Questions and Replies
21 December 2020 - NW1321
Steyn, Ms A to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
What is the total outstanding amount for all invoices not paid by her department (a) within 30 days and/or (b) within 60 days or longer; (2) What steps has her department taken to ensure that it will be able to meet the target of paying all invoices within 30 days?
Reply:
(1)(a),(b) As at 31 March 2020, please refer to the table below.
(a) |
||
No. of days |
Quantity |
Value |
30-60 |
98 |
5 615 867.06 |
(b) |
||
61-90 |
9 |
1 807 241.98 |
91-180 |
24 |
1 496 044.94 |
>180 |
5 |
|
(2) Please refer to the table below.
Reason for non-compliance |
Mitigation |
The main contributor to the late payment of service providers is lack of proper internal controls which relate to the tracing of the status of a particular invoice and supporting documents as they are processed through the various verification channels within the Department including from provinces to national office. |
|
21 December 2020 - NW244
Steyn, Ms A to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
Whether, with reference to her reply to question 992 on 19 December 2019, the Gwatyu community in the Eastern Cape applied to be registered as a Communal Property Association (CPA); if so, (a) why was this community not included in the specified reply, (b) on what date did the community apply and (c) what are the reasons that this community cannot be registered as a CPA?
Reply:
No. Some members of the Gwatyu community, acting through an attorney, submitted an application for registration of a Provisional Association on 30 July 2014. Question 992 sought information on applications for registration as communal property associations, which were outstanding. The interpretation applied to the word “outstanding”, meant an application that was in the possession of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform and was still being processed. The Gwatyu application was not included since it was neither an application for registration of a communal property association nor an outstanding application.
Notwithstanding the above, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has since undertaken a land rights enquiry on all the farms and once finalised, the affected communities will be workshopped on various land holding arrangements and will be given an opportunity to choose the best suitable land holding structure that suits their existing circumstances taking into consideration various land rights that may exist on these farms.
If the community then chooses to register a CPA, the Department will ensure that the requirements that are set out in section 8(4) and (5) of the Communal Property Association Act, 28 of 1996 are met.
(a), (b), (c) Falls away.
21 December 2020 - NW816
Cebekhulu, Inkosi RN to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
What mechanisms did her department put in place to encourage and assist persons and/or communities in rural areas to utilise the land for food production and food security, since most productive agricultural land in communal areas is fast becoming residential developments; (2) what policies does her department have in place to revive the farms that are lying fallow because of land beneficiaries fighting over resources, to pursue achieving Goal 1 of Agenda 2063 in the next 43 years?
Reply:
1. In an effort to encourage and assist persons and /or communities in rural areas to utilize the land for food production and food security, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) has developed the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan which focuses on district-based commodity production schemes driven through mass production by rural communities and households within a given radius and supported by a Production Support Centre. All existing farmer support programmes of DALRRD are being aligned to this plan which should ensure that at least 1 270 340 rural households are food-secure by 2030.
The issue about agricultural land in communal areas fast becoming residential developments is a function that is currently being managed by traditional councils in whose area of jurisdiction the land currently falls. DALRRD stands ready to assist traditional councils and communities to develop land use schemes that will provide a legal and orderly basis on which the land use can be regulated.
2. DALRRD’s position is that no development or support can be provided on farms that are lying fallow due to land beneficiaries fighting over resources until the dispute is resolved through social facilitation.
21 December 2020 - NW578
Ceza, Mr K to ask the Minister of Social Development
What measures did her department undertake to ensure that priority is given very early to the (a) rural areas and (b) informal settlements during the lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19?
Reply:
Eastern Cape:
Departmental Interventions
As part of intervention strategies, the Department of Social Development has implemented the following activities to Rural Areas and Informal Settlements:
- The Eastern Cape Department of Social Development teamed with South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and co- ordinated the lists of destitute people from all Local Municipalities who were forced to stay at home, as per COVID- 19 Regulations and were not able to do their temporal work for their living. These lists were submitted to SASSA for assessment and received Social Relief of Distress in the form of food parcels from their budget.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the form of face masks, hand gloves and sanitizers were provided by Provincial office to all Department of Social Development (DSD) offices in order for Social Service Practitioners to be able to interact with all communities in their sphere of operations and continue the services during lockdown as essential service workers.
- The Department formed part of the COVID-19 Ward-Based Rapid Response Teams which were created by Eastern Cape Provincial Government that aimed at prevention, outreach and educational programmes to the rural and informal communities through joint operations with other stakeholders such as Department of Education and Health on the learner support programmes for the Grade 12 learners (e.g. coping mechanisms and family support programmes).
- Community Nutrition Development Centres (CNDC) were closed as per the national directive however food parcels were provided to all 33 CNDCs in 6 District Municipalities and 2 Metropolitan through “Knock and Drop” for CNDC participants to prepare food from their homes and not eating from the centre in order to apply social distancing.
- Psycho- Social services in the form of In-Depth Telephone Interviews and Counselling Services were provided to people infected and affected by COVID- 19 living in Informal Settlements and Rural Areas including those referred by Department of Health and Department of Education. The service was later extended to contact sessions with the change of levels of lockdown.
- The Department established 19 Shelters for the Homeless People in the 6 Districts and 2 Metropolitans Municipalities for the vulnerable individuals that were found homeless around Towns, Cities and Informal Settlements. Homeless People were provided with food, accommodation and psychosocial support during their stay in the Shelters. Social Service Practitioners also unified some of the homeless people with their families after being screened for COVID-19.
- The Eastern Cape Department of Social Development has spent R5, 239, 000 from Social Relief of Distress (SRD) budget on food parcels for 3,362 households/ families who are needy especially those staying in Informal Settlements and Rural Areas. The Department has also received additional budget of R78 million on SRD to cover families in need. The Department is considering provision of food voucher or bank generated coupons amounting R750 per family and discussions are at an advanced stage between Provincial office and the bank for implementation to take place.
- Early Childhood Development Centres (ECD) centres were closed as per the national directive ever since 26 March 2020 when Lockdown started. The Department funds 2, 933 Early Childhood Development Centres from the Equitable Share amounting to R219, 704, 000 and 1310 ECD centres from Conditional Grant amounting to R123, 817, 000. Households with ECD learners within Rural Areas and Informal Settlements were prioritised for provision of Food Parcels under Social Relief of Distress. The DSD has embarked on the process of assessment and verification of ECD centres, in preparation for supporting their opening which revealed that most of them were not ready due to unavailability of PPE.
- The steep rise of Gender Based Violence statistics after the National Lockdown, necessitated the Department of Social Development to re-open Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) Centers to back up Social Service Practitioners with all volunteers who were recruited under VEP in May 2020. Volunteers together with Social Workers were providing Psychosocial Support and Counselling to the infected and affected individuals in the rural and informal communities.
Free State:
At the time of responding to this question; the province had not yet provided their response.
Gauteng:
The Department funds NPOs across the Province. These NPOs targets risk areas with high rates of poverty, unemployment and social related issues. These areas include informal settlements and rural areas, noting that Gauteng demographics is characterized by semi-rural / urban areas.
Whilst ECDs remained closed during the Lockdown, all other NPOs rendering services to vulnerable groups were provided with 1st Quarter subsidy payment to assist the NPOs in putting the necessary safety compliance measures in place to ensure minimal disruption in service delivery and curb the spread of COVID-19.
In addition, the Department had firstly partnered with the Church of Scientology to decontaminate residential facilities (Old Age Homes and Homes for Disabled) and Homeless, secondly facilitated and supported NPOs with the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment, and thirdly guided and provided training on safety protocols.
In all of the above interventions, the Department targets all areas where there is a need for services whilst ensuring safety measures are in place at all times.
KwaZulu-Natal:
KwaZulu-Natal Social Development suspended operations in the ECD Centre, Community Care Centres for the elderly, rehabilitation programs for people living with disability, CND’s including youth academies operations were suspended during lockdown to curb the spread of covid19.
The Department further suspended public visits to residential facilities and gatherings targeting more than 50 people.
In the main, a large proportion of services provided by the department target communities in rural areas, per-urban areas including informal settlements and townships therefore the suspension of these services was a way of curbing the spread of covid19 in communities mentioned above.
Limpopo:
The Limpopo Department of Social Development has put in place the following measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in rural areas:
- Provision of directions prevented members of the public from visiting residential facilities and our institutions
- Psychosocial support services to the infected and affected members of the community
- Appointment of Covid-19 compliance officers in all institutions
- Training by Department of Health to the Covid-19 members of the screening committee
- PPE’s provided to our facilities and institutions
- Strategies and protocols have been developed on the management of COVID-19 in residential facilities and service points in the rural areas.
- Capacity has been built on officials working in communities such as Social Workers and Community Development Practitioners and those working in facilities of care for ability to self-protect and that beneficiaries in facilities.
- Ongoing plans in place to monitor facilities of care and to ensure that measures are in place to prevent spread of the virus in line with national regulations.
The facilities have been provided with PPE’s for all officials as well as all beneficiaries.
Mpumalanga:
- All services that required direct contact with clients were suspended to curb the spread of COVID 19.
- The Department operated as a nerve centre at Provincial, District and Local level to coordinate and provide services to clients in distress.
- The Department also opened a call centre for clients to call and or send sms and please call me for services required.
- The Department worked closely with other stakeholders to ensure proper referrals for clients who needed services.
North West:
The Department of Social Development in the North West implemented the following measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in rural areas:
Developed strategy and protocols on management of COVID 19 in residential facilities for older persons and Persons with Disabilities.
Training provided to 96 on the strategy and protocol to employees in the Department and those working in residential care facilities so that they protect themselves in their respective communities and the residents / beneficiaries in facilities.
61 x Residential care facilities monitored to ensure that measures are in place to prevent the spread of the virus as per the protocols.
61 x facilities provided with PPE of 2x5lt sanitizer and 2 x boxes of 50 pcs of mask per facility.
Intervened in 15 residential care facilities that had outbreaks of COVID 19 to ensure that protocols are complied with to curb the spread of the virus.
Northern Cape:
(a)(b) Rural areas and informal settlements. All officials were available to intervene in the following:
- Reported cases of Child abuse, Elderly Abuse or Neglect as well as Gender Based Violence.
- Victims were removed and placed in Child and Youth Care Centres, Old Age Homes or Shelters for Victims of GBV.
- Homeless persons were accommodated in temporary shelters and re-unified with family members as soon as possible.
- DSD took responsibility for transporting persons from these areas to the appropriate facilities and also linked with the Department of Health for assistance when needed.
- Officials received PPEs and were informed about the protocol to be followed when interacting with community members to limit the risk of infection with the Corona virus.
