Questions and Replies

Reply:

I am aware that travel and accommodation costs were higher than normal during the week ahead of the opening of the Olympics, when I was in Paris. Additionally, the South African rand is very weak against major international currencies, including the Euro. The expenditure in question was not spent on only myself, however, and included the cost of my support staff.

I share the concern of what is spent on ground transport, in particular, through the appointed travel agency of the Department and have subsequently turned down the usage of such service through this agency, when it has been possible to do so.

It is important to note that I embarked on the trip to Paris shortly after becoming the Minister, having had no experience of the Department’s policies and processes previously.

We are currently reviewing all the policies, practices and decisions of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture’s International Relations unit, which functions under a Chief Director, to determine which reforms may be required to safeguard the Department and the Ministry against any such expenditure questions in future.

To illustrate my point, when I was recently on an official trip in the UAE, we hired a vehicle to drive ourselves around for about R2000 a day, after being shown that the cost of ground transport was estimated to again be very high.

This was all done in pursuit of saving money, and during my recent trip to Lausanne, Switzerland, my delegation and I used Ubers.

Reply:

The employer surplus balance as of 31 March 2024 was R1.167 billion, invested in the Public Investment Corporation portfolio. Since the revised benefits structure was implemented in 2016, the excess employer contribution has remained on the fund’s balance sheet and has not been used for any other purpose. The amount is under the management of the fund, as the National Treasury has not exercised its rights as principal employer to utilize the surplus contributions. However, the employer surplus balance is ring-fenced in the fund’s Employer Surplus Account, regulated by the fund’s rules and Section 15E of the Pension Funds Act (PFA), and must not be confused with new surplus as contemplated in section 15C of the Pension Funds Act.

The Public Office Bearers Pension Fund has in its possession a legal opinion from Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Incorporated, dated 5 March 2024. The legal opinion clearly confirms that, “excess assets in the accounts do not amount to surplus as contemplated in the PFA. In such an instance it is not necessary to consider the apportionment of future surplus or the permissible uses for surplus.” The excess amount rightfully belongs to the National Treasury.

Accordingly, as Minister of Finance, I intend to submit a formal request to the fund by December 2024 for arrangements on how to best utitlise the employer surplus funds through the National Revenue Fund and within the confines of the PFA.

Reply:

We have interpreted the question of the Honorable member to mean the number of investigations that led to successful litigation, as the question refers to cases. The response is as follows:

(1) (a) (i) Over the period of five years, the SIU investigated and finalized 100 proclamations.

(ii) The number of investigated cases which led to a successful litigation are 78 cases and they comprise the following:

• Number of cases issued, finalized, and quantified in the Special Tribunal (ST) is 26.
• 30 finalised cases in favour of the SIU but await the quantification of amounts to be recovered. Total number of finalised cases at ST is 56.
• Number of cases issued, finalized, and quantified in the High Courts is 14.
• 8 finalised cases in favour of the SIU but await the quantification of amounts to be recovered.
• Total number of finalised cases in the High Courts is 22.

(b) the amount was recovered.

Performance Measure	TOTAL
The actual value of cash and/or assets recovered	4, 962, 239, 875 (billion)
The value of potential losses prevented	11, 613, 820, 449 (billion)
Grand TOTAL	16, 576, 060, 324 (billion)

(2) (a) Total number of outstanding civil litigation cases, in both the Special Tribunal and the High Courts, is 225 comprising of the following:

• 171 cases at the Special Tribunal. and
• 54 cases in the High Courts.

b) The following are the status and reasons for delays in finalising the 225 cases:

ITEM NO	CATERGORY	SPECIAL TRIBUNAL NUMBER	HIGH COURT NUMBER
1	Finalised, where appeal pending	8	6
2	Unopposed	30	0
3	Case management for exchange of papers and date of hearing (trial)	127	48
4	Pending judgements	6	0
Total		171	54

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a) South Africa experienced high inflation over the past few years, mainly due to global shocks, contributing to sharp increases in international food and energy

prices and consequently elevated domestic inflation. However, inflation peaked at 7.8 per cent in July 2022, progressively receding to 2.8 per cent in October 2024. In response, the government has taken a number of steps to provide relief to help households experiencing the rising cost of living; for instance.

- The 2023 Budget stated that the government had decided to extend the diesel fuel levy refund period to manufacturers of foodstuffs for two years,

effective from 1 April 2023 to 13 March 2025. This was coupled with the announcement that the general fuel levy would not be increased in the

2023/24 financial year. Lower fuel levy has contributed significantly to lower input costs, alleviating broader price levels. Moreover, transport costs

constitute a significant part of the inflation basket of the lower and middle strata, with the intervention yielding disproportionate direct benefits to these

households.

- Government’s commitment to structural reforms through Operation Vulindlela is not limited to unlocking growth potential for South Africa, but

also to reduce the cost of investment and consumption through the removal of red tape and broader reduction of costs of doing business.

- A Nedlac Cost of Living Rapid Response Task Team, which the National Treasury is part of, has been established to build an understanding of the

issues driving the cost of living and attempt to secure immediate or short term changes from the government to address high food prices and food

insecurity of poor and vulnerable people.

b) In addition to the above interventions, the SRD grant, which was introduced in 2020 to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been extended multiple times to support vulnerable households. Its current provision is scheduled to conclude in March 2025.

