Questions and Replies
14 August 2015 - NW2712
Terblanche, Ms JF to ask the Minister of Science and Technology
Whether (a) she, (b) her Deputy Minister and (c) any officials in her department travelled to China in the 2014-15 financial year; if so, what was the (i) purpose of each specified visit and (ii) (aa) total cost and (bb) breakdown of such costs of each specified visit?
Reply:
(a) Minister: No trip to China undertaken.
(i) n/a.
(ii) (aa) n/a.
(ii) (bb) n/a.
(b) Deputy Minister: No trip to China undertaken.
(i) n/a.
(ii) (aa) n/a.
(ii) (bb) n/a.
(c) Officials:
Mr Daan du Toit: 21 to 23 May 2014.
(i) To participate in a bilateral meeting with Mr Xu, DDG MOST and the SKA Strategy and Business Development Committee Meeting 4, in China.
(ii) (aa) Total: R18 113.
(ii) (bb) R8 900 air ticket from Brussels and R9 213 accommodation.
Mr Isaac Maredi, Ms Sunita Kalan and Ms Punkah Mdaka: 22 to 26 September 2014.
(i) To participate in the science park development initiatives in China.
(ii) (aa) Total: R69 933.
(ii) (bb) R33 600 three air tickets, R15 333 travel & subsistence for three officials, R18 000 accommodation for 3 officials and R3 000 for shuttle transport to the airport for three officials.
Officials from the DST: Prof Yonah Seleti: 8 to 10 October 2014.
(i) To attend meetings of the International Group of Funding Agencies for Global Change Research (IGFA) and the Belmont Forum in China.
(ii) (aa) Total: R26 432.
(ii) (bb) R12 213 air ticket, R2 576 travel & subsistence, R11 400 accommodation and R243 for parking at the airport.
Official from the DST: Dr P Mjwara: 15 to 17 October 2014.
(i) To participate in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Board of Directors meeting in China.
(ii) (aa) Total: R53 659.
(ii) (bb) R49 939 air ticket and R3 720 accommodation.
Official from the DST: Mr Bruce Tshilamulele: 27 to 28 October 2014.
(i) To participate in the first Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) workshop on pharmaceutical innovation and development in China.
(ii) (aa) Total: R27 189.
(ii) (bb) R12 213 air ticket, R2 576 travel & subsistence, R11 400 accommodation and R1000 for shuttle transport to the airport.
Official from the DST: Dr Cordelia Sita and Ms Anita Mnisi: 7 to 9 November 2014.
(i) To participate in the BRICS Solid State Lighting (SSL) Working Group Meeting, this takes place every year in China around November.
(ii) (aa) Total: R53 950.
(ii) (bb) R41 050 two air-tickets and R12 900 accommodation.
14 August 2015 - NW2675
Majola, Mr TR to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
(1) With reference to his reply to question 1822 on 8 June 2015, why did he not refer to the docket with CAS number 63/03/2012 in his reply; (2) Why did he state in the specified reply that the investigations were concluded and that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) declined to prosecute when the aforesaid docket is open and currently still being investigated; (3) Will he provide the findings of the Auditor-General stating that there was no wrongdoing; if not, why not; and (4) Has the NPA been contacted by the Department of Trade and Industry to assist in the investigation into the misappropriation of funds by a certain company (name furnished)?
Reply:
I wish to inform the Honourable Member that I have been informed by the National Prosecuting Authority that:
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), South Gauteng indicates that Sandton CAS 63/3/2012 is a case involving theft (shoplifting) of lingerie valued at R99.00 at Woolworths Store in Sandton City on 2 March 2012 committed by a female student, aged 26 years, who appeared in court on 5 March 2012 and the matter was postponed to 20 March 2012. It is however inconceivable that this is a matter that the DA is referring to or interested in. It would assist if the Honourable member of the Democratic Alliance provides more details about the docket the Honourable member is referring to.The Serious and Commercial Crimes Unit (SCCU) Johannesburg Office only dealt with and declined to prosecute in Sandton CAS 1242/09/2010. The Special Director SCCU and Director of Public Prosecutions, Gauteng, are currently engaging in evaluating the request to review the said decision declining to prosecute in respect of Sandton CAS 1242/09/2010 where the complainant in the matter was Mr Sheldon Chellakooty and not the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). CAS number 63/03/2012 was never referred to the SCCU.- See response in (1) above.
- The findings of the Auditor-General can be obtained from his office. These findings were specifically referred to by the suspect in Sandton CAS 1242/09/2010.
- The SCCU Johannesburg office in particular has not been contacted.
14 August 2015 - NW2659
Horn, Mr W to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
(1) How many small claims courts were established by his department during the 2014/15 financial year; (2) How may cases were finalised monthly by each of the specified courts? NW3090E
Reply:
- 39 new Small Claims Courts were established during the 2014-2015 financial year:
Mitchells Plain (WC), Bergville (KZN), Clanwilliam (WC), Boshof (FS), Herschel (EC), Fouriesburg (FS), Lions River (KZN), Polela (KZN), Phalaborwa (LP), Stilfontein (NW), Glen Grey (EC), Christiana (NW), Calitzdorp (WC), Goodwood (WC), Kuils River (WC), Pearston (EC), Namakgale (LP), Adelaide (EC), Bedford (EC), Wellington (WC), Impendle (KZN), Murraysburg (WC), Hopefield (WC), Mount Ayliff (EC), Heidelberg (WC), Uniondale (WC), Lady Grey (EC), Nkandla (KZN), Pofadder (NC), Piketberg (WC), Mapumulo (KZN), Mtunzini (KZN), Postmasburg (NC), Hanover (NC), Molteno (EC), Hay (NC), Tseki (FS), Laingsburg (WC) and Prince Albert (WC)
30 new Small Claims Courts were established from 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014:
Ngotshe (KZN), Elliot (EC), Msinga (KZN), Madikwe (NW), Peddie (EC), Middledrift (EC), Mooi River (KZN), Clocolan (FS), Camperdown (KZN), KwaMhlanga (MP), Mbibana (MP), Mdutjana (MP), St Marks (EC), Mutale (LP), Atteridgeville (GP), Secunda (MP), Dzanani (LP), Vanrhynsdorp (WC), Bultfontein (FS), Williston (NC), Sebokeng (GP), Melmoth (KZN), Reitz (FS), Nqutu (KZN), Hennenman (FS), Virginia (FS), Ventersburg (FS) Sasolburg (FS), Tsakane (GP) and Vuwani (LP)
14 new Small Claims Courts have been established since 1 April 2015:
Babanango (KZN), Libode (EC), Tabankulu (EC), Wodehouse (EC), Indwe (EC), Tsolo (EC), Qumbu (EC), Simon’s Town (WC), Middelburg (EC), Sterkstroom (EC), Tiyani (LP), Barkly East (EC), Kakamas (NC) and Flagstaff (EC)
2. The statistics for the new 39 Small Claims Courts is not yet readily available on the department’s ICMS system which is our main statistics information source as these courts are still being assisted to get registered and trained to use the system. However the 2014/15 national stats for the SCC were as follows:
Matters Finalized - Broken down into Regions:
Regions |
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
Grand Total |
Amount |
Average of Days : Registration to Finalisation Date |
Average of Days: First Hearing Date to Finalization date |
Eastern Cape |
596 |
626 |
603 |
655 |
2480 |
R 10 609 170.11 |
70.48 |
52.97 |
Free State |
267 |
205 |
252 |
279 |
1003 |
R 2 988 213.13 |
56.43 |
35.08 |
Gauteng |
2711 |
2940 |
2217 |
2430 |
10298 |
R 53 338 021.86 |
39.48 |
19.87 |
Kwazulu Natal |
870 |
901 |
809 |
816 |
3396 |
R 19 196 151.86 |
111.63 |
68.89 |
Limpopo |
845 |
947 |
825 |
902 |
3519 |
R 12 391 156.03 |
87.96 |
60.12 |
Mpumalanga |
419 |
571 |
573 |
374 |
1937 |
R 8 626 175.45 |
83.65 |
56.41 |
North West |
671 |
585 |
497 |
361 |
2114 |
R 8 143 952.28 |
87.20 |
37.85 |
Northern Cape |
177 |
99 |
85 |
90 |
451 |
R 1 814 831.20 |
45.93 |
20.79 |
Western Cape |
740 |
901 |
801 |
890 |
3332 |
R 19 972 283.98 |
77.20 |
27.56 |
Grand Total |
7296 |
7775 |
6662 |
6797 |
28530 |
R 137 079 955.90 |
68.38 |
|
Matters Finalized - Broken down into Outcomes:
Outcomes |
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
Grand Total |
% |
Absolution |
131 |
155 |
100 |
143 |
529 |
2% |
Case Dismissed |
559 |
664 |
529 |
500 |
2252 |
8% |
Case Struck of Roll |
2380 |
2579 |
2283 |
2387 |
9629 |
34% |
Case Withdrawn |
81 |
98 |
77 |
103 |
359 |
1% |
Default Judgement |
1316 |
1284 |
1150 |
1526 |
5276 |
18% |
Judgement Granted |
2435 |
2604 |
2150 |
1859 |
9048 |
32% |
Out of Court Settlement |
317 |
329 |
272 |
229 |
1147 |
4% |
Postponed |
77 |
61 |
101 |
46 |
285 |
1% |
Rescission Granted |
1 |
4 |
5 |
0.02% |
||
Grand Total |
7296 |
7775 |
6662 |
6797 |
28530 |
100% |
|
14 August 2015 - NW2684
Breytenbach, Adv G to ask the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
Whether (a) he, (b) his Deputy Ministers and (c) any officials in his department travelled to China in the 2014-15 financial year; if so, what was the (i) purpose of each specified visit and (ii)(aa) total cost and (bb) breakdown of such costs of each specified visit?