- Quarterly subsidies were paid for April - June 2020 to all funded organisations to pay the salaries of their professional and support staff including volunteers and caregivers and administration costs. From July 2020 the normal subsidy payment process applied.
- Monthly subsidies are paid to ECD Centres from April - September 2020 despite being closed. It is applicable to those who are subsidized, registered and submitted business plans and they receive 60% of the subsidy (40% for salaries and 20% for administration).
- Social Relief of Distress (Food Parcels and Clothing vouches) were provided to families assessed to be unable to meet their basic needs and are victims of disasters e.g. houses or belongings destroyed because of fires and floods.
• In essence the DSD services are rural biased. Out of a cohort of 143 Nutrition Centres, a total of 123 Nutrition Centres are located in rural areas and rendering food provision services in these rural areas.
• The Department took a deliberate decision not to open the Nutrition Centres, as that would have caused the convergence of people at these centres (creating a conducive environment for the spread of the virus).
• The Department instead worked with its DSD District Offices and Local Municipalities on rendering food provision services to DSD beneficiaries and indigent households on their indigent registers/beneficiary lists. The majority of the municipal indigent households are residing in rural areas and informal settlements and received food security services in the form of food parcels.
• To date 58 136 households received food parcels and to facilitate social distancing and to ensure that the poor and vulnerable are not exposed to risks associated with Covid-19, these food parcels were hand delivered/door-to-door to individual households.
• Officials from the Department were also provided with PPEs to protect themselves and household members to whom food provision services were rendered.
Western Cape:
- Protocols have been put in place between the WC provincial DSD and the Department of Health with regards to referrals of COVID-19 outbreaks at old age homes.
- Guidelines were also developed for Disabled Homes, Homeless Shelters and Shelters for Abuse Women
- Guidelines were developed for rendering statutory services related to child protection services.
- All NGOs contracted by the Department of Social Development was still paid a monthly subsidy and all NPOs received their full subsidies during the lock-down period in Western Cape. This ensured that NPOs could continue supporting vulnerable groups.
- Funds were made available to old age homes for the management of COVID19, providing of PPE, relief staff and covid 19 health training and support to the staff.
- Funds have been made available for disabled Homes for the management of COVID 19
- Funds were made available for PPE in preparation for the re-opening of ECD partial care facilities
- ECD facilities were assisted in the self-assessment of readiness for the re-opening after lockdown level 3.
- Additional masks, sanitizers, soap and hygiene products have been distributed to 117 old age homes, 40 Disabled Homes, 26 Homeless Shelter, 6 Foster Cluster Care Homes and 20 Shelters for Abuse Woman.
- Various NPOs rendering child designated work were also provided with masks for the Social Workers. The PPE’s were donations from private companies.
- Child Designated NPOs and DSD local offices continued providing psycho-social support to children and their families.
- DSD also facilitated the deployment of volunteers to deep-clean old age homes, disabled Homes, Shelters and inpatient treatment centres – with a focus on facilities in vulnerable communities, hotspot areas and rural areas
- Food parcels were distributed to communities
- WC Department of Education continued with their school feeding schemes during lockdown
- ECDs also provided food to children during lockdown
- Drop-in-centres and Isibindi Sites provided food during lockdown.
19 December 2020 - NW2248
Kohler-Barnard, Ms D to ask the Minister of State Security
In light of the fact that there is no sign in the operations of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence that speaks to the recommendations of the High Level Panel report, what are the details of the progress that has been made in terms of the implementation of the recommendations of the High Level Panel report regarding the disproportionate application of secrecy?
Reply:
There is no disproportionate secrecy applied by the State Security Agency with regard to the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) which oversees the State Security Agency. Section 4(1) of the Intelligence Services Oversight Act, 1994 (Act 40 of 1994) (“the Act”) makes it mandatory that the JSCI shall, in the performance of its functions, have access to intelligence, information and documents in the possession or under the control of a Service, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law or the common law, but subject only to the stated conditions in the Act.
Progress reports on implementation of the High Level Review Panel Report were presented to the Parliament Joint Standing Committee on Inteligence (JSCI). The Honourable D Kohler, Member of Parliament can access these progress report from the JSCI.
19 December 2020 - NW2127
Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister of State Security
Whether the State Security Agency has a vetting backlog; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what are the relevant details including the (i) total figures and (ii) reasons for the backlog and (b) by what date is the backlog likely to be cleared?
Reply:
Reply to this Parliamentary Question has been logged with the Parliament Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI).
19 December 2020 - NW2247
Kohler-Barnard, Ms D to ask the Minister of State Security
(1) With reference to the recommendations of the High Level Panel report, (a) what has been done to deal with the politicisation and factionalisation within the State Security Agency (SSA) and (b) how has the issue of those with liberation struggle background who are unable to separate their professional responsibilities from their political inclinations been dealt with; (2) how far along is the dismantling of the parallel structures created under the Zuma era, in breach of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, and legislation; (3) how far along is the reversal of the amalgamation of National Intelligence Agency and SA Secret Service into the SSA; (4) (a) who has been held to account for the moves referred to above and (b) on what date will action be taken against the responsible person(s)?
Reply:
Reply to this Parliamentary Question has been logged with the Parliament Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI), which has also received briefing on the Progress with regard to the implementation of the recommendations in the High Level Review Panel Report.
19 December 2020 - NW2775
Marawu, Ms TL to ask the Minister of State Security
Given the growing influence of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) that has spread from Tanzania to Mozambique where innocent citizens were beheaded recently, what (a) is the likelihood that ISIS is already operating in the Republic and (b) steps has her department taken to thwart such a threat?
Reply:
This Parliamentary question deal with sensitive State Security Agency operational issues, of which Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI) in Parliament has been created to deal with. Accordinly, reply to this parliamentary question has been submitted to the Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI).
19 December 2020 - NW2249
Kohler-Barnard, Ms D to ask the Minister of State Security
(1) With reference to the recommendations of the High Level Panel report, referring to wide-ranging resource abuse, (a) has it yet been determined what amount was looted from the State Security Agency slush fund, (b) who took it and (c) where did it go; (2) whether anyone has been charged for the theft; if not, why not; if so, on what date will they appear in court?
Reply:
1. (a)(b)(c) and (2) investigations are still on going.
18 December 2020 - NW2673
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Communications
Whether, with regard to the urgent need to restore financial stability at the public broadcaster, as well as the abrupt departure of a former manager (name furnished) in 2013 who left the employ of the SA Broadcasting Corporation within only a 24-hour notice under a cloud of financial mismanagement, an investigation was ever conducted into the allegation that the specified former manager employed and paid approximately 31 ghost employees for a period of two years; if not, why not; if so, what are the further relevant details in this regard?
Reply:
I have been advised by the SABC as follows:
The SABC confirms that Mr Manamela left the employ of the SABC in 2013. He resigned with immediate effect and stated reasons for leaving as career progression. Furthermore, the SABC confirms that no investigation was ever conducted against Mr Manamela. The SABC has no record of an allegation or complaint of the 31 ghost employees as stated in the question.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
18 December 2020 - NW2975
Sukers, Ms ME to ask the Minister of Basic Education
In view of the reports that public schools will have to choose their source materials that achieve the learning outcomes of the CurriculumĀ and Assessment Policy Statement curriculum before the end of 2020, (a) what is the status of the pilot studies on the Scripted Lesson Plans (SLPs), (b) have the final SLPs been approved and (c) by what date does her department intend to roll out the SLPs nationally?
Reply:
(a) what is the status of the pilot studies on the Scripted Lesson Plans (SLPs), and (b) have the final SLPs been approved:
The Grades 4 - 12 Scripted Lesson Plans have been piloted and approved by the DBE. These are available on the DBE website.
(c) by what date does her department intend to roll out the SLPs nationally?
The SLPs are a teacher tool used to guide the provision of CSE content in the classroom. The roll-out in high HIV burden districts was planned to start in 2020. However, this has been deferred to 2021.
18 December 2020 - NW2193
King, Ms C to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
What (a) total number of housing projects does her department have outstanding in the Buffalo City Municipality since 2016, (b) are the reasons for the delays and (c) date will the beneficiaries occupy the Reconstruction and Development Project housing units in the specified municipality?
Reply:
(a) According to information received from the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Human Settlements, there are six (6) Housing Projects outstanding since 2016.
Data on the Housing Subsidy System (HSS) captured by the Eastern Cape Province indicates that there are 72 projects within the Buffalo City Municipality, with 27 457 beneficiaries registered on them. Of these 72 projects, 27 projects have already been completed since April 2016.
A total of 45 projects have a “running” status which implies that some expenditure has been incurred. These are at various stages of progress but are yet to be completed.
A total of 17 895 housing units have been delivered in terms of the completed and partially completed (running) projects, as at 30 September 2020. This implies that 9 562 units are in projects that are to be completed in the coming years from the 45 (running) projects.
(b) The reasons for the delays in the housing projects are:
- Lack of integrated planning between the Province and Metropolitan Municipality for the provision and linking of bulk infrastructure and the top structure development;
- Delays in electricity connection leading to deferrals in occupation and sometimes illegal invasion;
- Delays in beneficiary verification in cases where the applicant is deceased and heirloom is not confirmed;
- Untraceable beneficiaries as well as illegal occupation of the completed units, especially those that are 95% completed, awaiting final inspections and electricity connection;
- Poor performance of contractors
c) The Eastern Cape Provincial Business Plan (as revised) has indicated that 1 253 houses are planned to be delivered in Buffalo City Municipality during the current (2020/21) financial year. In the financial year 2021/22, 1 377 units are planned to be built by the Buffalo City Municipality, and in the 2022/23 financial year 1 380 units are planned to be constructed.
18 December 2020 - NW2441
Whitfield, Mr AG to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
(1)What is the (a) maximum capacity of the Teebus Tunnel and (b) total volume of water being diverted from the Gariep Dam to the Fish River Valley by the Teebus tunnel per annum; (2) whether the Teebus tunnel is currently being utilised at maximum capacity; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) what is the total volume of water from the scheme that has been allocated per annum to the (a) Great Fish River Water Users Association, (b) Lower Sundays River Water Users Association, (c) Glen Melville Dam and (d) Lower Fish Permit Area?
Reply:
(1)(a) The maximum capacity of the Teebus Tunnel is 40 m3/s.