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The Minister of Finance, as an active member of the Committee of Ministers and the Executive Consultative Council (which includes provinces) which are forums responsible for state mandating processes, will continue to advise on the financial implications and the required trade-offs before any offer could be tabled before the public service coordinating bargaining council (PSCBC). The strategy is to ensure that the government can reach a wage agreement that could be afforded within the Main Budget Fiscal Framework without adding significant pressures to the system. The National Treasury will also be implementing necessary measures to ensure the affordability of public service wage increases while maintaining fiscal sustainability as well as recognizing the need for a balanced trade-off between public service salaries and employment growth. National Treasury is confident that the current employer proposals tabled before the PSCBC will not break the current fiscal framework projections, but it is cognizance of the fact that the wage negotiations are still ongoing and would not want to pre-empt the outcomes of those discussions. The government is committed to finalizing the current round of wage negotiations before tabling of the 2025 February Main Budget, and the details around the funding of the wage increases will be announced at that time

Reply:

a) Through a suite of employment initiatives, the South African government continues to prioritize job creation and support for vulnerable groups. Key short- to medium-term interventions are Public Employment Programmes (PEPs), which provide limited-duration work, skills training, and work experience. Key programs include:

1. The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and Community Works Programme (CWP) which have created more than 500,000 job opportunities in the current financial year.
2. The Presidential Employment Initiative, which has created over 1.7 million jobs since its 2020 inception. An amount of R7.4 billion has been set aside for the Initiative in 2024/25 through a combination of reprioritisation, provisional allocations and funding from the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s Labour Activation Programme.
3. As of 30 June 2024, projects contracted through the Jobs Fund had contributed R14.6 billion in matched funding to job creation off the back of R7.3 billion in grant funding disbursed to date (i.e., for every Rand government has contributed, project partners have contributed approximately R2.01). The Fund has created over 320,000 jobs and internships, most of which are filled by women and young people. The Fund has also trained over 320,000 work-seekers and entrepreneurs, thereby assisting them in improving their employment and business outcomes.
4. Importantly, the National Treasury and the Presidency, working with other state institutions, have initiated a comprehensive review of PEPs and broader Active Labour Market Policies and the social support system to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. The first phase of this review will be completed by March 2025.

b) Over the longer-term, to tackle unemployment, the government is committed to accelerating economic growth that fosters job creation and improves livelihoods. As indicated in the 2024 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, government’s efforts will be anchored by a four-pillar growth strategy focused on a stable macroeconomic framework, reforms to boost competitiveness, improving state capability to deliver essential services, and delivering quality infrastructure that itself will work to stimulate job demand.

In addition, work is underway through the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) through a Labour Law Reform Task Team that is considering and enacting amendments to key pieces of labour market legislation. This seeks to address several structural challenges in the labour market while balancing the needs of employers and employees. The reforms seek to, amongst others:

• Simplify the regulatory burden on businesses, including of dismissal procedures.
• Extend collective bargaining rights and protections to non-standard workers, such as those in temporary or part-time employment.
• Improve the efficiency of dispute resolution mechanisms between employer and employee.

Reply:

The tables below depict the total number of court hours magistrates’ courts work in each day in each region.

1 DISTRICT COURT MAGISTRATES COURT HOURS

 

Admin Cluster	Criminal	Civil	Family	Hrs p/magistrate p/day
EC A	2:07	0:30	1:11	3:48
EC B	2:40	0:22	1:39	4:41
FS A	1:00	0:11	0:33	1:44
FS B	1:38	0:12	0:41	2:31
GP 5	0:20	0:18	0:28	1:06
GP 5A	6:28	2:55	5:56	15:19
KZN A	2:20	0:45	1:29	4:34
KZN B	1:48	0:25	0:58	3:11
LP	2:15	0:28	1:39	4:22
MP	1:51	0:27	1:10	3:28
NC	1:38	0:12	1:01	2:51
NW	1:33	0:32	1:31	3:36
WC  A	1:50	0:31	1:05	3:26
WC  B	2:30	0:28	1:21	4:19
Grand Total	1:53	0:32	1:19	3:44

2. REGIONAL MAGISTRATES COURT HOURS

Table - Criminal Court Performance Overview

Region	Court Days	New Cases	Number of Trials Enrolled	Number Of Trials Finalised	s 77 & 78	Withdrawals	SOR	Warrants of arrest	Actual Court Hours	Average Court Hours	Clearance Rate	Enrolled Trials per day	Finalised Trials per day	Throughput in hours per case
EC	10627	6926	29623	3888	59	1298	844	737	33230:11	03:07	99%	2.79	0.37	08:25
FS	4795	3275	12180	1555	24	804	432	449	13557:12	02:49	100%	2.54	0.33	08:35
GP	16346	9684	36075	4100	126	3882	1335	1057	49804:25	03:02	108%	2.21	0.26	11:47
KZN	13393	6751	23644	3121	85	1363	550	469	41350:09	03:05	83%	1.77	0.24	12:53
LP	4985	3177	13679	1142	27	691	124	235	14953:03	02:59	70%	2.74	0.23	12:47
MP	3021	3480	14279	1082	22	614	420	333	10200:15	03:22	71%	4.73	0.37	09:14
NC	2898	955	6427	864	17	437	205	140	9215:49	03:10	174%	2.22	0.30	10:27
NW	4059	1481	8285	792	43	534	283	274	10576:29	02:36	130%	2.04	0.21	12:39
WC	7581	5691	19869	2769	21	1894	825	743	24882:34	03:16	110%	2.62	0.37	08:55
Total	67705	41420	164061	19313	424	11517	5018	4437	207770:08	03:04	98%	2.42	0.29	10:31

 

 

Table - Civil Trials Overview

Region	Court Days	Applications Enrolled	Applications Finalized	Trials  Enrolled	Trials Finalized	Actual Court Hours	Average Court Hours	%  Applications finalised	%Trials Finalised	Applications finalised per day	Trials finalised per day
EC	1380	1907	1308	4979	3338	2914:35	02:06	69%	67%	0.95	2.42
FS	709	1112	643	3305	2262	922:02	01:18	58%	68%	0.91	3.19
GP	3948	6453	3740	11191	7178	7665:03	01:56	58%	64%	0.95	1.82
KZN	2351	6588	3181	9763	5736	5568:53	02:22	48%	59%	1.35	2.44
LP	1677	2301	1318	5055	2492	3363:45	2:00	57%	49%	0.79	1.49
MP	1174	2114	1207	5602	2434	2626:19	02:14	57%	43%	1.03	2.07
NC	317	161	104	802	609	363:50	01:08	65%	76%	0.33	1.92
NW	1070	1476	761	3413	2124	1734:40	01:37	52%	62%	0.71	1.99
WC	1313	4146	2169	5372	3444	2873:33	02:11	52%	64%	1.65	2.62
Total	13939	26258	14431	49482	29617	28032:40	02:00	55%	60%	1.04	2.12

 

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1. Yes, the Deputy Minister attended the closing ceremony for the Olympic Games.