Reply:
I wish to inform the Honourable Member that (a) neither I nor the former Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development travelled to China during 2014-15;
(b) the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and Deputy Minister of Correctional Services did not travel to China during 2014-2015; and
(c) I have been informed that no officials from all the departments, travelled to China during the 2014-15 financial year.
(i) and (ii) therefore fall away.
13 August 2015 - NW2834
Macpherson, Mr DW to ask the Minister of Trade and Industry
(1)With reference to the procurement of locomotives and coaches by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), (a) what discussions did he hold with PRASA: (b) the Department of Transport to ensure that local (i) content and (ii) procurement was possible for the specified locomotives and coaches; (2) was the procurement of locomotives and coaches by PRASA designated by him for local content; if not, why not? NW3307E:
Reply:
1. (a) – (b) (i)-(ii) Numerous engagements were held with PRASA and the Department of Transport (DOT) on both locomotives and coaches procurement to ensure that localisation requirements are fulfilled. Significant inputs were provided on the capabilities of the domestic rolling stock manufacturing sector including comprehensive information on components that should be localised. Efforts to maximise local content are on-going.
The locomotives procurement has been subjected to the National Policy Industrial Participation (NIPP) Programme and discussions on the development of offset projects are advanced. Further, the dti participated in the Rail Inter-Departmental Committee chaired by the DOT so as to provide support and inputs on how the coaches’ procurement can be leveraged to resuscitate and enhance the rail manufacturing capacity and capability.
In addition, engagements with the winning bidder of the coaches tender (Gibela Consortium) are continuing. The contract has provided the department with the opportunity to offer the various incentive programmes to the rolling stock manufacturing firms in order to enable the necessary investments to improve the competitiveness and to meet the Original Equipment Manufacturers’ requirements.
2. The procurement of both coaches and locomotives were not subject to the designation process as the request for proposals were issued before the issuance of the National Treasury Instruction Note ,that provides guidelines for the invitation and evaluation of bids for the procurement of rolling stock sector. This instruction note only came into effect on the 07 December 2011. It is for this reason that the locomotive procurement is subjected to the offset obligation programme as indicated above. Although the designation had not been effected on the coaches’ procurement, the dti played a critical role to ensure the draft policy framework on local content was incorporated into the extensive procurement processes driven by DoT and PRASA, hence the coaches’ tender was issued with a minimum local content of 65%.
13 August 2015 - NW2662
Gqada, Ms T to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
How many housing units were completed and delivered in terms of programmes of her department in the jurisdictional area of the Mangaung Metro during the periods (a) 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2011 and (b) 1 July 2011 to 31 May 2015?
Reply:
In terms of the housing programmes of the National Department of Human Settlements, delivery in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality was as follows:
(a) Total number of housing units completed for the period 01 July 2006 to 30 June 2011: 11 237
(b) Total number of housing units completed for the period 01 July 2011 to 31 May 2015: 5 508
13 August 2015 - NW2715
Mhlongo, Mr TW to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
Whether (a) she, (b) her Deputy Minister and (c) any officials in her department travelled to China in the 2014-15 financial year; if so, what was the (i) purpose of each specified visit and (ii)(aa) total cost and (bb) breakdown of such costs of each specified visit?
Reply:
No.
13 August 2015 - NW2871
Steyn, Ms A to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
(1) Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. (2) What process is followed when deciding on placements; (3) Are graduates able to appeal their placement; if not, why not; if so, how does a student go about appealing a placement?
Reply:
- It should be noted that in terms of the contemplated regulations, the Minister shall make a final decision with the regard to the place where a CCS veterinarian shall perform compulsory community service, criteria for the selection of places where Compulsory Community Service (CCS) is to be performed and the placement of veterinary graduates are based on key strategic objectives of the Compulsory Community Service (CCS), namely:
(i) To promote accessibility of veterinary services particularly in under-served and resource poor areas,
(ii) To distribute veterinary profession in an equitable manner thereby rectifying the current state of distribution of veterinary personnel and;
(iii)To provide an opportunity for CCS veterinarians to acquire knowledge, critical thinking and problem-solving skills that will help their professional development.
- The processes followed for the placement of CCS Veterinarians is complex; this is to ensure that applicants are placed in a fair and equitable manner and to ensure that the aforementioned CCS strategic objectives are realised. In this regard, a comprehensive list of selected available places where CCS is to be performed is sent to prospective graduates. In the list, each CCS place is described in detail including the nature of work.
An electronic application must be completed by prospective graduates, and shall be submitted to DAFF. Applicants are required to make a selection of five (5) provinces and three (3) CCS places of their choice per province resulting in fifteen (15) choices per applicant. The applicant must rank their 15 choices in order of preference, i.e. Choices 1 to 15 with choice 1 being the 1st preferred choice and choice 15 being the least preferred choice. The placement process is based on these fifteen (15) ranked choices.
Once all the applications are received the placement process is as follows:
Step 1:
Applicant’s specific choices were assessed in order of their preferred ranking.
Unique choices (meaning no other applicant has chosen that CCS place for that specific choice) will automatically be allocated to that CCS place.
Where there is more than one applicant applying for the same place within the specific choice then applicants should be randomly placed. These processes are to be repeated until all the fifteen (15) choices are exhausted per applicant.
- For the 2015 cohort, DAFF received a total number of 131 applicants and 110 (84%) applicants were placed during step 1; the rest were subjected to step 2.
Step 2:
“Special circumstances”, for example medical conditions, may be considered at the discretion of the placement committee once all the applicant’s fifteen (15) choices are exhausted. Applicants who are not placed after this process are subjected to step 3.
.
- For the 2015 cohort, 5 (4%) applicants were considered for “special circumstances” and the remaining applicants were subjected to step 3.
Step 3:
For applicants that were not placed from the steps above i.e. from their 15 ranked choices, a list of available CCS places are to be sent to the remaining unallocated applicants. Applicants should reapply and rank places according to order of preference. Applicants that are not placed after this process are to be subjected to step 4.
- For the 2015 cohort, 14 (11%) applicants were considered for special circumstances and the rest were subjected to step 4.
Step 4:
Applicants who are not placed during step 1 to 3, if any, are to be placed randomly to the remaining CCS places. This means that the placement committee will allocate all the remaining applicants to all remaining CCS places without awarding them a chance to choose.
- For the 2015 cohort 2 (1%) applicants were considered for special circumstances and rest were subjected to step 4.
Step 5:
All applicants are to be informed by DAFF about their placement and should be given a period of one (1) month to swap their placement with a fellow applicant. This provision should be done in writing using a DAFF standard form. Both applicants are expected to give consent and this marks the end of the placement process.
(3) Since the placement process was mostly done by a random selection process based on the number of available CCS posts, as a result, most of the students are placed by chance or if they selected a CCS place that they are not competing with anyone which was also by chance. Based on the above there was no provision for an appeals process because this will disadvantage other students who have already accepted placements that are least suitable to their needs. Step 5 was designed to alleviate any dissatisfaction among the applicants.
13 August 2015 - NW2723
Kopane, Ms SP to ask the Minister of Tourism
(1)(a) What was the cost of the building of the Metsi Matsho Resort in QwaQwa in Free State and (b) when will the project be completed; (2) Whether, in view of the poor financial management in the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality which is subject to National Treasury intervention, this project will be handed over to them; if not, what are the relevant details; if so, what measures are in place to ensure that the specified resort is managed efficiently?
Reply:
- (a)The Metsi Matsho project is being built over two phases. The budget of the first Phase was R26, 125,000 and the expenditure incurred was R25, 734,505. The second Phase is under implementation. The budget for the second Phase is R28, 851,326.00 and the expenditure as at 31 July 2015 is R10, 964,585.
(b) The first phase started around August 2011 till October 2013. The second Phase commenced in February 2015 and is expected to be completed in January 2016.
