Questions and Replies
08 December 2015 - NW4055
Mbhele, Mr ZN to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
With reference to her department’s 2014-15 Annual Report, (a) what are the names of the 97 military veterans’ co-operatives that were registered and (b) to which former (i) non-statutory forces (names furnished) or (ii) statutory forces (names furnished) did each veteran belong?
Reply:
The information can be processed through the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans in the new year, as the beneficiaries names are considered confidential.
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW4204
James, Dr WG to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
(a) How many persons were detained for the possession of marijuana in each correctional facility (i) in the (aa) 2012-13, (bb) 2013-14 and (cc) 2014-15 financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2015 and (b) for what period was each specified person detained?
Reply:
(a)(i)(aa), (bb), (cc) and (ii) Refer to Annexure 1
(b) The sentence length of each of the 21 239 offenders referred to in Annexure 1 is available however, a hard copy of the information will consist of ±433 pages. The Honourable Member may confirm if this high volume information is still required.
08 December 2015 - NW4096
America, Mr D to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)(a) How many officials of the Tlokwe City Local Municipality in the North West are currently on suspension and (b) for each suspended official, (i) what is the (aa) position of the official and (bb) reason for the suspension, (ii) for how long has each specified official been suspended and (iii) what has been their total remuneration during the period of suspension; (2) whether any severance packages were paid to any municipal officials; if so, for each official (a) who was the official, (b) why was the severance package paid, (c) for how long was the official employed by the specified municipality and (d) what was the total amount of the severance package?
Reply:
This information has been requested from Tlokwe Local Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4059
Maimane, Mr MA to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1)With reference to various replies received from her predecessors pertaining to the movement of the President, Mr Jacob G Zuma, and all relevant operational planning requirements (details furnished) and with reference to her replies to question 1221 on 9 June 2015, question 1941 on 9 June 2015 and question 3510 on 20 October 2015, on what basis is she refusing to provide the requested information in each case, since former ministers did provide similar detailed information when it was requested; (2) whether she submitted the specified information requested through a parliamentary channel that protects such security sensitive information; if not, why not; if so, in each case, on what date? NW4930E
Reply:
- I am not going to provide security sensitive information about the movement of the President
- No
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW4095
America, Mr D to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether any municipal official or councillor of the Tlokwe City Local Municipality in the North West undertook any international travel (a) in the 2014-15 financial year and (b) since 1 July 2015; if so, (i) what was the purpose of each trip, (ii) who undertook each trip and (iii) what was the total cost of each trip including, but not limited to, (aa) flights and (bb) accommodation?
Reply:
This information has been requested from Tlokwe Local Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW3905
Lekota, Mr M to ask the President of the Republic
Whether, subsequent to his declaration of 2011 as the year of job creation followed by the announcement of several initiatives to boost job creation, including the setting up of a R9 billion jobs fund, the Government has achieved any significant milestones towards creating five million jobs by 2020 and bringing the unemployment rate down to 15% as it had set out to do; if not, why not; if so,(a) has half that target been reached in half the time that was allocated to achieve that goal and (b) have decent jobs indeed been created on an incremental basis annually?
Reply:
a) Yes, there has been progress in job creation in the South African economy, although the unemployment rate remains unacceptably high.
The most recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics SA puts total employment in September 2015 at 15 828 000. This is an increase of some 2 500 000 over the September 2011 QLFS estimate of 13 318 000 employed persons. It should be noted, however, that a new Master Sample based on the 2011 census data was introduced in 2015, and Statistics SA therefore cautions that year-on-year changes should be interpreted with care. Notwithstanding this caution, the data indicate that if the rate of increase in employment over the past years is continued over the period ahead, approximately 5 million jobs will be created by 2020.
It is also apparent from the QLFS data that the rate of increase in the labour force has exceeded the rate of job creation, and so the unemployment rate has remained broadly unchanged. In September 2011 the estimated rate of unemployment was 25.7 per cent, and in September 2015 it was 25.5 per cent.
b) With respect to the question whether decent jobs have been created on an incremental basis annually, Government is mindful that wages are low and employment opportunities are irregular in some parts of the economy. Between 2011 and 2015, formal non-agricultural employment increased by approximately 1.5 million. In the September 2015 QLFS, informal sector work accounts for 2.7 million jobs, agriculture employment is 900 000 and private households account for 1.28 million jobs. These are important and sizeable shares of the employment total, and working conditions are varied in these sectors.
Programmes and policy initiatives that are aimed at improving conditions amongst lower-income workers include sectoral wage determinations by the Minister of Labour, investment in training and skills development and small enterprise support programmes. Government’s main direct contribution to the expansion of job opportunities is through the Expanded Public Works Programme and the Community Work Programme, and the youth employment incentive has been introduced to encourage firms to create work opportunities for first-time young work seekers.
The objective of the Jobs Fund is to support innovative approaches to employment creation and work seeker support, thereby contributing to evidence and learning about effective employment initiatives and strategies. The Jobs Fund aims to create 150 000 sustainable jobs and will contribute to evidence-based policy making.
To date the Jobs Fund has issued 5 calls for proposals, and approved 108 project applications of which 85 are currently being implemented. R5.6 billion in grants has been committed to the 108 projects. These project partners have committed R7.9 billion in matched funding. To date R2.78 billion in grants have been disbursed to implementing projects and R4.2 billion in matched funding has already been leveraged from these partners. The 85 projects being currently implemented have to date created 60 675 new permanent jobs and an additional 30 358 persons have been placed in vacant positions on a permanent basis. 16 124 short term jobs have been created, 13 291 persons completed internships and 128 196 persons has received work readiness/technical training.
Most of the jobs created have been entry level jobs for which the salary ranges between the sectoral minimum wage and R3500. Most of those employed are youth in their first jobs. Jobs have also been created in the salary cohort of R3500- R8800 with a few jobs created at salary levels in excess of R8000 per month. Jobs are evidenced through the submission of contracts of employment and payroll amongst others.
08 December 2015 - NW4157
Robertson, Mr K to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)Whether any councillors and/or municipal officials that owe any rates and/or taxes to the Mbombela Local Municipality may benefit from any incentive schemes that are designed to incentivise poor rate payers to pay 50% less of the outstanding amounts they owe; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether he has found that it is ethical to benefit from such a scheme when a person (a) is currently employed in the finance department and/or (b) is a councillor that could have known that such a scheme was to be presented to the specified municipality’s Council and that it would ultimately be adopted by the majority; if not, (i) why not and (ii) what steps will he take against the Members of the Mayoral Committee for allegedly indicating to the specified Council that resolutions were passed indicating that councillors and municipal officials were able to benefit from such a scheme despite the resolutions making no mention of said officials; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether he will instigate an investigation into the alleged breaching of the specified legislation in the specified municipality; if not, why not; if so, (a) when and (b) what are the further relevant details in this regard?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the Mbombela Local Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
The Honorable Member should provide CoGTA with any concrete information in his possession that could assist in any investigation – which will be initiated if there is a prima facie basis in existence.
08 December 2015 - NW4220
Jooste, Ms K to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1)With regard to the contract between her department and Zeal Health Innovations to provide medical care to military veterans, what (a) are the details of the processes that were followed by her department to award the specified contract to the specified company, (b) were the terms and conditions of the specified contract and (c) medical services were rendered by (i) the specified company and (ii) any other sub-contractor to the specified military veterans; (2) whether all military veterans who received medical treatment through the specified contract with the specified company were bona fide military veterans registered in the National Military Veterans Database; if not, why not; if so, (a) who are the military veterans who received medical care from the specified company and (b) to which former statutory and non-statutory forces did each military veteran belong?
Reply:
This matter is currently the subject of litigation between the Department and the company concerned and as such any comments at this stage are likely to prejudice the Department’s case.
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW3381
James, Dr WG to ask the Minister of Health
(1)With reference to his reply to question 443 on 26 May 2015, what amount was (a) claimed for medical negligence from and (b) eventually paid out by (i) his department and (ii) each provincial department of health (aa) in the (aaa) 2011-12, (bbb) 2012-13, (ccc) 2013-14 and (ddd) 2014-15 financial years and (bb) since 1 April 2015; (2) what amount was budgeted for litigation by (a) his department and (b) each provincial department of health for the 2015-16 financial year; (3) in respect of each province, what are the five most common complaints for which compensation was claimed in the (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15 financial years; (4) (a) which 10 hospitals had the highest number of claims against them and (b) for each hospital (i) how many claims were made against each one and (ii) what total amount was paid out for each specified claim in the 2014-15 financial year; (5) whether he has a plan to address the high number of medical negligence claims in the country; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
National Department of Health
- (a) and (b) (i) - Nil
(2) R7 299 000.00
Western Cape Department of Health
- (a) and (b) (ii)
CLAIMED |
PAID OUT |
|
2011-12 |
R38 065 710.00 |
R15 900 800.00 |
2012-13 |
R16 577 812.00 |
R6 197 147.05 |
2013-14 |
R156 742 059.90 |
R22 587 000.00 |
2014-15 |
R66 537 807.64 |
R17 311 080.30 |
(2) R71 401 million
(3)
Year |
Top 5 most common |
|
Neonatal encephalopathy Delayed diagnosis of illnesses Maternal / labour complications Failure to diagnose and treat |
|
Neonatal encephalopathy Maternal /labour complications Failure to diagnose and treat |
(4)
Hospital |
Number of claims |
How much paid in 2014-15 |
Groote Schuur |
3 |
R775 000.00 |
Tygerberg |
3 |
R790 000.00 |
Mowbray Maternity |
2 |
R836 600.00 |
Worcester |
2 |
R4 867 615.00 |
Karl Bremer |
1 |
R200 000.00 |
Hanna Coetzee clinic |
1 |
R1 227 660.00 |
Retreat MOU |
1 |
R220 000.00 |
Clanwilliam |
1 |
R100 000.00 |
Delft CHC/Tygerberg |
1 |
R7 829 205.30 |
IdasValley clinic |
1 |
R45 000.00 |
False Bay |
1 |
R200 000.00 |
Paarl |
1 |
R220 000.00 |
Eastern Cape Department of Health
- (a) and (b) (ii)
Financial Year |
Amount Claimed |
Amount paid |
2011/2012 |
R331 728 678.64 |
R25 336 038.35 |
2012/2013 |
R393 108 094.28 |
R44 743 495.84 |
2013/2014 |
R198 207 500.00 |
R49 513 I08.93 |
2014/2015 |
Information not furnished |
Information not furnished |
Since 1 April 2015 |
R2 304 490 306.10 |
R147 861 438.84 |
(2) The Eastern Cape Department of Health does not allocate a budget for legal claims settlements, however when a settlement obligation arises from a medico legal claim, funds are reprioritized from within the departmental allocation to pay for such obligation.