2. The Department and I answered the questions that were asked of us. I take exception to the aspersion you are implying that I was not transparent in my answers. My travel cost and the cost of the eight officials who travelled to Paris was answered. Most Departmental officials were in Paris to manage the Ekhaya Gardens project, and their travel was independent of the ministry’s and they would have travelled whether any Minister or Deputy Minister travelled. If you wished to know what the Deputy Minister’s travel cost, at a different time in a trip that did not include me, then that is the question you should have asked, instead of now questioning my “transparency”, as though answering questions one is not even asked could be taken as evidence of supposed “transparency”. The Deputy Minister’s travel was, I repeat, not undertaken with me and occurred at a separate time entirely.

Since you are now asking what the Deputy Minister and her delegation’s travel costs amounted to, with a deadline for when that will be provided to you, I have requested the Department to provide this information. This should be finalised by Tuesday, 19 November 2024, after which it will be sent to you.

3. As pointed out above, the Deputy Minister and I were not travelling at the same time during the Olympics. I am currently in the process of interrogating travel spending for all trips to ensure that the Department is getting good value for its money, that delegations are kept to minimum sizes and that travel costs, including for ground transport, are also kept to the minimum.

Reply:

As outlined in the media statement following the 25 October 2024 FATF Plenary meeting, South Africa was deemed to have addressed or largely addressed 16 action items, and is now left with 6 action items for the last reporting cycle, which ends in February 2025. Three of these action items relate to demonstrating a sustained increase in the investigation and prosecution of complex money laundering, terror financing and unlicensed cross-border money or value transfer services (MVTS). The other three relate to the timely access of beneficial ownership information in respect of companies and trusts, and the imposition of remedial action and dissuasive sanctions by designated AML/CFT supervisors.

Government remains committed to meet the original deadline for exiting the grey list in February but acknowledges that this depends largely on addressing the remaining deficiencies timeously, which may require an additional round of assessments.

The Interdepartmental Committee on Anti-Money Laundering (IDC-AML/CFT) remains the principal coordination mechanism to ensure all deficiencies are addressed. National Treasury chairs the IDC-AML/CFT which was mandated by Cabinet to lead the government’s effort towards fully and speedily addressing all the deficiencies in the country’s AML/CFT system. Cabinet and the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster have overseen the implementation of the Action Plan (since the country’s greylisting in February 2023), via the IDC-AML/CFT. The IDC-AML/CFT includes a wide range of government departments and agencies, such as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), the National Prosecuting Authority, the Special Investigating Unit, the State Security Agency, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the South African Reserve Bank, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, and the South African Revenue Service. The National Treasury regularly updates Cabinet on the progress made by the IDC-AML/CFT and government departments and agencies against the action items in the Action Plan.

For further information, I refer the Honourable Member to the regular media releases issued by the National Treasury, including the last one issued on 25 October 2024 (link attached below), all available on its website www.treasury.gov.za. I also refer the Honourable Member to the many parliamentary questions over the last two years responding to FATF and grey listing questions for example PQ 516 [no3759e], 3967 [NW4935E], 2641 [NW3157E], 2642 [NW3158E], 21602 [NW1730E], 3967 [NW4935E], 3547 [NW4717E], 1602 [NW1730E], 3547 [NW4717E] and 1289 [NW1393E]

The media statement, Action Plan and South Africa’s 3rd Enhanced Follow-up Report with technical compliance re-ratings report, can be accessed at the following links:

Media Statement

https://www.treasury.gov.za/comm_media/press/2024/2024102501%20Media%20Statement%20FATF%20Greylisting%20South%20Africa%E2%80%99s%20Positive%20Progress%20as%20at%20October%202024.pdf

Action Plan:

https://www.treasury.gov.za/comm_media/press/2024/2024102501%20Annexure%20FATF.pdf)

FATF 3rd follow up report:

https://www.treasury.gov.za/comm_media/press/2024/2024110501%20South%20Africa%E2%80%99s%203rd%20Enhanced%20Follow-up%20Report%20by%20FATF.pdf

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The National Treasury provided an outline of the implications of establishing a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) in a document published in December 2021 (Discussion Document - Oil and Gas Tax Regime). The issues highlighted in that document are still relevant today.

Conceptually, the SWF would be a state-owned company that would accumulate resources for capital investment through a dedicated revenue instrument and would then invest these in different asset classes. From a fiscal policy perspective, it would be an extra-budgetary account or institution, which we would list and whose surplus or deficit position would form part of the consolidated fiscal framework.

(a) At the moment, the main budget balance is negative with no resource slack to capitalise a SWF (that is, the net position of all public entities and social security funds is in deficit).

(b) & (c) South Africa’s prevailing structural current account and budget deficits mean that the macroeconomic conditions that would support the formation of a sovereign wealth fund are not in place. Countries with SWFs broadly maintain surpluses in their current accounts and budget balances. This has not been a consistent feature of South Africa, which has instead seen consecutive current account and fiscal deficits, with this trend expected to continue over the medium-term.

Further, the public revenues or royalties derived from mineral resources have historically not been reliable nor consistent in South Africa. The 2024 Budget Review noted that the windfall tax gains from high commodity prices over the previous two years have come to a halt. Provisional corporate tax receipts from the mining sector for the first 10 months of 2023/24 were nearly R40 billion lower - more than 50 per cent lower - than the same period in 2022/23.

Importantly, the National Treasury has illustrated how funding for service delivery remains under pressure in the context of the current fiscal constraints, and that additional resources are required to improve the recruitment of key personnel such as police, teachers, and to increase investment in the maintenance of basic service infrastructure.

In light of these realities, the most appropriate policy path is to use resources – including higher-than-expected revenues should they arise – to reduce the debt burden while improving the delivery of existing services that achieve development objectives, while actively pursuing policies that remove impediments to economic growth, such as in respect of energy security, water supply, and transport and logistics.

Reply:

The said question has been responded to and submitted for tabling on 12 November 2024

Reply:

The said question has been responded to and submitted for tabling, on 11 November 2024.

 

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During this year, I have conducted numerous inspections and oversight visits, including the Giyani Water Services Project, the Emfuleni Intervention, eThekwini Metropolitian Municipality projects and in Knysna Municipality.

