Questions and Replies
10 March 2022 - NW434
Hlengwa, Mr M to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
With reference to a media statement by her department on 20 February ( details furnished), the Memorandum of understanding that was signed between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Ireland and two South Africa – Ireland Joint Commission for Co-operation that were held in 2019 and 2022 respectively, what are the full, relevant details of the (a) specified economic cooperation that has been promoted during the bilateral meetings and (b) rand value to the South African economy?
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.
10 March 2022 - NW247
Tafeni, Ms N to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What assistance is provided to families of learners in public schools who cannot afford to buy books and stationery?
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.
10 March 2022 - NW228
Shembeni, Mr HA to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
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?
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:
10 March 2022 - NW141
Horn, Mr W to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
On what date (a) will construction of the water pipeline from the Xhariep Dam to the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality commence and (b) is the construction envisaged to be completed?
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.
10 March 2022 - NW74
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
(1)With regard to the bulk water supply by Magalies Water to Region 5 of the City of Tshwane, Gauteng, what is the status of the repair and/or replacement project of the 210m water supply pipeline at Wilge Dam that was washed away in December 2019, which affects water supply to the Refilwe, Cullinan, Rayton, Petra Diamond Mine and Zonderwater areas. (2) In light of the fact that the inability of Magalies Water to resolve the issue is causing water shortages for residents and reservoir levels to run low, what is the deadline for the full restoration of the bulk water supply. (3) What measures are being put in place to (a) deal with power supply issues and/or (b) erect temporary power supply solutions as Magalies Water cites Eskom power outages as the reason for regular bulk water shortages to the area?
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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10 March 2022 - NW19
Buthelezi, Ms SA to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
(1)In light of the water shortages experienced by the residents in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality area and surrounding areas, specifically in Umlazi, where residents at times go hours and even days without running water and experience periodical cut-offs, what interventions has his department made in this regard, including (a) mechanisms, (b) processes and (c) procedures that have been implemented to avoid future water cuts;
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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09 March 2022 - NW226
Shembeni, Mr HA to ask the Minister of Police
(1) What is his official position regarding the case registered against the National Commissioner by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate; (2) Whether the Commissioner will step down to allow the investigation to take place; if not, why not, if so by what date?
Reply:
Attached find here: Reply
09 March 2022 - NW595
Luthuli, Mr BN to ask the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
Whether he has identified any improvements in the current programmes to extend the reach of water safety lessons to all citizens; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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.
09 March 2022 - NW216
Komane, Ms RN to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
(1)What systems has she put in place to measure the performance of the Commissioners of the Public Service Commission; (2) whether she has found that the (a) systems work and (b) Commissioners are doing what they are expected to do; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the further relevant details in each case?
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
09 March 2022 - NW592
Van Dyk, Ms V to ask the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture
What value has he found the sport, arts and culture sectors added to the economic value chain of the republic since 1 april 2017 in terms of (a) the number of jobs that were created and (b) promoting a socially cohesive society with a national identity?
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.
09 March 2022 - NW497
Bodlani, Ms T to ask the Minister of Police
What are the (a)(i) names and (ii) ages of the victims of a fatal hit-and-run accident that happened in KwaThema, City of Ekurhuleni, on or about 14 January 2022 in which a vehicle of SA Police Service was involved (b) names of the officers involved;
08 March 2022 - NW286
Nolutshungu, Ms N to ask the Minister of Transport
What (a) steps have been taken by his department to remove shacks built along the railway line in Cape Town as per court order and (b) housing alternatives will his department be providing to those persons who will have to be removed?
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.
08 March 2022 - NW447
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1) What is the current backlog in terms of the total number of refugee and/or asylum-seeker applications; (2) What is the nature of the assistance offered by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to his department in order to fix the asylum and refugee management system; (3) What total number of section 22 asylum-seeker visas in terms of the Refugees Act, Act 130 of 1998, have been granted by his department in 2021?
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
08 March 2022 - NW347
Mabhena, Mr TB to ask the Minister of Transport
Whether the Railway Safety Regulator has completed an investigation into (a) the incident where an empty Transnet Freight Rail Blue train derailed at the Union Station Loop in Germiston on Sunday, 7 November 2021 and (b) two Blue train coaches derailing within the Salvokop Blue Train train-yard in January 2022; if not, what are the reasons that no investigation has taken place; if so, will he furnish Mr T B Mabhena with a copy of the report?
