Questions and Replies

Reply:

1.

(a) Temporary Closed	(b) Reasons for closure	(c) Date it will be re-opened
Graaf Reinet Post Office	Non payment of rent from July 2023. The office was locked by the landlord.	Submission for urgent payment in process for consideration by the Business Resue Practitioners (BRPs)
Willmore Post Office	Non payment of rent. The office was locked on 21 July 2023 by the landlord.	Submission for urgent payment in process for consideration by the BRPs.
Jansenville Post Office	Non payment of rent. The office was locked on 23 October 2023 by the landlord.	Submission for urgent payment in process for consideration by the BRPs.

(2)(a) No branches are permanently closed in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality.

(2)(b)(i)(ii) No employees have been retrenched to date and where branches have been closed, these employees have been transferred to other branches.

Thank You.

Reply:

Background:

The Department has a policy for the upgrading of informal settlements. The policy underpins the programme on informal settlements upgrading, and its key objective is to facilitate a structured in-situ upgrading of informal settlements. Furthermore, the programme seeks to promote the development of a healthy and secure living environment by facilitating the provision of affordable and sustainable basic municipal engineering infrastructure to the residents.

A further consideration is that the upgrading of informal settlements should enable futuristic growth while recognising and formalising tenure rights of residents, allowing community empowerment, promoting social and economic integration as well as building social capital through a participative process that addresses the broader social needs of communities.

The Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership Grant (ISUPG) is meant to provide both interim and permanent basic services such as water, sanitation, gravel roads and other basic services.

Table 1: Phases and Outputs of the Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership Grant.

Phase	Description	Outputs/Deliverables
1	Conducting Social Facilitation & Pre-Feasibility Studies	Social Compacts and Preliminary Design Reports.
2	Land Acquisition, Formalisation & Detailed Engineering Designs	Registered land parcels, Proclaimed Townships Register and Engineering Designs.
3	Constructing Permanent Bulk Infrastructure & Municipal Engineering Services	Permanent Water, Sanitation, Electricity, Roads Infrastructure and Serviced Sites.

a) & b) According to the information received from the following Provinces:

No.	Province	Municipalities	Projects	Phases of upgrading	Relocation / In-situ
				Projects upgraded to Phase 1	Projects upgraded to Phase 2	Projects upgraded to Phase 3
	Eastern Cape	Mbizana	Mbizana Highlands, Mbizana Downtown	Not applicable	5	Not applicable	Projects still under planning (land-scoping, township layout plan).
		Amahlathi	Stutterheim Upper Izele, Cathcart Daliwe, Stutterheim Bongolethu
	Free State	Matjhabeng	Roma, DND, Virginia Moleding Unit 3 & 7	Not applicable	Not applicable	4	In-situ
	Gauteng	Midvaal	Boitumelo, KwaBrown, Skansdam, Sicelo Shiceka Ext. 5	Not applicable	11	Not applicable	Projects still under planning (surveying and registration of households)
		Emfuleni	Bophelong (Chris Hani), Tshepiso North Ext. 3, Boitumelo Informal Settlement
		Mogale City	Vaalbanl, Oriental Hills, Smokedown, Weltevreden Festive
	KwaZulu Natal	Newcastle	Johnstown, Blaauboschlaagte and Cavan	Not applicable	Not applicable	4	In-situ
		Kwadukuza	Madudumbe, Etete, Sihle Phakathi
		eThekwini	Etafuleni
	Limpopo	Feta Kgomo Tubatse	Burgersfort Ext. 71 & 72	Not applicable	Not applicable	6	In-situ
		Elias Motsoaledi	Masakaneng and Rossenekraal
		Modimolle	Alma and Vaalwater
	Mpumalanga	Ehlanzeni	Harmony Hill Ext. 2, Mashishing Ext. 9 and 10 and Komatipoort	Not applicable	Not applicable	10	In-situ
		Nkangala	Hlalanikahle Ext. 3 section C & L, Siyabonga Phola and Plot 86-88, Nooitgedaght 300 JS
		Gert Sibande	Kinross Ext. 33, Lebogang Ext. 27, Nyibe/ New Ermelo
	North-West	Madibeng	Buffelsfontein and Mooinooi Mamba Ext 13	Not applicable	Not applicable	4	In-situ
		Rustenburg	Boitekong Ext16
		Naledi	Naledi Ext 29
	Northern Cape	Sol Plaatjie Municipality	Lerato Park 5, 6, 7, 8 and Ivory Park.	Not applicable	Not applicable	5	Relocation
	Western Cape	Drakenstein	Schoongezicht	Not applicable	Not applicable	4	In-situ
		Overstrand	Gansbaai Masakhane
		Knysna	Hlalani and Vision

(c) The National Department of Human Settlements received a total of R4 419 331 billion including a rollover of R298 242 million from the 2021/2022 financial year. At the end of 2022/23 financial a total of R3 930 757 billion was spent.

The National Department is currently verifying the information from Metros and once the verification process is finalised the information will also be shared with the Member.

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(1)(a) Only 10% of 5.3 million beneficiaries that are paid by Postbank were impacted.

(i) The glitch impacted beneficiaries across all provinces nationally (10% of 5.3 million beneficiaries that are paid via Postbank).

(ii) The glitch impacted elderly beneficiaries that were supposed to receive their grant payments during that period.

(1)(b) The IT challenges were due to post migration issues relating to different factors. These include time cuts due to communication capacity between different systems. The issue was resolved on the same day (5 September 2023) at 4 pm and since then the system has been stable.

(1)(c) The Postbank has implemented the following measures in relation to the October 2023 social grants payments preparations:-

• Enhanced monitoring mechanisms to track the payment process in real-time.
• Strengthened its technical infrastructure to handle higher transaction volumes, ensuring swift and uninterrupted disbursements.
• Engaged specialists for a comprehensive review of the system and to continuously rectify any vulnerabilities.

The new payments system was tested in accordance with acceptable industry system testing protocols including Component Integration Testing (CIT), System Integration Testing (SIT) and Industry Testing prior to the system going live.

2. No. The IT challenges did not affect the depositing of funds to any beneficiaries’ accounts but rather impacted the withdrawal ability of funds for some beneficiaries.

3. No fraudulent activity has been identified and/or reported to date.

4. As part of the retailer onboarding process, retailers received training and training manuals regarding the withdrawal process. Additionally, they provide ongoing training to their employees through their training centres countrywide on customer care, query escalation and withdrawals using merchant points of sale.