On Tuesday, 05 November 2024, we had an Extended Joint Service Delivery and Water Task Meeting with Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Premiers of Provinces, where we agreed on the need to ensure the speed of execution in the delivery of services. Together, we agreed that we will be on the ground working with municipalities, in the context of District Development Model.

When delivering the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, the Minister of Finance announced that 50 of the 257 municipalities in the country have active financial recovery plans. The Minister also highlighted that three municipalities are under national intervention and these are Mangaung, Enoch Mgijima and Lekwa.

To this end, I have had meetings with both the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Hon Hlabisa and the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Hon Majodina to discuss how best we can ensure strengthened support to Municipalities, through the implementation of the District Development Model.

Ministers have since announced measures to address related challenges in various municipalities.

On 6 September 2024, together with the Minister of Water and Sanitation, I carried out an oversight visit at the Giyani Water Project in Limpopo. The R5.5 billion project consists of the construction of a bulk raw water pipeline from Nandoni Dam north of Giyani to Nsami Dam in Giyani, as well as the refurbishment and upgrading of the municipal water treatment works in Giyani.

This project also includes the construction of 325 km of bulk pipelines to supply water from the Giyani Water Treatment Works to villages in Giyani. It further includes reticulation of water by Mopani District Municipality to 55 villages around Giyani, of which the first phase comprises of 24 villages. To date, reticulation to 11 of these 24 villages has been completed and these 11 villages are now receiving water in their yards.

 

With regard to Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality, I conducted an inspection of the City’s water and sanitation infrastructure on 12 April 2024. We inspected the Northern Wastewater Treatment Works, where the contractor is fast tracking repairs. This work will mitigate sewer overflows to the Umngeni River and central beaches. This was followed by an inspection of one of the two newly constructed reservoirs in Adams in the south of Durban. The visit was part of the work of the Presidential eThekwini Intervention Task Team which was established to resolve water challenges in the City.

In this regard, the Department of Water and Sanitation, and Umgeni-uThukela Water Board are playing an important role in assisting the City to address its water supply and sanitation challenges, including the construction of the R28 billion uMkhomazi Water Project on the upper uMkhomazi River by the TCTA, the construction of the Ngwadini Dam and new water treatment plant on the Lower uMkhomazi River by the Water Board, and the management of the City’s ten largest water treatment works by the Water Board.

In the Knysna Local Municipality, we oversaw the implemention of an investigation into the poor service delviery, as well as the development of action plans involving the various sector departments. During all of these visits, I was able to convene high level delegations, consisting of mayors, premiers and all relevant ministers, to facilitate collaboration and prioritisation of service delivery projects.

Lastly, with regard to Nelson Madela Bay, the Ministry of Water and Sanitation has launched the completion of the first phase of a R1 billion project to reduce non-revenue water in Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality. With the support of the department, the municipality secured funding for the project through the Budget Facility for Infrastructure in National Treasury and the funding is managed by the department through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant.

As of October 2024, the water crisis in Nelson Mandela Bay has been gradually improving, with the municipality’s supply dams full, including the Algoa system dam levels which are currently at 75%. However, the region is still prone to drought and water scarcity.

As we continue with our outreach programmes, we will continue to monitor service delivery and infrastructure challenges in all municipalities within the country to ensure that our interventions strategies are succeeding.

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(a) Total number of backlog cases

(i) 2019-20 – 55757

(ii) 2020-21 – 51616

(iii) 2021-22 – 42109

(iv) 2022-23 – 47494

(v) 2023-24 – 53187

(b) nature of the cases of backlog in the specified period

Top 10 charges on backlog cases - 19/20
Charges	Grand Total
Rape – act of penetration with a person without his or her consent (Sec 3 of Act 32 of 2007)	5420
Murder	5414
Assault with the intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm	5362
Theft	3650
Robbery with Aggravating Circumstances	3592
Possession or Use of Drugs	3218
Fraud	1867
Rape - sexual intercourse with a female without her consent (Common Law)	1800
Assault	1686
Attempted Murder	1654

Top 10 charges on backlog cases - 20/21
Charges	Grand Total
Assault with the intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm	6289
Rape – act of penetration with a person without his or her consent (Sec 3 of Act 32 of 2007)	5380
Murder	4823
Robbery with Aggravating Circumstances	3311
Theft	3170
Assault	2072
Fraud	1806
Housebreaking with the Intent to Steal and Theft	1644
Attempted Murder	1471

Top 10 charges on backlog cases - 21/22
Charges	Grand Total
Rape - act of penetration with a person without his or her consent (Sec 3 of Act 32 of 2007)	5379
Assault with the intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm	4765
Murder	4750
Robbery with Aggravating Circumstances	2788
Theft	2316
Assault	1603
Fraud	1440
Attempted Murder	1264
Housebreaking with the Intent to Steal and Theft	1128
Malicious Injury to Property	1008

Top 10 charges on backlog cases - 22/23
Charges	Grand Total
Assault with the intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm	6079
Rape - act of penetration with a person without his or her consent (Sec 3 of Act 32 of 2007)	5688
Murder	4994
Theft	2916
Robbery with Aggravating Circumstances	2714
Assault	2138
Fraud	1465
Attempted Murder	1414
Housebreaking with the Intent to Steal and Theft	1235
Malicious Injury to Property	1232

Top 10 charges on backlog cases - 23/24
Charges	Grand Total
Assault with the intent to do Grievous Bodily Harm	7304
Rape - act of penetration with a person without his or her consent (Sec 3 of Act 32 of 2007)	6006
Murder	5181
Theft	3333
Assault	2912
Robbery with Aggravating Circumstances	2772
Attempted Murder	1639
Fraud	1462
Malicious Injury to Property	1351
Possession or Use of Drugs	1234

(c) number of backlog cases that were finalised

(i) 2019-20 – 4642

(ii) 2020-21 – 2910

(iii) 2021-22 – 3141

(iv) 2022-23 – 7750

(v) 2023-24 – 1722

 

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The department follows the following process for temporary relocation of court services during construction, additional accommodation, refurbishment, repair, and renovation projects at court facilities.