(3) In the Eastern Cape, for both years, the 5 most common complaints for which compensation was claimed were:
• Obstetrics and gynaecology;
• Paediatrics;
• Orthopaedics;
• Trauma; and
• Family medicine.
(4) The top 10 litigated hospitals in the Eastern Cape and corresponding claims paid in 20 14/ 15 is presented in the table below as follows:
NO |
NAME OF INSTITUTION |
NUMBER OF CLAIMS 2014/15 |
AMOUNTS CLAIMED (not finalised) these matters are still active and pending, as they are not settled) |
AMOUNTS PAID |
1 |
Butterworth Hospital |
86 |
R278 042 265.00 |
RO.OO |
2 |
Frere Hospital |
56 |
Rl87 245 594.10 |
RO.OO |
3 |
Cecilia Makiwane Hospital |
41 |
R88 572 625.00 |
RO.OO |
4 |
Dora Nginza Hospital |
39 |
R193 951 117.00 |
RO.OO |
5 |
Mthatha General Hospital |
48 |
R217 625 555.44 |
RO.OO |
6 |
All Saints Hospital |
19 |
R171 363 625.00 |
RO.OO |
7 |
Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital |
32 |
R123 279 284.00 |
R8 000 000.00 |
8 |
Bedford Orthopaedic Hospital |
14 |
R5 425 000.00 |
RO.OO |
9 |
St Barnabas Hospital |
13 |
R45 050 000.00 |
RO.OO |
10 |
Livingstone Hospital |
12 |
R20 30I 325.52 |
RO.OO |
- The following interventions are being implemented in the Eastern Cape to address the high number of medico legal claims in the province:
• The department held a medico legal summit and invited all affected role players to look at ways of managing medical litigations in the province;
• The department is finalizing the appointment of the Medical Ombudsman for the Province;
• The department is also appointing a panel of medical legal experts to assist with preparation for the cases before they appear in court, and in same terms strengthening its legal representation; and
• The department is continuously strengthening the quality of health care services and ensuring adequate retention of patient records; including direct interventions focused specifically in management of medico legal trends.
KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health
- (a) and (b) (ii)
Financial Year |
No of new matters received |
Amount Claimed |
No of matters settled |
Amount paid |
2011/2012 |
81 |
R326 342 322.68 |
30 |
R41 357 533.80 |
2012/2013 |
165 |
R992 272 280.20 |
28 |
R49 400 941.94 |
2013/2014 |
309 |
R1 596 517 823.74 |
49 |
R123 885 303.21 |
2014/2015 |
404 |
R3 046 136 920.80 |
61 |
R212 851 030.87 |
2015/2016 (as at 11 September 2015) |
194 |
R1 456 528 457.00 |
17 |
R68 852 267.54 |
(2) The Department has not budgeted for litigation matters, as it is difficult to predict possible liabilities.
(3)
Year |
Top 5 most common |
|
Obstetrics and gynaecology Paediatrics Surgery Orthopaedics Misdiagnosis |
|
Obstetrics and gynaecology Paediatrics Surgery Orthopaedics General (refers to claims to cover non medical errors resulting in litigation against the Department ranging from maintenance, security & operational issues) |
(4)
District |
Hospital |
No. of claims 2014/15 |
Amounts paid |
eThekwini District |
Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital |
121 |
|
Addington Hospital |
77 |
||
King Edward VIII Hospital |
69 |
||
Amajuba District |
Mahatma Ghandi Memorial Hospital |
69 |
|
Charles Johnson Memorial Hospital |
68 |
||
Inkosi Luthuli Central Hospital |
34 |
||
Total amount paid for eThekwini District |
R85 704 607.21 |
||
uMgungundlovu District |
Edendale Hospital |
44 |
|
Northdale Hospital |
44 |
||
Total amount paid for uMgungundlovu District |
R10 796 165.80 |
||
Ugu District |
Port Shepstone Hospital |
34 |
|
Total amount paid for Ugu District |
R1 375 000.00 |
||
Amajuba District |
Madadeni Hospital |
34 |
RO.OO |
Total amount paid for Amajuba District |
R67 714.83 |
The Department is planning a Medico-Legal Summit to discuss and address the Medical negligence claims in the Province.
Mpumalanga Department of Health
(1) (a) and (b) (ii)
The following table represents the amounts claimed for medical negligence:
Financial Year |
Amount Claimed for medical negligence |
2011/2012 |
R131 538 785.00 |
2012/2013 |
R93 194 265.00 |
2013/2014 |
R95 375 306.00 |
2014/2015 |
R 562 210 541.00 |
April 2015 to June 2015 |
R130 536 500 |
TOTAL |
R1 012 855 397.00 |
(b) The amounts paid out for claimed medical negligence, in Mpumalanga is listed as follows:
(aaa) During the 2011/12 financial year, a total number of eight (8) medical negligence claims were paid at a cost of R5 056 370.00.
(bbb) During the 2012/13 financial year, a total number of three (3) medical negligence claims were paid at a cost of R220 000.00.
(ccc) During the 2013/14 financial year, a total number of nine (9) medical negligence claims were paid at a cost of R44 193 741.66.
(ddd) During the 2014/15 financial year, a total number of five (5) medical negligence claims were paid at a cost of R2 773 768.00
(bb) For the period April 2015 to August 2015, the department has paid three (3) medical negligence claims at a cost of R10 099 248.63.
(2) The Mpumalanga Department of Health has been allocated with a budget of R22 212 000.00 for claims against the state and R34 737 000 for legal fees, that are paid to state attorneys and private attorneys.
(3) The most common complaints in Mpumalanga for which compensation was claimed in 2013/14 and 2014/15 financial years, were obstetric cases due to birth injuries where period of labour has been prolonged and resulted in the child suffering from cerebral palsy and orthopaedic cases as a result of motor vehicle accidents.
(4) (a) The Top Ten hospitals in Mpumalanga with highest claims in 2014/15, are:
• Tinswalo Hospital
• Matikwana Hospi
• Themba Hospital
• Mapulaneng
• KwaMhlanga Hospital
• Witbank Hospital
• Rob Ferreira Hospital
• Shongwe Hospital
• Sabie Hospital
• Evander Hospital
(i) Number of claims made against them
• Tinswalo Hospital |
13 |
• Matikwane Hospital |
13 |
• Themba Hospital |
12 |
• Mapulaneng Hospital |
07 |
• KwaMhlanga Hospital |
04 |
• Witbank Hospital |
04 |
• Rob Ferreira Hospital |
04 |
• Shongwe Hospitals |
03 |
•-- Sabie Hospital - |
03 |
• Evander Hospital |
02 |
(ii) Total amount paid out of each specified claim in 2014/15
• Tinswalo Hospital None
• Matikwane Hospital None
• Themba Hospital None
• Mapulaneng Hospital None
• Kwa Mhlanga Hospital R430 000.00
• Witbank Hospital R2 411 432.00
• Rob Ferreira Hospital None
• Shongwe Hospitals None
• Sabie Hospital None
• Evander Hospital None
Free State Department of Health
- (a) and (b) (ii)
CLAIMED |
PAID OUT |
|
2011-12 |
R39 201 030.30 |
R5 473 097.00 |
2012-13 |
R145 406 892.00 |
R2 935 534.00 |
2013-14 |
R177 408 892.65 |
R673 373.00 |
2014-15 |
R322 449 863.07 |
R15 090 000.00 |
2015- |
R259 771 498.92 |
R12 725 427.59 |
(2) R10 000 000.00 was budgeted for the 2015/2016 financial year.
(3)
Year |
Top 5 most common |
|
Cerebral Palsy Botched Operations Misdiagnosis leading to complications Perforation of uterus during delivery |
|
Cerebral Palsy Botched Operations Misdiagnosis leading to complications Perforation of uterus during delivery |
(4)
Hospital |
Number of claims |
Pelonomi Hospital |
9 |
Bongani Hospital |
8 |
Thebe |
5 |
Universitas |
4 |
Fezi Ngubentombi |
3 |
Boitumelo |
3 |
Manapo |
2 |
Elizabeth Ross |
2 |
Botshabelo |
1 |
No payments have been made yet, all matters still pending.
(5) A medico legal expert panel, consisting of medical doctors from various medical disciplines has been appointed. One of their responsibilities is to draft a Litigation Prevention Strategy, the strategy is still a in a draft format.
Limpopo Department of Health
- (a) and (b) (ii)
CLAIMED |
PAID OUT |
|
2011-12 |
R161 228 792.79 |
R11 394 831.08 |
2012-13 |
R130 155 032.44 |
R4 114 165.00 |
2013-14 |
R299 181 456.14 |
R22 033 040.50 |
2014-15 |
R656 940 666.77 |
R31 364 817.07 |
- The budget and revenue unit make availability of the funds for payments on claims against the State and litigation matters.