5. The Postbank has the capability to provide bulk SMS which will be utilised to provide beneficiaries with information in the event the Postbank has payment challenges. However, the Postbank was unable to utilise it at the time as it did not have updated cell phone details of most social grant recipients.

Thank you.

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a) The SABC Bill aims to address the challenges faced by the SABC and ensure its sustainability in an evolving media landscape. One key aspect of the Bill is to provide the SABC with greater flexibility in TV content procurement that will enable it to compete more effectively and offer a wider range of entertainment options. Through the Commercial subsidiary with exclusive commercial license conditions, the SABC will be unencumbered from the rigid provisions of the PFMA. The Bill allows the organisation to explore new avenues for content acquisition and delivery. The establishment of the Commercial subsidiary will also provide an opportunity for the SABC to keep and attract talented Executives and employees who possess the best skillsets and business acumen required to run the commercial operations of the SABC.

The SABC Bill will enable the corporation to negotiate and secure high-quality content from local and international sources thereby accessing a broader range of programmes, including popular shows, documentaries, films, and sporting events. In offering a more diverse and appealing content lineup, the SABC can attract a wider viewership and cater to the varied interests of its audience.

Additionally, the Bill provides the SABC with an option to create new channels and digital platforms, thereby expanding its offerings and attracting even more viewers. By offering a wider selection of channels, the SABC can better compete with other broadcasters and streaming platforms, ultimately enhancing its competitiveness in the industry. This will drive long-term profitability which is a key component of financial sustainability of the public broadcaster.

b) The SABC Bill intends to resolve the public broadcaster’s financial shortfalls by introducing a new Commercial Board that will oversee the SABC’s commercial activities and operations. It will play a major role in the corporation’s overall commercial success at a time when the SABC requires significant and sustained commercial growth and income. An opportunity will also allow for the SABC Board to provide input and make recommendations in regard to the new funding model.

c) The funding for public media services - including first world and developing countries - remains the responsibility of Governments and, in South Africa’s case, is the responsibility Cabinet and Parliament when integrated into any legislative framework as it involves public funds. However, the SABC Board has the right to make recommendations on the kind of funding model adopted by the Executive or legislature.

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South Africa is open to exploring different avenues about (a) where and (b) how the proposed mediation and conflict resolution will take place. The mediation process could be held in South Africa, Israel, Palestine or in any country in the Middle East region.

There is political will and interest in South Africa in hosting a similar event that took place in 2002 where South Africa had endeavoured to broker peace talks between Israel and Palestine under the “Spier Presidential Peace Retreat.” South Africa hosted two rounds of Spier talks in 2002, aimed at strengthening the peace camps on both sides and looked to share South Africa’s negotiated transitional experiences. This initiative demonstrated the spirit of commitment to dialogue and partnership for peace between the parties.

South Africa is also open to collaborate or play a supportive role to regional states such as Qatar and Egypt regarding mediation and conflict resolution as well as the mediation and conflict resolution work led by the Quartet (US, European Union (EU), Russia. South Africa has declared itself in favour of the deployment of an international monitoring force in the occupied Palestinian territories.

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(a) How does Higher Health ensure that adequate mental health support is provided to students who need it beyond the incidental and event-based hotline that caters for emergency situations, (b) how does his department ensure the provision of sustainable solutions and ongoing intervention through Higher Health to students who require it and

HIGHER HEALTH Mental Health Program is structured on three levels of interventions:

Level 1: focuses on combating stigma associated with mental health disorders, creating awareness of mental health, providing psycho-education, building resilience and self-help capacity, and modifying aspects of the campus environment that might affect mental health and wellbeing. We achieve these objectives through peer-peer dialogues, Our Co-Curriculum on mental health, use of mental health self-assessment tool by students, and guidelines and protocols to address risk factors on campus. This all forms part of the student toolkit.

Level 2: provides access to short term crisis counselling and support. The vehicle for this is the toll-free 24-hour helpline which HIGHER HEALTH offers in partnership with the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADG).

Level 3: is concerned with offering professional care and making referrals where necessary for further care and specialised facilities. HIGHER HEALTH has clinical and counselling psychologists attached to our provincial offices and recently added the Registered Counsellors that are based in some Campuses. Universities and some TVET Colleges have psychologists and counsellors on their staff. Referrals are made to private practitioners (where students have medical aid and referral to department of health as well).

The need for mental health support far exceeds the prevention and treatment of mental health, and the number of psychologists currently available. We have introduced task shifting and employed Registered Counsellors who are able to undertake some of the work of the psychologist. HIGHER HEALTH offers a time limit of six sessions per student. Those requiring prolonged support are referred to external service providers, and Department of Health (in districts where they are available).

(c) which institutions are currently catered for regarding direct access to Higher Health?

HIGHER HEALTH has clinical and counselling psychologists attached to our Provincial Offices and recently added the Registered Counsellors that are based in some Campuses. Universities and some TVET Colleges have psychologists and counsellors on their staff. For those that do not, Higher Health covers those students with their staff based at the provincial offices, or refers students to private practitioners (where students have medical aid) or to the Department of Health for assistance.

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In response to (1)(a)(i) a total of 110 Preferred Bidders have signed project agreements under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), and (1)(a)(ii) the details of these projects can be found at Annexure A attached, and on the IPP Projects Database which can be accessed as https://www.ipp-projects.co.za/ProjectDatabase.

In response to (1)(b)(i) and (ii), 90 renewable energy IPP projects have completed construction and reached Commercial Close and are operational, delivering 6 180 MW to the national grid, and 9 projects (1 009 MW) are currently in construction.

In response to (2) The REIPPPP has a number of legal agreements/contracts of which all bidders are obligated to honour in line with the terms and conditions of the agreements. Projects that have successfully reached commercial operation date (COD) have managed to honour their contractual obligations satisfactory to date, and no contract have been terminated as a result of non-performance or any material breach. As part of the on-going Contract Management and Monitoring of the Department’s IPP Office, IPPs are penalised in terms of their Implementation Agreement terms and conditions if obligations and targets are not met.