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.
08 March 2022 - NW525
Seitlholo, Mr IS to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(What is the (a) make, (b) model, (c) year of manufacture, (d) price and (e) purchase date of each vehicle purchased for use by (i) him and (ii) the Deputy Minister since 29 May 2019?
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
08 March 2022 - NW174
Hoosen, Mr MH to ask the Minister of Transport
Whether he and/or his department ever received correspondence from a certain political organisation (details furnished), via email, WhatsApp, hardcopy and/or in any other format of which the original file is dated June 2020; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) on what date was the specified correspondence received, (b) who was the sender of the correspondence and (c) what steps were taken by his department in this regard?
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
08 March 2022 - NW206
Sithole, Mr KP to ask the Minister of Transport
Whether, in light of the recent reports that material from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa was found being melted and processed at a scrap yard in Johannesburg around 31 January 2022, his department has conducted an investigation in this regard; if not, why not; if so (a) who has been held responsible and (b) what total amount in damages has been recorded?
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.
08 March 2022 - NW563
Chabangu, Mr M to ask the Minister of Transport
Whether his department quantified the extent of potholes in the Republic; if not, why not; if so, what (a) are the details of the extent of the problem and (b) total amount would it cost the department to fix all the potholes?
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.
08 March 2022 - NW373
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
For each Home Affairs Office, what (a) was the system downtime as a percentage during the 2020-21 financial year, (b) was the system downtime been between 1 April 2021 and 9 February 2022 and (c) total number of days has the office been closed between 1 April 2021 and 9 February 2022?
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
08 March 2022 - NW532
Myburgh, Mr NG to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
What is the (a) make, (b) model, (c) year of manufacture, (d) price and (e) purchase date of each vehicle purchased for use by (i) her and (ii) the Deputy Minister since 29 May 2019?
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
08 March 2022 - NW257
Maotwe, Ms OMC to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
What total number of (a) persons are currently employed in the Public Service and (b) the specified persons will reach a retirement age in 2025?
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
07 March 2022 - NW313
King, Ms C to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
(1)What (a) total number of students have reported sexual assault in the institutions of higher learning in each province (i) in the past three academic years and (ii) since 1 January 2022, (b) types of sexual assault have been reported and (c) number of incidents have occurred with and/or involved staff members; (2) whether there is a dashboard to analyse sexual abuse cases; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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.
07 March 2022 - NW573
Siwisa, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether the teacher who administered corporal punishment on a Grade 4 learner at Willow Primary School in Heideveld has been put on suspension pending outcome of investigation; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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.
07 March 2022 - NW308
Opperman, Ms G to ask the Minister of Social Development
(a) What number of legal claims for damages are currently against the National Development Agency and (b) to what cumulative value are the legal claims?
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.
07 March 2022 - NW527
Ngcobo, Mr S to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
What is the (a) make, (b) model (c) year manufacture, (d) price and (e) purchase date of each vehicle purchased for use by (i) her and (ii) the Deputy Ministers since 29 May 2019?
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
07 March 2022 - NW543
Hlengwa, Mr M to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
With reference to the remarks by the President of the European Commission, Ms Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen, following the 6th European Union – African Union Summit on 18 February 2022, that the European Union wants to be Africa’s partner of choice and that Africa is rich in renewable power, if one looks at hydro power, solar power, wind power, as well as the fact that the European Union, under the Africa – Europe Plan, is planning to further capitalise on the partnership to boost the economy and create decent job opportunities and what are the full details of projects in the pipeline?”
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.
07 March 2022 - NW557
Shembeni, Mr HA to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What progress has been made to resolve the non-payment of stipends for teacher assistants in the Eastern Cape and (b) which other province has failed to pay their teacher assistants over the past 12 months?
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.
07 March 2022 - NW91
Nodada, Mr BB to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1) With reference to the violent looting that occurred in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July 2021, what (a) was the total cost of damages to schools in her department and (b) is the total value of goods in Rand that were looted from schools but were later recovered; (2) what is the total cost of school vandalism to her department since 2014 up to the latest specified date for which information is available?
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.