- The most common complaints that the department receives:
- Loss of a child during labour/delivery
- Foreign objects left inside the patients after the operation
- Cerebral palsy
- Maternal death
- Amputations
- (a) The Limpopo province is divided is divide into 5(five) districts namely; Mopani, Capricorn, Waterberg, Sekhukhune & Vhembe District. The hospitals that have a large number of cases are as follows:
- Philadelphia
- Polokwane
- Maphutha Malatji
- Mankweng
- Nkhensani
- Sekororo
- Seshego
- Malamulele
- Tshilidzini
- Letaba
(b) (i) This are the claims that have been made against each hospital for the financial year 2014/15 are:
- Philadelphia = 12
- Polokwane = 12
- Mapjutha Malatji= 09
- Mankweng = 08
- Nkhensani = 07
- Sekororo = 06
- Seshego = 04
- Malamulele = 04
- Tshilidzini = 03
- Letaba = 03
(ii) For the financial year 2014/2015 the Department has paid R23 805 262.72
- In respect of Limpopo Province the Department of Health has established a specialized unit which is the Medico Legal unit separate from the Legal Services unit which functions includes:
- Identification of overt claims, potential claims and monitoring of medical negligence cases,
- Consultation with state attorney,
- Rebuttal of claims,
- Settlement of claims and
- Closure of cases.
North West Department of Health
- (a) and (b) (ii)
CLAIMED |
PAID OUT |
|
2011-12 |
R733 602.57 |
R753 602.57 |
2012-13 |
R144 470 255.72 |
R7 899 232.50 |
2013-14 |
R207 601 325.00 |
R12 959 528.18 |
2014-15 |
R499 577 250.00 |
R19 978 582.00 |
Since April 2015 |
R142 886 250.00 |
Nil |
(2) R5 409 525.00
(3) Most common complaint that the Department receives:
Obstetric complications
END.
08 December 2015 - NW4113
Hill-Lewis, Mr GG to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)What transitional arrangements were put in place in the (a) Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and (b) Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality respectively to facilitate the transfer of assets from their former district municipalities to the new Metros; (2) whether such arrangements are still in place; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether any backlog of assets still remains to be transferred; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, for each of the specified Metros, what (a) is the nature, (b) is the value of the assets to be transferred and (c) are the relevant reasons why the specified transfers have not yet taken place?
Reply:
This information has been requested from these two metropolitan municipalities and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4268
Hoosen, Mr MH to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1)Whether, with regard to the contract between her department and Zeal Health Innovations to provide medical care to military veterans, all medical fees due to the specified company have been paid within the prescribed 30 days payment arrangement; if not, (a) why not and (b) what amount is still outstanding since the awarding of the specified contract; if so, (i) how were the medical fees for the provision of the specified medical services structured, (ii) what were the terms and conditions of payment for the specified fees and (iii) what amount of the specified fees have been paid as at the latest specified date for which information is available; (2) why does the specified company claim to serve 14 000 military veterans when her department only registered 6 795 deserving military veterans with access to healthcare services in the 2014-15 financial year; (3) whether the contract for the provisioning of medical care services to military veterans was previously awarded irregularly to another company which resulted in the contract being cancelled; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) what are the relevant details of the irregular awarding of the specified contract, (b) what were the financial implications for her department and (c) who was held responsible for the irregular awarding of the specified contract?
Reply:
This matter is currently the subject of litigation between the Department and the company concerned and as such any comments at this stage are likely to prejudice the Department’s case.
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW4139
Cardo, Dr MJ to ask the Minister of Economic Development
(1)With regard to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Industrial Development Corporation and China’s Hebei Iron & Steel Group in September 2015, (a) what were the terms of reference of the feasibility study for a greenfield steel plant, (b) what is the total estimated cost of the plant, (c) how many metric tons of steel is the plant expected to produce annually and (d) how many jobs is the plant expected to create; 2) whether the specified feasibility study has been completed; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. The Memorandum of Understanding was executed in September 2014.
a) The terms of reference include undertaking and completing a pre-feasibility study (“PFS”) for a new low cost steel production facility in South Africa (the “Project”) that will meet international environmental compliant standards using raw materials that are locally and regionally available. The envisage Project had to be a profitable low cost producer of a broad spectrum of steel products required by the South African and Sub-Saharan markets
Furthermore, it envisages the establishment of a down-stream industrial park to process some of the steel products to finished goods for domestic and export markets.
b) The estimated total capital outlay of the envisage plant is USD 5 billion which is R70 billion at R14/$. The Project will be funded partly with debt (up to 60%) and partly with equity (40%). The objective of the IDC is to play a catalytical role in the establishment of the facility and not to have a controlling interest in the project.
c) The plant will be designed to have a capacity of 5 million tons of steel per annum. During the detailed feasibility study, consideration will be given to the option to build the Project in two phases of approximately 2.5 million tons each.
d) The labour force to construct the Project is estimated to peak at around 11000 and construction will span over a period of at least 42 months. The operational labour requirement for the Project is estimated at 3 500.
An earlier pre-feasibility study was completed, based on the use of a Rotary Hearth Furnace (“RHF”) technology. Since Hebei seeks to use a different technology, further pre-feasibility studies will be conducted. For details of the earlier pre-feasibility study outcomes, the attention of the Honourable Member is drawn to the reply submitted to Parliamentary Question 4138.
-END-
08 December 2015 - NW4056
Baker, Ms TE to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
With reference to her department’s 2014-15 Annual Report, (a) what are the names of the 1 700 military veterans who accessed job opportunities and (b) to which former (i) non-statutory forces (names furnished) or (ii) statutory forces (names furnished) did each veteran belong?
Reply:
Due to the voluminous nature of the information requested, I would recommend that the member approaches the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans and request to have this information tabled in a meeting of the Portfolio Committee in one of their sessions in 2016
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW3717
Maimane, Mr MA to ask the President of the Republic
Whether, given (a) the reply of the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation to question 3509 on 22 September 2015 and (b) his statements on 15 September 2015 during his foreign policy briefing confirming the invitation of a Sudanese delegation to the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan has been (i) invited to and/or (ii) confirmed his attendance at the FOCC Summit to be held in Johannesburg in December 2015?
Reply:
The President of the Republic of Sudan did not attend the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation Summit, (FOCAC).
08 December 2015 - NW4088
Topham , Mr B to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
With reference to each metropolitan municipality’s 2015-16 budget, what is the proposed (a) operational and (b) capital expenditure on services to informal settlements?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the metropolitan municipalities and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4146
James, Dr WG to ask the Minister of Health
(a) On what date was each contractor paid for the (i) removal and (ii) disposal of medical waste at each state (aa) hospital, (bb) clinic and (cc) laboratory per province (aaa) in the (aaaa) 2013-14 and (bbbb) 2014-15 financial years and (bbb) from 1 April 2015 up to the latest specified date for which information is available and (b) in each case, what amount (i) was each contractor paid and (i) is currently outstanding?
Reply:
- Payments to contractors for the removal and disposal of waste to state hospitals and clinics is collated in Annexure A by province and by payment date. Facility data is not provided as service providers cover a range of facilities and are remunerated as such. Where specific payment dates are not available an annual cost is provided. Departments of Health in provinces do not deal with the disposal of laboratory waste.
- The amounts paid to contractors and outstanding amounts for the financial years 2013-14; 2014-2015 and from 1 April to October/November 2015 are also outlined in Annexure A.
END.
08 December 2015 - NW4138
Cardo, Dr MJ to ask the Minister of Economic Development
What were the key findings of the Industrial Development Corporation’s pre-feasibility study for a new low-cost iron and steel facility based on available low-cost resources in the country?
Reply:
A pre-feasibility study (“PFS”) was conducted by the IDC in August 2012.
The key findings of the PFS include:
- A new low cost iron and steel plant with annual capacity of 2.5 million tons based on low cost iron ore and coal resources in South Africa, is viable.
- The preferred process route would be the Rotary Hearth Furnace (“RHF”) technology. The primary advantage of this technology is that it does not require coking coal and subsequently has the lowest operating cost. The downside is the high capital cost of an RHF project and relative high electricity consumption.
- The second best option is Blast Furnace (“BF”) technology. Although it is the most proven route worldwide for iron making, it requires coking coal which is not currently available in South Africa and was therefore considered second best to RHF.
- Beneficiation of the magnetite could be done at a facility at Phalaborwa.
- Middelburg would be a suitable location (and significantly better than Phalaborwa) based on availability of coal, raw material transport logistics, infrastructure including water, rail and electricity as well as proximity to inland domestic market.
After the PFS was concluded, IDC embarked on a process to find a strategic equity partner which led to the Memorandum of Understanding executed with China’s Hebei Iron & Steel Group (HBIS) in September 2014.
HBIS’s participation is conditional upon using their core competence which is based on BF technology as well as to increase the target size of the project to 5mtpa of which a substantial portion will be exported, to other Sub-Saharan African markets. The BF process necessitates the use of coking coal that would need to be imported (possibly from Mozambique). The capacity change, new markets identified and raw material import requirements may put an inland site such as Middelburg at a competitive disadvantage. Therefore, they are considering a coastal site as an alternative.
HBIS and IDC are currently conducting additional prefeasibility studies to assess the economic viability of BF technology, increased size and the project location. Depending on the outcome of these additional prefeasibility studies, a detailed feasibility study will be conducted before a final investment decision is made.