Annexure A: PROJECTS IN OPERATION AND CONSTRUCTION UNDER THE RENEWABLE ENERGY

INDEPENDENT POWER PRODUCER PROCUREMENT PROGRAMME

Bid Window	PROJECT NAME:	PROJECT COMPANY NAME:	MW	CONTRACTUAL EFFECTIVE DATE	PROJECT STATUS	COMMERCIAL OPERATION DATE	PROVINCE	TECHNOLOGY
BW1	Letsatsi Power Company	Firefly Investments 253 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	64,00	05 November 2012	Operational	21 May 2014	FS	PV
BW1	Lesedi Power Company	Oakleaf Investments Holdings 79 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	64,00	05 November 2012	Operational	21 May 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Witkop Solar Park	Core Energy (RF) (Pty) Ltd	30,00	05 November 2012	Operational	20 September 2014	L	PV
BW1	Noblesfontein Phase 1	Coria (PKF) Investments 28 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	72,75	05 November 2012	Operational	12 July 2014	NC	OW
BW1	Touwsrivier Project	CPV Power Plant No. 1 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	36,00	05 November 2012	Operational	05 December 2014	WC	PV
BW1	Dorper Wind Farm	Dorper Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	97,00	05 November 2012	Operational	09 August 2014	EC	OW
BW1	Soutpan	Soutpan Solar Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	28,00	05 November 2012	Operational	04 July 2014	L	PV
BW1	Mulilo Renewable Energy Solar PV De Aar (RF) (Pty) Ltd	Mulilo Renewable Energy Solar PV De Aar (RF) (Pty) Ltd	9,65	05 November 2012	Operational	19 July 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Mulilo Renewable Energy Solar PV Prieska (RF) (Pty) Ltd	Mulilo Renewable Energy Solar PV Prieska (RF) (Pty) Ltd	19,93	05 November 2012	Operational	01 October 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Kaxu Solar One	KaXu Solar One (RF) (Pty) Ltd	100,00	05 November 2012	Operational	06 February 2015	NC	CSP
BW1	Dassiesklip Wind Energy Facility	Klipheuwel Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	26,19	05 November 2012	Operational	07 May 2014	WC	OW
BW1	Konkoonsies Solar Energy Facility	Konkoonsies Solar Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	9,65	05 November 2012	Operational	20 March 2014	NC	PV
BW1	MetroWind Van Stadens Wind Farm	Rubicept (RF) (Pty) Ltd	26,19	05 November 2012	Operational	07 February 2014	EC	OW
BW1	Kouga Wind Farm	Kouga Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	77,60	05 November 2012	Operational	17 March 2015	EC	OW
BW1	RustMo1 Solar Farm	RustMo1 Solar Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	6,76	05 November 2012	Operational	15 November 2013	NW	PV
BW1	Kalkbult	Scatec Solar Kalkbult (RF) (Pty) Ltd	72,50	05 November 2012	Operational	19 March 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Aries Solar Energy Facility	Aries Solar Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	9,65	05 November 2012	Operational	20 March 2014	NC	PV
BW1	SlimSun Swartland Solar Park	SlimSun (RF) (Pty) Ltd	5,00	05 November 2012	Operational	05 August 2015	WC	PV
BW1	De Aar Solar Power (RF) (PTY) LTD	De Aar Solar Power (RF) (PTY) LTD	48,25	05 November 2012	Operational	05 April 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm (RF) (PTY) LTD	Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm (RF) (PTY) LTD	133,86	05 November 2012	Operational	15 May 2014	EC	OW
BW1	Umoya Energy Wind Farm	Umoya Energy (RF) (Pty) Ltd	65,40	05 November 2012	Operational	01 February 2014	WC	OW
BW1	Cookhouse Wind Farm	Renewables Cookhouse Wind Farm 1 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	135,00	05 November 2012	Operational	19 November 2014	EC	OW
BW1	Greefspan PV Power Plant	AE-AMD Independent Power Producer 1 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	10,00	05 November 2012	Operational	11 April 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Renewable Energy Investment South Africa (REISA)	Renewable Energy Investments SA (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	05 November 2012	Operational	15 August 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Solar Capital De Aar	Solar Capital De Aar (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	05 November 2012	Operational	15 August 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Droogfontein Solar Power (RF) (PTY) LTD	Droogfontein Solar Power (RF) (PTY) LTD	48,25	05 November 2012	Operational	06 April 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Herbert PV Power Plant	AE-AMD Independent Power Producer 3 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	19,90	05 November 2012	Operational	11 April 2014	NC	PV
BW1	Khi Solar One	Khi Solar One (RF) (Pty) Ltd	50,00	05 November 2012	Operational	05 February 2016	NC	CSP
BW2	Bokpoort CSP Project	ACWA Power Solafrica Bokpoort CSP Power Plant (Pty) Ltd (RF)	50,00	09 May 2013	Operational	19 March 2016	NC	CSP
BW2	Gouda Wind Project	Blue Falcon 140 Trading (RF) (Pty) Ltd	135,24	09 May 2013	Operational	25 August 2015	WC	OW
BW2	Solar De Aar 3 (Pty) Ltd	Solar Capital De Aar 3 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	09 May 2013	Operational	02 April 2016	NC	PV
BW2	Sishen Solar Facility	Windfall 59 Properties (RF) (Pty) Ltd	74,00	09 May 2013	Operational	29 November 2014	NC	PV
BW2	Amakhala Emoyeni	Amakhala Emoyeni RE Project 1 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	137,90	09 May 2013	Operational	28 July 2016	EC	OW
BW2	Tsitsikamma Community Wind Farm Project	Tsitsikamma Community Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	94,80	09 May 2013	Operational	17 August 2016	EC	OW
BW2	Wind Farm West Coast 1	Aurora Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	90,82	09 May 2013	Operational	09 June 2015	WC	OW
BW2	Waainek	Waainek Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	23,28	09 May 2013	Operational	10 January 2016	EC	OW
BW2	Grassridge	Grassridge Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	59,82	09 May 2013	Operational	06 June 2015	EC	OW
BW2	Chaba	Chaba Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	20,58	09 May 2013	Operational	12 September 2015	EC	OW
BW2	Aurora-Rietvlei Solar Park	Aurora-Rietvlei Solar Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	9,00	09 May 2013	Operational	23 December 2014	WC	PV
BW2	Vredendal Solar Park	Vredendal Solar Power Park (RF) (Pty) Ltd	8,82	09 May 2013	Operational	31 July 2014	WC	PV
BW2	Stortemelk Hydro	Stortemelk Hydro (RF) (Pty) Ltd	4,31	09 May 2013	Operational	29 July 2016	FS	SH
BW2	Linde	Simacel 155 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	36,80	09 May 2013	Operational	30 June 2014	NC	PV
BW2	Dreunberg	Simacel 160 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	69,60	09 May 2013	Operational	31 December 2014	EC	PV
BW2	Jasper Power Company	Japer Power Company (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	09 May 2013	Operational	17 December 2014	NC	PV
BW2	Boshoff Solar Park	Boshof Solar Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	60,00	09 May 2013	Operational	25 October 2014	FS	PV
BW2	Upington Airport	Sublunary Trading (RF) (Pty) Ltd	8,90	09 May 2013	Operational	31 July 2014	NC	PV