(b) The volumes being diverted vary per operational year. The table below indicates the volumes (million m3/annum) diverted over the past six years:
Year |
2014-2015 |
2015-2016 |
2016-2017 |
2017-2018 |
2018-2019 |
2019-2020 |
Volume Million m3/a |
757 |
779 |
756 |
727 |
774 |
801 |
(2) The maximum transfer capacity through the tunnel is only implemented when both Gariep and Van Der Kloof dams are spilling in order to maximise the use of water resources and improve the water quality. The monthly transfers are based on the water requests from the Great Fish Water Users Association (GFWUA), Lower Sundays River Water Users Association (LSRWUA) coupled with domestic water use and calculated dilution requirements to maintain the acceptable water quality provided to the LSRWUA.
(3)(a) The total volume of water from the scheme that has been allocated per annum is as follows:
- Great Fish River Water Users Association: The farms in the northern part of the valley between Teebus and Elandsdrift have an allocation of 13 500 m3/ha/a, while those between Elandsdrift and Middleton receive 12 500 m3/ha/a, with a total water allocation of 426 million m3/a for the scheduled area of 32 565 ha. The allocations apply at “farm gate”. An additional provision of 25% (106 million m3/a) has been allocated for canal distribution losses.
(b) For the Lower Sundays River Water Users Association, the current scheduled area for the LSRWUA is 18 845 ha at 9 000 m3/ha/a (170 million m3/a).
(c) For the Glen Melville Dam 1.1 million m3/a is allocated to supply Grahamstown.
(d) The Lower Fish Permit Area is part of the Great Fish River Water Users Association with the scheduled area of 32 565 ha, amounting to an allocation of 426 million m3/a.
18 December 2020 - NW2767
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Communications
(1)Which public relations (PR) company has been hired to clean up the image of the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC); (2)(a) what is the total monetary value of the specified contract and (b) why was it deemed necessary to hire a PR company to do work for the SABC considering that the SABC does have an internal PR component and personnel; (3) Whether proper procurement processes were followed to appoint the specified PR company; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
I have been advised by the SABC as follows:
(1) PR WORX
(2)(a) R2,3 million including VAT
(2)(b) To further add to the SABC’s turnaround strategy, addressing and better managing its reputation and corporate image is a priority for the broadcaster. The SABC therefore sought a suitably qualified and competent firm as the reputation management; corporate image building; and market research services that the SABC required, were not available from an internal skillset and resource perspective.
(3) Proper procurement processes were duly followed to appoint the PR company. The SABC went on an open and competitive tender via the SABC website and E-tender portal. A compulsory briefing session took place with all interested agencies on 20 February 2020. The tender closed on 4 March 2020. The evaluation process commenced on 10 March 2020. All due diligence was performed and only when the SABC was satisfied that it had found a suitable service provider that understood the scope of work, and possessed the necessary experience to effectively execute the stipulated reputation mandate, was the contract awarded on 29 June 2020. The SABC then entered into an agreement with PR Worx as the agency of choice on 2 July 2020 for a 12-month period.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
18 December 2020 - NW2424
Van Damme, Ms PT to ask the Minister of Communications
1. What total number of (a) national and/or provincial departments, (b) municipalities and (c) state entities owe money to the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC); 2. what is the name of each specified (a) department, (b) municipality and/or (c) state entity that owes money to the SABC; 3. (a) what total amount is owed in each case, (b) what is the nature of each specified debt, (c) for how long has each debt been outstanding and (d) what plans are in place to recover each debt owed?
Reply:
I have been advised by the SABC as follows:
1. Government departments owe money to two divisions of the SABC that is TV Licences and Advertising. The following is in accordance with the TV Licence database:
(1)(a) A total of 20 National departments have outstanding TV licence fees balances. 126 Provincial departments have outstanding licence fees,
(1)(b) A total of 249 municipality accounts owe television licence fees
(1)(c) A total of 57 SOEs have outstanding TV licence fees on their accounts.
The following with regard to SABC Sales (Advertising):
National Department: 3
Provincial Departments: 24
Municipalities: 6
SOEs: 8
(2)(a) National/Provincial Departments
Department |
Segments |
Province |
Government Communications |
National |
National |
National Department of Health |
National |
National |
Department of Trade and Industry |
National |
National |
Department of Education Polokwane |
Provincial |
Limpopo |
Free State Department of Health |
Provincial |
Free State |
KZN Department of Health |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Department of Education and North West |
Provincial |
North West |
Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature |
Provincial |
Eastern Cape |
Free State Department of Provincial Treasury |
Provincial |
Free State |
Department of Health North West |
Provincial |
North West |
KZN Department of Transport |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Department of Public Works Polokwane |
Provincial |
Limpopo |
Department of Community Safety and Liaison |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Department of Co-operative Governance - KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Kwa-Zulu Natal Education Department |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Department of Health Mmabatho |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
The office of the Premier KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
KZN Provincial Treasury |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Premiers Office Mpumalanga |
Provincial |
Mpumalanga |
Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury |
Provincial |
Eastern Cape |
North West Legislature |
Provincial |
North West |
Department Sport, Art and Culture - Mpumalanga |
Provincial |
Mpumalanga |
Department of Human Settlements KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Department of Agriculture KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Department of Social Development KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Department of Agriculture Mpumalanga |
Provincial |
Mpumalanga |
Department of Human Settlements Mpumalanga |
Provincial |
Mpumalanga |
(b) Municipalities
Department |
Segments |
Province |
Ethekwini Municipality |
Municipality |
Kwa-Zulu natal |
Mopani District Municipality |
Municipality |
Limpopo |
Thabo Mofutsanyana District |
Municipality |
Free State |
Umzinyathi District Council |
Municipality |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
Maluti A Phofung Local Municipality |
Municipality |
Free State |
Nkangala District Municipality |
Municipality |
Mpumalanga |
(c) State Owned Entities
Names |
Segments |
Province |
Compensation Funds Pty Ltd |
SOE |
National |
Legal Aid South Africa |
SOE |
National |
South African Social Security Agency |
SOE |
National |
Sassa Province of the Eastern |
SOE |
Eastern Cape |
Western Cape Conservation Board |
SOE |
Western Cape |
Small Enterprise Finance Agency Ltd |
SOE |
National |
Ithala Soc Ltd |
SOE |
Kwazulu Natal |
Auditor-General |
SOE |
National |
3. (a) TV License
Departments |
Amount Owe |
National Departments |
R1 688 295.30 |
Provincial Departments |
R18 694 129.47 |
Municipalities |
R6 302 170.10 |
SOEs |
R1 595 601.76 |
Sales Advertising
Departments |
Amount Owe |
National Departments |
R13,139,832 |
Provincial Departments |
R 9,221,629 |
Municipalities |
R 2,343,711 |
SOEs |
R 4,535,975 |
(b) The debt is for TV licence and sales (Advertising)
(c) Sales Advertising
Department |
Segment |
PROVINCE |
TERMS |
Total Outstanding |
Ethekwini Municipality |
Municipality |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
1,179,182 |
Mopani District Municipality |
Municipality |
Limpopo |
30 days |
950,000 |
Thabo Mofutsanyana District |
Municipality |
Free State |
30 days |
89,944 |
Umzinyathi District Council |
Municipality |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
58,538 |
Maluti A Phofung Local Municipality |
Municipality |
Free State |
30 days |
54,165 |
Nkangala District Municipality |
Municipality |
Mpumalanga |
30 days |
11,881 |
Total Municipality |
2,343,711 |
|||
Government Communication And |
National |
National |
30 Days |
12,272,622 |
National Department of Health |
National |
National |
30 Days |
840,823 |
Department of Trade and Industry |
National |
National |
30 Days |
26,388 |
Total National Departments |
13,139,832 |
|||
Department of Education Polokwane |
Provincial |
Limpopo |
30 days |
1,904,762 |
Free State Department of Health |
Provincial |
Free State |
30 days |
862,500 |
KZN Department of Health Communication |
Provincial |
Kwazulu Natal |
30 days |
708,996 |
Department of Education and North West |
Provincial |
North West |
30 days |
701,247 |
Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature |
Provincial |
Eastern Cape |
30 days |
659,749 |
Free State Department Of Provincial Treasury |
Provincial |
Free State |
30 days |
575,000 |
Department of Health North West |
Provincial |
North West |
30 days |
453,282 |
KZN Department of Transport |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
421,274 |
Department of Public Works Polokwane |
Provincial |
Limpopo |
30 days |
416,566 |
Department of Community Safety and Liaison |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
405,375 |
Department of Co-operative Governance - KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
381,967 |
Kwa-Zulu Natal Education Department |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
373,371 |
Department of Health Mmabatho |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
215,296 |
The Office of the Premier KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
186,818 |
KZN Provincial Treasury |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
163,254 |
Premiers Office Mpumalanga |
Provincial |
Mpumalanga |
30 days |
158,107 |
Eastern Cape Provincial Treasury |
Provincial |
Eastern Cape |
30 days |
126,500 |
North West Legislature |
Provincial |
North West |
30 days |
105,727 |
Department Sport, Art And Culture - Mpumalanga |
Provincial |
Mpumalanga |
30 days |
97,257 |
Department of Human Settlements KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
91,931 |
Department of Agriculture KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
82,189 |
Department of Social Development KZN |
Provincial |
Kwa-Zulu Natal |
30 days |
65,723 |
Department of Agriculture Mpumalanga |
Provincial |
Mpumalanga |
30 days |
51,957 |
Department of Human Settlements Mpumalanga |
Provincial |
Mpumalanga |
30 days |
12,782 |
Total Provincial Departments |
9,221,629 |
|||
Compensation Funds Pty Ltd |
SOE |
National |
30 days |
3,760,219 |
Legal Aid South Africa |
SOE |
National |
30 days |
359,649 |
South African Social Security Agency |
SOE |
National |
30 days |
172,638 |
SASSA Province Of The Eastern |
SOE |
Eastern Cape |
30 days |
96,773 |
Western Cape Conservation Board |
SOE |
Western Cape |
30 days |
56,870 |
Small Enterprise Finance Agency Ltd |
SOE |
National |
30 days |
36,819 |
Ithala SOC Ltd |
SOE |
Kwazulu Natal |
30 days |
29,360 |
Auditor General |
SOE |
National |
30 days |
23,649 |
Total SOE |
4,535,975 |
|||
TOTAL ALL GOVERNMENT |
29,241,147 |
Note: For more information of sales (advertising) attached is the spreadsheet
Attached is a PDF documents with regards to how long is the TV license debt outstanding
(d) The SABC continues to follow its collection processes to collect outstanding debts by communicating these balances to the departments and SOEs. However, “special” additional campaigns commenced in the month of October with priority on SOEs. Intervention through the Group Chief Executive Officer’s communique is planned for distribution in the months to follow to all the departments and municipalities.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
18 December 2020 - NW2173
Marawu, Ms TL to ask the Minister of Communications
Whether, based on Mr Edwin Sodiās recent testimony at the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Allegations of State Capture, Corruption and Fraud in the Public Sector including Organs of State, which implicated her Deputy Minister as a beneficiary of Mr Sodiās company, her Deputy Minister declared the funds she had received in accordance with the requirements of the Executive Membersā Ethics Act, Act 82 of 1998, to the Registrar of Membersā Interests in Parliament; if not, what (a) total number of contracts have been awarded to Mr Sodiās company under her leadership in her (i) previous and (ii) current executive position and (b) is the monetary value of each specified contract so awarded?