-END-
08 December 2015 - NW4135
Cassim, Mr Y to ask the Minister of Police
(1)What are the current stock levels of the SA Police Service (SAPS) in terms of non-lethal ammunition like (a) rubber bullets, (b) stun grenades and (c) teargas; (2) (a) how many water cannons are currently owned by the SAPS and (b) how many of the specified water cannons are operational; (3) (a) what are the current stock levels of the SAPS’s anti-riot gear like (i) goggles, (ii) protective gear, (iii) boots and (iv) bullet-proof vests and (b) who is the current supplier of each of the specified items; (4) what is the (a) name, (b) specifications and (c) current supplier of the boots currently being used by the SAPS Special Forces; (5) what is the (a) name, (b) specifications and (c) the current supplier of the gun holsters currently being used by the SAPS?
Reply:
Due to the nature of the information that is required, SAPS is not able to provide the full details within the given time frame as the information is not readily available. A request is hereby made for an extension of time in order for SAPS to provide quality and correct information as soon as it is received.
08 December 2015 - NW4155
Groenewald, Dr PJ to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1)Whether any acquisition process for the purchasing of aircraft for (a) the President or (b) the VIP Unit of the SA Air Force has commenced; if so, (2) (a) when the acquisition process in each specified case (i) commenced and (ii) should be completed, (b)(i) what amount has been budgeted for each aircraft and (ii) from which budget item each separate aircraft will be funded and (c) when will the specified process be completed up until the acceptance of the specified tender is completed; (3) if the acquisition process has not yet commenced, when she envisages the process will commence; (4) whether she will make a statement regarding the matter? NW5028E
Reply:
- Yes
- (a)(i) The process underway has been initiated by Armscor to test the market for information through the issuance of RFI (Request for Information).
At this stage Armscor has only done the RFI (Request for Information), depending on the findings from the RFI, the process can stop or be moved to the next step which will be a request for Offer (RFO).
(ii) Same as previous answer.
(b)(i) There is no specific amount allocated to the project, the request for information will assist in terms of the budget.
(ii) As above.
(c) This will dependent on whether we go ahead with the project in the first place. So far no such decision has been made.
3. The outcome of the findings will provide guidance on the way forward.
4. No statement will be made
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 07 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW4054
Mbhele, Mr ZN to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
With reference to her department’s 2014-15 Annual Report, (a) what are the names of the 2 450 military veterans who accessed training and skills development and (b) to which of the former (i) non-statutory forces (names furnished) or (ii) statutory forces (names furnished) did each veteran belong?
Reply:
Due to the voluminous nature of the information requested, I would recommend that the member approaches the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans and request to have this information tabled in a meeting of the Portfolio Committee in one of their sessions in 2016
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW3861
Groenewald, Dr PJ to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1)What is the reason why several medals have been handed over to the Military Shop in Pretoria to be sold to the public; (2) (a) which types of medal and (b) how many of each type of medal have been handed over to the specified shop; (3) who gave the authority for the specified medals to be sold; (4) whether any steps are being considered against the relevant person; if not, why not; if so, what steps; (5) whether she will make a statement on the matter?
Reply:
The SANDF is not aware of any Military Shop in Pretoria that sells military medals. The SANDF remains the custodian of all the South African military medals.
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW4094
Matsepe, Mr CD to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
For each metropolitan municipality, (a) what is the current threshold limit for indigent grants, (b) what services form part of the indigent grant package, (c) how many households are registered as indigent, (d) what is the total value of indigent grants budgeted for the 2015-16 financial year and (e) is the eligibility for indigent grants determined (i) via application and/or registration or (ii) automatically via property valuation?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the metropolitan municipalities and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4213
Figg, Mr MJ to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises
What has been the demand for electricity in each month since March 2015 up to the latest specified date for which information is available?
Reply:
In responding to the question the assumption is made that the Honourable Member is referring to daily maximum demand. The table below indicates the customer daily energy demand from 1 March 2015 to 29 November 2015.
Date |
Customer Demand MWh |
2015/03/01 |
615 989 |
2015/03/02 |
669 051 |
2015/03/03 |
674 638 |
2015/03/04 |
675 675 |
2015/03/05 |
678 546 |
2015/03/06 |
678 138 |
2015/03/07 |
644 353 |
2015/03/08 |
622 464 |
2015/03/09 |
677 087 |
2015/03/10 |
685 801 |
2015/03/11 |
687 776 |
2015/03/12 |
688 292 |
2015/03/13 |
689 000 |
2015/03/14 |
650 059 |
2015/03/15 |
625 750 |
2015/03/16 |
677 776 |
2015/03/17 |
684 592 |
2015/03/18 |
686 001 |
2015/03/19 |
687 755 |
2015/03/20 |
682 914 |
2015/03/21 |
644 010 |
2015/03/22 |
630 664 |
2015/03/23 |
683 404 |
2015/03/24 |
687 956 |
2015/03/25 |
685 945 |
2015/03/26 |
690 873 |
2015/03/27 |
669 502 |
2015/03/28 |
632 650 |
2015/03/29 |
608 103 |
2015/03/30 |
661 626 |
2015/03/31 |
669 967 |
2015/04/01 |
668 627 |
2015/04/02 |
651 398 |
2015/04/03 |
594 235 |
2015/04/04 |
590 128 |
2015/04/05 |
579 514 |
2015/04/06 |
589 727 |
2015/04/07 |
655 740 |
2015/04/08 |
666 176 |
2015/04/09 |
672 502 |
2015/04/10 |
672 108 |
2015/04/11 |
637 678 |
2015/04/12 |
619 241 |
2015/04/13 |
663 577 |
2015/04/14 |
677 597 |
2015/04/15 |
677 271 |
2015/04/16 |
679 907 |
2015/04/17 |
671 634 |
2015/04/18 |
645 426 |
2015/04/19 |
630 322 |
2015/04/20 |
669 247 |
2015/04/21 |
679 860 |
2015/04/22 |
683 606 |
2015/04/23 |
679 504 |
2015/04/24 |
680 109 |
2015/04/25 |
635 071 |
2015/04/26 |
611 130 |
2015/04/27 |
624 250 |
2015/04/28 |
666 329 |
2015/04/29 |
668 547 |
2015/04/30 |
663 547 |
2015/05/01 |
617 955 |
2015/05/02 |
612 217 |
2015/05/03 |
617 004 |
2015/05/04 |
662 729 |
2015/05/05 |
679 554 |
2015/05/06 |
675 633 |
2015/05/07 |
686 368 |
2015/05/08 |
683 972 |
2015/05/09 |
653 427 |
2015/05/10 |
630 569 |
2015/05/11 |
680 763 |
2015/05/12 |
684 688 |
2015/05/13 |
683 584 |
2015/05/14 |
683 452 |
2015/05/15 |
680 843 |
2015/05/16 |
652 459 |
2015/05/17 |
627 987 |
2015/05/18 |
672 777 |
2015/05/19 |
682 316 |
2015/05/20 |
680 819 |
2015/05/21 |
684 597 |
2015/05/22 |
678 270 |
2015/05/23 |
649 686 |
2015/05/24 |
636 941 |
2015/05/25 |
680 562 |
2015/05/26 |
691 093 |
2015/05/27 |
689 785 |
2015/05/28 |
687 883 |
2015/05/29 |
678 297 |
2015/05/30 |
636 299 |
2015/05/31 |
624 217 |
2015/06/01 |
663 832 |
2015/06/02 |
678 966 |
2015/06/03 |
687 834 |
2015/06/04 |
699 092 |
2015/06/05 |
702 533 |
2015/06/06 |
677 867 |
2015/06/07 |
653 802 |
2015/06/08 |
694 948 |
2015/06/09 |
703 928 |
2015/06/10 |
716 499 |
2015/06/11 |
716 836 |
2015/06/12 |
714 953 |
2015/06/13 |
661 765 |
2015/06/14 |
640 077 |
2015/06/15 |
673 059 |
2015/06/16 |
650 032 |
2015/06/17 |
706 515 |
2015/06/18 |
711 768 |
2015/06/19 |
705 245 |
2015/06/20 |
669 921 |
2015/06/21 |
650 940 |
2015/06/22 |
697 149 |
2015/06/23 |
706 460 |
2015/06/24 |
706 658 |
2015/06/25 |
706 221 |
2015/06/26 |
697 005 |
2015/06/27 |
672 992 |
2015/06/28 |
651 838 |
2015/06/29 |
688 460 |
2015/06/30 |
698 407 |
2015/07/01 |
692 949 |
2015/07/02 |
693 312 |
2015/07/03 |
690 260 |
2015/07/04 |
653 354 |
2015/07/05 |
637 854 |
2015/07/06 |
679 880 |
2015/07/07 |
698 275 |
2015/07/08 |
692 722 |
2015/07/09 |
686 403 |
2015/07/10 |
682 469 |
2015/07/11 |
655 458 |
2015/07/12 |
635 239 |
2015/07/13 |
685 843 |
2015/07/14 |
698 754 |
2015/07/15 |
695 409 |
2015/07/16 |
691 166 |
2015/07/17 |
696 565 |
2015/07/18 |
660 855 |
2015/07/19 |
646 471 |
2015/07/20 |
683 527 |
2015/07/21 |
690 396 |
2015/07/22 |
699 851 |
2015/07/23 |
708 383 |
2015/07/24 |
701 131 |
2015/07/25 |
670 257 |
2015/07/26 |
651 721 |
2015/07/27 |
694 919 |
2015/07/28 |
700 715 |
2015/07/29 |
704 311 |
2015/07/30 |
698 663 |
2015/07/31 |
703 594 |
2015/08/01 |
661 007 |
2015/08/02 |
636 444 |
2015/08/03 |
682 407 |
2015/08/04 |
689 477 |
2015/08/05 |
692 994 |
2015/08/06 |
690 907 |
2015/08/07 |
678 144 |
2015/08/08 |
638 883 |
2015/08/09 |
614 219 |
2015/08/10 |
628 776 |
2015/08/11 |
681 094 |
2015/08/12 |
685 460 |
2015/08/13 |
679 649 |
2015/08/14 |
677 149 |
2015/08/15 |
634 823 |
2015/08/16 |
607 120 |
2015/08/17 |
652 403 |
2015/08/18 |
660 354 |
2015/08/19 |
657 677 |
2015/08/20 |
657 116 |
2015/08/21 |
647 200 |
2015/08/22 |
617 489 |
2015/08/23 |
604 102 |
2015/08/24 |
644 647 |
2015/08/25 |
645 891 |
2015/08/26 |
646 045 |
2015/08/27 |
644 655 |
2015/08/28 |
634 684 |
2015/08/29 |
601 424 |
2015/08/30 |
591 426 |
2015/08/31 |
632 223 |
2015/09/01 |
669 042 |
2015/09/02 |
676 263 |
2015/09/03 |
682 373 |
2015/09/04 |
700 260 |
2015/09/05 |
661 441 |
2015/09/06 |
636 233 |
2015/09/07 |
675 372 |
2015/09/08 |
687 079 |
2015/09/09 |
677 477 |
2015/09/10 |
678 821 |
2015/09/11 |
678 059 |
2015/09/12 |
653 847 |
2015/09/13 |
629 895 |
2015/09/14 |
670 489 |