BW2	Neusberg Hydro Electrical Project	Kakamas Hydro Electric Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	9,99	09 May 2013	Operational	31 January 2015	NC	SH
BW3	Ilanga CSP	Karoshoek Solar One (RF) (Pty) Ltd	100,00	23 January 2015	Operational	30 November 2018	NC	CSP
BW3	!Xina Solar One	Xina Solar One (RF) (Pty) Ltd	100,00	23 January 2015	Operational	01 August 2017	NC	CSP
BW3	ENERGY Joburg Landfill Gas to Electircity Project	ENERGY Joburg (RF) (Pty) Ltd	18,00	27 August 2015	Operational	Goudkoppies - 2017-04-25 Marie Louise - 2018-01-28 Robinson Deep - 2016-11-26 3 Facilities under 1 Project	G	LG
BW3	Longyuan Mulilo De Aar 2 North Wind Energy Facility	Longyuan Mulilo De Aar 2 North (RF) (Pty) Ltd	138,96	23 January 2015	Operational	31 October 2017	NC	OW
BW3	Longyuan Mulilo De Aar Maanhaarberg Wind Energy Facility	Longyuan Mulilo De Aar Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	96,48	23 January 2015	Operational	31 October 2017	NC	OW
BW3	Nojoli Wind Farm	Nojoli Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	86,60	23 January 2015	Operational	31 October 2016	EC	OW
BW3	Loeriesfontein 2 Wind Farm	Loeriesfontein 2 Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	138,23	23 January 2015	Operational	08 December 2017	NC	OW
BW3	Noupoort Wind Farm	Noupoort Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	79,05	23 January 2015	Operational	11 July 2016	NC	OW
BW3	Khobab Wind Farm	Khobab Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	137,74	23 January 2015	Operational	08 December 2017	NC	OW
BW3	Red Cap-Gibson Bay	Gibson Bay Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	110,00	23 January 2015	Operational	28 April 2017	EC	OW
BW3	Adams Solar PV 2	Adams Solar PV Project Two (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	23 January 2015	Operational	01 December 2016	NC	PV
BW3	Paleisheuwel	Electra Capital (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	23 January 2015	Operational	12 October 2016	WC	PV
BW3	Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska PV	Mulilo Sonnedix Prieska PV (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	23 January 2015	Operational	22 July 2016	NC	PV
BW3	Mulilo Prieska PV 4	Mulilo Prieska PV (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	23 January 2015	Operational	05 August 2016	NC	PV
BW3	Tom Burke	Tobivox (RF) (Pty) Ltd	60,00	23 January 2015	Operational	27 August 2016	L	PV
BW3	Pulida Solar Park	Pulida Energy (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	23 January 2015	Operational	23 January 2017	NC	PV
BW3.5	Kathu Solar Park	Kathu Solar (RF) (Pty) Ltd	100,00	09 May 2016	Operational	31 January 2019	NC	CSP
BW3.5	Redstone Solar Thermal Power Plant	Redstone Solar Thermal Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	100,00	04 April 2018	In Construction	Pending	NC	CSP
BW4	Ngodwana Energy (Alternate)	Ngodwana Energy (RF) (Pty) Ltd	25,00	18 April 2018	Operational	12 March 2022	M	BM
BW4	Roggeveld	Roggeveld Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	140,00	04 April 2018	Operational	26 February 2022	NC	OW
BW4	Karusa Wind Farm	ACED Renewables Hidden Valley (RF) (Pty) Ltd	139,80	31 July 2018	Operational	28 June 2022	NC	OW
BW4	The Soetwater Wind Farm	Soetwater Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	139,40	31 July 2018	Operational	19 July 2022	NC	OW
BW4	Nxuba Wind Farm	Nxuba Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	138,90	31 July 2018	Operational	24 November 2020	EC	OW
BW4	Kangnas	Kangnas Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	136,70	07 June 2018	Operational	15 November 2020	NC	OW
BW4	Perdekraal East	Perdekraal Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	107,76	07 June 2018	Operational	08 October 2020	WC	OW
BW4	Golden Valley Wind	Amstilite (RF) (Pty) Ltd	117,72	23 July 2018	Operational	01 May 2021	EC	OW
BW4	Excelsior Wind Energy Facility	Amstilinx (RF) (Pty) Ltd	31,90	23 July 2018	Operational	23 December 2020	WC	OW
BW4	Wesley-Ciskei	Riverbank Wind Power (RF) (Pty) Ltd	32,70	04 April 2018	Operational	20 August 2021	EC	OW
BW4	Oyster Bay Wind Farm	Oyster Bay Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	140,00	31 July 2018	Operational	21 July 2021	EC	OW
BW4	Copperton Windfarm	Copperton Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	102,00	31 July 2018	Operational	23 December 2021	NC	OW
BW4	Garob Wind Farm	Garob Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	135,93	31 July 2018	Operational	04 December 2021	NC	OW
BW4	Sirius Solar PV Project One	Sirius Solar PV Project One (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	04 April 2018	Operational	18 February 2020	NC	PV
BW4	Matla A Bokone Solar	Matla A Bokone Solar (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	24 July 2018	Operational	07 March 2020	NC	PV
BW4	Dyason's Klip 1	Dyason’s Klip 1 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	04 April 2018	Operational	16 March 2020	NC	PV
BW4	Dyason's Klip 2	Dyason’s Klip 2 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	04 April 2018	Operational	10 April 2020	NC	PV
BW4	Konkoonsies II Solar	Ramizone (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	23 July 2018	Operational	30 September 2020	NC	PV
BW4	Solar Capital Orange	Solar Capital Orange (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	31 July 2018	Operational	1 April 2023	NC	PV
BW4	De Wildt	De Wildt Solar (RF) (Pty) Ltd	50,00	31 July 2018	Operational	23 January 2021	NW	PV
BW4	Bokamoso	Bokamoso Solar (RF) (Pty) Ltd	67,90	09 July 2018	Operational	12 September 2020	NW	PV
BW4	Zeerust	Zeerust Solar (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	30 July 2018	Operational	01 January 2021	NW	PV
BW4	Greefspan PV Power Plant No. 2 Solar Park	Boikanyo Solar (RF) (Pty) Ltd	55,00	30 July 2018	Operational	09 April 2021	NC	PV
BW4	Waterloo Solar Park	Waterloo Solar Park (RF) (Pty) Ltd	75,00	13 July 2018	Operational	22 November 2020	NW	PV
BW4	Aggeneys Solar	Main Street 957 (RF) (Pty) Ltd	40,00	23 July 2018	Operational	25 July 2020	NC	PV
BW4	Kruisvallei Hydro	Zevobuzz (RF) (Pty) Ltd	4,70	31 July 2018	Operational	25 February 2021	FS	SH
BW5	Coleskop WEF	Coleskop Wind Power (Pty) Ltd	140,00	18 January 2023	In Construction	Pending	EC	OW
BW5	San Kraal WEF	San Kraal Wind Power (Pty) Ltd	140,00	09 November 2022	In Construction	Pending	EC	OW
BW5	Phezukomoya WEF	Phezukomoya Wind Power (Pty) Ltd	140,00	09 November 2022	In Construction	Pending	EC	OW
BW5	Brandvalley Wind Farm	Brandvalley Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	140,00	23 February 2023	In Construction	Pending	WC	OW
BW5	Rietkloof Wind Farm	Rietkloof Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	140,00	23 February 2023	In Construction	Pending	WC	OW
BW5	Wolf Wind Farm	Wolf Wind Farm (RF) (Pty) Ltd	84,00	23 February 2023	In Construction	Pending	EC	OW
BW5	Grootfontein PV 1	Grootfontein PV 1 (Pty) Ltd	75,00	28 June 2023	In Construction	Pending	WC	PV
BW5	Grootfontein PV 2	Grootfontein PV 2 (Pty) Ltd	75,00	28 June 2023	In Construction	Pending	WC	PV
BW5	Grootfontein PV 3	Grootfontein PV 3 (Pty) Ltd	75,00	28 June 2023	In Construction	Pending	WC	PV