Reply:
I have been advised by the Deputy Minister as follows:
a) No payments were made in the current financial year as well as in the previous financial years.
b) Not applicable.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
18 December 2020 - NW2674
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Communications
Whether, with regard to reports that the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) News Division has spent R1,8Ā million on bulletproof vests for staff, she will furnish Ms L van der Merwe with the relevant details as to (a) on what date the vests were deemed necessary equipment for SABC staff, (b) which company received the tender, (c) the total number of vests that were purchased, (d) the total cost per unit vest and (e) which staff members the vests were assigned to; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) Whether she will confirm that the SABC incurred an R11 million independent contractors wage bill for its News Division for July 2020 alone, which constitutes a R4 million increase from the previous month; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details in this regard, (b) is it the case that the SABC cannot function and/or execute its mandate with its current staff complement only and (c) what is the SABCās total spend on independent contractors from 1 April 2020 up to the latest specified date for which information is available; (3) what is the (a) SABCās total legal bill as at the latest specified date for which information is available and (b) total breakdown of amounts spent per legal firm; (4) whether, with regard to the lockdown period, wherein the SABC News Division made use of the Nasrec facilities for a period of five months for the rental fee of R1 million a month (details furnished), she will justify the overspending during a time where austerity measures should have been the primary motivator behind spending; if not, why not; if so, what are the further relevant details; (5) what measures has she put in place to ensure that the low staff morale at the SABC is addressed?
Reply:
I have been advised by the SABC as follows:
(1)(a) The signed Business Case was received by SCM on the 9 March 2018. This is a date in which vests were deemed necessary equipment for staff in the SABC News Division.
(1)(b) Mayehlome Communications
(1)(c) A total of 100 vests with various sizes were purchased
(1)(d)
Bullet proof vest Sizes |
Number |
Price per Unit (Excl. VAT) |
Price per Unit (Incl. VAT) |
Total Price |
Medium |
25 |
R9,305.88 |
R10,701.76 |
R267,544.05 |
Large |
25 |
R9,667.35 |
R11,117.45 |
R277,936.31 |
X-Large |
25 |
R10,175.28 |
R11,701.57 |
R292,539.30 |
XX-Large |
25 |
R10,978.53 |
R12,625.31 |
R315,632.74 |
TOTAL PRICE |
R1,153,652.40 |
(1)(e) The vests are to be distributed equitably to all SABC News offices and not assigned to individual reporters.
(2) Yes, the wage bill for July 2020 was R11 million which was R9 million actual paid, plus a further R2 million for accrued expenses and not R4 million as alleged.
(2)(a) During the hard lockdown period, journalists were complemented by the independent contractors, and this is the period that more COVID-19 cases were reported in the News Division, and freelancers were utilised.
(2)(b) The nature of the SABC news operation is such that services of independent contractors are indispensable.
(2)(c) The total independent contractors spend from April to October 2020 is R58.4 million.
(3)(a) Total = R65 351 000.00
(3)(b) Total breakdown is as per attached Annexure A.
4. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the SABC used the Nasrec Sentech DR site for a period of about 6 months free of charge. This was the agreement between SABC and Sentech which was extended to the end of September 2020.
5. The SABC has a Wellness Centre which conducts wellness programmes for all SABC employees. Individual counselling is also available for employees with such needs. An assistance programme will be rolled out for all employees affected by the Labour Relations Act section 189 process.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
18 December 2020 - NW2698
Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Communications
With reference to a certain post (details furnished) within the Department of Communications being filled by a Ms Kamogelo Mgotsi, what (a) is the level of the specified position and (b) level was the specified person appointed at?
Reply:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
The person in question is not an employee of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
18 December 2020 - NW2906
Abrahams, Ms ALA to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
(1)Whether her department has any data on the growth of the social housing sector since the start of the Social Housing Initiative to date; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) what is the total number of the social housing units that have been built in each (a) province and (b) municipality since the start of the Social Housing Initiative?
Reply:
(1) Yes.
(2) Below is the table outlining the number of social housing units in each province and municipality since the inception of the social housing programme.
Province and District Municipality |
No. of Projects Awarded |
Prior to 2014* |
2014/15 |
2015/16 |
2016/17 |
2017/18 |
2018/19 |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
GP |
30 |
607 |
423 |
1423 |
698 |
2198 |
1575 |
2140 |
278 |
City of Johannesburg |
14 |
586 |
341 |
1423 |
267 |
475 |
981 |
258 |
|
City of Tshwane |
8 |
21 |
82 |
281 |
853 |
288 |
822 |
||
Ekurhuleni |
5 |
150 |
100 |
246 |
592 |
||||
Mogale City |
1 |
770 |
60 |
300 |
|||||
Merafong |
2 |
168 |
278 |
||||||
KZN |
7 |
|
520 |
623 |
888 |
551 |
|
|
|
Amajuba |
1 |
253 |
550 |
149 |
|||||
eThekwini |
6 |
520 |
370 |
338 |
402 |
||||
EC |
8 |
531 |
368 |
150 |
250 |
72 |
522 |
452 |
|
Buffalo City |
2 |
184 |
102 |
||||||
Nelson Mandela Bay |
6 |
347 |
368 |
150 |
250 |
72 |
420 |
452 |
|
WC |
6 |
370 |
128 |
672 |
329 |
|
|
304 |
|
City of Cape Town |
6 |
370 |
128 |
672 |
329 |
304 |
|||
FS |
4 |
|
614 |
82 |
173 |
250 |
187 |
|
|
Mangaung |
4 |
614 |
82 |
173 |
250 |
187 |
|||
MP |
2 |
|
|
104 |
|
|
|
114 |
|
Nkangala |
2 |
104 |
114 |
||||||
NW |
1 |
|
|
|
720 |
448 |
|
|
|
Matlosana |
1 |
720 |
448 |
||||||
Total |
58 |
1508 |
2053 |
3054 |
3058 |
3519 |
2284 |
3010 |
278 |
Cumulative Number |
|
1508 |
3561 |
6615 |
9673 |
13192 |
15476 |
18486 |
18764 |
18 December 2020 - NW2442
Gumbi, Mr HS to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
(1)What is the average percentage water loss per annum in terms of the allocation to the (a) Great Fish River Water Users Association, (b) Lower Sundays River Water Users Association, (c) Glen Melville Dam and (d) Lower Fish Permit Area; (2) what infrastructure upgrades does her department envisage that will (a) ensure increased efficiency and (b) reduce water loss in terms of the allocation to the (i) Great Fish River Water Users Association, (ii) Lower Sundays River Water Users Association, (iii) Glen Melville Dam and (iv) Lower Fish Permit Area; (3) whether her department does the water infrastructure upgrades in respect of the infrastructure that supports the (a) Great Fish River Water Users Association, (b) Lower Sundays River Water Users Association, (c) Glen Melville Dam and (d) Lower Fish Permit Area?
Reply:
(1)(a) The average percentage water loss per annum in terms of the allocation to the Great Fish River Water Users Association in terms of the allocation is as follows:
Annual allocation (Mm3 ) |
Average annual water loss (Mm3) |
Percentage (%) water losses |
426 |
106.5 |
25% |
(b) The average percentage water loss per annum in terms of the allocation to the Lower Sundays River Water Users Association in terms of the allocation is as follows:
Annual allocation (Mm3 ) |
Average water loss (Mm3) |
Percentage (%) Water Losses |
170 |
19 |
11.3% |
(c) The average percentage water loss per annum in terms of the allocation to the Glen Melville Dam in terms of the allocation is as follows:
Annual allocation (Mm3 ) |
Average annual water loss (Mm3) |
Percentage (%) Water Losses |
110 |
16.5 |
15% |
(d) The average percentage water loss per annum in terms of the allocation to the Lower Fish Permit Area forms part of Greater Fish River Water User Association (GFRWUA), therefore GFRWUA’s water loss also incorporates the Lower Fish Permit Area.
(2)(a)&(b) The short-listed Water Use Efficiency (WUE) interventions which were identified and screened as part of Water Reconciliation Strategy for the Algoa Water Supply System - Orange River Project/Nooitgedacht Low-Level Scheme are as follows:
(b)(i) The lining of the 500 km earth canals in the GFRWUA (Intervention 1) is not recommended to be considered further for the purposes of this study, as the relative cost of water saved of this intervention is far too high. The lining of prioritised “hot spot” canal sections (about 10% of the total 500 km earth canals) is likely a more feasible option as this will potentially lead to substantial volumes of water saved at a relative lower cost. The compulsory removal of overgrown riparian vegetation in and along the GFRWUA earth canals and ongoing maintenance is recommended.
(ii) Improved measuring and monitoring in the GFRWUA and Lower Sundays River Water User Association (LSRWUA) areas of jurisdiction. Although the potential water saved as a result of the implementation of this intervention was not quantified as part of this study, this intervention will lead to improved management and operation of the system and improved compliance to water allocations and water requests made, and will potentially reduce losses in the process.
(iii) Glen Melville Dam obtains its water from the Orange Fish River Scheme. It is an off-channel storage dam. Water is diverted via the Hermanuskraal Weir via the Ecca Tunnel. When Glen Melville Dam is at 50% of Full Supply Capacity (FSC), water is released from Elandsdrift Weir on the OFS into the Great Fish River to fill Glen Melville Dam to 100% of FSC. This operational procedure occurs 2 or 3 times per annum, depending on the water usage. The GFRWUA and the LSRWUA has no inputs to the operations and maintenance of the Lower Fish Permit Area and fall directly under DWS.
(iv) The Lower Fish Permit Area forms part of Greater Fish River Water User Association (GFRWUA) and Lower Sundays River Water User Association (LSRWUA), and therefore the interventions in GRWUA and LSRWUA are applicable in Lower Fish Permit Area.
(3) The Department of Water and Sanitation, through its National Water Resources Infrastructure (NWRI) branch conducts the Water Resources upgrades in respect of infrastructure related to the Great Fish River Water Users Association, Lower Sundays River Water Users Association, Glen Melville Dam and Lower Fish Permit Area. Currently, the rehabilitation of Darlington Dam is the major project that is being planned.