(2) Due to the fact that the land belongs to the community, a Trust has been registered and ownership of the project will ultimately vest with the Trust with the support of the Local Municipality. The department will be assisting the Trust to appoint a private sector operator, to ensure that an operator is in place by the time the project is completed. This will be undertaken through a consultative process with the community and will adhere to the PFMA regulations and principals of Supply Chain Management.
12 August 2015 - NW2609
Mubu, Mr KS to ask the Minister of Transport
With reference to her reply to question 1560 on 30 April 2015, (a) who are the members of the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR), (b) what are the qualifications of each specified member and (c) what is the anticipated date on which the NPTR will become operational?
Reply:
(a) and (b)
NAME AND SURNAME |
Designation |
Qualifications |
|
1. |
Mr Charles Maluleke |
Chairperson |
B Com MBA |
2. |
Mr Lesedi Dinte |
Deputy Chairperson |
Baccalaureus Juris Baccalaureus Legum |
3. |
Mr Titus Malaza |
Member |
B Degree Police Science Masters in Public Administration
|
4. |
Professor Imtiaz Vally |
Member |
Masters in Accountancy |
5. |
Professor Ntombizozuko Dyani - Mhango |
Member |
LLB Master of Legum Doctor of Law |
6. |
Ms Divhane Tshivhase |
Member |
Secondary teachers diploma B Com |
7. |
Mr Paul Browning |
Member |
Fellow of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport |
(C) March 2016
12 August 2015 - NW2475
Wilson, Ms ER to ask the Minister of Social Development
Whether, with reference to her reply to question 1011 on 26 May 2015, she can indicate in which quarterly reports all the information requested is contained; if not, can she provide the information as requested in question 1011?
Reply:
The reports are in the quarterly reports that the Department and its entities submit to the Portfolio Committee and the annual reports of each respective financial year.
12 August 2015 - NW2835
Macpherson, Mr DW to ask the Minister of Trade and Industry
(1)What discussions did he hold with the Department of Energy regarding the designation of local content for the Government’s proposed nuclear build programme; (2) what steps did he take to ensure that local content requirements were included in the various memoranda of understanding signed by the specified department; (3) what (a) value and/or (b) benefits will the local manufacturing sector derive from the nuclear build programme, including (i) job creation and (ii) investment in manufacturing; (4) has any person from his department been appointed to assist the specified department with local content and procurement; if so, (a) who has been appointed, (b) how were they selected and (c) what qualifications do they hold? NW3308E
Reply:
1-4 Government promulgated the revised Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity 2010 - 2030 (IRP2010) in March 2011. The IRP made provision for 9.6 gigawatts of nuclear capacity expansion.
The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) chaired the Nuclear Energy Sub-Working Group (NESWG) on Localisation, Industrialisation and Skills Development, with key economic departments and state owned companies (SOC) as participants, in support of the Nuclear Energy Working Group (NEWG).
The NESWG on Localisation, Industrialisation and Skills Development submitted its reports to the Department of Energy (DoE) dealing with all matters assigned to it.
All documents of the NESWG are classified as Top Secret and are in the possession of the DoE.
The Minister and Department of Energy have a constitutional mandate for national energy and energy related matters, inclusive of nuclear energy. Requests for programme specific information should therefore be directed to the Minister of Energy.
12 August 2015 - NW2755
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Transport
With regard to her reply to question 2495 on 14 July 2015, what (a) empirical evidence was used by her department to come to the conclusions stated in the reply, more specifically that (i) the overall economic impact was positive, (ii) delays on the road network has decreased, (iii) traffic growth of more than 20% in many instances could be accommodated and (iv) the development that took place in the immediate vicinity of upgraded interchanges such as Lynnwood, Atterbury, Garsfontein, John Vorster, Allandale, etcetera reflects the positive impact the road improvement project had on Gauteng and (b) economic studies is her department referring to in the specified reply when she indicates that the project renders a high return on investment and a B:C ratio of 8 to 1?
Reply:
(a) The information used in the formulation of the response to question 2495 on 14 July 2015, included the following
(i) The positive overall economic impact was assessed from:
- The information from the toll gantries and SANRAL’s Comprehensive Traffic Observation (CTO) stations located on the freeways and interchange approach roads measuring the alternative road network.
- The data recorded at the toll gantries
- The original traffic and transport planning studies regarding the travel time savings and how it is linked to economic spin offs (economic reports)
(ii) The measurement of travel time and hence delays for the entire network are obtained from traffic studies which includes a traffic model that was developed and used for this purpose. The original model was calibrated to the 2006 conditions and the current situation has been validated against the traffic data obtained from the GFIP traffic monitoring systems as well as independent data from TomTom. The reduction in the delays on the roads considers all time periods and takes into account the reduction in the duration of the morning and afternoon peak periods where higher traffic volumes are moving through the road network in a shorter time period.
(iii) Traffic volumes and speeds on national and other roads are continually recorded through SANRAL’s Comprehensive Traffic Observations (CTO) programme, which has been in operation since the early 1990s. These consist of physical counting stations installed in the road surface. In addition, in 2006 when the traffic models mentioned above were developed a comprehensive exercise of additional traffic surveys were undertaken at interchanges in the GFIP network. The comparison of the 2006 and 2014 traffic data provided the evidence that there were many instances where traffic increases of more than 20% could be accommodated. At specific locations, i.e. the Malibongwe, William Nicol and Rivonia Interchanges increases in traffic volumes during the morning peak hour were 32%, 25% and 38% respectively. On the freeways, the highest increase in traffic has been on the Albertina Sisulu (R21) freeway, but also in the peak direction on the highly trafficked section of the N1 and N12.
(iv) Arial photographs pre and post the upgrades of these interchanges reflects the development that has taken place in the immediate vicinity of upgraded interchanges. It should be noted that development rights are dependent on adequate road capacity on the freeways and through interchanges being available to accommodate the traffic generated by the proposed developments. In the past, many of these developments could not take place due to the lack of capacity available at these interchanges
(b) There are two economic studies:
(i) Studies performed by the Business School of the University of Cape Town and ARUP
(ii) A study performed by economist Roelof Botha
12 August 2015 - NW2752
Hunsinger, Dr CH to ask the Minister of Transport
What (a) criteria and (b) qualifications are used by (i) her department and (ii) each entity reporting to her that qualifies a person to be called an engineer?
Reply:
DEPARTMENT
(a) and (b) (i). Reflect the toatal numberof engineers in the Department of Transport irrespective of them not having been e,mployed as engineers. e.g. DDG Hlabisa of Road sis an engineer and soi s many others. All Government Departments that appoint Engineers are guided by the Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD) for Engineers that specifies the criteria as well as qualifications that are required for the various categories of Engineers.
1. Road Accident Fund (RAF)
The Road Accident Fund (RAF) does not currently employ engineers in that capacity, nor does the RAF accredit anyone in that capacity.
2. South African National Road Agency (SANRAL)
(a) SANRAL uses the criteria as per the requirements of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) including those bodies who are signatories to the Washington Accord of 1989.
Registration as a professional engineer with ECSA is a statutory requirement for roles which take responsibility for the performance of engineering work. On meeting the criteria the following designations are used as per the ECSA regulations:
Professional Engineer (Pr Eng)
Professional Engineering Technologist (Pr Tech Eng)
Professional Engineering Technician (Pr Eng Techni)
(b) The basic qualifications required to attain the above are a Bachelor of Science in Engineering; Bachelor of Engineering; Bachelor of Technology; and Diploma in Engineering from a University or the then technikons.
3. Road Traffic Management Cooperation (RTMC)
(a) Currently RTMC does not have an engineer in its employ. The candidate should be registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) , and
(b) Possess a B Degree in Civil Engineering or Equivalent qualification if the agency were to employ one.
4. Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA)
(a) For RTIA, the criteria for employing the Engineers would be based on the requirements of the position.
(b) The qualifications required would also be based on the needs of the position as well as those of the Agency
5. Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA)
(a) The incumbent will have to be registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).
(b) Qualifications to qualify a person to be called an engineer: Bachelor of Engineering degree or Bachelor of Technology with a focus on Civil/ Transport/ Structural Engineering.
Air Traffic & Navigation Services SOC Limited (ATNS)
(a) Criteria
ATNS employs two types of engineers, namely, Systems Engineer and Senior Systems Engineer. A Systems Engineer is a person who holds a Bachelor’s degree or Bachelor of Technology in Engineering or Science from the university and is eligible for registration as a professional engineer.
The second level of engineer is the Senior Systems Engineer level where professional engineers are appointed. A professional engineer is a person who holds Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and is registered as a professional engineer with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).
The criteria used for the appointment of engineers, is the academic qualification, years of experience and professional registration with the Engineering Council of South Africa as a candidate or professional engineer or technologist.
(b) Qualifications
The qualifications used for engineer positions in the company are Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from the university (including university of technology).