2015/09/15 |
679 680 |
2015/09/16 |
675 104 |
2015/09/17 |
676 985 |
2015/09/18 |
682 142 |
2015/09/19 |
653 659 |
2015/09/20 |
637 410 |
2015/09/21 |
688 762 |
2015/09/22 |
683 341 |
2015/09/23 |
673 321 |
2015/09/24 |
633 573 |
2015/09/25 |
650 464 |
2015/09/26 |
629 960 |
2015/09/27 |
617 185 |
2015/09/28 |
661 945 |
2015/09/29 |
675 770 |
2015/09/30 |
675 378 |
2015/10/01 |
662 080 |
2015/10/02 |
665 036 |
2015/10/03 |
630 343 |
2015/10/04 |
611 024 |
2015/10/05 |
658 813 |
2015/10/06 |
669 966 |
2015/10/07 |
670 396 |
2015/10/08 |
668 657 |
2015/10/09 |
670 214 |
2015/10/10 |
633 378 |
2015/10/11 |
615 977 |
2015/10/12 |
662 540 |
2015/10/13 |
671 910 |
2015/10/14 |
673 013 |
2015/10/15 |
667 974 |
2015/10/16 |
666 560 |
2015/10/17 |
633 974 |
2015/10/18 |
608 772 |
2015/10/19 |
660 891 |
2015/10/20 |
666 228 |
2015/10/21 |
668 833 |
2015/10/22 |
673 724 |
2015/10/23 |
665 720 |
2015/10/24 |
629 230 |
2015/10/25 |
608 906 |
2015/10/26 |
660 869 |
2015/10/27 |
664 197 |
2015/10/28 |
669 483 |
2015/10/29 |
674 863 |
2015/10/30 |
668 504 |
2015/10/31 |
627 524 |
2015/11/01 |
604 362 |
2015/11/02 |
645 209 |
2015/11/03 |
656 034 |
2015/11/04 |
653 911 |
2015/11/05 |
659 857 |
2015/11/06 |
659 962 |
2015/11/07 |
628 519 |
2015/11/08 |
609 244 |
2015/11/09 |
664 576 |
2015/11/10 |
666 367 |
2015/11/11 |
671 344 |
2015/11/12 |
676 683 |
2015/11/13 |
673 616 |
2015/11/14 |
632 639 |
2015/11/15 |
603 480 |
2015/11/16 |
652 420 |
2015/11/17 |
654 575 |
2015/11/18 |
655 851 |
2015/11/19 |
642 153 |
2015/11/20 |
645 569 |
2015/11/21 |
610 940 |
2015/11/22 |
588 569 |
2015/11/23 |
641 785 |
2015/11/24 |
660 352 |
2015/11/25 |
665 091 |
2015/11/26 |
663 060 |
2015/11/27 |
657 316 |
2015/11/28 |
615 845 |
2015/11/29 |
607 541 |
08 December 2015 - NW4090
Topham , Mr B to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)For each metropolitan municipality, what (a) amount was spent on legal fees in the (i) 2013-14 and (ii) 2014-15 financial years and (b) was this amount spent on; (2) whether any of the officials employed by the specified municipalities are lawyers that have been removed from the roll; if so, (a) what is their current role at each of the specified municipalities and (b) why were they employed?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the metropolitan municipalities and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4111
Mileham, Mr K to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)Whether any forensic (a) audits and/or (b) reports have been generated for the Thabazimbi Local Municipality in Limpopo since 2004; if not, (i) why not and (ii) what action will he take in this regard; if so, in each case, what were the findings of the specified (aa) audits and/or (bb) reports; (2) whether the specified (a) audits and/or (b) reports were tabled before the council of the specified municipality; if not, why not; if so, in each case, (i) when were the (aa) audits and/or (bb) reports tabled and (ii) what actions were taken in this regard; (3) whether any disciplinary action was taken against any persons, parties and/or organisations implicated in the specified audits and/or reports; if not, (a) why not and (b) what action will he take in this regard; if so, what were the outcomes of the disciplinary action taken in each case?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the Thabazimbi Local Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW3969
Lekota, Mr M to ask the President of the Republic
(1) Whether his statement on 8 November 2015, that his political organisation comes first, represents his policy position as the President of the Republic of South Africa; if not, (2) whether he will unreservedly retract the specified statement and apologise to the nation for devaluing the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, which he is sworn to uphold through the specified statement; if not, why not; if so, (a) when and (b) how is he going to apologise; (3) Whether he will make a statement on the responsibility of the President of South Africa to place the interest of South Africa above every other endeavour; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
- I made the statement that the ANC comes first at an ANC Provincial Conference in my capacity as the President of the ANC. Since its founding in 1912 the ANC has been at the forefront of the struggles to defeat apartheid colonialism, and since its election into power in 1994, to liberate South Africans from the triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality.
Like many South Africans, I joined the ANC to contribute to the achievement of its historic mission of building a non-racial, non-sexist, prosperous and democratic society. Given this important role that the ANC has played and still plays in leading this society towards the achievement of these goals, and considering that a large number of citizens have put their faith and hopes on the ANC to lead them to a better life for all, it is important that the work of building the ANC into a stronger organization that can continue to lead society is vigorously pursued.
There is therefore nothing wrong or untoward in saying the ANC comes first. It does not mean I love my country any less. It is in fact because of the love of my country and my commitment to its success that I believe that the ANC should be stronger so that it can lead us to a united and prosperous society.
2. The statement I made does not devalue the Constitution of the Republic in any way, nor does it contradict the Oath of Office which I took when I was sworn in as the President of the Republic of South Africa. There is therefore no reason to retract the statement I made.
08 December 2015 - NW4097
America, Mr D to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)What amount was spent on advertising by the Tlokwe City Local Municipality in the North West (a) in print media, (b) on radio, (c) on television, (d) online, (e) outdoors and (f) any other medium (i) in the 2014-15 financial year and (ii) since 1 July 2015; (2) in respect of each specified advertisement, (a) in which media was it flighted and (b) what was the (i) purpose of the advertisement and (c) cost?
Reply:
This information has been requested from Tlokwe Local Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW3790
Maimane, Mr MA to ask the President of the Republic
In the light of the Supreme Court of Appeal’s finding on 8 October 2015, in the Hlaudi Motsoeneng case and the implications the specified court’s finding has for the powers of the Public Protector, what action is he going to take to comply with the remedial actions contained in the Public Protector’s report Secure in Comfort?
Reply:
The question concerns matters that are currently before the Constitutional Court in the case of the EFF v the Speaker of the National Assembly and Others. I cannot respond at this stage in deference to the courts.
08 December 2015 - NW4053
Marais, Mr S to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
With reference to her department’s 2014-15 Annual Report, (a) what are the names of the nine military veterans whose houses were rescued from repossession by the banks and (b) to which of the former (i) non-statutory forces (names furnished) or (ii) statutory forces (names furnished) did each veteran belong?
Reply:
The information can be processed through the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans in the new year, as the beneficiaries names are considered confidential.
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW4108
Robertson, Mr K to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What amount was spent on (a) catering and (b) entertainment by the Tlokwe City Local Municipality in the North West (i) in the 2014-2015 financial year and (ii) since 1 July 2015?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the Tlokwe Local Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4092
Matsepe, Mr CD to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether, for each metropolitan municipality, any municipal official or councillor undertook any international travel (a) in the 2014-15 financial year and (b) since 1 July 2015; if so, (i) what was the purpose of each trip, (ii) who undertook each trip and (iii) what was the total cost of each trip including (aa) flights and (bb) accommodation?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the metropolitan municipalities and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4192
Volmink, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What is current status of the Academy for Leadership and Management in Healthcare which was launched in 2013; (2) whether the academy has been operational since its launch; if not, why not; if so, (3) are there any (a) operational and (b) financial reports available; if not, why not; if so, where can the specified reports be found?
Reply:
- We launched the Academy for Leadership and Management in Health Care (the Academy) in December 2012 and tasked and Advisory Committee to guide its establishment. The Academy has not yet been established. The organizational model and governance structure of the Academy has been approved by the National Health Council Technical Advisory Committee on 14 October 2015 and will be presented to the next National Health Council meeting for approval.
- For the reason stated above, the Academy has not been functional formally since it has not as yet been formally established. The Advisory Committee has been supporting the National Department of Health with induction programmes for new CEOs and further training for CEOs. The Advisory Committee has also worked with the Department of Health to develop the prototype of a unique training methodology, the “Knowledge Management Hub”. The Advisory Committee has also worked with the Department of Health to develop competency frameworks for District Managers and Hospital CEOs.