When such projects are to be implemented at court facilities, a comprehensive temporary relocation or decanting plan is meticulously drafted in collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and all relevant stakeholders. The decanting location is typically situated within the premises of the existing facilities. This process is designed to ensure continuity of services and minimize disruption to court users. The execution of this relocation process follows a structured outline.

1. Assessment and planning phase - Where needs assessments, capacity analysis, stakeholder and community engagement and budgeting are undertaken.
2. Preparation phase – Setting up the mobile unit, developing service continuity protocols and communication plans.
3. Transition and relocation phase – User transfer and scheduling, equipment transfer, public servant relocation and orientation and conducting safety and compliance checks.
4. Operation phase – Monitoring and quality control, regular feedback collection and communication with the main facility being renovated.
5. Return transition phase – notifications of return to main facility and decommissioning the mobile units.

This detailed process is carefully planned and coordinated to ensure that judicial services remain uninterrupted and that users experience minimal disruption throughout the renovation or construction period. The Department is committed to maintaining the highest standards of service delivery while simultaneously improving our facilities.

a) An example of this process explained above is being followed with the Pretoria Magistrates Court where services continue to be provided whilst the court is undergoing renovations. Further reference can be made of the Galeshewe Magistrate Court building, the Department implemented a series of measures to maintain uninterrupted access to justice for the community. Initially, gazebos were erected outside the court building, enabling magistrates to proceed with scheduled cases despite challenging weather conditions. This approach demonstrated our commitment to minimizing disruptions to court proceedings.

Concurrently, alternative arrangements were made to accommodate essential services. The district court, one criminal court, and one family court were temporarily relocated to the Witdam Police Station, situated 2.5 kilometres from Galeshewe. This interim solution ensured continued access to critical legal services during the closure period.

As of February 2024, all court services previously housed at the Galeshewe Magistrate Court were transferred to the Kimberley Magistrate Court, located 6.5 kilometres from the Galeshewe Magistrate Court. It is important to note that this relocation does not affect the court's jurisdiction, as the former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development had previously expanded the local limits to encompass the Galeshewe Sub-District.

Recognizing the potential transportation challenges this move may present, the Department implemented a support system. Members of the public who face difficulties in reaching the Kimberley Magistrate Court are being assisted with transportation using the Department's fleet. To ensure widespread awareness of these changes, the Department has taken proactive steps to inform the community. Notices have been strategically placed throughout the Galeshewe area, a comprehensive media statement has been disseminated across the community, publication in the local newspapers were posted and announcements made through the local radio station. These communication efforts aim to keep residents fully informed about the changes and provide clear guidance on accessing court services during the temporary closure.

END

Reply:

After a thorough investigation, the independent investigator, herein referred to as an initiator, concluded that there was no sufficient evidence to sustain the allegations of misconduct against the Senior Official.

As a result, according to the initiator, no disciplinary action could be taken against the Senior Official in terms of section 16B (1) (b) of the Public Service Act 1994, as amended, read with Chapter 7 of the SMS Handbook and the delegations of powers.

The aggrieved employee was informed of the outcome of the grievance, and she was advised of her right to appeal the decision with the Public Service Commission for a recommendation, or to declare a dispute with the GPSSBC/CCMA.

The Department can also confirm that the employee was offered counselling through an independent service provider which she declined.

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All matters related to the collapsed VBS Mutual Bank are being handled by the Prudential Authority and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority, together with the law enforcement authorities. As such National Treasury is not conducting any independent investigations related to any matters related to the VBS Mutual Bank. National Treasury undertakes to fully co-operate with the financial sector regulators and the law enforcement authorities on any investigations that could be in progress or that may be initiated.

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a) Municipalities as of 30 September 2024, owe bulk suppliers R118.7 billion in arrears (excluding the September 2024 current account). Of the R90 billion owed Eskom –

• R74 billion is owed collectively by the 71 municipalities on the debt relief programme – R58.5 billion of this constitutes municipal relief debt. There was therefore a R15.5 billion increase in debt owed by municipal debt relief participants since 31 March 2023. Most of this is the increase relating to the top 14 Eskom defaulters.
• R16.06 billion of the R90 billion owed to Eskom, are owed by municipalities that are not on debt relief. R13.03 billion of this are owed by metropolitan cities.

b) The National Treasury developed early warning systems which assists municipalities to identify the extent of their financial problems where they exist, parallel to several other support initiatives to strengthen and enforce transparency, improve fiscal discipline and promote the better use of municipal revenue. These include initiatives focused on improving the adoption of realistically funded and credible budgets, integration and management of the revenue value chain, providing technical support to build municipal financial management capacity through the Municipal Finance Improvement Programme (MFIP) in cross-cutting areas of revenue related and other policies, tariffs, completeness of the revenue base, development of budget funding plans, the resolution of municipal financial problems through the development of financial recovery plans, the introduction of a Standard Chart of Accounts for municipalities (mSCOA) and processes to deal timeously with financial misconduct and consequence management.

National and Provincial Treasuries also engage municipalities annually through budget and benchmark engagements where the tabled budget is subjected to a rigorous assessment prior to adoption by the municipal council. There are also mid-year performance assessments which provide an opportunity to assess the financial and service delivery performance of the municipality against the adopted budget and effect the necessary adjustments. The National Treasury also enforces compliance in terms of s18 of the Municipal Finance Management Act by ensuring that any municipality that adopts an unfunded budget must develop a credible funding plan which seeks to gradually improve the financial position of the municipality and achieve a funded budget status. The implementation of these funding plans is monitored on a quarterly basis by the Treasuries.

In terms of the existing intergovernmental legislation, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs resolve and mediate issues between organs of state, including non-payment of bulk suppliers. Once this IGR process has been exhausted, the National Treasury, on request, may mediate in disputes of a financial nature as per the MFMA. NT in cases of persistent financial management breaches, can invoke section 216(2) of the Constitution to withhold a municipality’s Local Government Equitable Share (LGES) and conditional grant transfers.

Where the situation amounts to a serious and persistent financial problems, it is the Provincial Executive that must institute the appropriate mode of intervention. Failing, only then may the national government intervene.

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(a)(b) The two Ministers have not yet met to discuss any request for additional funding for the sector.