Airports Company South Africa SOC Limited (ACSA)
(a) Criteria
The Airports Company South Africa defines the need for specific positions based on the nature of the business. Formal structures exist which includes Engineers. The positions in the different Engineering disciplines are clearly defined in terms of a role description detailing:
- key outputs,
- qualifications; and
- competence needed in the position.
(b) Qualifications
People appointed to positions of Engineers in the different disciplines, are required to have a formal B Tech or Engineering degree and/or with a Government Certificate of Competency, depending on the business need.
Further to this, qualifications are verified via a formal verification process with the institutions that issued the qualifications prior to making an appointment into an Engineering position.
South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)
(a)(b)(i)N/A (ii) the South African Civil Aviation Authority’s criteria and qualification requirements for engineers are as follows:
Engineering Stream within the SACAA |
Job Title |
Qualifications and Criteria |
Mechanical Engineering |
Certification Engineer |
Qualifications: BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering Criteria: 3 year experience as Certification Engineer in the aviation environment. |
Electrical Engineering |
Certification Engineer |
Qualification: BSc degree in Electrical Engineering Criteria: 3 year experience as Certification Engineer in the aviation environment. |
Aeronautical Engineering |
Certification Engineer |
Qualification: BSc degree in Aeronautical Engineering Criteria: 3 year experience as Certification Engineer in the aviation environment. |
Railway Safety Regulator
(a) Criteria – Minimum National Diploma/ Degree
(b) A bachelor degree in engineering and a candidate for registration as a professional engineer or technologist with ECSA.
Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA)
(a) As employee must have obtained a four year university engineering degree to be an engineer.
(b) The qualification for an engineer is a B.Sc (Engineering), B.Eng or any 4 year degree from a recognized university.
Ports Regulator South Africa (PRSA)
The Ports Regulator in terms of its organogram, does not employ engineers, thus this is not applicable.
While it is not applicable to the Ports Regulator, the CEO of the Ports Regulator is an engineer by virtue of being:
(a) accredited as a professional engineer (Pr Eng) by the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA)
(b) qualified with a university degree in engineering, in his case a masters degree (MSc Eng)
South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)
(a) The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), as a special agency of the Department of Transport on matters relating to Maritime employs Marine Engineers. Marine engineering is a specialist field which is regulated internationally by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and here in South Africa, those standards are implemented and monitored by SAMSA.
(b) We hire Marine Engineers who holds Certificates of Competency as Chief Engineer[1] of a ship of any propulsion power in accordance with standards set by the IMO, through the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, as amended (STCW Convention). These Marine Engineers qualifications are vetted and accepted by the IMO and its member states, e.g. UK, Netherlands, Singapore, Liberia, Philippines, etc. There is no requirement for Marine Engineers to be a member of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) to be employed. However, some of them are members through their membership of the South African Institute of Marine Engineers and Naval Architects (SAIMENA)
12 August 2015 - NW2591
Kopane, Ms SP to ask the Minister of Social Development
Whether, with reference to her reply to question 1956 on 24 June 2015, she can indicate on which page of the annual report and financial statements the specific requested information is contained; if not, (a) when will she provide the information as requested in the original question and (b) why did she indicate that this information is in the annual report and financial statements; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
- & (b) The Honourable Member is referred to Table 18 on Page 51 of SASSA’s
Annual Report 2014/15 Financial Year.
12 August 2015 - NW2502
Davis, Mr GR to ask the President of the Republic
(1) Was he aware of (a) the removal of certain persons (names furnished) by the SA Broadcasting Corporation board and (b) the parliamentary legal opinion commissioned by the Portfolio Committee on Communications (details furnished)? 2. Did he consider the parliamentary legal opinion when appointing a certain person (name furnished); if not, why not; if so, why did he reject the findings of the parliamentary legal opinion? 3. Did he seek legal advice on the specified issue; if so, did the advice differ from that of the parliamentary legal opinion?
Reply:
The three former Non-Executive Directors of the SABC were removed by the Board of Directors of the SABC in terms of section 71 of the Companies Act 71 of 2008.
The Minister of Communications as the shareholder representative in respect of the SABC SOC Ltd had informed me to note the resolution of the SABC Board of Directors in respect of the removal of the said Non-Executive Directors.
In making any appointment, I apply my mind to all aspects deserving of consideration.
12 August 2015 - NW2754
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Transport
What (a) are the (i) estimated and (ii) actual costs incurred by the Government in respect of drunken driving and (b) has been the economic impact of drunken driving in each (i) province and (ii) local authority for the (aa) 2012-13, (bb) 2013-14 and (cc) 2014-15 financial years?
Reply:
The Road Accident Fund (RAF) is funded by a levy on fuel sold, which serves as an indirect tax used to fund the payment of compensation and to rehabilitate qualifying persons injured in road crashes. The fuel levy is also used to pay for the loss of support and funeral costs of those qualifying dependents that lost breadwinners in road crashes.
Although drunken driving has an impact on the incidence of road crashes and therefore on the cost of providing compensation, rehabilitation, support and funeral cover; the RAF does not currently maintain information or statistics (a)(i) of the estimated cost, and (ii) actual cost incurred by the RAF as a result of drunken driving and (b) does not have information or statistics of the economic cost of drunken driving in each (i) province and (ii) local authority for the (aa) 2012-13, (bb) 2013-14 and (cc) 2014-15 financial years.
12 August 2015 - NW1434
Stubbe, Mr DJ to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources
Does his department have a Regulatory Burden Reduction strategy in place; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details of the strategy?
Reply:
No,
The current Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) aptly identifies the need to consider the compliance burden and complexity of laws and regulations, and the need to improve consistency and remove unnecessary obstacles to business development. In this regard, capacity has been created in the Presidency to carry out thorough impact assessments of both new and existing legislation and regulations, in order to ensure alignment with the NDP and reduce the risk of unintended consequences.
Government will also streamline and improve the efficiency of regulatory processes, in areas such as building licences, environmental impact assessments, company registration, tax compliance, work permits for scarce skills, mining licences, water licences and access to municipal infrastructure services.
The regulatory burden reduction strategy cuts across a number of legislation/regulatory instruments that are not only administered within the DMR. Capacity for a comprehensive regulatory burden reduction strategy has resultantly been established at a central point in government and constitutes a requirement for the legislation development within government.
12 August 2015 - NW2593
Tarabella - Marchesi, Ms NI to ask the Minister of Social Development
(1)With regard to her department’s report on Old Age Home Condition Assessments (details furnished), what progress has been made regarding (a) maintenance, (b) reconfiguration, (c) refurbishment, (d) renovations and (e) repairs for each specified old age home; (2) what amount has been spent to date on each old age home?
Reply:
At the time of replying to this question the Department was still awaiting a comprehensive response from provincial departments which are responsible for this function. I will furnish the Honourable Member with a reply upon receipt of provincial inputs.
The Member can also look for information through the relevant Provinces.
12 August 2015 - NW2680
Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
(1)How many public service employees have completed official training programmes on the procedures, regulations and legislation regarding the management of discipline and incapacity issues in the workplace either through the (a) National School of Government (NSG) or (b) any of the former government schools in the (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15 financial years;
Reply:
- The following training courses have been offered on “the management of discipline and incapacity issues in the workplace” during the 2012-2015 period.
Course |
2012-13 |
2013-14 |
2014-15 |
2015-16 |
Totals |
Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures |
80 |
111 |
198 |
- |
389 |
Investigating and Presiding Skills |
159 |
136 |
145 |
- |
440 |
PILIR - Policy & Procedure on Incapacity Leave & Ill health |
324 |
166 |
490 |
||
1319 |
(2) The NSG has three programmes related to management of discipline and incapacity issues in the workplace. The first is the Grievance and Disciplinary Action Procedures programme. This programme is accredited by the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA) against 2 (two) registered unit standards which are 12139 and 11286. The number of public service employees successfully accredited for this programme is 86 from 2012-2015. The second programme is the Investigating and Presiding Skills programme. This programme is not accredited, and thus has no registration number. The third programme is on Policy on incapacity and ill-health (PILIR). This programme is also not accredited, and thus has no registration number
(3) The NSG conducts training needs analyses on middle and senior management level for national, provincial and local government entities. Education interventions and capacity requirements are determined against the senior and middle management competency frameworks developed by the DPSA as well as specialised competency requirements in areas such as finance, supply chain management and human resources – which deal with issues of managing discipline and incapacity amongst others. Learning and education programmes provided by the NSG therefore meet the needs of public servants regarding the management of discipline and incapacity issues within the public service.
However, Management Performance Assessment Tool (MPAT) reports from the Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency (DPME) as well as various reports by the Public Service Commission (PSC) suggest that departments need to increase the numbers of supervisors and managers undergoing training. Also senior managers attending specific NSG programmes are of the view that their performance has improved, but further training in areas of Human Resource Management such as discipline management is necessary. MPAT reports have indicated the following with regards to the handling of disciplinary cases by all National Departments: 41% non-compliance with legal/regulatory standards; 39% partial compliance; 5% full compliance; and 15% full compliance while “doing things smartly”.