07 March 2022 - NW471
Nodada, Mr BB to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
With regard to the projects implemented as part of the Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative of her department, what is the total number of schools that (a) were built, (b) were provided with sanitation, (c) were connected to water, (d) were supplied with electricity and (e) had renovations undertaken to eliminate pit toilets in the (i) 2019-20 and (ii) 2020-21 financial years?
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.
07 March 2022 - NW269
Shaik Emam, Mr AM to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
In view of the shortfall of approximately R10 billion for the National Student Financial Aid Scheme this financial year, (a) what measures does his department have in place to address the specified shortfall and (b) where will the funds be sourced from?
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.
07 March 2022 - NW503
Van Der Walt, Ms D to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1) Whether all teacher posts are filled at the (a) Siloe School for the Blind, (b) Setotolwane Learners with Special Education Needs Secondary School, (c) Rivoni School for the Blind and (d) Yingisani Learners with Special Education Needs in Limpopo; if not, why not; if so, (i) on what date will hostel or house staff posts be filled and (ii) what are the further relevant details; (2) whether there are any therapists available to the specified schools; if not, why not; if so, what are the details in each case?
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.
07 March 2022 - NW470
Nodada, Mr BB to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1) With reference to the advertised positions in Publication 25 for the position of (a) Deputy Director Reference number DBE/43/2021, (b) Deputy Director Reference number DBE/44/2021 and (c) Assistant Director Reference number DBE/45/2021 on 16 July 2021, (i) what are the job requirements for each post, (ii) on what date was each position advertised, (iii) what was the closing date of applications for each position and (iv) what are the qualification requirements for each position; (2) whether the specified positions are currently filled; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, will she furnish Mr B B Nodada with the name of each person who is currently appointed in each position?
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
- 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
- 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
- July 2021
iii) Closing date of advert
- 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.
05 March 2022 - NW354
Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether, in view of the Chinese bulk cargo vessel NS Qingdao that recently dumped 1 300 tons of unstable chemical cargo off the West Coast of the Republic after permission was granted by her department and the SA Marine Safety Authority and SAMSA, and noting that the vessel originally caught alight in November 2021, any consideration was given at the time of towing the vessel out of South African waters in order to avoid toxic dumping in our waters; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details; Whether the impact of the Benguela Current was taken into consideration when permission was granted for the dumping; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details; What are the coordinates of the areas where the waste was dumped; Whether her department will be monitoring the toxicity levels around the dumped site; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Attached find here: Reply
04 March 2022 - NW412
Msane, Ms TP to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
What are the reasons that the Republic has not ratified the protocol for the free movement of persons on the continent?
Reply:
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.
04 March 2022 - NW350
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) Whether her department conducted any investigation into the incident of the bulk carrier NS Qindao that left Durban Harbour in November 2021 when the cargo aboard started to emit toxic fumes after more than 1000 tonnes of the cargo have already been removed; if not, why not; if so, (a) what is the breakdown of the exact details of what the cargo onboard the vessel contained, (b) what different chemicals were on the vessel, (c) which chemicals caused the toxic fumes and (d) what impact has she found did the fumes have on the atmosphere regarding air pollution; (2). (a) what are the relevant details of the 1000 tonnes of cargo that had already been removed and (b) where was it taken to?
Reply:
Attached find here: Reply
04 March 2022 - NW356
Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(a) what are reasons that the Fishing Rights Allocation Process (FRAP) online application deadline was revised from the original deadline of 7 December 2021 to Friday 28 January 2022 and (b) under what circumstances will a further deadline be considered; Whether she will furnish Mr D W Bryant with detailed statistics regarding the online application process once it has been concluded; if not, why not, if so, (a) on what date and (b) what are the relevant details; Whether she has found that the online FRAP application process has been accessible for all stakeholders in the fishing sector; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; Whether particular consideration was given to those with little or no access to technology and/or the internet; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Attached find here: Reply
04 March 2022 - NW374
Singh, Mr N to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether, in light of the recent report by the FOUR PAWS Animal Welfare Foundation, titled Year of the Tiger: Big cat farming in South Africa: the need for international action, which reveals the extent of intensive captive tiger breeding in the Republic (details furnished), she has been informed (a) of the (i) commercial export of live tiger and their parts to known hotspots for illegal wildlife trade and (ii) subsequent contravention of decisions set out by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), of which South Africa is a party to and (b) that the lack of effective regulations, laws and monitoring of big cat trade in the Republic is sentencing big cat species to a life of commercial exploitation for trade in their parts and subsequent use in luxury goods and traditional medicine; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what is (aa) being done to prevent this and (bb) the Government’s position on the findings of the specified reports?