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Over the past five years wage increases were as follows compared to the budgeted amounts:

In 2019/20, the average increases were on a sliding scale based on Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) Resolution 01 of 2018 multi-year wage agreement and departments were instructed to budget for it as part of the budget process.

In 2020/21, the wage increase for public service employees was zero per cent due to the fiscal consolidations that were implemented in the 2020 and 2021 MTEFs.

In 2021/22, the wage increase for public service employees was 1.5 per cent which was budgeted for plus the once-off cash gratuity (equivalent to 4.5 per cent) that was introduced for the first time. The cash gratuity was funded during the 2021 MTBPS at a cost of R20.5 billion.

In 2022/23, the cash gratuity that was introduced in 2021/22 was budgeted to continue due to a clause that was in the 2022 wage agreement which stated that it could only lapse once a new agreement has been reached. The outcome of the wage negotiation process resulted in both labour and the employer not reaching any agreement for 2022/23. As a result, government unilaterally implemented its last wage offer that was tabled before the PSCBC which entailed the continuation of the cash gratuity plus an additional 3 per cent. The cash gratuity amount of R20.5 billion was budgeted for in the main budget fiscal framework and the 3 per cent which amounted to R14.6 billion with carry-through costs during the 2022 MTBPS. Departments were fully funded for the increase.

In 2023/24, government and labour reached an agreement for the conversion of the cash gratuity that was first introduced in 2021/22 into the baseline plus an additional 3.3 per cent. The total costs of this agreement amounted to R37.4 billion for that financial year with carry-through costs. Funding for this increase was not provided for in the main budget fiscal framework as government at the time had agreed with labour during the public service labour summit not to announce in the budget any provision for wage increases before the conclusion of the bargaining processes. However, after signing the agreement the country started facing various macroeconomic challenges that negatively impacted the fiscal framework including the financing instruments. This made the work of trying to accommodate such additional spending within the fiscal framework very challenging. As a result, funding was provided for labour-intensive departments during the 2023 MTBPS.

In 2024/25, the wage increases were aligned to projected CPI at the time of main budget and departments were instructed to budget for it as part of the 2024 MTEF budget process.

Table below show the average cost of living adjustment for public service employees relative to consumer price index over the past five years

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The tailings dumps in the Vaal Reefs in the main predate the promulgation of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA). Prior to the promulgation of the MPRDA, rehabilitation was not legislated and as such the law cannot be implemented retrospectively on these dumps. Post MPRDA promulgation all rehabilitation is done through this Act and as such mining right holders are obliged to rehabilitate the dumps. The historic dumps will require a different approach which will include tracing mine owners and as a last resort including them under facilities that are ownerless, which will require rehabilitation by the State. An opportunity has arisen lately, where some companies are wanting to re-work the dumps with a view of extracting gold using latest technology as well as other minerals. This could an opportunity for better rehabilitation of those historical dumps in compliance with the latest standards. A company like Pan African Resources is re-working old dumps and in the process making the area safer as they have to comply with both MPRDA and NEMA requirements.

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While the provisioning of public school infrastructure is a provincial responsibility, as per section 12 of the South African Schools Act, the Department of Basic Education (DBE), in collaboration with Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), is committed to ensuring cost-efficiency in the delivery of education services, including infrastructure-related projects.

To this end, the DBE has developed a 10-point strategy to support PEDs to improve their planning and delivery of school infrastructure while minimising costs. This strategy includes the following workstreams:

1. Updated data on school infrastructure to ensure accurate planning and resource allocation.
2. Simplified asset management plans for more efficient infrastructure management.
3. Simplified Infrastructure Programme Management Plans to streamline processes.
4. Standardised concept designs, specifications, processes and contracts to enhance cost efficiency.
5. Development and rollout of framework contracts to facilitate better procurement practices.
6. Local subcontracting to promote community involvement and reduce costs.
7. Gateway reviews of project planning and implementation to ensure quality and cost-effectiveness at every stage.
8. Monitoring over the entire project life cycle for better oversight and accountability.
9. Restricting defaulting service providers to prevent project delays and cost overruns.
10. Cost-reimbursable contracts with target prices to incentivise cost savings.

Furthermore, a collaborative set of workstreams between DBE and PEDs has been established to focus on professional excellence, capacity building and school maintenance to strengthen planning and delivery mechanisms for school infrastructure.

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The Minister of Health requested the Health Ombud to investigate the Life Esidimeni tragedy. The report and recommendations by the Health Ombud provided details that assisted in getting to the root cause of the tragedy and informed the corrective response. The framework for licensing community based mental health facilities was reviewed and strengthened in compliance to the recommendation of the Health Ombud. In this regard, the National Health Council approved the Regulations for Licensing Community Mental Health Day Care and Residential Care Facilities for People With Mental Illness and or Severe or Profound Intellectual Disability. These Regulations strengthen the process of licensing community based mental health organisations by enforcing a set of minimum requirements to ensure quality care, treatment and rehabilitation services that comply to basic human rights principles. They promote the provision of services by skilled staff in therapeutic, humane and safe environments.

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(a) What (a) measures has her department put in place to promote awareness about eco-tourism

The Department promotes responsible tourism awareness focusing on themes which include resource efficiency (water, energy & waste mangement), community-based tourism development and universal accessibility in the sector.

Tourism Climate Change Communication Strategy (TCCCS) is in place to guide communication-related aspects of awareness, education and training for climate change mitigation and adaptation within the sector.

(b) what strategies has her department employed to

(i) implement ecotourism plans and (ii) ensure that ecotourism benefits surrounding communities

The following strategies/plans under implementation support Ecotourism and/or benefit

communities:-

• National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS) 2016-2026.
• The Operational Guidelines for Community Based Tourism in South Africa (OGCBT).
• Framework for Community Participation in Tourism (FCPT).
• Infrastructure development and maintenance.
• Tourism Resource Efficiency Programme.
• Green Tourism Incentive Programme.s
• Climate Change Tourism Adaptation Project (TAP).
• Tourism destination marketing.

c) What monitoring mechanisms does her department have in place to ensure that the Republic becomes eco-tourist friendly?

The National Tourism Sector Stakeholder Forum (NTSF) provides for a sector wide monitoring platform for implementation of the NTSS and its supporting strategies and/or plans.