The NSG is currently piloting mandatory training for public service Managers and Supervisors beginning with Performance Management Development System (PMDS) training in an endeavour to further meet the training needs regarding HRM including discipline and incapacity management.
12 August 2015 - NW2756
Mubu, Mr KS to ask the Minister of Transport
(a) Has an investigation been lodged into the train collision that took place at Booysens, Johannesburg, on 17 July 2015, (b) when will the specified investigation report be released, (c) who is conducting the specified investigation, (d) what are the total damages caused in the specified collision, (e) what compensation has been paid to passengers thus far and (f) what criteria was used to determine such compensation?
Reply:
(a) A preliminary investigation was conducted immediately after the accident by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), the preliminary report was released on Monday, 20th July 2015. A Board of Inquiry (BOI) is currently underway to determine the root cause that led to the accident.
(b) It is estimated that the BOI process will take three to four months to finalise.
(c) The RSR has appointed specialists for the BOI with a Chairperson of the BOI, Human Factors Specialist and Signaling Specialist.
(d) The estimated cost of damage to both the Rolling Stock and the Infrastructure is R7 567 999.14
(e) Information not yet complete.
(f) See response in (e).
Ministerial Note:
Criteria used to determine compensation?
In the ordinary course of business, and because passengers who get involved in accidents of the nature this one is would invariably sustain injuries which affect each one of them differently, given the extent of such injuries, an opportunity gets created for claims to arise and for litigation to be instituted, by way of exercise of one’s rights, to recover damages that emanates from such accidents.
Ordinarily, the root cause of these types of accidents would be some negligence on the part of PRASA or its operators, and in full cognisance of the fact that passengers involved are affected and inconvenienced in a variety of ways, PRASA has had to, in the past, recognise that most of the passengers who are affected, require assistance that caters for their immediate medical expenses and other damages of the like, depending on the unique personal circumstances of the affected and injured persons. This recognition has led to some acceptance that indeed it is a responsible act of compassion to assist those very passengers PRASA is out to serve, which assistance normally takes place only in circumstances stated here under:
- (a) That an accident, or incident of the nature this one is must have occurred;
(b) That any passenger so to be assisted, or compensated, must have been involved in such an accident;
(c) That such an involved passenger must have sustained bodily injuries, alternatively must have experienced traumatic emotional shock, which then necessitate medical treatment;
(d) That such an injured passenger must have received treatment, as a result of the accident and the injuries involved, from the hospital, a clinic or any other medical facility were medical treatment would be rendered; and
(e) That such injuries sustained have resulted in passengers incurring medical and hospital expenses, or loss of income, or that in future there would be a need for medical treatment, and/or that non pecuniary losses, often referred to as general damages, are indicated.
It is against the background above that PRASA would engage with the affected and injured commuters in order that such a determination for the damages suffered, and/or compensation sought, be made. This exercise normally leads to settlements with the different passengers affected, and subsequently to compensation, as may be, depending on the nature of the injuries suffered.
Further, it is to be noted that over and above verifying the details and the information or documents as indicated above, and in respect on non-pecuniary damages, PRASA embarks upon a strict process of assessing damages by relying on useful legal tools and remedies that solely depend on legal authorities given the seriousness of the injury or injuries involved. The assessment of general damages, it must be added, is to a great extent arbitrary and incapable of true economic evaluation. There are strict guidelines, though, that are followed, that are dictated to by documents like the Quantum Yearbook, by Robert Koch, and Quantum of Damages, by Corbett & Buchanan, as an indication of what the estimation of such compensation should be.
There are no statutory limitations on what an affected passenger can recover from PRASA, and such passengers have a constitutional right, on common law grounds, to institute proceedings against PRASA, which they normally do through the assistance of attorneys.
12 August 2015 - NW2747
De Freitas, Mr MS to ask the Minister of Transport
(a) What (i) advertising and (ii) media space has her department purchased in the 2014-15 financial year (aa) in print, (bb) on radio, (cc) on billboards, or (dd) in any format to promote, advertise, educate or inform the public about the Cape Winelands Toll Project and (b) in each case, (i) where was this space sold in each specified month and (ii) what did it cost in each month?
Reply:
(a) (i) There was no advertising (ii) and no media space purchased by the department in the 2014-15 financial year (aa) in print, (bb) on radio, (cc) on billboards, or (dd) in any format to promote, advertise, educate or inform the public about the Cape Winelands Toll Project and
(b) in each case, (i) no space was sold in each month and (ii) no costs were incurred in each month.
12 August 2015 - NW2750
Hunsinger, Dr CH to ask the Minister of Transport
What steps is her department taking to ensure that law-abiding road users are not inconvenienced by the many errors and wrong invoices sent to them regard to their e-toll bills?
Reply:
The facts show differently. The system correctly captures more than 99% of the number plates & transactions. SANRAL accepts that no system is flawless. However, there are customer service options available to users through customer service centres, call centre, and the web to make e-toll enquiries. Also, the honourable member would appreciate that these so called errors and invoices would be minimized if the honourable member would join me in encouraging road users to register their details on the toll system.
12 August 2015 - NW2625
Grootboom, Mr GA to ask the Minister of Social Development
How many people who are receiving a disability grant are visually impaired in each province?
Reply:
When a disability grant is approved, the approval is based on set criteria and is not related to the type of disability. Therefore no such information regarding the specifics of the disability is retained on the database. The system only captures the fact that the beneficiary is disabled and not the type of disability.
12 August 2015 - NW2701
Maynier, Mr D to ask the Minister of Economic Development
Whether (a) he, (b) his Deputy Minister and (c) any officials in his department travelled to China in the 2014-15 financial year; if so, what was the (i) purpose of each specified visit and (ii)(a) total cost and (b) breakdown of such costs of each specified visit?
Reply:
Neither the Minister, Deputy Minister nor Officials of the Economic Development Department travelled to China in the 2014-15 financial year.
-END-
12 August 2015 - NW2623
Mackenzie, Mr C to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
(1) How many, (a) properties are leased by the SA Post Office from private companies and (b) of the specified properties have been closed by the lessor due to non-payment of rent; (2) How many, (a) properties are leased by the SA Post Office from the Redefine Group and (b) of the specified properties have been closed by the specified company due to non-payment of rent?
Reply:
- (a) The South African Post Office (SAPO) is currently leasing one thousand two
hundred and forty three (1243) properties from private companies. These consist of Retail outlets, Depots, Office Space and Mail Centres.
(b) As of 6 August 2015 a total of six (6) Retail outlets were locked by the land lord due to non-payment of rentals. Four (4) of these Retail Outlets are located in Kwa-Zulu Natal and two (2) in the Witwatersrand region. In addition, electricity has been disconnected by the land lords in five (5) Retail outlets due to non-payment of rental.
In addition to the abovementioned closed offices, a total of twelve (12) Retail outlets have been closed due to eviction by the land lords since March 2015. Furthermore, five (5) Retail Postal Agencies have been closed by the Agents due to non-payment of their monthly allowance.
2. (a) SAPO is leasing eighteen (18) properties from the Redefine Group.
(b) None of the eighteen (18) properties rented from the Redefine Group are closed
12 August 2015 - NW2838
Hill-Lewis, Mr GG to ask the Minister of Trade and Industry
(1) With regard to the procurement of clothing, textiles, and leather goods, how many applications has his department received for exemption from the 100% local content requirement to import raw materials (2) What is the turnaround time for responding to the specified applications (3) Is his department considering ways of making the administrative process for establishing local content in the clothing, textiles and leather goods sector more (a) practical and (b) user friendly? NW 3311E
Reply:
(1) the dti has received a total of 1864 applications from 2012 to date requesting exemption letters for the importation of raw materials which are not readily available in South Africa. These raw materials include polyester, nylon, acrylic fibres and textiles dyes and chemicals. The fibres are converted into finished products after manufacturing the yarns and fabrics in the country. Some technical fabrics which were imported in 2012 are now being woven in the country using high performance yarn like aramid yarns and high performance continuous filament polyester and nylon yarns.
(2) The turnaround time for responding to applications is 48 hours maximum due to high volumes received on a daily basis. The turnaround time is within 24 hours if all documentation including supporting letters from suppliers is provided with the applications.
(3) the dti established the South African Sustainable Textiles and Apparel Cluster (SASTAC) through the Clothing and Textiles Competitiveness Programme (CTCP) in close collaboration with all stakeholders. SASTAC is undertaking a comprehensive audit of textile manufacturing capacity and capabilities in the country, amongst other programmes. It is also in the process of developing a website which will make this information, inclusive of traceability, available to both Government entities and any potential supplier to government.