Reply:
Attached find here: Reply
04 March 2022 - NW407
Faber, Mr WF to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
Whether against the background of record high unemployment figures and persistent levels of poverty in the Republic, she has found that the Government’s R50 million donation to the government of the Republic of Cuba for special intervention purposes, could have been put to better use at home; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
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.
04 March 2022 - NW303
Mey, Mr P to ask the Minister of Finance
(1)With reference to the reply of the Minister of Public Enterprises to question 2557 on 11 January 2022, by what date is concurrence expected to be finalised in order to prevent legal action being taken against the relevant departments for disregarding the court order that was awarded on 22 June 2020 with regard to CAS 42355/2015 in the Gauteng North High Court for the members of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) Sub Fund which has not been implemented (details furnished); (2) whether he will make a statement on the matter; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. The Minister of Finance is currently considering the request for concurrence from the Minister of Public Enterprises in respect of the proposed amendments of rules for the PRASA sub-fund of the Transport Pension Fund.
2. The Minister of Finance will not make a statement on the matter. The outcome will be communicated to the Minister of Public Enterprises.
04 March 2022 - NW351
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
(1) (a) who will be doing the investigation into the cargo carrier NS Qindao that left Durban Harbour in November 2021 when the cargo aboard started to emit toxic fumes after more than 1000 tonnes of the cargo have already been removed and (b) on what date is it anticipated that we will receive the report of the investigation; (2) (a) what exactly is the destination o f this vessel and (b) which chemicals waste sites will be used to dumb the chemically neutralized waste; (3) what has she found to be the potential threat on marine and human life if the chemicals are not contained in line with the emergency control management introduced by the teams of salvors, chemical experts, hazardous material response team and emergency personnel that are managing the emergency controls in order to contain the situation, (4) what is the exact location and/or destination on the West Coast where the SA Maritime Safety Authority will be carrying 1500 tonnes of chemicals 250km offshore and 3km deep in the water?
Reply:
Attached find here: Reply
04 March 2022 - NW533
Mphithi, Mr L to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
What is the (a) make, (b) model, (c) year of manufacture, (d) price and (e) purchase date of each vehicle purchased for use by (i) her and (ii) the Deputy Minister since 29 May 2019?
Reply:
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.
04 March 2022 - NW355
Bryant, Mr D W to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
In view of the recent devastating fires at the Kleinmond plantation, what impact has she found has the ongoing land invasion at her department’s plantation in Grabouw had on the current and future functioning of the plantation; Whether her department has undertaken a fire safety assessment to evaluate the risk of wildfires emanating from the settlement on the plantation; if not, why not, if so, what were the outcomes of the assessments; Whether the site is being regularly maintained by her department to managed the build-up of flammable natural materials; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Attached find here: Reply
04 March 2022 - NW492
Mbabama, Ms TM to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
(1) What are the requirements for the (a) approval and (b) registration of a Communal Property Association by her department; (2) whether the requirements are the same across all nine provinces; if not, what are the reasons for the differences; if so, what are the relevant details?
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.
04 March 2022 - NW307
Opperman, Ms G to ask the Minister of Social Development
Whether, with reference to the Pannar Seeds case which is five years old now, there will be any further action to recoup the R761 230 payment for the sunflower seeds that were (a) purchased and (b) delivered to the National Development Agency projects in the (i) Eastern Cape and (ii) Free State; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
I would like to inform the Honourable Member that this matter is still in court as the NDA successfully applied for the rescission of the default judgement against it. The exchange of legal documents between the NDA and the plaintiff has not been finalised as the plaintiff must first reply to our notices in terms of Rule 35 (12) and (14).
04 March 2022 - NW433
Hlengwa, Mr M to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
Whether, given that South Africa, together with Switzerland, is co-chair of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Focal Points Network for 2022 and that the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa, is on record having said that gender based violence is the Republic’s second pandemic, the Government intends to leverage the opportunities and access provided through the WPS Network for the benefit of the women of the Republic, in order to gather resources and/or knowledge in the fight against gender – based violence; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
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.