The Advisory Committee submitted its recommendations for establishing the Academy to the Director-General of the Department of Health and the National Health Council Technical Committee (NHC-TAC) in May 2015. The recommendations of this were followed up in August 2015 by a presentation to the NHC-TAC on the concept of the Academy’s Knowledge Hub and the prototype for use.
3. The activities of the Advisory Committee were originally funded by the Department of International Development (DFID) and subsequently by the Public Health Enhancement Fund. These organizations have their own financial reporting systems. Financial information can be obtained from these organizations.
END.
08 December 2015 - NW3775
Lekota, Mr M to ask the President of the Republic
Whether he has been actively promoting the concept of the African Renaissance with a view to ensuring, as former president, Mr Thabo Mbeki, had observed, that the African upper echelons do not remain as a mere parasite on the rest of society, who continue to enjoy self-endowed mandates to define and use their political power in a manner that keeps Africa at the periphery of the world economy, poor, underdeveloped and incapable of development, if not. Why not; if so, how has he and the Government pushed forward the ideals of the African Renaissance and (b) what outcome has he and the Government achieved in relation thereto since 2009?
Reply:
The Honourable Member will be aware that African stability, development and prosperity have been the bedrock of the ANC-led government since the dawn of our democracy in 1994.
We continue this trajectory by committing to various AU programmes, with the following discernible examples:
- Peace, Security and Stability: On 08 November 2015, I presided over the closing ceremony of the Amani Africa Field Training Exercise held in Lohatla, Northern Cape, whose main objective was to test the ‘Rapid Deployment Capacity’ (RDC) of the African Standby Force. The success of this Exercise points to the Continent’s readiness to expeditiously provide solutions to some of our instability challenges.
What was most gratifying about Amani Africa was the fact that Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Standby Force, North Africa Regional Command, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Volunteering Nations of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC), all participated in this historic exercise. Amani Africa is a practical headway that has been made to ensure stability, which is indispensable to continental development. The Honorable Member will also recall the swiftness with which SADC addressed the recent challenges in Lesotho.
2. NEPAD: As the Honourable Member will know, NEPAD has been one of the corner stones of the African Renaissance. The initiative is anchored on our collective determination to extricate ourselves and the Continent from underdevelopment and exclusion in a globalising world. It is a call for a new relationship based on domestic, continental and global partnerships to address under-development, founded on the realisation of common interest, obligations, commitments, benefit and equality.
NEPAD has a number of key programmes, one of which is infrastructure development. The Continent continues to make progress in this regard through the implementation of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and the Presidential Infrastructure Championing Initiative (PICI) chaired by South Africa, and spearheaded by seven dedicated Heads of State and Government. PICI is part of PIDA, serving as an initiative to bring political leadership to bear, to fast-track the implementation of important projects from the PIDA Priority Action Plan by identifying and dealing with blockages, missing links and choke-points.
For example, under PICI, progress is being made in closing the missing link of the trans-Saharan highway project covering 4500 kilometres between Algeria and Nigeria and $40 million has been secured towards its continued construction. It is expected to be completed in 2016. The optic fibre component of the same project has seen substantial progress, with the completion of 60% of the project. The ICT Broadband Fibre Optic Network Linking Neighbouring States project, championed by Rwanda, has been completed. Egypt recently held the first Steering Committee meeting of the footprint states of the Navigational route between Lake Victoria and the Mediterranean Sea. Construction on the Grand Inga project is due to begin soon. The Dakar Financing Summit in June 2014 prioritized 16 PIDA projects for exposure to private and institutional investors.
With an infrastructure deficit of about USD 92 billion per year, NEPAD is making every effort to highlight this very important challenge. In light of this, at its annual meeting in May 2014, the African Development Bank launched the Africa50 initiative in order to mobilise USD 100 billion for regional infrastructure projects, focusing on addressing the key part of the project cycle that is project preparation. There are several projects in this regard, so this is by no means an exhaustible list.
3. APRM:
The APRM derives from NEPAD and its aim is to foster and promote good political, economic, social and corporate governance in Africa by encouraging Member States to adopt international best practice, which should eventually translate into political stability, economic growth, sustainable development and sub-regional and continental economic integration. South Africa is committed to advancing, nationally and continentally, the objectives of the APRM.
South Africa acceded to the APRM in March 2003 and was reviewed in July 2005. This resulted in the release of the Country Review Reports in 2007 and its’ National Programme of Action .South Africa tabled its First Report on the Implementation of the Programme of Action in January 2009. The second such Report was tabled in January 2011, with the Third Report being tabled in January 2014. South Africa will soon enter the second Peer Review phase.
Membership of the APRM has risen to 35 and 17 countries have been reviewed to date. This is an utterly unique system of self-assessment in the world in terms of its transparency and extent, and the underlying benefits cannot be overstated in terms of the shaping of national development discourse and providing models of best practice on key cross-cutting issues.
4. CAADP AND OTHER PROGRAMMES:
Another key priority for African development is agriculture, as reflected in the AU/NEPAD Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). CAADP is one of NEPAD’s most successful programmes and has been key to driving development on the Continent and responding to poverty, hunger and joblessness. CAADP ensures that the great commodity that we have, arable agricultural land, is used for the benefit of all Africans.
In this regard, 52 states have been engaged in CAADP related interventions, 40 have received direct support under CAADP, 40 have signed CAADP national compacts, 30 National Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans have been developed and reviewed, at least 8 countries have met the 10% of budget target, and 4 RECs have developed their own regional compacts. Ten countries have registered more than 6% annual growth in agriculture.
5. PARTNERSHIPS:
The role of international partners is to help scale up and accelerate our own efforts. Therefore, South Africa continues to play a leading role in engaging Africa’s Strategic Multilateral Partnerships, such as FOCAC, TICAD, Africa-EU, Africa India, Africa-Korea, Africa-Arab, Africa-South America, NAASP, and Africa-Turkey going forward. One of the key NEPAD principles is “New partnerships within Africa and with the international community”. It is for this reason that all of the Partnerships have been constructed on the understanding that engagement with Africa is to be done within the framework of NEPAD, as the socio-economic development programme of the AU, with the aim of assisting in the achievement of AU/NEPAD objectives and programmes.
South Africa continues to play a key role in the review of all of Africa’s partnerships with the North and the South, being conducted by the AU PRC Sub-Committee on Multilateral Cooperation.
South Africa is Co-Chair with China of FOCAC until 2018 and we have hosted a very successful FOCAC Summit in Johannesburg on 4-5 December 2015.
President Xi Jinping of China announced a development partnership with Africa worth $60 billion, accompanied by a 10 point plan focusing on areas that are key priorities for development in the continent. We look forward to taking the win-win cooperation further as the African continent as it holds great promise for the renewal of the African continent economically. This occurred on the backdrop of a very successful India-Africa Summit.
08 December 2015 - NW3753
Carter, Ms D to ask the President of the Republic
Whether the Government intends to encourage an independent mediation process in respect of disputes with other parties, opposition parties included, as first recourse in order to find amicable resolution so that matters of dispute do not have to be referred to Courts for adjudication; if not, why not; if so, what steps does the Government intend to take in this regard.
Reply:
The general principle is that all political and other disputes should be resolved through discussion, negotiation, mediation, and other forms of non-adversarial dispute resolution mechanisms. We should only resort to the courts when these channels have failed. Parties should refrain from using the courts to resolve political disputes. Parliament has various mechanisms in place to resolve disputes between parties in terms of its Rules, and all parties should make optimal use of those Rules to resolve disputes.
08 December 2015 - NW4104
Ollis, Mr IM to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What is the proposed (a) operational expenditure and (b) capital expenditure of the Tlokwe City Local Municipality in the North West on services to informal settlements in the 2015-16 financial year?
Reply:
This information has been requested from Tlokwe Local Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4231
Stander, Ms T to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether he supports the draft Strategy to Address Air Pollution in Dense Low-Income Settlements presented to his department and other departments in 2013; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether he has taken any steps to address the ongoing harmful health impacts of domestic fuel burning being suffered by residents of dense low-income settlements; if not, why not; if so, what are the full details of the steps undertaken?
Reply:
- Yes, the intentions of the strategy to address air pollution in dense and low-income settlements are supported.
The effects of indoor air pollution to human health as a result of the use of solid fuels remain of grave concern to the Ministry of Health. Many households still cook and heat their homes using wood, coal and even dung, in open fires and leaky stoves, and these practices contribute to premature death and illness from respiratory and cardiac conditions and also results in burns, injuries and poisoning from fuel ingestion. We support an approach that addresses the social determinants of health and sustainable development.
The Department aligns with strategies that ensure healthy air in and around the household. The Department of Health supports programmes for clean household energy in contributing towards addressing child and maternal health as a core preventative public health measure.
The intersectoral approach, including roles for critical departments and national, provincial and local government, is supported to address air pollution effects and the Department of Health will continue to partake in programmes aimed at addressing such effects.
2. Yes.
The Department of Health is involved with the assessment and control of biological agents in the environment and improving social concerns and thereby addressing the ongoing health impacts of domestic fuel burning through ongoing Environmental Health programmes. Environmental Health Practitioners are trained on monitoring of Indoor Air Quality and capacitating members of the public through awareness creation. Health awareness campaigns focus inter alia on improved ventilation and lighting.
Within the National Department of Health, Environmental Health has recently been elevated into a Chief Directorate to prioritize prevention of ill health that is caused by environmental factors. The relevant Manager has been tasked with engaging with the Department of Environmental Affairs as well as Non-Governmental Organizations to address the environmental determinants of ill health. Government is committed to the increased use of renewable/subsidized residential housing. It is acknowledged however that more is required to effectively respond to the dangerous energy sources burned in dense low-income communities.