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1) In responding to your question, I think it is very important to mention that South Africa has 17 (seventeen) different types of visas. Not all of them have any challenges and not all of them have backlogs. It would have helped for the question to be specific on the type of visas backlog being referred to. Be that as it may, challenges with visas are mostly dependent’s visas, like spousal visas and relative’s visas as well as Permanent Residence visas which developed a huge backlog during Covid Lockdown as international travel was forbidden.

(2)(a) The Department issued a notice in March 2023, where the applicants with long term visa, permit and waiver applications were extended to end December 2023, which was published on its website, social media and through the Visa Facilitation Centre.

(2)(b) The information is shared on the website and other social platforms. The department is in the process of reviewing its current extension to accommodate those awaiting long term applications of December 2023 and will announce its decision through the various media platforms.

(3)(a) The department has developed a plan to address the backlogs. The plan aims to move the older Temporary Residency Visas and Permanent Residency Permits applications concurrently with the current work.

(3)(b) The department is currently engaging stakeholders such as Banks and SAQA to assist in reducing turnaround times for the verifications. Since the e-Visa system is working so well in timeously issuing the tourist / visitor’s visa, the department is presently working on piloting it for three additional visa categories.

4) It is envisaged that with the approval of delegations and the implementation of the backlog plan, the Visa and Permits will be reduced or finished by end November 2024.

END

Reply:

According to information received from the North-West Provincial Department of Human Settlements;

a) They have a total of 41 blocked and incomplete projects. A blocked or incomplete project is defined as: A project where no delivery progress has been made for a period of 12 months following the first payment to the contractor. The blocked or incomplete projects include serviced sites and houses at different levels of construction namely, slab level, wall-plate level, roof level, etc. Projects are usually blocked and incomplete due to illegal land occupations, extortion by the construction mafia, community unrest, the lack of bulk infrastructure, poor performance by contractors (some of whom would have abandoned sites) etc.

b) The majority of the reported projects became blocked and incomplete in the 2005/2006 financial year.

c) Please refer to the column marked “Developer” on the enclosed presentation from the North-West Provincial Department of Human Settlements.

(d)(i) It is anticipated that the 41 blocked and incomplete projects will be implemented in the 2023 / 2024 and 2024/25 financial years as some are planned over multiple years.

(d)(ii) The projected costs for each project are in the attached the presentation.

Reply:

1. PetroSA has not received any government bailouts or financial assistance since the aforementioned period, i.e. 2005. PetroSA has in past requested funding assistance, either in the form of capital injection or loan guarantees, which has not been provided or advanced.
2. In the absence of the government bailouts, guarantees and/or financial assistance, there are no conditions imposed to PetroSA for fulfilment as a result no consequence management applicable to PetroSA on this item.

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(a)(i) The Policy relating to the management of administrative fines was approved and signed-off by both the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority on 31 May 2023. The Policy prescribes the process to guide the collection of revenue due to the Department for fines and penalties issued in terms of sections 50(3) and 50(4) of the Immigration Act, Act No. 13 of 2002.

(a)(ii) The Policy was approved and signed-off on 31 May 2023.

(b) The amount for fines and penalties issued in terms of sections 50(3) and 50(4) of the Immigration Act, Act No. 13 of 2002, is reflected under note 23 of the 2022/23 Annual Financial Statements of the Department. As at 31 March 2023, this amounted to R273 167 000. As at the end of October 2023, fines and penalties issued by the Border Management Authority during the current financial year (2023/24) amount to R14 915 000 (unaudited).

END

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(1) (a) According to the information provided to my office by the Housing Development Agency (HDA), the companies were appointed and contracted by the HDA in accordance with the prescribed supply chain regulations to provide professional technical consulting services for the Informal Settlements Upgrading Programme in the Eastern Cape.

Upon completion of the procurement processes, the Professional Technical Consultants (PRTs) were given instructions to carry out work in accordance with the approved terms of reference, and a virtual inception meeting was held on 30th November 2021.

It is important to note that the professional contracts between the HDA and the companies do not include provisions for any pre-payment. Therefore, any payments made by the HDA to these companies, as claimed by the Honourable Member, were made in accordance with Part C3 of the terms of reference, as per the contracted scope of works. This section clearly outlines the payment milestones, duration, and payment schedules associated with the deliverables being claimed.

The Agency vehemently denies any allegations of pre-payments and unequivocally asserts full compliance with the prescribed procedures and contractual obligations while disbursing payments to the aforementioned companies.

(2) No action was required against the employees.

Reply:

The department keeps records of all foreign nationals in police custody whose immigration status is verified and it does not fail to determine such status within 48 hours. After determining the status, those that are found to be illegal foreigners, are charged and taken to court within 48 hours. As a result, 22 560 illegal foreigners were deported since 1 April 2022.

Should the court fail to confirm the deportation, the department issues the illegal foreigners with an Order to depart from the Republic, as they are not released into the custody of the Department.