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Provinces and South African Military Health Services responded positively to the letter proposing creation of more posts to accommodate all Community Services applications.

The Department continues to engage all stakeholders for assistance with the outstanding 73 Environmental Health Practitioner posts, e.g. Border Management Agency (BMA) and South African Local Government Association (SALGA)

The table below indicates the status of allocation of outstanding applicants:

Allocations - 2025 Annual Cycle (Not Enough posts available for Fields of Study)
	4th October Shortage	30th October Placements	05th November Shortage	Results release
Diagnostic Radiographer	29	29	0	15/10/24
Environmental Health Practitioner	117	44	-73	25/10/24
Pharmacist	70	70	0	11/10/24
Physiotherapist	18	18	0	15/10/24
Medical	202	202	0	16/10/24
Grand Total	436	363	-73

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a) Interventions such as the expansion of community based screening have resulted in increased screening in communities, health facilities and in schools through the Integrated School Health Programme. The impact with regard to health outcomes needs to be determined through either an electronic patient record or a longitudinal study that track individuals or populations over time. Since it will take a considerable length of time to have an electronic patient record in place, the Department is currently sourcing funding to engage researchers to do a longitudinal study.

b) The programmes are integrated to strengthen preventative care and early-intervention strategies through implementation of a patient centred approach. The Adult Primary Care training programme and its manual, which is a comprehensive guide used by healthcare workers at primary care level covers a broad range of health conditions including NCDs, mental health, communicable diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis, and acute conditions such as trauma and respiratory infections. The APC is structured around symptoms, which helps healthcare workers diagnose and manage conditions more effectively avoiding sending patient from pillar to post. Similarly, health screening during community-based campaigns are integrated to provide comprehensive services. The interventions include health education and increased screening in communities, health facilities and in schools through the Integrated School Health Programme. To further ensure integration, planning and implementation of activities and programmes is done in conjunction with other government departments such as Basic Education, Social Development, Sports Arts and Culture and Justice.

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a) Through engagement with other Ministers (Minister of Police and Minister of Small Business Development), and to ensure a multisectoral approach in responding to the food safety issues, the National Joints Operation and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS), was activated and a multisectoral intervention plan has been developed, which will be implemented in the next 24 months. Key stakeholders in the plan include various departments and the roles and responsibilities of each department has clearly been outlined in the plan, with emphasis on their roles as it relates to informal food traders, from legislation enforcement to their support roles. Joint Operations have been activated in all provinces, and all relevant departments participate.

b) The interventions are focusing on law enforcement to firstly ensure that spaza shop traders are operating within the ambit of all relevant legislation in the country. This will ensure that firstly, no business operates without the necessary permits/registrations. Secondly, only premises that have been certified by Environmental Health Practitioners as compliant to food safety legislation can trade in foodstuffs. The joint operations will also provide capacacity to enable law enforcement in non-compliant premises, which will include closure of such, where deemed necessary.

As part of the interventions, awareness is being raised in communities about food safety, their rights and what to expect from their local food premises. We believe that because we are unable to be everywhere at all times, communities that are informed and empowered play a critical role in food safety issues by educating and protecting children.

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Reply:

Yes, Mpumalanga Department of Health acknowledges that though Morgenzon clinic has been gazetted as an eight-hour clinic, there a need to extend its operating hours since the clinic is far from other health facilities that operate for 24 hours. The plan is to extend the clinic hours of operation from eight hours, five days to twelve hours, seven days a week. The extended operating services hours and days are to commence from 1 April 2025.

a) The Mpumalanga Department of Health has allocated an additional budget for the appointment of additional two cleaners and two admin clerks to complement existing support staff. Other categories of clinic personnel are sufficient to make the extension feasible.

b) None

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a) The Department of Health has made significant strides in strengthening the availability and quality of mental health services by:

• Attaching mental health units to general hospitals and ensuring that newly built primary health facilities provide designated space for rendering mental health interventions.
• Establishing 24 specialised psychiatric hospitals and 42 psychiatric units attached to general hospitals within the public sector.
• Additionally, there are twenty-five (25) mental health infrastructure projects underway through the Hospital Revitalisation Grant in provinces. These projects are at different stages, from planning phase to actual construction. The projects include attaching mental health units to existing general hospitals (17), revitalising specialised psychiatric hospitals (6) and constructing new psychiatric hospitals (2).
• All primary health care facilities render mental health services within their capacity and refer patients needing more specialised services.
• Availability of these facilities further strengthens access to mental health interventions for all who need them, including those mental health conditions related to chronic diseases like HIV, gender-based violence and conditions relating to physical and emotional trauma.

b) Various measures are in place to ensure that facilities are capacitated to meet community needs. Amongst others, these include:

• Inservice training for primary health care nurses to screen, identify and manage mental health problems using established guidelines;
• Medication for treating mental health conditions at all levels of the health system according to the package of services provided at each level;
• Allocation of a mental health conditional grant to further strengthen provision of mental health services. Provinces use this grant to contract mental health care professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, registered counsellors, social workers and occupational therapists) to complement existing staff and render mental health services at primary health care level. By the end of June 2024, 215 mental health professionals had been contracted through this grant in all the nine provinces. These included 110 registered counsellors, 62 social workers, 17 occupational therapists, 16 psychologists and 11 psychiatrists.
• The community health care worker curriculum has incorporated basic mental health skills enabling community health workers to identify problems and make appropriate referrals.

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Reply:

The study referred to, outlines the main causes of poisoning in children to include organic solvents, medications, and pesticides. Of the 60,901 admissions during the study period (January 2016 to December 2021), 2,652 (4.4%) children were diagnosed with poisoning. The incidence of poisoning per 100,000 decreased from 108 in 2019 to 77 in 2020 and 60 in 2021. The overall case fatality rate was 2.1% and poisoning due to pesticides and unspecified agents were associated with a higher death rate.

These pesticides are intended for agricultural use and should not be brought into homes or any domestic environment including where food is sold. For this reason, the National Department of Health in collaboration with provinces have an ongoing community education and awareness programme to ensure that the public is made aware of the dangers of the use of pesticides in households and in business.