While we collectively work with our partners to prevent ill health caused by environmental factors my Department will also ensure that good health care is provided to poor communities that are forced by poverty to continue burning unsafe fuels that cause ill health.
END.
08 December 2015 - NW3908
Carter, Ms D to ask the Minister of Economic Development
Whether, the Government has any new plans and strategies in place to address the issue of joblessness considering that in the third term of 2015, the percentage of unemployed citizens had risen to 25,5% which in effect means that a staggering 188 000 more persons were added to the list of the unemployed, leaving only 15,8 million South Africans of the 36,1 million persons of working age in jobs; if not, why not; if so, what plans does the Government have in place to address the specified matter before the job crisis becomes a disaster?
Reply:
I wish to share three points with the Honourable Member.
First, on job performance in the third quarter of 2015, the StatsSA Quarterly Labour Force Survey shows the following:
- Total employed persons in the SA economy numbered 15, 8 million at the end of September 2015, which is the highest level it has ever reached.
- There were 625 000 new entrants to the age cohort 15-64 in the past 12 months, and the number of jobs created (712 000) for the 12 month period was significantly larger than this.
- However, the labour force increased by 979 000, as a result mainly of a significant rise in the number of previously discouraged work seekers who re-entered the labour market (278 000).
- As a result, robust jobs growth over the period nevertheless translated into an increase in the unemployment rate from 25.4% to 25.5% over the year.
- The number of new jobs created for the quarter was 171 000.
Second, global growth prospects have weakened further over the past six months, with the October IMF projections revising growth prospects downward for the global economy as well as for the African continent.
In April of this year, the IMF projected 2015 growth of 3.5% for the global economy and of 4.5% for Africa. It has now revised those projections down to 3.1% for the global economy and 3.8% for Africa. The April projections were already a downward revision of October 2014 projections.
Third, to address the backlogs in jobs and address the needs of new entrants to the labour market, we need higher growth and more labour-intensive growth, driven by broader economic participation and by re-industrialization centered on a dynamic, internationally competitive manufacturing sector.
Recent actions such as the agreements signed with the People’s Republic of China to invest in industrial and infrastructure activities in South Africa and the rest of the continent, are measures to respond to this economic framework. Of particular relevance for the Economic Development Department were two agreements signed by the Industrial Development Corporation: namely to work towards establishing a new BAIC auto-assembly plant in South Africa with an investment value of R11 billion and to set up a Fund with a R10 billion commitment by the China Construction Bank to invest in the domestic and regional economy.
During the debate in Parliament on the state of the economy in August this year, I addressed the question of government’s overall response to the global economic slowdown and the headwinds facing the local economy, which I summarise below:
The two global storms, in the mineral and steel sectors, are what we have to navigate with as little damage as possible, recognising that production and job losses in these sectors can have a multiplier effect on the economy.
To respond to these conditions and to address the still-continuing high levels of unemployment, we are doing the following:
Public investment
We are maintaining a high level of public investment in infrastructure, which is a true game-changer for the economy. We are spending close to a quarter trillion a year, or R1 billion rand per working day, on economic, industrial and social infrastructure. The BRICS New Development Bank is a major potential source of new funding for South African and regional infrastructure.
Trade and regional integration
We are expanding trade with the rest of Africa, particularly exports of South African made cars, machinery, iron and steel and food products.
Exports to the rest of the continent now account for 244 000 direct jobs and it has been estimated as much as 885 000 total jobs; that last year, Zambia was our number one global export market for televisions, Zimbabwe for plastic products, Mozambique for clothing and the DRC for electrical equipment.
Domestic economic actions
We are implementing actions in the domestic economy, summed up in the 9-point plan announced by the President in the State of the Nation Address in February.
The nine priorities are:
- Resolving the energy challenges through practical actions, including cogeneration, new IPPs and completing the public energy-build programme
- Revitalising the agriculture and agro-processing value chain
- Advancing beneficiation through adding value to our mineral wealth
- More effective implementation of a higher impact Industrial Policy Action Plan
- Unlocking the potential of small business, cooperatives and township and rural enterprises
- Stabilising the labour market
- Scaling up private sector investment
- Growing the Oceans Economy and
- Diversifying and boosting the economy through science, technology and innovation, expanding transport, water and ICT infrastructure and reforming state-owned companies.
To respond to the steel industry's problems:
- We fast-tracked a tariff investigation by the trade authorities on three steel products
- We completed a competition commission probe into steel pricing by the dominant company
- We extended short-term industrial funding of R150 million to one steel-mill to give it the space to restructure rather than close its doors
- We appointed a panel of steel industry experts to identify options for steel that would not damage downstream factory users, and
- We are meeting with business and labour to identify further steps to be taken,
To respond to the mining industry's problems:
- We convened a dialogue with stakeholders to consider options to reduce or avoid job losses
- We are investing in technologies and innovation to boost demand and localisation, such as platinum fuel-cell pilot projects
- We have initiated a Mining Phakisa to address the future of the industry
To respond to the clothing and industry's challenges:
- We implemented a tariff increase on finished products at the start of the previous administration
- We set a reference price on imported clothing to identify smuggling and import-fraud
- We created a competitiveness fund that has already invested over R3 billion in new technologies and work organisation to boost output and jobs.
IDC funding
The IDC expanded its industrial funding envelope over the past five years, particularly in green energy, putting some R14 billion into the Independent Power Producer programme that has already seen almost 2000 megawatts of energy coming onto the grid.
The IDC is now focussing on expanding investment in manufacturing, agro-processing and new industries.
Autos
During a time of declining mineral exports in dollar value, our auto exports have actually accelerated after 2011 and now constitute one of our top five exports, speaking to the success of the partnership built with investors.
Competition and anti-monopoly actions
To boost competitiveness, the competition authorities have acted against monopolies and cartels in sectors such as fertilisers, bread and poultry, steel, construction and telecomms.
Industrial relations
To promote partnership, the Deputy President has led discussions with the business community and trade unions on reducing workplace conflict, including the role of strike ballots, action against violence in strikes and picketing rules. To reduce income inequality in the workplace, proposals for a national minimum wage are under discussion.
Skills
To boost youth employment, government is revamping its skills and entrepreneurship support programmes to make them more effective. The President convened a meeting with the business community in August this year at which stronger partnerships on skills development and work placement were considered.
Partnership
As we navigate our way through the minerals and steel turbulence and storms generated by falling global demand, we need to pull South Africans together, address domestic challenges such as energy and labour-business partnerships and speak with one voice.”
-END-
08 December 2015 - NW4191
Volmink, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What is the progress of the blood test (details furnished) of the deceased citizen with the body reference number BR274 2015 (details furnished) being processed by the Forensic Chemistry Laboratory in Johannesburg; (2) (a) why has there been a delay in processing the specified blood test and (b) when will the results be made available to the family, who require the results urgently?
Reply:
- Analysis of this blood sample has been completed. For the record, the correct reference numbers are: Brits CAS 489/07/2015 and Brits mortuary DR 274/2015 and seal number PMK 206017/8.
- (a) The Johannesburg Forensic Chemistry Laboratory (FCL) has an ante-mortem blood alcohol analysis backlog. The post-mortem blood alcohol, backlog has been wiped out.
(b) The FCL’s do not provide reports to family, only to the client, which in this instance is the Brits mortuary. .
END.
08 December 2015 - NW4061
Madisha, Mr WM to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
Whether his department is now ready to (a) produce the draft White Paper on National Integrated Information Communication Technology Policy, (b) gazette the National e-Strategy and (c) make a statement on the continued financial viability of the SA Post Office without assistance from the Government; if not, why not in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
a) The National Integrated ICT Policy White Paper will be tabled in Cabinet for approval by the end of the financial year.
b) The Department intends to gazette the draft National e-Strategy before the end of the financial year.
c) SAPO currently needs financial assistance from Government.
SAPO has been given a guarantee of R1.67 billion in the past financial year and R2.5 billion in the current financial year. The Post Office uses these guarantees to raise cash from the financial markets.
Moving forward SAPO's Strategic Turnaround Plan (STP) has been developed and approved by Cabinet. Its effective implementation requires effective leadership and funding. As part of supporting SAPO's turnaround, the Department has recognised the need to stabilise SAPO's leadership. The board and the Group CEO have been appointed. To date, there has been more focus on the implementation of cost cutting initiatives. There is currently a need to implement revenue generation initiatives and these require funding. Effective implementation of the STP will enable the entity to be economically viable.
08 December 2015 - NW4148
Horn, Mr W to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What was the (a) value of the capital expenditure budget and (b) amount unspent in respect of the specified budget of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality in the Free State in the (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2013-14 and (iv) 2014-15 financial years?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4058
Baker, Ms TE to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
With reference to her department’s 2014-15 Annual Report, (a) what are the names of the 160 military veterans who received burial support and (b) to which former (i) non-statutory forces (names furnished) or (ii) statutory forces (names furnished) did each veteran belong?
Reply:
The information can be processed through the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans in the new year, as the beneficiaries names are considered confidential.
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW4103
Ollis, Mr IM to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)What amount of the capital budget of the Tlokwe City Local Municipality in the North West was spent on refurbishing infrastructure in the (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15 financial years; (2) what (a) are the details of each project and (b) amount was spent on each project; (3) whether any capital funds were used to pay salaries; if so, (a) why and (b) what amount?