END

 

Reply:

Section 31(L) (1) of National Environmental Management Act, 108 of 1998 (NEMA as amended) states that: an Environmental Management Inspector or Environmental Mineral and Petroleum Inspector, may issue a compliance notice if there are reasonable grounds for believing that a person has not complied-

(a) with a provision of the law for which that inspector has been designated in terms of section 31D; or

(b) with a term or condition of a permit, authorisation or other instrument issued in terms of such law.

In terms of Section 31(N) (2) of National Environmental Management Act, 108 of 1998 (NEMA as amended), if a person fails to comply with a compliance notice, the environmental management inspector or an environmental mineral and petroleum inspector must report the non-compliance to the Minister.

The Minister may-

(a) revoke or vary the relevant permit, authorisation or other instrument which is the subject of the compliance notice; and

(b) take any necessary steps and recover the costs of doing so from the person who failed to comply.

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Reply:

1. 2525 mining licenses applications were received since the beginning of the 2023/24 financial year.
2. None of the applications mentioned in (a) above have been finalised.
3. Please see (b) above

Reply:

The department is currently rehabilitating Asbestos Derelict and Ownerless mines in the country. As part of the rehabilitation process, local employment comprising women, men, and youth forms part of the labour. Furthermore, sub-contractors for respective work also employ women and youth in their operations. The department reports these employment initiatives as part of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

Reply:

Yes, applications for a temporary residence visa must still go through adjudication, first-level supervisor, second-level director and the Chief Director or the Director-General, where required.

The above is done as per the workflow designed to support the Immigration Services Delegations of 2022.

END

Reply:

a) In fulfilment of the responsibility to oversee SASSA’s management, administration and payment of social assistance, the Department has put systems and structures in place at different levels and there are regular engagements between the two entities to continuously monitor payment of social grants.

The following are some of the key oversight initiatives by the Department:

• The Department has initiated the establishment of a Social Assistance Service Delivery Assurance Committee (SASDAC) comprising of senior officials from both DSD and SASSA and formalised through the terms of reference duly signed by accounting officers of both institutions (the Director- General and the Chief Executive Officer). The committee meets bi-monthly amongst other things the committee monitors compliance with social assistance legislation, service delivery norms and standards and deliberates on service delivery related challenges, with the intent to improve service delivery. The key focus areas include access to social assistance, spending in accordance to voted funds, service delivery quality and business processes. Since its establishment in the 2nd quarter FY23/23 two meetings have already been held.
• The Department also conducts oversight visits at SASSA local offices, SAPO branches and cash pay points, to monitor compliance with legislation, as well as norms and standards. For this financial year, visits have been conducted to four Provinces namely North-West, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Western Cape.
• The Inspectorate for Social Assistance also conducts financial and compliance audits on the integrity of the social assistance frameworks and systems at SASSA. Reports are subsequently shared with SASSA and the Department and presented to the Audit Committee.
• The Agency also submits quarterly performance reports to the Department. The reports and other management issues are subsequently analysed and discussed at the Entity Oversight forum which is led by the Department on a quarterly basis.

(i) On a month-to-month basis, DSD ensures that a payment schedule is uploaded and payments are authorised well in advance. SASSA pays the grants directly into the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries, every month without fail. Where incorrect payments are made it is sometimes as a result of instances where beneficiaries’ circumstances have changed and SASSA is not notified in time or the databases that are relied upon are not updated in time.

(ii) The error rate of grant approvals remains very low, as can be seen by the low number of appeals that get upheld; as well as research that indicates that South Africa has one of best targeted systems in the world. SASSA also implements stringent background checks on applicants when they apply as well as regular reviews while they are accessing the grant. However, there will always be applicants who attempt to defraud the Agency, or client who do not update their records when their circumstances change. These remain a small group of clients. SASSA has a relatively strong Fraud unit aimed at deterring such behaviour.

The Inspectorate for Social Assistance also conducts audits aimed at identifying any weaknesses in the systems that may expose SASSA to fraud.

 

 

Reply:

Yes, SASSA offices have undergone infrastructure upgrades to improve services. SASSA has a national toll-free number for the public to contact the Agency for any social grants related enquiries. SASSA has dedicated employees to receive and deal with public enquiries on the Toll Free: 0800 60 1011.

This is complemented by the national e-mail address for the public to contact the Agency for queries: [email protected]. There are SASSA employees dedicated to receive and respond to the public via this platform. For the younger generation SASSA also features on social media where members of the public can engage SASSA:

• Twitter: @OfficialSASSA
• Facebook: SASSA News and #SASSACARES

Reply:

1(a)

(i0 SASSA KZN Region has been the occupant of the Chatsworth building since April 2006 in a shared services arrangement with the Department of Social Development (DSD), with DSD being the primary contract holder with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. After the departure of DSD from the premises, SASSA started experiencing glitches with the building maintenance as KZN Provincial Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (PDPWI) stopped maintaining the building on the basis that their tenant (DSD) had vacated the facility.

When it became apparent that PDWI would not provide maintenance services, SASSA attempted to address the issues they were experiencing by requesting for quotations to possibly manage the challenges but found the costs were prohibitive.

The next option was to approach National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (NDPWI) to take over the responsibility of the building. When an assessment was done on the state of the building by both NDWI and the Depart of Labour they both declared the building unfit for occupation as it had deteriorated to a point that it did not meet occupational and health standards.

(ii) Both NDWI and the Department of Labour declared the building unfit and unsafe for occupation after Occupational Health Safety (OHS) inspections were conducted leading to the declaration and the office being vacated.

(b)

(i) To ensure the safety of the specified premises, quarterly committee meetings between SASSA OHS and Durban District are held since 2017

(ii) As part of the oversight, a cost was established to correct the maintenance issues raised, but these costs were more than what the Agency could afford. NDWI was approached to take over the premises, however, upon inspection of the building by their OHS inspectors it was found that the building was no longer fit for purpose.

2. (a)

(i) NDPWI has taken over the Chatsworth building, and according to NDPWI the building has been prioritised for rehabilitation in its 2023/2024 financial year with their professional teams working on this project.

(ii) It is expected the rehabilitation of the building in the care of NDPWI will comply with OHS occupational requirements, norms and standards, and other property legislation applicable.

(iii) According to NDPWI, they have prioritised funding for the rehabilitation of the building in its 2023/2024 financial year budget with their professional teams working on this project.

b. According to NDPWI, rehabilitating the property will commence in January 2024. We recommend the MP engages NPDWI directly on the rehabilitation project plan and timeframe to re-open the building.