04 March 2022 - NW309
Opperman, Ms G to ask the Minister of Social Development
What are the (a) reasons for the R26,9 million in irregularities regarding the Volunteer Programme of the National Development Agency and (b) relevant details of the irregularities?
Reply:
I would like to refer the Honourable Member to my reply to Parliamentary Question 2523, which was published in the internal question paper on 19 November 2021.
04 March 2022 - NW352
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether, with reference to the R255 million donated by philanthropist Howard Buffet in March 2014 to the Kruger National Park (KNP)SA National Park to implement an intensive protection zone in KNP, (details furnished), she will furnish Ms A M M Weber with a detailed breakdown of (a)(i) hoe the money was spent and (ii) on what, if not, why not; if so, on what date; Whether the helicopter was bought; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details; What number of vehicles equipped with sophisticated sensors were acquired? Whether the sensors were planted on the fencing at the Mozambique border; if not, why not, if so, what are the relevant details; (a) what amount and (b) which programmes were implemented to ensure cross-boarder criminal investigations and intelligence networks?
Reply:
Attached find here: Reply
04 March 2022 - NW338
Brink, Mr C to ask the Minister of Finance
Whether the National Treasury, on its own or in collaboration with other departments, conducted an assessment of the affordability of the implementation of the SA Local Government Bargaining Council Salary and Wage Collective Agreement for the municipal financial years 2021-24, which was concluded on 15 September 2021; if not, why has such an assessment not been conducted; if so, what are the relevant details of the assessment?
Reply:
No, the National Treasury did not undertake an assessment on the affordability of the SA Local Government Bargaining Council Salary and Wage Collective Agreement for the 2021-2024 financial years. National Treasury is not directly involved in the collective bargaining matters relating to local government wage agreements and the associated implementation costs. These are negotiated between the employer represented by the South African Government Association (SALGA) and Labour represented by various trade unions.
The National Treasury and Provincial Treasuries undertake assessments twice a year (before a budget is adopted and at mid-term of the financial year) on the ability of a municipality to fund its operating budget. These assessments include the affordability of salaries and wages as a component of municipal expenditure. In addition, the National Treasury also undertakes an annual assessment on the State of Municipal Finances and Financial Management to identify municipalities in financial distress.
Even before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there were already 166 municipalities in financial distress. On this basis, the National Treasury advised SALGA on the need for greater fiscal prudence given the decline in overall economic activity and the concomitant impact thereof on municipal revenues. The National Treasury expressed concerns in a letter to SALGA that there should be an exit clause which allows for exemptions from salary increases for those municipalities that cannot afford these such increases. SALGA provided an undertaking in this regard indicating that any municipality who cannot afford the salary and wage increase on the basis of their financial health reports will be allowed to use the exit clause in the agreement making it easier for the municipality to apply for an exemption.
04 March 2022 - NW383
Msimang, Prof CT to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Whether, following a suspected gas leak from a certain company (name furnished) and its inhalation at a school and homes in the surrounding area of Richards Bay, where children and adults developed nausea, vomiting, difficulties in breathing with many having collapsed and transported to hospitals and clinics in the Richards Bay and Empangeni areas, her department investigated the incident; if not, why not; if so, what (a) are the results of the investigation, (b) was the impact of the gase leak on the environment and (c) is being done to prevent the incident from happening in the future?
Reply:
Attached find here: Reply
04 March 2022 - NW340
George, Dr DT to ask the Minister of Finance
Whether a backlog exists in the payment of (a) withdrawal claims, (b) retirement claims and (c) death claims from the Government Employees Pension Fund; if not, what is the average time for the processing of (a) withdrawal claims, (b) retirement claims and (c) death claims; if so, what is the (i) number of outstanding claims and (ii) average number of the days that claims have been outstanding in each case?
Reply:
Claim Type |
*Backlog, i.e., Claims older than 60 days (Claims) |
*Average time for processing (days) |
(i) Total number of claims on hand |
(ii) Average number of the days that claims have been outstanding in each case # |
a) Withdrawal Claims |
242 |
24 |
1 859 |
158 |
b) Retirement Claims |
416 |
22 |
5 025 |
125 |
c) Death Claims |
1 130 |
81 |
3 523 |
220 |
In relation to the question, kindly see below the Government Pensions Administration Agency response:
*Backlog cases are defined as cases older than 60 days.
*Age of claims vary depending on specific complexity of each case.