I am not aware of any calls made to the Ministry or the National Department of Health to ban any poison. The National Department of Health does not possess a mandate in terms of its legislation to ban any pesticides or poison in this regard. The powers and mandate are invested upon the Registrar of Act 36 of 1947 in terms of the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act administered by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD). The registrar possesses the mandate to register any agricultural remedies/pesticides for use in agricultural settings and to ban or restrict any chemical for use or importation into the country due to its environmental, agricultural and human impacts.

Various operations are being conducted in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural development, amongst others to strengthen law enforcement on the sale and use of banned pesticides, including in the informal trading markets. This collaboration aims to remove these substances and bring to book those found in contravention.

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a) I intend to introduce the Governance Regulations to the National Health Insurance Act, 2023 (Act No. 20 of the 2023) that will provide for the establishment of the structures and processes for the governance of the Fund.

This includes appointment of a Board, Board Committees, statutory Advisory Committees and a Chief Executive Officer.

The draft regulations will be published in the Gazette and on the website of the department. The notice will invite the public to submit comments over a period of three months. At the end of this period the comments will be integrated and the final regulations shared with the National Health Council. Thereafter we will approach His Excellency the President to proclaim the relevant sections of the Act so that the regulation scan be published, and the process of recruitment can proceed.

The recruitment process is described in the regulations and aims to achieve maximum transparency in all steps of the process.

b) The steps required in the Act and elaborated in the draft regulations will require a period of around four months. This means that if all steps progress unhindered the Board should be appointed by August 2025.

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Reply:

The Department of Water and Sanitation did not provide funding for the Vryburg waste-water treatment plant through its grants (i.e. the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant or the Water Services Infrastructure Grant). The Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality, a Water Service Authority in Vryburg, is implementing the project and has indicated that the project is funded through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG), administered by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA).

COGTA is overseeing and monitoring the implementation of the Vryburg wastewater treatment plant project and would be in a better position to furnish the details of the project.

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1. Approximately 1 202 000 rounds of ammunition as well as 800 000 primers were stolen. The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in conjunction with the South African Police Service (SAPS) investigated 16 cases, and arrested a total of 16 suspects for possession of unlicensed ammunition. A total of 47 325 rounds of ammunition were recovered.

The status of the 16 cases is as follows:

• The accused in one case was found guilty and sentenced to eight years imprisonment of which three years is suspended for five years.
• Five cases involving four suspects are ongoing at court.
• Eight cases involving 10 accused were withdrawn in court.
• The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) declined to prosecute in two cases.

2. The cargo was not under the protection of the SAPS at the time. In June 2022, a criminal case was registered against two SAPS members, a sergeant and a student constable who purchased the stolen ammunition and then reported the matter to the DPCI. A thorough investigation was conducted by the DPCI that led to the arrest of the same members for buying stolen ammunition without following the procedure in terms of Section 252A of the Criminal Procedure Act 1977, (Act No. 51 of 1977).

The student constable was subsequently dismissed from the Police Academy in January 2023. Departmental steps were taken against the sergeant; however, in November 2023, he was fatally wounded while on duty, attending to an armed robbery incident in Durban. The criminal matter against both accused was withdrawn in court due to the death of the sergeant and the relocation of the witness to India.

The relevant details prior the incident are as follows:

The cargo came from Brazil, destined to a company in Centurion, Gauteng province. The cargo was transported from the Singapore Port and it arrived in Durban Harbour where it was supposed to be delivered to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) Customs Licensed Container depot for inspection by the SAPS Firearm Liquor and Second Hand Goods Control (FLASH) officials. The driver parked the truck with the cargo unguarded at his work premises. During the unrest, the cargo was reportedly looted.

 

Reply:

The Department does not have an agreement with Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries regarding the payment of non-emergency medical costs incurred as a result of providing healthcare to citizens from SADC countries. According to policy, these patients who receive non-emergency treatment from health facilities are supposed to settle the bills on their own. However, many of these patients either provide wrong residential addresses or do not have them.

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Reply:

1. The Constitution assigns the responsibility of ensuring access to water and sanitation services to municipalities, amongst others. The role of the national and provincial spheres of government is to support monitor and regulate local government. The Department of Water and Sanitation regulates the provision of water and sanitation services and in terms of this role, sets the norms and standards for municipal water and sanitation services in terms of the National Water Act and the Water Services Act.

Water Services Authorities (WSAs) in areas that are tourist destinations should put measures in place to ensure that sufficient water is available during peak demands (festive holidays). In addition, WSAs should also promote water conservation by communities because water is a scarce resource.

2. Maintenance of water and sanitation infrastructure is planned by different WSAs and Water Service Providers in accordance with their own plans depending on where and when this maintenance is required. DWS encourages proper communication of such plans with communities so that they are informed of possible water supply disruptions that may occur as a result of maintenance projects.

The major maintenance project in which the DWS in involved is the maintenance of the Lesotho Highland Water Tunnel. The South African government and Kingdom of Lesotho are implementing this major maintenance project which involves the closure of the tunnel for a period of six months, from 01 October 2024 to 31 March 2025. Comprehensive and technical operational plans have been put in place to minimise the disruption of water supply in all the affected municipalities within Gauteng and the Free State.

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Reply:

The department has been implementing phase 1 of the National Health Insurance (NHI) as provided for in the Act. Section 57(2)(a). The five areas of attention are:

1. continuation with the implementation of health system strengthening initiatives, including human resources, infrastructure and quality improvement;
2. development of National Health Insurance legislation, specifically the first regulations;
3. establishing several institutions as foundations for a fully functional Fund (for example Ministerial Advisory Committees on Benefits and for Health Technology Assessment;
4. preparations for purchasing of personal health care services for vulnerable groups, which are starting with development of a capitation payment system for integrated public and private primary health care through the contracting units for primary health care (CUPs); and
5. preparation for the establishment of the Fund as a Schedule 3A entity, which will prepare to transfer the functions presently being developed in the department to the entity. This is being discussed with the Minister of Finance and Treasury.

Several meetings have been held with the new MECs and HoDs post elections to ensure that all provinces are preparing for the advent of the reforms that will result as the NHI is implemented.

There are ongoing discussions with the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) and the Competition Commission of South Africa (CCSA) regarding evolving matters of mutual interest in preparation for the NHI.

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