principle, support the implementation of the Protocol. However, considering the prevailing identified challenges and preconditions, SADC recommended that implementation of free movement of persons in Africa and the African Passport should be implemented through a phased approach in accordance with a principle that safeguards the sovereignty of Member States.

South Africa recently adopted a new White Paper on International Migration which advocates for an Afrocentric migration approach. Such an approach locates the migration policy within the African Development Agenda. For instance, it supports the free movement of African citizens within the continent in a secure manner.

The Security Assessment Report on the Protocol recommends that South Africa should, among other things, underscore the importance of addressing economic disparities in the continent prior to the implementation of the Protocol; prioritise the establishment and implementation of the Border Management Authority; continue to advance the SADC common position and delay implementation of the Protocol considering the threats to national security that are associated with its implementation, including, for instance, internal migration and external migration - South Africa is experiencing both high internal and external migration patterns to urban areas leading to influx and competition for resources in urban areas.

Having satisfied itself of the need to address the above concerns before South Africa could consider ratifying the AU Protocol on the Free Movement of People, a Cabinet decision was taken in May 2021 not to ratify the Protocol until the necessary preconditions and enablers are met by Member States.

 

 

 

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The Cuban government called on South Africa and other partner countries in their hour of need in July 2021. Cuba’s worst economic crisis in 30 years was caused by the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic and further exacerbated by the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba by the United States. Cuba as a result is experiencing chronic shortages of food, fuel, medicine and electricity.

South Africa responded to this call for humanitarian assistance in the context of reciprocity and its historical friendship and solidarity with Cuba which was cemented though Cuba’s sacrifices during our struggle for freedom. Cuba also responded without hesitance to South Africa’s call for medical professionals to assist during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa.

The African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund (ARF), which is located within DIRCO, and which is legally constituted to implement humanitarian assistance of this nature, is coordinating the project with relevant stakeholders, following all necessary legal prescripts. .

The required concurrence to release an amount of R50 million from the African Renaissance Fund was provided by the Minister of Finance, after which the Acting Director-General of DIRCO approved that the request for humanitarian assistance by Cuba be implemented through the supply chain management processes as regulated by the Public Finance Management Act (Act No. 1 of 1999).

These processes were concluded by December 2021.

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The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:

No vehicle was purchased for (i) the Minister and (ii) the Deputy Minister since 29 May 2019.

The vehicle I am driving is currently on a recorded mileage of 84 980km.

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