12 August 2015 - NW2749
De Freitas, Mr MS to ask the Minister of Transport
(1) When were the respective certificates of compliance for the (i) Gauteng Open Road Tolling, (ii) Transaction Clearing House and (iii) Violations Processing Centre systems issued to the contractor(s) of each of the systems; (2) in each case, (a) who signed the specified certificates and (b) under what conditions were they issued; (3) (a) how many faults were outstanding by the launch date of 3 December 2013, (b) what were the faults with regard to each certificate and (c)(i) how many and (ii) which of the specified faults were categorised as critical or serious faults; (4) (a) why was each of the operations allowed to continue, (b) how was the contractor penalised in accordance with the rules of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers and (c) what were the actual (i) amounts and (ii) dates of payment releases to the contractor in respect of services provided for the period 1 July to 15 December 2013?
Reply:
(1) The commissioning certificates were issued in sections and in accordance with the provisions of the FIDIC Conditions of Contract for design, build and operate projects (FIDIC), being the contract which applies to the project. The commissioning certificate for the sections comprising the Gauteng Open Road Tolling system and the Transaction Clearing House was issued on 18 December 2013 and effective from 2 December 2013. The section certificate for the relevant part of the Violations Processing Centre (VPC) was issued on 30 April 2015 and effective from 15 December 2014. Although the section of the system comprising the VPC was only commissioned with effect from 15 December 2014, it was considered ready for operation from toll commencement based on the contractor's confirmation (and extensive testing, trial operations and pilot testing) that the system and operations were ready from toll commencement. This all in accordance with FIDIC.
(2) The Employer's Representative, in terms of Sub clause 11.6 of FIDIC, issued the section commissioning certificates. Certificates were issued were in terms of Sub clause 11.6 of FIDIC and that in terms of Sub clause 11.5 of FIDIC which provides that:
"i. Issue the Commissioning Certificate to the Contractor, stating the date on which the Works or Section were completed in accordance with the Contract, except for any minor outstanding work and defects which will not substantially affect the use of the Works or Section for their intended purpose…"
(3) There were no "faults" outstanding on the launch date of 3 December 2013. FIDIC contemplates and as will be appreciated from the section of FIDIC recorded above, that the commissioning certificates are issued subject to certain outstanding work and defects. This is addressed in Clause 12 of FIDIC and this is the basis upon which the section completion certificates were issued.
(4) The operations continued based on the requirements of FIDIC and the issuing of the requisite commissioning certificates. Delays were dealt with in accordance with the delay damages provisions of the contract and were applied accordingly where delay occurred. For the period 1 July 2013 to 15 December 2013 the following amounts were paid to the contractor in respect of the services provided.
Month |
Operations |
Jul-13 |
R 29 827 326.93 |
Aug-13 |
R 15 126 538.85 |
Sep-13 |
R 30 559 820.76 |
Oct-13 |
R 33 290 653.38 |
Nov-13 |
R 47 446 297.39 |
Dec-13 |
R 80 869 591.90 |
The followings are to be noted in this regard:
(i) The payments to the contractor, in addition to payments for the services provided by the contractor, payment for the maintenance of all buildings and gantry's maintained by the contractor, payments for systems maintenance, payments in respect of utilities (water and electricity), rentals of customer kiosks and operations undertaken by the contractor including those for the benefit of the road user;
(ii) The contractor was required, at all times, to be operationally ready not knowing the toll commencement date and having regard to the various court cases;
(iii) The increases in payments in October, November and December 2013 should be viewed in light of the ramp-up of operations required for purposes of toll commencement;
(iv) All payments are determined based on a measurement based contract (add-measured contract) and accordingly the contractor is only paid for services actually rendered; and
(v) The December payment is for the full months services not just to 15 December 2013 as a result of the end of the year industry shut down.
12 August 2015 - NW2748
De Freitas, Mr MS to ask the Minister of Transport
With regard to tollgates situated in areas outside of Gauteng, (a) what is being done by her department to alleviate the long build-up of queues, especially over weekends, (b) what studies have been undertaken pertaining to vehicle build-up and blockages and trends in this regard and (c) what lessons has her department learnt from these studies?
Reply:
(a) The specified queue lengths are monitored at all plazas. CCTV surveillance systems are in place at the toll plazas to monitor this. All Plazas’ performance and operating efficiency is assessed to ensure adequate capacity exists to meet demand.
Several additional measures, as the circumstance demands, have been implemented at toll plazas that operate at near full capacity. These include the following:
- The implementation of tandem tolling which is a mechanism of allowing two vehicles to be processed at the same time in a single lane. This allows an increase in throughput of vehicles in comparison with normal lanes.
- Additional personnel are deployed in the lane area to ensure that motorists who pay toll fees in cash have the correct change, in advance of getting to the toll booth.
Further, to alleviate toll plaza capacity problems and increase vehicle processing speeds, additional, automated electronic toll payment method is being implemented at the toll plazas. This will allow non-stop passage through the lane via payment with an electronic tag. This system has been in operation for over ten years on the Platinum Toll Road, and is in an advanced stage of testing at most of the toll plazas. This will greatly assist with alleviating plaza capacity problems and long queue build-up. As has already been clearly demonstrated at the Platinum Toll Route Plazas, the processing rate of toll lanes dedicated for tag users, is 3 times that of manual payment methods.
(b) Historic traffic volumes, catering for traffic volumes from major events (sporting, cultural, etc.), seasonal traffic shifts, school holidays, long weekends, public holidays, etc. are analysed to plan for the future.
The traffic volumes at the plazas are also regularly monitored and examined. Traffic criteria such as the 30th highest hour traffic volumes and higher than average projected traffic growth rate, which could be indicative of the need to trigger dedicated electronic tag lanes, or a toll plaza expansion is regularly reviewed.
Regular analysis of the traffic volumes is undertaken to optimise the distribution of payment methods available to the road user as well as determining appropriate lane configurations.
(c) Regular traffic and capacity planning together with trained vehicle toll collectors improve the through flow. Flexible lane configuration allows for the accommodation of directional traffic flows so as to minimize the queue length.
The rapid deployment of the automated electronic toll payment method – payment of toll via electronic tag will greatly improve vehicle processing speed at the toll plazas.
Freeway Management Systems and Incident Management, with the assistance of CCTV surveillance of the road network, have facilitated rapid responses to incidents that may impact throughput at the plazas and thereby minimise the impact on traffic flow. These systems can also inform of traffic flows to and from the plaza.
12 August 2015 - NW2622
Mackenzie, Mr C to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
(1) Has his department been consulted by the Department of Public Service and Administration in respect of the strategy for e-government; if so, in what form has this consultation taken place; (2) Has the State Information Technology Company been consulted in respect of the specified strategy; if so, (a) in what form has this consultation taken place and (b) how does this strategy align with the (i) 2015 ICT Policy Review Green Paper and (ii) SA Connect programme?
Reply:
(1) No. However the DTPS, DPSA and SITA have been collaborating on matters regarding e-Government and e-Enablement of the prioritised 5 e-Services. The consultations in between the three institutions was conducted through a working group established by the Directors Generals of the two departments as well as the then SITA CEO. The discussions were continued June and Jul 2105 and SITA was tasked by the DPSA on 15 July 2015 to initiate programmes around the prioritised e-Services.
(2) Yes the SITA has been consulted in respect of the specified strategy. SITA, DPSA and DTPS are collaborating on the e-Enablement of the 5 prioritised Services as outlined in the Medium Term Strategic Framework 2014-2019 Outcome 12.4.6 and the DPSA Annual Operation Plan 2015/2016. This strategy is aligned with the 2015 ICT Policy Review Green Paper and SA Connect programme.
12 August 2015 - NW2753
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Transport
a)What are the qualifications of the former head of Engineering at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, Mr Daniel Mthimkhulu, (b) from which institutions were the specified qualifications received, (c) on what basis was he appointed in his former position, (d) how were his qualifications verified prior to his appointment, (e) why was he suspended, (f) what processes will be followed with the specified person now that he has resigned while on suspension, (g) what are the time frames in this regard and (h) who is currently fulfilling his function?
Reply:
(a) Matric and a few subjects in Mechanical Engineering according to a personnel file.
(b) Matric is from Fundulwazi Senior Secondary school in Sebokeng, whilst the mechanical engineering subjects are from Vaal University of technology.
(c) Mr Mthimkhulu joined Metrorail as an intern in 2000 and went through the ranks to Head: Engineering in PRASA Rail.
(d) Mr. Mtimkhulu may have given his peers the impression that he had the necessary qualifications and thus without being detected slipped through the verification process.
(e) Gross dishonesty and submission of fraudulent qualifications.
(f) PRASA Rail will not accept his resignation however criminal/Fraud charges are being pursued. A legal opinion was requested prior to take the appropriate actions against an employee who submitted his resignation.
(g) The legal process will take its course.
(h) Acting Executive Manager: Engineering Services Mr Letsane Rathaba.
12 August 2015 - NW2592
Kopane, Ms SP to ask the Minister of Social Development
Whether, with regard to her reply to question 1960 on 23 June 2015, she can confirm that no international trips were taken to benchmark the different payment systems in (a) 2007, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2013 by (i) her, (ii) any official in her department and (iii) any entities that report to her; if not, why not?