18 December 2020 - NW2880
Mohlala, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
Given that the Dr J S Moroka Local Municipality in Mpumalanga has collapsed due to maladministration, where R18 million that was meant for drought relief was stolen and R8 million was spent on 10 boreholes while residents buy water from tankers owned by local councillors, what plans has her department put in place to ensure that the community of the Nkangala District in the specified municipality is connected to bulk infrastructure services of her department, such as water and sanitation?
Reply:
(a) The Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality relies on raw water supply from the Mkhombo Dam which is located North West of Siyabuswa. The dam level has drastically declined to approximately 2% due to severe drought being experienced in the Eland River Catchment Area. In order to assist in addressing the drought at the municipality, the following measures have been put in place and/or are proposed:
(i) As a short term relief measure, the Department has allocated 64 water storage tanks for the Dr JS Moroka Municipality. The interventions included the supply, delivery and installation of the water storage tanks in areas identified by the Municipality. However, due to inadequate sources of bulk water supply as a result of the ongoing scourge of drought in the Western Highveld, the municipality is unable to fill up the installed water storage tanks regularly.
(ii) In the medium term, there is a joint partnership intervention with the Mpumalanga Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and Nkangala District Municipality to support the Dr JS Local Municipality with the drilling of 19 boreholes through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant at an estimated cost of R12,2 million. The boreholes are expected to be completed within the 2020/21 municipal financial year.
Furthermore, there are approved interventions in place that are currently being undertaken and implemented as a matter of urgency to address the current water supply shortages in the Dr JS Moroka local municipality due to the prevailing drought that include:
- Refurbishment of the bulk pipelines from Mthombo Balancing Dam to the Weltevreden Water Treatment Plant raw water abstraction works;
- Refurbishment of the Mthombo Weireir.
These interventions will provide 6 mega litres of water per day on completion. The cost of the interventions were assessed and quantified to be R40.5 million, and were recommended by the Department of Water and Sanitation for implementation under the Municipal Infrastructure Grant. The expected completion date for these interventions is 30 September 2021.
(iii) In the long term, the bulk water requirements for the Mathanjana Cluster in the Dr JS Moroka Local Municipality shall be addressed through the Rust de Winter Bulk Water Supply Scheme. The proposed bulk water scheme project is at the Implementation Readiness Study and will be completed within the current financial year. The project implementation is expected to start in 2021/22 national financial year. The scheme is intended to serve the western part of the municipality, targeting a population of 88 000, projected over a 20-year horizon.
18 December 2020 - NW2868
Ngwezi, Mr X to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
(1)What progress has been made with the distribution of the R600 million that formed part of her departmentās response to the COVID-19 pandemic that was allocated as rental relief to tenants occupying affordable housing, in order to assist tenants to meet their monthly rental obligations; (2) what are the relevant details of (a) the selection criteria, including the means test, that were utilised to determine who was eligible for the specified funds, (b) how the specified budget has been spent and (c) the number of tenants who have been allocated at each (i) provincial and (ii) municipal level?
Reply:
(1) The South African Government remains committed to providing support to the persons and households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and has introduced a number of measures including the declaration of a state of disaster under the Disaster Management Act, 2002, to support households affected by the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with specific reference to persons and/or households renting accommodation. The intent of the Residential Rent Relief Scheme (RRS) is to provide temporary financial relief for residential low-income tenants and landlords in circumstances where tenants have been unable and are unable to meet their rental obligations as a consequence of financial distress associated with the COVID-19 lockdown. While the assistance is targeted to the tenant, a landlord will receive a secondary benefit in the form of security of income.
(2)(a) Funds should benefit all the tenants occupying affordable rental housing whether in the unsubsidized and state subsidized rental sectors.
(b) No funds have been used to date.
(c) No allocations have been made to date. A detailed policy framework for the Residential Rent Relief Scheme Programme is currently being developed by the National Department of Human which will provide guidelines.
18 December 2020 - NW2121
Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister of State Security
(a) What total number of recommendations in the High Level Review Panel of the State Security Agency (i) has been successfully implemented and (ii) still need to be implemented and (b)(i) on what date will the remaining recommendations be implemented and (ii) what are the timelines in this regard?
Reply:
Reply to this Parliamentary Question has been logged with the Parliament Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence (JSCI), which has also received briefing on the Progress with regard to the implementation of the recommendations in the High Level Review Panel Report.
17 December 2020 - NW2587
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1)Whether he has found that certain persons (names furnished) are within the borders of the Republic illegally; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the further relevant details; (2) (a) how did the illegality arise and (b) which officials will be held accountable; (3) what are the details of his plans to deal with the dire challenges of the immigration system such as (a) the ever-growing number of undocumented migrants within the Republicās borders, (b) reports that illegal migrants are favoured for jobs, (c) corruption within his department which leads to the selling of South African documentation such as IDs and other permits and (d) an abuse of the refugee and asylum seeker system by some individuals?
Reply:
(1) They were found to have been issued in June 2016 with permanent residence permits in terms of a provision in the Immigration Act 13 of 2020 they did not qualify for, not having met its requirements. The application did not, inter alia, comprise of proof of the financial guarantees (prescribed minimum net worth in the amount of R12 million plus an undertaking that the applicant will pay R120 000 to the Director-General).
(2)(a) A Non-Profit organisation was used to process the application, despite the fact that it is not regarded as a business.
(2)(b) The investigation is proceeding into the application and adjudication methods and disciplinary proceedings will be initiated on completion of the evidence collection process.
(3)(a) Inspectorate is engaged nationally in the detection of illegal immigration activity through investigations, joint operations with other law enforcement agencies and inspections of entities including businesses.
(3)(b) It is not apparent what reports are being referred to and therefore the question is not substantiated.
(3)(c) In mitigation, the Department has prioritised modernisation of its visa and permitting system to ensure that all priority categories of face value documents are subject to independent clearance phases through the use of an electronic Visa Adjudication System (VAS). Ongoing development of the VAS system is being undertaken to incorporate all categories of visas and permits and thus eliminate manual files and work processes.
(3)(d) The abuse of the asylum system in the main stems from porous borders and the delays in finalizing asylum applications. In this regard the department is finalizing the operationalization of the BMA, whilst amendments were made on the Refugee Act to allow proper capacity at SCRA and RAASA to be able to conclude asylum applications within the prescribed turnaround times.
END
17 December 2020 - NW2311
Van Damme, Ms PT to ask the Minister of Communications
Whether (a) her department and (b) any entities reporting to her paid any bonuses to senior officials in the past two financial years; if so, in each specified case, (i) to whom and (ii) what total amount was paid; (2) whether the specified bonuses were performance-based; if not, what is the justification for each bonus; if so, in each case, from which budget were the performance bonuses paid; (3) whether, in each case, (a) a performance agreement was signed with the official and (b) regular performance assessments were conducted; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
I have been advised by the Department and SOCs as follows:
As stated in the Annual Reports to Parliament for the said financial years regarding the department and entities, the details of the payments are as per the tables below, namely;
Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services
1(a) 2017/18:
(i)To whom |
(ii)Amount Paid |
||
(DTPS) Senior Managers |
Yes, cash bonuses were paid to deserving senior managers in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 financial years |
Performance bonuses paid for the 2017/18 financial year The following senior managers received cash bonuses in the 2017/18 financial year:
|
The total amount of cash bonuses paid to the senior managers above was R380 565.36 and the budget came from the 1.5% allocated budget from the compensation budget. |
2018/2019:
(i)To whom |
(ii)Amount Paid |
||
DTPS |
Performance bonuses paid for the 2018/19 financial year The following senior managers received cash bonuses in the 2018/19 financial year:
|
The total amount of cash bonuses paid to the senior managers above was R499 660.23 and the budget came from the 1.5% allocated budget from the compensation budget. |
- Yes, the bonuses were performance based. The senior managers were found to have performed above what was expected of them in relation to their signed performance agreements in the Moderation Committee meetings and the payment of incentives was approved by the Minister.
3(a) Yes, all senior managers were assessed based on signed performance agreements and performance assessments.
3(b) Yes, all senior managers who received bonuses had mid-term reviews with their supervisors.
Department of Communications
1(a) 2017/2018:-
(i)To whom |
(ii)Amount Paid |
||
Department of Communications (DoC) Senior Managers |
Yes, cash bonuses were paid to deserving senior managers in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 financial years |
Performance bonuses paid 2017/18 financial year The following senior managers received cash bonuses in the 2017/18 financial year:
|
The total amount of cash bonuses paid to the senior managers above was R303 455.68 and the budget came from the 1.5% allocated budget from the compensation budget. |
2018/2019:-
(i)To whom |
(ii)Amount Paid |
||
DoC |
Performance bonuses paid 2018/19 financial year The following senior managers received cash bonuses in the 2018/19 financial year:
|
The total amount of cash bonuses paid to the senior managers above was R163 241.04 and the budget came from the 1.5% allocated budget from the compensation budget. |
- Yes, the bonuses were performance based. The senior managers were found to have performed above what was expected of them in relation to their signed performance agreements in the Moderation Committee meetings and the payment of incentives was approved by the Minister.
3(a) All senior managers were assessed based on signed performance agreements and performance assessments.
3(b) Yes, all senior managers who received bonuses had mid-term reviews against their signed PAs with their supervisors.
State Owned Entities
1(b)
Entity |
Financial Year |
(i)To whom |
(ii)Amount Paid |
ZADNA |
Yes, for FY 2018/19 only |
|
|
TOTAL |
R93 979.00 |
||
SABC |
No |
N/A |
N/A |
Film and Publication Board (FPB) |
Yes, for FY 2018/19 |
|
|
TOTAL |
R79 743.23 |
||
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) |
Yes, FY 2017/2018 |
|
|
TOTAL 2018 |
R1 813 700.24 |
||
Yes, FY 2018/2019 |
|
||
TOTAL 2019 |
R2 222 738.77 |
||
Broadband Infraco (BBI) |
No |
N/A |
N/A |
Nemisa |
Yes, FY 2018/19 only |
|
|
TOTAL 2018/19 |
R 394 326.00 |
||
Sentech |
Yes, FY 2017/18 & FY 2018/19 |
|
|
TOTAL 2017/18 FY |
R2 192 805.64 |
||
TOTAL 2018/19 FY |
R3 250 597.17 |
||
State Information Technology Agency (SITA) |
Yes, 2018/19 only |
|
|
TOTAL |
R348 761. 91 |
||
Postbank |
No |
N/A |
N/A |
USAASA |
No |
N/A |
N/A |
SAPO |
No |
N/A |
N/A |
2. ZADNA, FPB, ICASA , Nemisa, Sentech, and SITA indicated that the bonuses paid were performance-based. (The question is not applicable to the SABC, BBI, Postbank , USAASA and SAPO as no bonuses were paid during the during the financial years in question)
3(a)&(b) ZADNA, FPB, ICASA, BBI, Nemisa, Sentech and SITA confirmed that performance agreements were signed and regular performance assessments were conducted. (The question is not applicable to the SABC, BBI, Postbank , USAASA and SAPO as no bonuses were paid during the during financial years in question)
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
17 December 2020 - NW2544
Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Communications
With reference to the announcement made by the President, Mr M C Ramaphosa, on 9 April 2019 of a 30-member Presidential Fourth Industrial Revolution Commission to provide the Republic with a digital transformation strategy plan, (a) what are the names of the current members of the specified commission, (b) what are the reasons that the commission only present the plan to the President in August 2020 and (c) on what date will her department be presented with the commissionās report?