Reply:
This information has been requested from Tlokwe Local Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4093
Matsepe, Mr CD to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)For each of the metropolitan municipalities, (a) how many officials are currently on suspension and (b) for each suspended official, (i) what is the position of the specified official, (ii) what is the reason for the suspension, (iii) for how long has each specified official been suspended and (iv) what has been their total remuneration during the period of suspension; (2) whether any severance packages were paid to any municipal officials; if so, for each specified official, (a) who was the official, (b) why was the severance package paid, (c) for how long was the specified official employed by each of the specified municipalities and (d) what was the total amount of the severance package?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the metropolitan municipalities and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW4106
Robertson, Mr K to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)Whether the Mbombela Local Municipality has been given authorisation to veto the Code of Conduct for councillors and municipal officials as contained in Schedule 1 of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, Act 32 of 2000; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether there are any councillors and/or municipal officials who are in contravention of their payment arrangements of rates and/or taxes that exceed the prescribed 30 days payback period in the specified municipality; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) who are the (i) councillors and/or (ii) municipal officials and (b) in each case, (i) what amount is outstanding and (ii) for how long?
Reply:
This information has been requested from the Mbombela Local Municipality and will be communicated to the Honorable Member when it is available.
08 December 2015 - NW3983
Bozzoli, Prof B to ask the Minister of Higher Education and Training
Is he aware of any universities which are at risk of being unable to pay their debts between now and the end of the 2016-17 financial year; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, in respect of each specified university, (a) why is this the case, (b) what is the projected budget deficit in the (i) 2015-16 and (ii) 2016-17 financial years and (c) what steps will he take to prevent any possible liquidations from happening; 2) has (a) he or (b) his predecessors ever provided bailouts to universities; if so, (i) when, (ii) to which institutions and (iii) what amounts were paid in each case; 3) does he expect that it will be necessary to provide bailouts to any universities in the (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016-17 financial years; if so, (i) why, (ii) to which institutions, (iii) when and (iv) what amount will each bailout be?
Reply:
1.Yes.
(a) In November 2015, the University of Fort Hare (UFH) informed the Department that it has continued to experience financial strain and requested approval to utilise R35 million of its earmarked infrastructure grant to enable short-term relief. Approval was granted and the University must reimburse this amount from its subsidy in April 2016. This will not negatively impact on the progress of projects.
(b) Operating deficits are projected for UFH in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 financial years.
(c) The University was requested to provide a turnaround strategy to manage the cash flow constraints and bring it onto a sound financial footing.
2. The Department does not provide bailouts to universities. The Annual Ministerial Statement on University Funding deals with the funding instruments to steer the university sector, and is issued in accordance with the requirements of the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act 101 of 1997 as amended) and the funding framework for universities (Government Gazette, No 25824 of 9 December 2003). All universities are funded as explained in this statement.
3. No. As indicated, the allocation of the total funding available to universities is articulated in the approved Annual Ministerial Statement on University Funding. The 2014 statement for the 2015/16 and 2016/17 financial years is available on the Departmental website.
Compiler/contact persons:
Ext:
DIRECTOR – GENERAL
STATUS:
DATE:
REPLY TO QUESTION 3983 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED
Dr BE NZIMANDE, MP
MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
STATUS:
DATE:
08 December 2015 - NW4116
Marais, Mr S to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1)(a) When will she finalise the appointment of military judges to the military courts and (b) what are the reasons for the delay in the appointments of military judges; (2) (a) what are the practical consequences of the specified delay in respect of the backlog of cases and (b) how will this be addressed? NW4989E
Reply:
- (a) On 13 October 2015, I made the following appointments: Statutory Directors (Director Military Judges, Directory Military Prosecutions, Director Military Defence Counsel and Director Military Judicial Reviews); Reserve Force Military Judges (2 Senior Military Judges and 4 Military Judges).
(b) Regular Force Military Judges will be appointed as soon as their secret security clearances are in place.
(2) (a) As indicated above, I have appointed Statutory Directors and Reserve Force Military Judges to deal with cases in the military justice system.
(b) Once vetting is completed of Regular Force Military Judges these appointments will further alleviate pressure on the system.
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 08 DECEMBER 2015
08 December 2015 - NW3853
Lekota, Mr M to ask the President of the Republic
(1) Whether he intends to initiate a scientific investigation(s) to ascertain (a) why South Africans are prone to arson, vandalism and violence when they participate in protest action and (b) what the different spheres of Government need to do to alleviate the anger of the South African population and therefore curb the destruction related to protest actions; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) Whether he will make a statement on how the Government is planning to prevent and discourage protesters from routinely resorting to arson, vandalism and violence during a protest action?
Reply:
- The widespread incidents of violence and destruction of property during protests is a cause for major concern. I have spoken about this matter many times in public platforms. The violence in our society is inherited from the violence perpetrated during the apartheid system and the violence response it engendered.
There are studies that have been undertaken to understand factors that contribute to a culture of violence in our society. Some of the studies have been undertaken by organisations outside government. Others have been commissioned by government itself. For instance, a few years ago the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster contracted the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation to undertake research on the violent nature of crime in South Africa.
The critical step that we need to take is not so much to commission more studies because there is already some research that has been undertaken. What is important is taking steps to turn the tide against violent protests and the destruction of property.
2. There are various important initiatives government will implement to address the matter next year. These include educating society about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. This education campaign about rights and responsibilities of citizenship is important considering that next year (2016) will be the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the Republic by former President Nelson Mandela. It will also be the 40th anniversary of 16 June 1976 student uprisings.
Studies show that violence in our society affects mostly women and children. Government will use the year 2016, which is the 60th anniversary of the Women’s March to the Union Buildings to mobilise society against violence that is committed against women and children.
Other measures will be announced in due course.
07 December 2015 - NW4044
Rabotapi, Mr MW to ask the Minister of Arts and Culture”
With regard to Government’s continued disagreements with the labour brokers; (a) why has his department outsourced the management of the Artists in Schools Programme which forms part of the Legacy Project and (b) why are people with no background or training in art employed to teach arts in the schools?
Reply:
(a). The Department of Arts and Culture has not outsourced the management of the Artist in School programme. The programme is implemented in partnership with organizations that specialize in arts, culture and heritage matters, such as community arts organisations, to
- Recruit and provide regular training of the contracted arts practitioners;
- Partake in identifying and negotiations’ processes with relevant officials at school Principals, Teachers, creative arts subject advisors and Provincial Department of basic Education and Departments of Sports Recreation, Arts and Culture level before any placement of arts practitioners can take place;
- Lesson planning and teaching of the subject (genres);
- Monitoring the individual arts practitioners to ensure that they execute their functions in a very desirable way and in line with the policy prescript of DBE
- Hosting of the Provincial Schools Festivals;
- Project Management (stipend allowances, conflict resolutions, report writing and all the relevant logistical arrangements that enables the successful implementation of the Project;
(b). The Department of Arts and Culture is not aware of any of the Department’s supported Artists in Schools programme that employs people with no background or training to teach arts in the Schools. Recruitment of the Artists in Schools take place at a local level through the identified arts, culture and heritage organisations to ensure that artists with the necessary skills and experience are appointed, and are placed in consultation with relevant stakeholders. It would be appreciated if any such individual or individuals could be reported to the Department.
07 December 2015 - NW4200
Lees, Mr RA to ask the Minister of Finance
Whether, with reference to an intergovernmental report commissioned by him on the latest round of the redeterminations of municipal boundaries initiated by the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in 2015, he amended the original version of the specified report after consultations with (a) the National Council of Provinces’ Select Committee on Appropriations and/or (b) the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; if not, why not; if so, what are the details in respect of (a) the dates and (b) the outcomes of the specified consultations?
Reply:
a) No. It is not possible to share this report before the budget is tabled as it includes information on budget allocations to affected municipalities and all budget information is embargoed prior to the tabling of the budget. As such no report was presented to the Select Committee on Appropriations.
b) This report was shared with the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs when it was submitted to the Municipal Demarcation Board, for information purposes.
07 December 2015 - NW3990
Van Der Walt, Ms D to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs
Whether her department is aware of alleged non-compliance with several pieces of landfill-related legislation at the (a) Modimolle, (b) Vaalwater, (c) Bela-Bela, (d) Mookgophong and (e) Thabazimbi landfill sites in Limpopo; if not, (i) why not, (ii) will her department (aa) launch investigations and (bb) take steps in this regard; if so, what steps have been taken in this regard to ensure compliance with the prescribed legislation?
Reply:
The department was informed by the Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism that an administrative enforcement notice was issued to the management of the Modimolle landfill site and that a criminal investigation was initiated, at the Thabazimbi landfill site, by Environmental Management Inspectors within the Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism and this case is currently under investigation.
(ii) The Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism is the licensing authority for general landfill sites in the Limpopo Province. For this reason, the Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism is also the competent authority for undertaking compliance and enforcement activities in relation to non-compliance that is detected at the landfills that the enquiry relates to. Given that the function is a constitutionally concurrent function, the Department of Environmental Affairs is mindful of the Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism’s regulatory obligations in this regard. The Department of Environmental Affairs will provide the necessary assistance and support if this is required or requested, but will always first engage with the provincial authority (which in this case is the Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism) before any form of enforcement action is taken in instances where the competence to undertake the necessary compliance and enforcement action lies with the provincial authority.
(ii)(aa) As indicated above, the Department of Environmental Affairs will not encroach into the regulatory space of various competent authorities which regulate the environment unless a specific request is received. However, and in response to the growing environmental concerns around general landfill sites across the country, Working Group IV included in its 2014/2015 work programme a national general landfill site compliance and enforcement blitz in order to understand what the exact compliance status is in relation to sites which were flagged as problematic; and
(bb) Upon request of the Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism, the Department of Environmental Affairs will undertake the necessary enforcement action. However, and as indicated above, the Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism is currently undertaking various actions at each of these landfills, and where no action is noted the Limpopo Department of Economic Development Environment and Tourism indicated that these facilities, namely, Vaalwater, Bela-Bela and Mookgophong will be included in their inspection programme for this financial year.
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