3. To ensure the safety of other SASSA local offices in the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality region, SASSA has taken the following preventative measures;

• The more recent lease agreements entered into by SASSA directly with the Metropolitan Municipality include maintenance.
• There are existing offices wherein SASSA has shared services costs with DSD KZN, with these SASSA is in the process of finalising a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on shared office service costs that includes maintenance, payment of utilities and other running costs related to each facility where such an arrangement exists.

• All NDPWI contracts have been standardised to include a maintenance plan for the duration of a lease period. The NDPWI has since appointed an official from SASSA to form part of the Bids Specification and Evaluation Committees to represent SASSA’s interests to ensure that buildings selected meet the safety requirements.

Reply:

The Department of Cooperative Governance (DCOG) did not undertake to assist the Mbombela Local Municipality (MLM) in delivering the service of building a community hall for Ward 25 in Hazyview, Mpumalanga.

The identification, prioritisation and budgeting of projects, like a community hall among others, is the responsibility of a municipality in accordance with the integrated development planning process. DCOG’s role is to provide support, together with the rest of the provincial and national governments, as stipulated under section 154 of the Constitution.

DCOG also administers the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) that is annually allocated to municipalities through the Division of Revenue Act (DORA) for the provisioning of basic services to poor households. Furthermore, DCOG provides technical support by deploying built environment professionals to municipalities for infrastructure development through the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) in accordance with section 154 of the Constitution, mentioned above.

It is brought to the attention of the Honourable Member of Parliament, that MLM prioritised the construction of building a community hall in Ward 25 in Hazyview through the MIG funding. The construction project of the community hall commenced on 26 March 2018 and was completed on 12 March 2021 as per completion certificate attached hereto as Annexure.

End

Reply:

1. (a) As responded to question 3199 the charges included several acts of misconduct relating to prejudicing the administration of the department, failing to carry out lawful instructions, abuse, insolence and gross insubordination. The details are in the charge sheet which can be made available if Parliament so permits.

(b) As responded to question 3199, the employee was suspended on full pay in terms of paragraph 2.7.2(b) of the SMS Disciplinary Code. The salary of the employee during the suspension was at salary level 15 notch 9 which amounted to a total cost, before taxes and deductions, of R4,772,395.87.

(c) The role of the certain person was to facilitate the appointment of legal practitioners through the Department of Justice to assist with the disciplinary processes and related matters and to support the Minister and the Director-General, where required.

2. There was no fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred in relation to the suspension of the person.

3. (a) The cost of the settlement recorded in a court order issued by the Labour Court was as follows-

1. R193,727.67 in respect of the re-instatement with effect from 1 September 2023;
2. R1,871,454.00 in respect of a gratuity equivalent to 12 months’ salary;
3. The other pension benefits were payable in terms of prevailing retirement laws by the Government Employees Pension Fund.

(b) The Department is not aware of any reputational damage that has arisen from it having exercised its right to discipline the employee.

End

Reply:

I have been advised that:

The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) capacitated the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) by transferring a total amount of R885 939 000.00 in the past 12 months (01 October 2022 to 30 September 2023) to continue the implementation of the Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (TREP).

Date transferred	Amount
25-Nov-2023	R 238 313 000
24-Jan-2023	R 238 386 000
26-May-2023	R 181 884 000
30-Aug-2023	R 227 356 000
Total transferred	R885 939 000

The DSBD and its entity sefa are reviewing a number of moderations/improvements that if approved, will result in improved uptake of the TREP and a wider reach of targeted beneficiaries. These improvements include:

• Strategic Partnership / Joint Venture with the key industry players such as Masisizane Fund, African Bank, Lulalend, Standard Bank and other key intermediaries within the sefa Wholesale Lending portfolio. Forging partnerships with the key stakeholders to develop accessible and innovative solutions that addresses client challenges has a potential of ensuring that TREP makes a developmental impact in the economy.
• 18 District Co-ordinators employed in those districts where uptake of DSBD products is low to work together with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) in the districts to assist with building a sizeable pipeline for all DSBD offerings.
• Increase TREP resources – Five (5) interns responsible for pre-screening new applications and establishing initial contact with applicants were employed. Increasing the number of TREP resources will enable the programme to improve its performance by increasing the number of approvals, disbursements, and impact numbers. Employing more people on a commission basis across various access points and co-locations particularly the rural space.
• Basic assessment to be conducted upfront by Compliance in relation to Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA), PIP and ITC to ensure that we consider bankable deals.
• Reduction of TREP requirements for deals below R350 000 – the qualifying criteria is cumbersome for starts-up and informal businesses. It is therefore imperative to review the TREP requirements particularly for small and upcoming businesses. Basis of on lending is purely based on the financial viability and repayment ability but that is different for start-ups and businesses operating in townships hence we need to review some of the TREP requirements.

The current review process is looking at the administrative, logistical, financial and legal ramifications of each of the proposed improvements to avoid any comeback and delays once the revised programme hits the market. These proposals are looked at through a phased approach and timelines range from 01 June 2023 – 31 March 2024.

Reply:

1. There are no memorandums of understanding or service level agreements in place between the Department of Cooperative Governance – NDMC and private rescue centres.
2. No, there is no memorandum of understanding between International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) and the department.

End.

Reply:

1. Appointment of the Board of Directors of the Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) follows a call for nominations, assessment of nominees by the appointed selection committee and shortlisting of nominees who best meet the criteria. The call for nominations advert also specified the requirement for nominees to be fit for appointment as board members. OBP will be requested to conduct personnel suitability checks on all appointees.

The notice inviting nominations specified that personnel suitability checks will be conducted on suitable candidates.

The appointment letters of the new members stated that their appointments were subject to a personnel suitability process.

2. No. There is no record of an investigation at the instance of SA Weather Services into the specified person.

Reply:

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:

The matter regarding the revamping of the Kempton Park Hospital is not within the purview of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. All matters in relation to hospitals, as public structures, can be best dealt with by our sister Department of Infrastructure Development, which is responsible for providing public infrastructure delivery and property management solutions for the people of Gauteng. Therefore, the question should be referred to the relevant MEC, accordingly.

Reply:

(a) Outcomes of the CDA 3rd National Summit on Substance Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

a) The 3rd National Summit hosted by the CDA was preceded by provincial dialogues and culminated into the adoption of resolutions to address the problem of alcohol and drugs misuse, and illicit trafficking.

b) The main aim of the Summit was not to come up with new plans, but to expedite the implementation of the key priorities and the 7 Goals of the National Drug Master Plan (2019-2024). The full report and programme of action will be submitted to the Portfolio Committee in due course for oversight purposes.