Reply:
I have been advised as follows:
- Names of current members of the Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution:
- Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala
- Prof. Chris Adendorff
- Ms Beth Arendse
- Mr Mpho Dagada
- Mr Thulani Dlamini
- Mr Abdul Esakjee
- Dr Bernard Fanaroff
- Dr Micheal Gastrow
- Mr Xolile George
- Ms Chairmaine Houvet
- Dr Prince Jaca
- Mr Tervern Jaftha
- Mr Shameel Joosub
- Ms Nomso Kana
- Ms Marinda Kellerman (resigned)
- Mr Baxolile Mabinya
- Mr Rendani Mamphiswana
- Ms Lindiwe Matlali
- Ms Busisiwe Mbuyisa
- Ms Nomvula Mkhonza
- Mr Vukani Mngxati
- Mr Joseph Ndaba
- Dr Nompumelelo Happworth-Obokoh
- Mr Rendani Ramabulana
- Dr Leon Rolls
- Mr Rob Shuter
- Dr Sibongiseni Thotsejane
- Mr Aubrey Tsabalala
- Mr Gerhard van Deventer
- Mr Ben Venter
- Ms S’onqoba Vuba
b) Mr Andile NgcabaThe advent of the COVID-19 in March 2020 prompted that the planned presentation to the President in March 2020 be postponed accommodating the availability of the President. The confirmed date for presentation to the President was 06 August 2020. The diagnostic report was also presented to the President on 07 November 2019.
c) The report was presented to the department on 21 January 2020.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
17 December 2020 - NW2488
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
What (a) is the total backlog of (i) asylum applications of asylum seekers, (ii) the Refugee Appeal Board and (iii) the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs and (b) total number of cases have been finalised in the period 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020 by (i) the Refugee Appeal Board and (ii) the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs?
Reply:
(a)(i) As at 30 June 2020 there were 3656 cases at RSDO level.
(a)(ii) The total number of cases at the Refugee Appeal Board (Now Refugee Appeals Authority) is 123 424 as at 18 September 2020
MONTHS |
APRIL 2020 TO SEPTEMBER 2020 |
|||||||||
No. of Cases heard |
No. of Cases finalized and decisions issued |
No. of cases Confirmed as unfounded |
No of cases upheld |
No of condonations dismissed |
No of condonations granted |
No of no show cases |
No. of Cases referred back to RROs (RSDO) |
No of cases cancelled |
||
DESMOND TUTU |
0 |
376 |
14 |
34 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
115 |
323 |
|
MUSINA |
0 |
100 |
51 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
31 |
|
DURBAN |
26 |
308 |
39 |
61 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
207 |
|
CAPE TOWN |
137 |
114 |
21 |
11 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
82 |
|
PORT ELIZABETH |
30 |
83 |
31 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
43 |
|
TOTAL |
193 |
981 |
156 |
127 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
115 |
686 |
(a)(iii) The Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs (SCRA) has a backlog of 38185 cases for all the five centre with the majority of cases being at the Desmond Tutu RRO. These are active cases.
(b)(i) The Refugee Appeal Board (Now Refugee Appeals Authority) finalised 981 cases.
(b)(ii) SCRA has finalised 4672 cases.
NO OF CASES REVIEWED |
UPHELD |
SET ASIDE |
REFERRED BACK |
TOTAL FINALIZED |
COMMENT |
4672 |
4096 |
400 |
176 |
4672 |
These cases were only attended to at the Desmond Tutu RRO during the level 3-2 lock down. |
END
17 December 2020 - NW2742
Chirwa-Mpungose, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health
What is the (a) total number of graduate doctors in the Republic who (i) are waiting to be placed as interns and (ii) have been interns but are currently unemployed and (b) reason for the delay in the placing of the graduates in hospitals in order to complete their training?
Reply:
a) The total number of graduate doctors in the Republic –
(i) are waiting to be placed as interns is zero for the Annual January 2021 Cycle;
(ii) also, there are no interns currently unemployed.
The National Departmernt of Health has allocated a total of 2,367 medical interns and 1,693 community service: medical service officers who are eligible and qualifying South African Citizens and Permanent Residents to posts.
b) Only applicants who meet the requirements in accordance with employment Regulations in South Africa and are able to commence duty on 01 January 2021 have been allocated.
END.
17 December 2020 - NW2877
Ceza, Mr K to ask the Minister of Health
What urgent actions has his department taken to deal with the (a) overflow of patients, (b) infrastructure debilitation, (c) lack of essential (i) medication and/or drugs and (ii) equipment, (d) dysfunctional water tanks, (e) staff (i) demotivation and/or (ii) resignations and (f) laundry dysfunctionality at the Witbank Provincial Hospital in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga?
Reply:
Information is being collated from all the provinces to enable us to respond to these questions. The full details will be furnished to Parliament as soon as they are received from the provinces.
END.
17 December 2020 - NW2483
Mabika, Mr M to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
Since opening international borders under the risk-based approach travel regulations released by national government on 30 September 2020, (a) what total number of applications for business travel has his department received from (i) Germany, (ii) the United Kingdom, (iii) the United States of America, (iv) France, (v) the Netherlands, (vi) Switzerland and (vii) Japan, (b) what total number of the specified applications were (i) approved and (ii) rejected and (c) what was the average turnaround time for each of the listed countries?
Reply:
a) The total number of applications for business travel received from 1 October to 11 November 2020 was 8,878. Applications are not separated, or processed according to nationality.
b) (i) Approved: 6,778. This figure includes business people including South African permanent residents and long-term visa holders who used this e-mail address. 2,100 applications were in process up until the 11 November 2020.
(ii) Rejected: None. Those who did not meet the requirements were requested to submit outstanding information and their cases were approved once the information was received.
c) All cases are finalised between 1 to 10 days.
END
17 December 2020 - NW2827
Chabangu, Mr M to ask the Minister of Health
(a) On what date will the project commence to refurbish the wards at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa and (b) what amount is budgeted for the project?
Reply:
According to the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health,
a) The project of refurbishing the eight (8) wards as, indicated in the response to Question 2743 by Ms N Chirwa was successfully completed and the wards are fully operational. Below are the dates of occupation achieved for each of the wards:
Ward 1: 13 July 2020
Ward 2: 08 July 2020
Ward 3: 31 July 2020
Ward 4: 28 August 2020
Ward 5: 13 July 2020
Ward 6: 08 July 2020
Ward 7: 28 August 2020
Ward 8: 28 August 2020
b) The refurbishment project was done at a cost of R186,000,000.
END.
17 December 2020 - NW2680
Khanyile, Ms AT to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
What are the details of the steps his department will take to address the backlog caused by the halting of certain services due to the national lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19?
Reply:
- We made an announcement through a government notice on 24 October 2020 to resume all services except Citizenship applications at the Civic Service Branch of the Department. The Department thereby issued a circular to all staff members, regarding Administrative Protocols for the Lockdown, Containment and management of the COVID-19 in the Department under lockdown level 1.
- As a result, the Department has recalled 100% staff capacity, mainly in areas where there are backlogs in order to eliminate such backlogs. Under this circumstance, strict adherence to the lock down level 1 protocols is practiced to contain the spread of COVID 19 by ensuring that officials adhere to the protocols in the workplace by maintaining social distancing, adhering to personal hygiene practices (wearing of masks, sanitizing, washing of hands etc.), and further ensuring sufficient ventilation in all workspaces.
- The Department furthermore engaged its stakeholders in the value chain of its products and services, in particular GPW (Government Printing Works) and Skynet courier services, to work overtime during the week as well as over the weekends to assist the Department in eliminating such backlogs.
- Moreover, the Department has a Business Recovery Plan to deal with backlogs accumulated during lockdown period.
END
17 December 2020 - NW2357
Graham-MarƩ, Ms SJ to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies
(a) What (i) provision has the Post Office made to meet the increase in the numbers of beneficiaries eligible for the Social Relief of Distress Grant payable at the Post Office and (ii) is being done to address the backlog where the Post Office in smaller towns does not have sufficient money to make the payments, (b) which beneficiaries get preference when the cash resources are low and (c) what are the time frames for addressing the backlog of beneficiaries who still have outstanding grants owed to them; (2) whether there is a record of which Post Offices have not been able to meet the demand; if not, why not; if so, what are the names of such Post Offices in each (a) town and (b) province? NW2931E
Reply:
I have been advised by the SAPO as follows:
(1)(a)(i) Available staff members within the SAPO Regions (even from other Business Units) are being utilised to assist with queue management, and the scanning of beneficiaries to ensure that they all have correct SMSes and proper identification documents to speed up the payment process.
(ii) There is no backlog in essence, as all validated beneficiaries (appropriate SMSes and Identification) and the allocated queue numbers (branch capacity) for that specific day are assisted. Cash ordering for payments at branches are done in accordance with predictive models of number of SASSA beneficiaries to collect their payments from the particular Branch on a daily basis. Many clients, however, arrive at Post Offices, having not yet applied for the SRD, not yet approved or prematurely on receipt of only their registration SMSes. The queue management is assisting in this regard and also to educate and inform beneficiaries on what to do.
(b) With the screening of beneficiaries whilst in queue, preference is normally given to those who possess appropriate SMSes to collect their grants. Queue card number systems have also been introduced in Regions which has improved the operations and cash handling and have reduced the influx of beneficiaries without appropriate SMSes.
(c) SRD Grant payments are done continuously throughout the month, except during the first 3–4 days when regular social grants are being paid.
(2)(a)(b) SAPO Branches are generally able to deal with the demand for a specific day, taking into consideration the number of beneficiaries the branch is able to assist per day. Beneficiaries who are not assisted on the day are given a number to return and are then prioritised in the queue. Some SAPO Branches may have been closed due to operational or financial reasons and clients are then referred to the nearest alternative available branches.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
17 December 2020 - NW2738
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
Whether the website of the SA High Commission in London http:www.southafricahouseuk.com/, which has been dysfunctional for several months, is due to technical matter that is being attended to; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what is the time frame for the website to return to being functional?