Reply:
The Honourable Member must refer to my previous reply to question 1960 in which I have outlined the international trips undertaken for benchmarking purposes. The Honourable Member must also be clear in terms of what she is asking for because in the previous question the focus was on the period leading up to SASSA’s promulgation and now the question includes this period post SASSA’s establishment.
12 August 2015 - NW2839
Figg, Mr MJ to ask the Minister of Trade and Industry
(1) Has his department had discussions with the National Treasury about the proposed new procurement regulations for tenders under R10 million; if so, what are the (a) substance of these discussions and (b) further relevant details; (2) Has his department found that the proposed regulations are at odds with the (a) Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Act, Act 53 of 2003 and (b) B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice?NW3312E.
Reply:
- and (2)
The National Treasury recently circulated proposed draft amendments to the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act (PPPFA) Regulations, 2015 for comment. The Department of Trade & Industry (the dti) has since responded officially to the draft amendments to the Regulations through the Office of the Director-General.
In the main, the dti confined its comments to the preference point system, Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) and local content. The substance of the comments is contained in the Submission to the National Treasury. An official response is awaited from the National Treasury.
Furthermore the dti has requested a further engagement with the National Treasury to support and clarify its comments, if the need arises. The position of the dti is that public procurement is an important industrial policy instrument and should be appropriately enshrined in any amendments to the Regulations of the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act in combination with other policy objectives, inclusive of broad-based black economic empowerment.
11 August 2015 - NW2454
Mackay, Mr G to ask the Minister of Energy
(1)With reference to the Mmamabula Power Purchase Agreement drafted between Eskom and the independent power producer (IPP), CIC Energy, that allowed for a potential electricity supply of 4 800MW and the proposed Mmamabula Energy Project emanating from the specified agreement; (a) what were the detailed reasons for aborting this project so suddenly and completely and (b) was her department involved in the decision making process responsible for aborting this project; if not, why not; if so, to what extent;
Reply:
- Eskom did not have the financial capacity to conclude the transaction and hence the project negotiations were aborted. However, the IPP office has revived the project.
- Yes, IPP’s play an important role, side by side with Eskom, in bringing more MW into the grid. The current RSA IPP programme has been acknowledged as one of the best IPP programmes globally.
11 August 2015 - NW2627
Kohler-Barnard, Ms D to ask the Minister of Police
Whether, with reference to his reply to question 2393 on 6 July 2015, all the requested information is now available; if not, (a) why not and (b) when will the information become available; if so, what are the details of the information so requested?
Reply:
Question 2393 has been replied to and the requested information was provided.
11 August 2015 - NW2578
Macpherson, Mr DW to ask the Minister of Police
(1)(a) How many operations targeting (i) illegal taverns and/or (ii) shebeens were carried out by the Phoenix Police Station in the 2014-15 financial year and (b) on which dates; (2) (a) what is the total number of arrests that were made, (b) how many persons were charged and (c) for which offences in each case; (3) how many convictions have been secured against operators of (a) illegal taverns and/or (b) shebeens in terms of the Liquor Act, Act 59 of 2003?
Reply:
(1) The station is conducting operations every Thursday of the week and so far there are fifty two (52) illegal taverns and fifty two (52) shebeens identified.
(2) During the operation there were ninety eight (98) arrests and ninety eight (98) persons were charged for dealing in liquor without a license.
(3) The convictions secured for during the operation are three (3) taverns and fifteen (15) shebeens for non-compliance.
11 August 2015 - NW2570
Mackay, Mr G to ask the Minister of Energy
Whether, with reference to her reply to question 635 on 13 March 2015, her department has decided on the number of (a) high and (b) low pressure solar water heaters to be installed in the 2015-16 financial year; if so, what is the total number of each type of solar water heater to be installed?
Reply:
No.
11 August 2015 - NW1246
Cardo, Dr MJ to ask the President of the Republic
(1)Is a digital representation of his signature used in circumstances where he is unable to personally sign official documents; (2) are any other government officials empowered to sign documents on his behalf; if so, what are the (a) names and (b) positions of the specified officials?
Reply:
I sign all official and executive documents personally.
11 August 2015 - NW2615
Davis, Mr GR to ask the President of the Republic
Has he granted a certain person (name and details furnished) a presidential pardon in terms of section 84(2)(j) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996; if so, (a) on what date was the presidential pardon granted and (b) what facts were considered in arriving at the decision to pardon the specified person?
Reply:
No pardon has been granted to the individual in question.
11 August 2015 - NW1830
Lovemore, Ms AT to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1)How many persons are employed as (a) provincial office officials, (b)(i) district or (ii) circuit officials working in (aa) an administrative position or (bb) a psycho-social or special needs support position, (c) educators in schools and (d) support staff in schools in each provincial education department; (2) whether any guideline exists for the ratio of learners to (a)(i) provincial and/or (ii) district employees and (b) psycho-social or special needs support staff; if not, (aa) why not and (bb) what guideline does she utilise to determine whether provincial education budgets for compensation of employees are being allocated efficiently; if so, what are the relevant details? NW2050E
Reply:
- How many persons are employed as (a) provincial office officials, (b)(i) district or (ii) circuit officials working in (aa) an administrative position or (bb) a psycho-social or special needs support position, (c) educators in schools and (d) support staff in schools in each provincial education department.
Response:
PROVINCE |
(a) Provincial Office (staff) |
(b) (i) District Office (staff) |
(b) (ii) (aa) Administrative posts at District |
(b) (ii) (bb) Psycho-social/ special needs posts at schools |
(c) Educators at schools |
(d) Support staff at schools |
Total |
LIMPOPO |
628 |
1 041 |
1 723 |
0 |
52 155 |
2 130 |
57 677 |
NORTHERN CAPE |
|||||||
GAUTENG |
1 408 |
17 728 |
16 275 |
3 374 |
54 226 |
4 966 |
97 977 |
KWAZULU-NATAL |
814 |
2 822 |
373 |
87 876 |
13 087 |
104 972 |
|
WESTERN CAPE |
869 |
573 |
- |
107 |
30 818 |
7 147 |
39 514 |
EASTERN CAPE |
790 |
3 532 |
- |
60 |
53 950 |
5 648 |
63 980 |
FREE STATE |
746 |
1 444 |
- |
86 |
21 403 |
4 838 |
28 517 |
MPUMALANGA |
478 |
785 |
162 |
9 |
30 058 |
5 122 |
36 614 |
NORTH WEST |
850 |
899 |
- |
749 |
24 260 |
2 986 |
29 744 |
TOTAL |
6 583 |
28 824 |
18 160 |
4 758 |
354 746 |
45 924 |
458 995 |
NOTE: All figures indicated as received from Provincial Education Departments’(PED).
2. (a)(i) No, there is no guideline for the ratio of learners to provincial employees.
(ii) No, there is no guideline for the ratio of learners to district employees.
(b) Yes, there is a guideline for the ratio of learners to psycho-social or special needs support staff.
(aa) Different norms apply for determining staffing at various levels. Staffing at provincial and district level is determined in terms of conventional methods of determining organisational structures and post establishments which consider the nature and magnitude of the work using work study and job evaluation. These are not based on the number of learners. In addition, the Department has developed the Policy on Organisation, Roles and Responsibilities of Districts (GG No. 36324) which provides for norms to take into account the extent of support the schools require based on distances travelled and poverty ranking.
The Department is currently developing comprehensive norms and standards for resourcing of full service and special schools, which will include provisioning of professional and other support staff to schools. The existing norms on provisioning of professional support staff to schools that are based on learner numbers or ratios provide only for the provisioning of a therapist and senior posts at schools.
(bb) The ‘Technical Guidelines (including the Guidelines for Costing and Budgeting for Compensation of Employees) for the Preparation of Expenditure Estimates for the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)’ annually published by the National Treasury are used to guide the allocation of budgets for compensation of employees.
11 August 2015 - NW2568
Mackay, Mr G to ask the Minister of Energy
With reference to her reply to question 2074 on 9 June 2015, what are the relevant details of the proper financial provisions made with reference to the nuclear build programme?
Reply:
The Nuclear New Build Programme Funding requirement is being discussed within National Treasury.
11 August 2015 - NW2672
Mackay, Mr G to ask the Minister of Energy
(1)With reference to the audit report completed for and on behalf of the Central Energy Fund (CEF) by Ms. Joubert, the chief auditor for CEF, relating to the Lesedi Biogas Project, has the specified report been made available to the Auditor-General; (2) (a) who was the accounting officer instructed by the CEF to ensure that the Lesedi Biogas matter was reported to the appropriate bodies, (b) what documents were sent to the (i) Auditor-General, (ii) Department of Public Service and Administration and (iii) Public Service Commission; (3) why has the CEF failed to take the necessary steps in terms of section 86 of the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999; (4) with reference to the two executives implicated in the Lesedi Biogas matter who are leaving the CEF, were post termination hearings held as stated in the Labour Relations Act, Act 66 of 1995; if not, why not? NW3103E
Reply:
- Yes.