Reply:

I have been advised that:

The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) is planning to implement the SMMEs and Co-operatives Funding Policy in the 2024/25 financial year with a view to resolve the problems of red tape around access to funding by small-scale and informal businesses. The following are proposed interventions:

• To reduce the red tape on access to funding by small enterprises, the SMMEs and Co-operatives Funding Policy is proposing that the financiers must implement a simplified lending process by introducing common funding application form, standardised term sheet and business plan template. This will make the referral of misdirected funding applications seamless.
• That the funding institutions digitise their funding application processes to address the issue of prolonged lead times on funding applications, more especially in instances where capital is required on an urgent basis for working capital or purchase of raw material to service a contract.
• As part of financial literacy, the SMMEs and Co-operatives Funding Policy requires that the Business Development Service providers in South Africa institutionalise the practice of assisting SMMEs and Co-operatives with pre-funding support (compliance, directing small businesses to the relevant financiers, matching funding to business needs, etc.).
• The banks’ preferred collateral is not aligned to the asset composition of small enterprises which mainly consists of short-term (movable) assets in the form of inventories, receivables, insurance policy and cash deposits. To alleviate this challenge, the SMMEs and Co-operatives Funding Policy proposes that the DSBD develop an enabling legislation for the operation of the movable collateral registry in South Africa and to provide operational infrastructure for such a registry.

Reply:

a) Various lessons have been learnt from the coordination of disaster response measures and engagements of stakeholders. The key lessons are as follows:

• Review and strengthening of the disaster management function placement, capacity and capability across spheres and sectors; Mainstream Disaster Management in all organs of state; Improvement of intergovernmental collaboration and coordination through integrated disaster management plans and contingency arrangements; Identification of risks early through multi-hazard community-based risk assessments; Improvement of the Early Warning Systems to activate local early action initiatives;
• Implementation of a centralized information management system; Educate communities to increase resilience and decrease vulnerability; development & increase of the use of risk transfer mechanisms and development of the disaster risk financing strategy for the country.

b) The recent budget adjustment allocation for the National Disaster Management Centre will be utilised for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of municipal infrastructure damaged by the floods in Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the Eastern Cape provinces. The funded municipal infrastructure are mostly roads and water related infrastructure.

End.

Reply:

1. The relevant sections of the Municipal Property Rates Act (MPRA) contain sufficient provisions that guides how the MECs responsible for local government establish Valuation Appeal Boards (VABs) and what constitute a quorum for a VAB. In this regard, sections 56 and 58 outline how VABs are established and composed, section 64 provides for appointment of alternate members of a VAB and section 68 outlines what constitute a quorum of the members of a VAB.

a) According to information supplied by the provincial CoGTA and Ekurhuleni municipality, the Ekurhuleni VAB is currently composed of 4 members and 4 alternate members.

b) In terms of section 68 of the MPRA,

“(1)(a) A majority of the members of an appeal board serving at any time constitutes a quorum for a meeting of the board.

(b) In addition to a quorum being present, a meeting may not continue unless the valuer member of the appeal board is present.”

2. According to Ekurhuleni municipality:

(a) 3023 hearings have been concluded; and

(b) 2755 hearings are still to be conducted.

3) According to Ekurhuleni municipality, during the 2017/2021 valuation roll period:

(a) 687 appeals were concluded where the rateable value decreased; and

(b) 117 appeals were concluded where the rateable value increased.

4. According to Ekurhuleni municipality, during the current 2021/2025 valuation roll period and to date:

(a) 2293 appeals have been concluded where the rateable value decreased; and

(b) 462 appeals have been concluded where the rateable value increased.

End.

Reply:

I have been advised that:

a) The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) does not have an instrument to quantify the number of established businesses in a given time. The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) either has to do the analysis of differentiating the registered businesses according to the size class. However, the DSBD agency, Seda, through the Bureau of Economic Research in Stellenbosch undertakes periodic statistical research on the growth of the SMME sector. The latest results show that the total number of SMMEs rose by a significant 148 000 firms (+5.9% year-on-year). This brought the level of SMMEs back to its pre-COVID level. Meanwhile, the total level of employment in the economy remains below its pre-COVID level. Relative to 2021Q3, the number of SMME owners rose by 11.6% to 2.68 million. On an annual basis, the 17% increase in formal SMMEs is encouraging – albeit that the majority of SMMEs still operate in the informal space. The statistics are collected on a quarterly basis and the current figure is for 3rd quarter of 2022/23 financial year and therefore does not capture numbers from January 2023. This period has not been released yet.

(b)(i) Despite the fact that the DSBD does not have an instrument to quantify the number of established businesses in a given time, Seda is able to report their support for small, and medium enterprises as per the table below:

Province	No. of clients Supported	R Value of Support
Eastern Cape	21	R 2 571 935
Free State	374	R 1 383 606
Gauteng	103	R 1 224 186
KwaZulu Natal	311	R 4 431 613
Limpopo	77	R 971 346
Mpumalanga	222	R 995 462
North-West	35	R 375 560
Northern Cape	176	R 1 093 195
Western Cape	243	R 3 521 397

During the same period, 1 January 2023 to 30 September 2023, sefa was able to support SMMEs as per the tables below:

Number of SMMEs Financed 1 Jan 2023 to 30 Sept 2023
Eastern Cape	10 006
Free State	606
Gauteng	1 282
KwaZulu Natal	6 654
Limpopo	11 808
Mpumalanga	6 573
Northern Cape	77
North West	4 092
Western Cape	380
Unclassified	124
Total	41 602

sefa disbursed R1.37 billion to 41 602 SMMEs as follows:

Province	Number of SMMEs Financed	Amount Disbursed
Eastern Cape	10 006	R126 366 218
Free State	606	R20 504 421
Gauteng	1 282	R447 510 567
KwaZulu Natal	6 654	R261 820 491
Limpopo	11 808	R144 003 460
Mpumalanga	6 573	R138 369 180
Northern Cape	77	R10 148 996
North West	4 092	R51 907 193
Western Cape	380	R166 101 683
Unclassified	124	R2 309 605
Total	41 602	R1 369 041 814

(ii) This support was provided through various programmes. These include but is not limited to, the Manufacturing Support Programme, Supplier Development Programme, Empretec Programme, Export Development Programme, and the Women’s Enterprise Coaching Programme.

Seda’s service also extends to its Technology Programme, Incubation Programme and the Quality and Standards Programme.