Reply:
The South African High Commission in London’s contract with its service provider, which hosted the website, expired in August 2020 and it took longer than expected to enter into a contract with a new service provider and to update the content. However, the new website (www.southafricahouse.uk) has been operational since November 2020 and allows High Commission staff to manage the content directly. Civic and immigration documentation is now available for download directly from the website.
17 December 2020 - NW2634
Mackenzie, Mr C to ask the Minister of Communications
Whether the South African Post Office currently holds and / or has ever held a corporate membership at the Irene Country Club in Tshwane; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details with regards to the (a) date the membership was taken out, (b) duration of the membership and (c) total cost of the membership broken down into annual payments since the inception of the membership?
Reply:
I have been advised by the SAPO as follows:
Yes, the SAPO has held a membership at the Irene Country Club.
a) Initial membership commenced on 30/09/2012
b) The membership was from 30/09/2012 to 01/08/2020, for the approximately 8 years.
c) The total cost broken down into annual payments is as follows:
Year |
Amount |
Type |
2012/2013 |
R79 036.80 |
Annual Membership |
2013/2014 |
R87 679.68 |
Annual Membership |
2014/2015 |
R87 679.68 |
Annual Membership |
2015/2016 |
R66 112.90 |
Annual Membership |
2016/2017 |
R71 102.55 |
Annual Membership |
2017/2018 |
R75 368.70 |
Annual Membership |
2018/2019 |
R70 079.67 |
Annual Membership |
2019/2020 |
R80 591.62 |
Annual Membership |
TOTAL |
R617 651.60 |
SAPO further wishes to state that the last payment at the Irene Country Estate was in August 2019 and is terminated and will not be renewed under the circumstances.
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
17 December 2020 - NW2831
Komane, Ms RN to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
What has he found to be causing delays with issuing of identity documents?
Reply:
When level 5 lockdown was implemented on 27 March 2020, there were approximately 20 000 identity documents applications at the Department’s Back Office processing facility.
When the Department re-opened to capture first time applications, it was initially necessary for operations to be conducted with the most essential staff only to adhere to the limitations of the Disaster Management Act protocols (social distancing, wearing of masks, washing of hands as well as ensuring sufficient ventilation).
Furthermore, the Department’s operational facilities are generally open plan offices, consequently, as and when there are confirmed Covid-19 cases, the Department has to release officials who were in contact with a positive case, who must then isolate and are not available for duty, which also causes delays in the finalising and issuing of Identity documents.
END
17 December 2020 - NW2310
Van Damme, Ms PT to ask the Minister of Communications
What is the total number of (a) legal matters in which the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) was the defendant in the past two financial years up to the latest specified date for which information is available and (b) the specified legal matters that were dealt with by (i) the State Attorney and (ii) private counsel during the specified periods; (2) what (a) are the reasons that her department was not represented by the State Attorney in each specified case and (b) total amounts were paid by the SABC to (i) the State Attorney and (ii) private counsel during the specified periods?
Reply:
I have been advised by the SABC as follows:
1. (a) 87
(b)(i) 0
(ii) 29
2. (a) There was no reason for the department to be represented in these matters as they related to the operations of the SABC.
(b) (i) 0
(ii) R 65 351 000.00
MS. STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS, MP
MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
17 December 2020 - NW2739
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1)What (a) number of offices of his department have been offline and unavailable to render services at any time during the month of October 2020 due to the system downtime and (b) has been the total number of downtime in hours for all offices of his department during the month of October 2020 due to (i) State Information and Technology Agency system downtime, (ii) power outages, (iii) faulty office equipment, (iv) last-mile connectivity problems and/or (v) any other specified reason; (2) whether his department has any mechanism in place to advise citizens that any specific office is offline so that they donāt waste time unnecessarily travelling to an office that is offline; if not, (3) whether there are any plans to introduce such an early warning system to prevent citizens from wasting time and money travelling to an office that is offline; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the details of the plans?
Reply:
(1)(a) There were about 7 times in October where system was offline, impacting all Live Capture offices nationwide and there were also incidents affecting individual offices which caused downtime and these include photo booth not working, camera functionality etc.
(1)(b) The current report configuration does not store the downtime in hours but SITA has been requested to create this reports effective 1st of December 2020.
(1)(b)(i) State Information and Technology Agency system downtime,
There are a couple of issues that cause offline or refer to an office as offline. It can be infrastructure issues like cable theft, dependent on as external service provider, Server issues, power outages and application issues or office equipment issues.
(1)(b)(ii) power outages
A consolidated report from SITA is not available for this metric. SITA has been requested to make this report configuration effective 1st of December 2020. There were approximately 20 calls logged for office equipment like FLO (Front Line Officer), Photobooth and some scanners, which did not affect the whole office operations entirely.
(1)(b)(iii) faulty office equipment,
Workstations hardware for Live Capture System (Modernised offices) are actively supported through a 3 year warranty system; and are refreshed every 4 years as per the Tech Refresh Plan. When a workstation required replacement, there is a process to replace computers and peripheral devices that are stored for such purpose both at Head Office and Provincial Head Quarters.
(1)(b)(iv) last-mile connectivity problems and/or (v) any other specified reason
A consolidated report from SITA is not available for this metric. SITA has been requested to make this report configuration effective 1st of December 2020.
(1)(b)(v) Not applicable.
(2) No there is no mechanism in place to proactively inform citizens before travelling as outages are not known upfront or predictable. However Provincial Managers do engage local media to inform Public where major downtimes are experienced and clients are redirected to other offices
(3) The Department is still investigating various options to proactively engage citizens regarding the state of offices.
END
17 December 2020 - NW2583
Phillips, Ms C to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
On what date will the (a) eight new boreholes in Redirele, Derby, in the North West be electrified and provide water to the community and (b) pumps at the existing two boreholes be replaced and/or repaired?
Reply:
Honourable Member, the provision of water to communities is the responsibility of Water Services Authorities (municipalities). The electrification of the boreholes in Redirele Village, including the maintenance of boreholes is the responsibility of Kgetleng Rivier Local Municipality (KRLM).
I wish to point out that the legislative mandate of the Department of Water and Sanitation is to ensure that the country’s water resources are protected, managed, used, developed, conserved and controlled sustainably for the benefit of all people and the environment.
The Water Services Act, 1997 refers to municipalities as Water Service Authorities (WSAs) responsible for distribution (reticulation) of water and to supply sanitation services. The Water Services Act in section 3 outlines the right of access to basic water supply and sanitation which mandates that “everyone has a right of access to basic water supply and basic sanitation” and places the responsibility on Water Services Authorities to ensure that they develop a Water Services Development Plan (WSDP) to ensure the realisation of this right.
Section 11 of the Water Services Act, 1997 mandates that “every Water Services Authority has the duty to all consumers or potential consumers in its area of jurisdiction to progressively ensure efficient, affordable, economical and sustainable access to water services.”
17 December 2020 - NW2946
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
With reference to the Home Affairs office in Nigel which was offline from 13/11/2020 until 18/11/2020 due to a faulty data line, (a) why did it take four working days to repair the faulty data line, (b) which entity and/or service provider is responsible for resolving issues on the data line, (c) what is the resolution turnaround time on a faulty data line as per the service level agreement with the responsible entity and/or service provider, (d) what penalties and/or actions will be taken against the responsible entity and/or service provider in cases where the resolution time exceeded the service level agreement time and (e) why was a mobile unit not provided outside the office to assist citizens while the office was offline for four days?
Reply:
(a) SITA was notified on Friday 13 November 2020 about the faulty data line in Nigel office and were supposed to dispatch the Telkom technician to the site but that did not materialise. Later that day after a remote diagnosis SITA called the DHA Regional IT Officer informing her that there is no sound from the office’s router, they suspected that it was switched off and then asked her to confirm if it had power. It was confirmed to SITA that power was on for the router and pictures were sent as proof and that is when the latter confirmed that it implies that there was nothing wrong on their side with reference number: Ref 20894281
On Monday,16 November 2020 the Regional IT Officer revisited Nigel to check the equipment in liaison with the departmental HQ networks technician and that is when it was confirmed that indeed the router was not responding as the Network Card slot was dead. The card slot was changed but unfortunately that slot was not configured as the password to configure was not working, all passwords were tried and still did not work. On the 17 November 2020, the networks technician managed to crack the password, did new configurations on the other slot and inserted the router as they had removed it on 16 November 2020 and that caused a delay. The matter was resolved late and thus clients could not be assisted and were only attended to on 18 November 2020.
(b) SITA and the internal DHA IT Infrastructure team were responsible for resolving the problem.
(c) In Terms of the Service Level Agreements between SITA and DHA the following are adhered to:
- Mean time to respond is 4 Hours
- Mean Time to Resolve is 16 Hours
(d) The penalties are applied when Service Level Agreements are not met by the service provider in this case the responsibility was on both DHA IT and State Information Technology Agency and the contracts management team will advise on the penalties to be levied if any, due to shared responsibilities.
(e) The allocated and limited number of mobile units have a set schedule and were already deployed as confirmed with various stakeholders as they relieve the offices when there is high influx of clients for management of queues.
END
17 December 2020 - NW2677
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
What (a) total number of temporary asylum seeker permits are currently active as at 1 November 2020 and (b) total number of asylum seekers and/or refugee appeals were turned down over the past 10 years?
Reply:
a) Based on data extracted 11 November 2020 there are 175 461 persons with section 22 permits active.
b) The total number of appeals that were turned down over the past 10 years is 13 572 (as at 12 November 2020).
c)
END
17 December 2020 - NW2754
Thembekwayo, Dr S to ask the Minister of Health
Whether he has been informed that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health has funded four groups of Orthodontist and Prosthetics, and that Groups A and B were placed in 2017 and 2018 respectively in Wentworth Hospital, while Groups C and D have not been placed since 2019; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the reasons that other groups of trained medical workers have not been placed in hospitals yet?
Reply:
The KwaZulu Natal Provincial Department of Health provides students with bursaries with a view that they will return and serve back to the Department, this is done in good faith and is dependent on the Department having the necessary funding to employ the said bursary holders. Unfortunately, the KZN Department of Health is experiencing financial constraints and so is the entire Public Service.
It must be mentioned that the categories mentioned above which are Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics are not the only group of students that were funded by the Department and are yet to be placed for employment.
There are currently 39 bursary holders for Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics that are yet to be placed.
The KZN Health Department has confirmed that it is working with the Office of the Premier and KZN Treasury to find a solution in this regard.