- The CEF Management reported the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority, case number: CAS 65/3/2012. CEF made several follow-ups and the NPA assured CEF that the matter was under investigation and had also been referred to the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit. All the necessary project documents were made available to the (i) AG for the full audit. No documents were sent to (ii) DPSA and the (iii) Public Service Commission as the staff members implicated for possible wrong-doing had left the employ of CEF.
- This has been done. The CEF Management reported the matter to the National Prosecuting Authority, case number: CAS 65/3/2012. CEF made several follow-ups and the NPA assured CEF that the matter was under investigation and had also been referred to the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit.
- No. The implicated executive had resigned from their employment with CEF. This was a voluntary resignation and was not related to this matter. At the time when the matter was investigated by our Auditors, the implicated employees had already resigned. As indicated above, charges were laid, the matter was referred to the Special Crimes Unit/ National Prosecuting Authority.
11 August 2015 - NW2564
Majola, Mr TR to ask the Minister of Energy
Whether, with reference to her reply to oral question 146 on 10 June 2015, she will make available all the studies referred to in her reply; if not, why not; if so, when?
Reply:
The studies will be used to inform government’s decision process for procurement of the Nuclear New Build Programme.
11 August 2015 - NW2680
Van der Westhuizen, Mr AP to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
(1)How many public service employees have completed official training programmes on the procedures, regulations and legislation regarding the management of discipline and incapacity issues in the workplace either through the (a) National School of Government (NSG) or (b) any of the former government schools in the (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 and (iii) 2014-15 financial years; (2) were any of the specified training programmes accredited by the SA Qualifications Authority (SAQA); if so, (a) what are the (i) names and (ii) registration numbers of these qualifications or modules on the national qualification framework and (b) how many public service employees were successfully credited through the (i) NSG and/or (ii) any former government schools for completion of the programmes by the SAQA; (3) has he found that his department is adequately meeting the training needs regarding the management of discipline and incapacity issues within the public service; if not, what are his plans and targets in this regard?
Reply:
(1) The number of public service employees completed officials training programmes on the procedures, regulations and legislation regarding the management of discipline and incapacity issues in the workplace in (i) 2012-13, (ii) 2013-14 financial years were included in the Annual Report of the Public Administration Leadership Academy and the National School of Government tabled in Parliament (iii) the auditing process on the 2014-2015 figures has not been completed, this figures will be included in the National School of Government 2014-2015 Annual Report to Parliament.
(2) The National School of Government is in contacts with the South African Qualifications Authority, Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, Department of Public Service and Administration, and the Public Service Sector Education and Training Assurer for accreditation of its training programmes, a list of accredited training programme will be released once this process is completed.
(3) The Department of Public Service and Administration has developed a pool of expert to assist departments in relation to management of discipline, review of the policies to improve capacity of public servants to meet the requirements of the National Development Plan are at an advance stage, when completed, public servants will be required to undergo through these training programmes.
11 August 2015 - NW2599
Boshoff, Ms SH to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1)With regard to Terenure Extension 79 Portion 270 of the Farm Zuurfontein 33-IR in Gauteng, (a) when did her department sell the land, (b) what was the selling price and (c) to whom was the land sold; (2) given that all the government schools in the area are overcrowded, what was the justification for selling the land; (3) considering that a 1000 housing units are to be built on the specified piece of land, has her department conducted any study as to where all the children living there will attend school; if not, why not; if so, which schools will be accommodating these children? NW2974E
Reply:
1. (a) (b) (c) (2) Information received from Gauteng Department of Education indicates that the piece of land referred to has not been sold.
2. The Gauteng Department of Education is aware of the application for township establishment and has objected to the proposal as there is a need for educational sites in the area. Studies done in this area has shown that there is a need for this site, for the construction of a school in the future.
11 August 2015 - NW2555
Shivambu, Mr F to ask the Minister of Police
(1)Whether, in view of the allegations that a certain company (name furnished) enjoys police protection and that the Tactical Response Team of the SA Police Service (SAPS) has been specially assigned as the specified company’s private security guards for the distribution of its product for the past two years, he can provide detailed information on the reasons why the specified company is allegedly receiving special treatment and police protection which is not received by other competitors in the market; (2) why does the SAPS allegedly protect the specified company that is alleged to be involved in tax evasion and illicit financial flows which has a negative impact on the country’s tax base; (3) what is his policy position on the alleged protection of the specified company by the SAPS Tactical Response Team being equivalent to the privatisation of this SAPS unit as it was during the apartheid era when the former SA Police was also used for purposes other than the protection of its citizens; (4) whether he has instituted an investigation into these allegations; if so, (a) who was found to be responsible and (b) what steps did he take to deal with the perpetrators?
Reply:
- The SAPS has not specifically assigned the Tactical Response Team as the specified Company’s private security guards for the distribution of its product for the past two years.
The SAPS has different Task Teams comprising different SAPS Units to deal with specific crime threats and patterns, including the robbery of trucks. The operations of these Task Teams are guided by the available intelligence, modus operandi and crime patterns.
2. The SAPS protects all people of South Africa and execute its Constitutional mandate without fear or favour.
(3) The SAPS does not have a policy position for a specified company. The SAPS does its work in accordance with Section 205(3) of the Constitution which is applicable to all people of South Africa.
(4) No investigation was instituted against any member of the SAPS.
(a) Not applicable.
(b) Not applicable.
11 August 2015 - NW2743
Bagraim, Mr M to ask the Minister of Labour
Why has she waited so many years before taking drastic steps to address the shortcomings of the Compensation Fund?
Reply:
There were interventions put in place in the Compensation Fund to address the shortcomings; therefore it was premature to take drastic steps before assessing the full impact of the interventions.
11 August 2015 - NW2275
Bagraim, Mr M to ask the Minister of Labour
(1)What action is taken by her department when labour inspectors find that an employee does not have a valid work permit; (2) are employees who are found to not have valid work permits removed from the work place?
Reply:
- When Labour inspectors find that an employee does not have a valid work permit, the matter will be reported to Home Affairs who has jurisdiction over such matters.
- The Department of Labour does not have a legal mandate or powers to remove such employees from the workplace but will refer the matter to Home Affairs to take further action.
11 August 2015 - NW2575
Cardo, Dr MJ to ask the Minister of Energy
(1)With reference to the three executives (Nosiviwe Nokwe-Macamo, Lindiwe Mthimunye-Bakoro and Andrew Diepenaar) at PetroSA who were recently placed on forced leave pending an investigation into their performance, what are the detailed reasons for suspending each of the three executives; (2) Has the investigation into the specified three executives been concluded; if not, why not; if so, what are the detailed results of the investigations? NW2950E
Reply:
- PetroSA will declare a substantial loss of approximately R15 billion for the financial year ending 31 March 2015.
In discharging its fiduciary duty, the Board of Directors of PetroSA resolved to conduct an investigation into the causes of the substantial loss and PetroSA's poor performance as well as the role played by PetroSA's executive team including the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), the Group Chief Financial Officer (GCFO) and the Vice President – Upstream in relation thereto. The Board of Directors formed the prima facie view that PetroSA's poor financial performance was, at least in part, attributable to the three executives given their role, duties and responsibilities as employees of PetroSA.
2. The investigation is currently still in progress. It was envisaged that the investigation would be completed within a period of approximately two months. At this stage, it is anticipated that the investigation will be completed towards the end of August. In light of the fact that the investigation is still underway, no results are available.
11 August 2015 - NW813
Lekota, Mr M to ask the President of the Republic
(1) Whether he has given clear directions to the National Executive that the National Development Plan (NDP) was to be implemented in its entirety and that particular attention was to be given to correcting and remedying the weaknesses that were identified in the NDP as impacting negatively on growth and on job creation; if not, why not; if so, what are the (a) outcomes and (b) relevant details thereof; (2) Whether he was willing to charge the Deputy President, who played an integral role in the production of the NDP, to drive its implementation across all areas of the Government; if not, why not; if so, what are the (a) outcomes and (b) relevant details thereof?
Reply:
I have together with the Executive agreed about how the National Development Plan (NDP) will be implemented as a result Vision 2030 that has been translated into the Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) 2014-2019 as the first 5-year implementation plan. This has informed the development of 5-year Strategic Plans and Annual Performance Plans of all government departments, as well as the allocation of resources from the National Fiscus.
Government departments have produced quarterly progress on the implementation of the MTSF 2014-2019 for Q1, Q2 and Q3 of 2014/15, which have been tabled before and considered by the Executive. The Deputy President as part of the Executive is involved in the implementation and monitoring of the NDP Vision 2030 and the MTSF 2014-2019.