END.
17 December 2020 - NW2768
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1)What total number of staff members do the (a) Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs and (b) Refugee Appeal Board have in each province; (2) (a) what total number of appeals are the specified (i) committee and (ii) board currently seized with and (b) how long will it take to clear the backlog of cases that must be finalised; (3) (a) what total number of asylum seekers and/or refugee appeals were turned down over the past 10 years and (b)(i) how did his department ensure that those who were asked to leave the country did in fact do so and (ii) what number of the specified individuals were deported?
Reply:
1(a) Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs (SCRA) has a Chairperson and 2 members at head office Pretoria (3). Admin Support staff at head office Pretoria is a total twelve (12).
There are no SCRA members at the regions, members at the head office from time to time visit the five centres on rotational basis., process is underway to appoint 2 Members for Desmond Tutu RRO; 1 for Cape Town and PE RRO; 1 for Durban RRO for a period of two years to attend to the backlog. Over and above that 2 additional Members shall be appointed for a period of five years to be based at the SCRA head office.
(1)(b) The Refugee Appeals Board (currently Refugee Appeals Authority) have the following staff in numbers :
- Pretoria: 1 Member and Chairperson and 13 Admin staff/Officials,
- Cape Town: 1 Member
- Musina, Port Elizabeth and Durban have no staff
(2)(a)(i) SCRA has 29579 cases as at 11 November 2020
(2)(a)(ii) The total number of appeals is 123 424 as at 18 September 2020.
(2)(b)(i) It will take about 2 years to clear the SCRA backlog.
(2)(b)(ii) Based on the Auditor General’s 2019/2020 report if the current capacity of RAASA remains the same, it would take more than 60 years to clear the backlog. However currently, a plan is in place to increase the Authority’s capacity with 36 members, this will mean that the backlog can be cleared within 4 years.
(3)(a)(i) 317245
(3)(a)(ii) The total number of appeals rejected over the last 10 years is 13 572.
(3)(b)(i) Failed Asylum Seekers are either given an order to leave the Republic of South Africa or are detained for the purposes of deportation.
(3)(b)(ii) The records of failed Asylum Seekers who have been deported is as follows :
2015 - 1
2016 - 113
2017 - 561
2018- 110
2019 - 69
2020 - 22
It is only in recent years that we have been doing a breakdown of the analysis of deportees prior status.
END
17 December 2020 - NW2928
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
Following renewed attacks on truck drivers, what (a) progress has his department made to identify all undocumented and/or illegal migrants within the borders of the Republic and (b) has he done, in partnership with the Minister of Labour, to address the concerns of South African truck drivers and South Africans in general that illegal and/or undocumented migrants are preferred for low skilled or no skilled job opportunities?
Reply:
a) The department continues through its inspectorate to actively conduct inspections and operations in partnership with other law enforcement agencies to deal with all transgressors of immigration legislation. The department has continued with its enforcement and deportation functions throughout the period of the lockdown.
b) With regard to the issues relating to migrant employment the Minister of Employment and Labour and the Minister of Home Affairs co-chair an inter-ministerial committee on migration which is preparing a programme to address these issues which include, amongst others, policy directives, international benchmarking and enforcement responses.
END
17 December 2020 - NW2752
Motsepe, Ms CCS to ask the Minister of Health
What (a) total number of interns has his department employed to work at Jubilee Hospital in Hammanskraal in the past three years, (b) were the job categories of the interns and (c) total number of these interns were paid and/or given a stipend in each specified financial year?
Reply:
According to the records received from the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health and confirmed by the PERSAL System –
a) there were only 6 students employed as medical interns, after completion of their studies, during the past three years period (i.e. 2018 to 2020) and no other professions including administration categories were placed or appointed for Internship at the Hospital during the said reporting period;
b) the medical interns were placed under supervision in the eight domains of medical rotation, i.e General Medicine; General Surgery; Paediatrics; Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Anesthesiology; Orthopaedics; Psychiatry; Family Medicine/Primary Care) as prescribed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and their log-books were signed off at the end of their two years of the internship period;
c) all medical interns in the Public Service are remunerated in accordance with the Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD) for medical practitioners and as such all the six (6) medical interns at Jubilee Hospital were remunerated accordingly and did not receive a stipend
END.
17 December 2020 - NW2664
Ngwezi, Mr X to ask the Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation
Whether her department has identified incidents where contractors were found to have been using underhanded practices to conduct unauthorised work on ablution and/or sanitation facilities in informal settlements to solicit payment from the council; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) in what total number of municipalities has the practice been identified as being rampant and (b) what measures has her department put in place to ensure that the procurement processes move along unaffected to effect the delivery of ablution and sanitation services?
Reply:
The Department of Human Settlements has not been made aware or received reports of “underhanded practices” referred to in the question.
I would be grateful if the Honourable Member could provide me with more information on this matter for my department to investigate it further alternatively, the Honourable Member is urged to report such incidences to the law enforcement agencies.
17 December 2020 - NW2927
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1)Following his comments that his department led by the Acting Director-General, Mr Jackie McKay, did due diligence to ensure that the self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary Bushiri were not on the plane with the President of Malawi, what does he make of reports that in fact his statements to Parliament on Tuesday 17 November were not correct and that the Bushiris did leave on the plane with the Malawian President; (2) whether he will launch an investigation into whether any officials of his department were involved in the unlawful exit of the Bushiris from the Republic; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the details of the investigation that will be conducted?
Reply:
1. Honourable member, I told the committee what I know according to information at my disposal. If some people have information to the contrary, then they are duty bound to bring it out into the open. I suggest you approach them to provide proof of their statements. Honestly, I don’t know what they are talking about.
2. The total investigation around the whole Bushiri matter are being conducted by a Joint Team of the whole Justice, Peace and Crime Prevention Cluster. When it is completed, the country shall be informed accordingly.
END
17 December 2020 - NW3002
Winkler-Lidgett, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology
With reference to the reply to question 2458 on 9 November 2020, what are the reasons that Esayidi Technical, Vocational, Education and Training (TVET) College received no funding for laptops considering that most of the attendant students hail from rural areas and impoverished circumstances and thus have limited to no access to resources to continue their academic work during the COVID-19 lockdown period; (2) whether he has been informed that Esayidi TVET students have not received laptops; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, on what date will Esayidi TVET receive funding for (a) data and (b) laptops?
Reply:
(1) The Department has not received any funding from the National Treasury to provide laptops to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students. NSFAS has advised that there are savings from previous years of unutilised bursary funding that will cover the cost of laptops for NSFAS recipients in TVET colleges. The procurement of laptops by NSFAS is still underway and it is expected that these laptops will be distributed in the 2021 academic year once the process of identifying qualifying students has been completed.
(2) Going forward a proposal has been made that there should be a baseline increase in NSFAS funding for TVET colleges to accommodate this cost. Furthermore, TVET colleges will have to incorporate some funding into their annual budgets to cater for gadgets for new students entering the system. Given the relatively shorter time that some students spend in TVET colleges, a loan system might be considered by colleges to make the availability of devices to students affordable and sustainable. All TVET colleges will therefore be required to develop an institutional policy for the provision and/or loan of devices to students. The above response covers the distribution of laptops to NSFAS recipients in all TVET colleges and the anticipated period for distribution of these laptops.
17 December 2020 - NW3051
Ngcobo, Mr S to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation
In view of his proposal of a university fee increase of no more than 4,7% for the 2021 academic year, following earlier announcements that fee structures for tuition and accommodation would largely remain even as learning was moved online for many students and that many students will not be occupying their accommodation for extended periods, (a) what rationale did he employ to arrive at such a bold proposal and (b) how does he intend to justify this proposal to students and parents, when his department has not increased its contribution to the university sector in preceding years and in view of the 2021-22 budget being reduced to fund the SA Airways business rescue plans?
Reply:
(a) It should be noted that fee increases were implemented for the 2020 academic year. The costs of providing tuition did not reduce as a result of the introduction of emergency remote multi-modal teaching and learning. In fact, universities, in many areas incurred increased costs, including the provision of electronic devices and data, improvements to learning management systems, the cost of health and safety and other costs. Given that no additional funding was available for this, the Department worked with universities to re-prioritise existing funding from earmarked funds, which were approved as a COVID Responsiveness Grant to support institutions and limit the effects of in-year subsidy reductions. The national framework for fees gazetted in October 2020 aimed to guide institutions on tuition and accommodation fees remaining at the same level for the academic year despite the extended academic year.
Public universities have three main sources of income: State subsidies, tuition fees and other (third stream) income. The bulk of funding is received through subsidies and tuition fees. Tuition fees are determined by university Councils.
However, since the agreement on a 0% increase on fees for 2016, there has been a sector-wide agreement/compact in place to ensure that fee increases be kept at an affordable rate, while the development of a policy framework is underway. In 2017 and 2018, this was set at a maximum of 8% increase, and in 2019 and 2020, the increases were CPI-linked, with CPI for tuition and CPI+2 for accommodation. This is determined based on the realistic cost increases incurred by institutions for their operations.
It should also be noted that in 2016 when fees were not increased, university expenditure nonetheless increased, and although fees were charged to users/students at the same level as 2015, the cost of the gap between the fee income and required budget was covered by substantial funding from government, which resulted in a baseline increase in the subsidy budget in following years. In addition, through the gap grant (fee adjustment grant) provided from 2017 onwards, students with family incomes up to R600 000 received support from the government to cover the gap between the 2016 and increased fee required.
The proposal is a reasonable one, given that universities have CPI-linked increases in costs and therefore require fee increases, and this increase is designed to balance the income requirements of universities, with keeping fee increases at reasonable levels. The proposals are also discussed extensively within the university system before being finalised.
(b) Through the compact on tuition fees, the State, working with universities, has kept university fees at affordable levels since 2015, while increasing support to poor and working-class students and providing relief to missing middle families. Universities cannot operate without tuition fee income, and the compact is focused on keeping fees at affordable levels for fee-paying individuals and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) despite the fact that university subsidies have declined in 2020 due to COVID in particular.
17 December 2020 - NW2897
Tito, Ms LF to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
What number of offices of his department in each province are capacitated with the system of GENDER maker to assist transgender people to change their gender on their identity documents?
Reply:
All 412 Offices of the Department of Home Affairs are capacitated to receive applications for the category of Alteration of Sex Description and Sex Status and are henceforth dispatched to Head Office for further processing. There is a back office unit at head office, Rectifications and Amendments Unit that implements the gender marker on the system to amend the status of transgender people by changing their gender on their respective identity documents, provided the applicants meet the requirements as per the regulations and standard operating procedures has been followed
END