Questions and Replies

Reply:

1. The information sourced from the Bargaining Council states that are (a) 3121 truck companies that are currently registered with the Bargaining Council. (b) the number of truck companies not part of the Bargaining Council remains unknown as the it (Bargaining Council)keeps information on companies that are registered within its scope. It must be noted the Bargaining Council for Road Freight and Logistics has jurisdiction only on truck companies that fall within its scope, associated for transporting of goods for hire or reward

2. The Department of Transport has not conducted any study in this regard. It must be stated that this is purely a labour matter and the Department of Employment and Labour has since taken the lead in addressing this issue so much so that the Department of Transport forms part of an Interministerial Committee appointed by Cabinet as per its decision of 15 July 2020, copy of which has been attached hereto for ease of reference.

3. On an ongoing basisan integrated and multidisciplinary Joint Law Enforcements and Compliance Inspections were conducted between 01 September 2019 to 31 March 2020 by the responsible Law Enforcement Teams from SAPA, Dept. of Employment and Labour, Home Affairs and Traffic Authorities with the following outcomes:

In KZN 26 roadblocks were conducted;

23 Employers were charged;

262 undocumented truck drivers were charged; and

35 inspections at trucking companies were conducted.

The above Joint Law Enforcements and Compliance Inspections were conducted by Department Home Affairs; Department of Employment and Labour; Traffic Authorities, South African Police Service; Metro Police and the Bargaining Council.

Reply:

The total number of train stations on each line currently (a) having and (b) not having functioning electricity is as per the table below:

Commuter stations per region
Region Name	(a) Available	(b) Not Available	Total
South Gauteng	63	101	164
North Gauteng	27	41	68
KwaZulu Natal	92	10	102
Western Cape	109	15	124
Eastern Cape	22	7	29
	313	174	487

Reply:

a) PRASA resumed its Metrorail Operation on 01 July 2020, in all Regions (Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng) in line with the level 3 lockdown regulations, governed by the risk adjustment strategy implemented by the Government in an attempt to limit the spread of Corona virus pandemic. The Metrorail services resumed in the following corridors at 30% capacity in line with the regulations:

Western Cape	KwaZulu-Natal	Gauteng	Eastern Cape
Cape Town - Retreat (Wynberg)	Durban - Umlazi Durban - Kwamashu	Pienaarspoort - Pretoria	Port Elizabeth -Uitenhage East London - Berlin

Following the Minister of Transport’s announcement on 16 July 2020 allowing commuter rail operations to increase the loading capacity to 70%, Metrorail has accordingly increase its loading capacity in the currently operating corridors to 52% from Monday, 03 August 2020, informed by the following risk-based scenarios:

52% Capacity	70% Capacity
Social distancing for standing is 0.5m apart and all seats occupied with commuters wearing masks. Total in each train set is 1161 commuters	Social distancing for standing is 0.2 to 0.3m apart and all seats occupied with commuters wearing masks. Total in each train set is 1540 commuters

Risk Mitigations

The following measures were implemented to mitigate the risk of spreading the virus:

• All Commuters are sanitised when they enter the station precinct
• No socialising in the train.
• No eating in the train.
• Maintain appropriate ventilation inside the train - Windows to be opened by at least 5cm.
• No handshaking greetings.
• Commuters and staff strictly wear face mask on board the train.
• Protection Officials and Marshalls are deployed on board to enforce compliance.
• Train surfaces are disinfected before the train trip and at turnaround stations.

In addition, commuters are encouraged not to touch surfaces where possible in order to reduce the spread of the virus.The current security arrangements remain in place and supported by platform marshals to enforce compliance with the regulations.

Metrorail will continue to monitor the associated risk and based on the lessons learned and the attendant risk assessment, increase the loading capacity to 70%, in line with the current regulations.

b) Metrorail Security continuously identify crime hot spot areas and focus actions to ensure asset protection. Teams are deployed in corridors to ensure fast and effective response. Metrorail has advertised 3000 additional security posts nationally with closing date 22 July 2020. In the interim, until 15 August 2020, available security resources will be utilised to mitigate security risks / threats.

PRASA is also involved with Joint Operations with the Rapid Rail Police to create additional capacity to address the prevailing security threats. PRASA is currently engaged in various projects to address permanent and sustainable solutions for mitigation of the security risks associated with cables and infrastructure i.e.:

• Corridor walling;
• Recruitment Process;
• Monitoring Control Rooms;
• Physical Security;
• Armed Response;
• E-Security solution that will deliver protective measures for mission critical assets (substations, relay rooms and high sites)
• Intelligence Driven Security Operations with investigations and criminal forensic support; and
• Drone operations that will focus of infrastructure and cable protection.

c) Over 140 suspects have been arrested for various acts of theft of vandalism of PRASA’s infrastructure nationally with Gauteng contributing over 90% of those arrests. Prasa is pursuing various options with specialised units of the SAPS and the NPA to ensure that perpetrators are effectively prosecuted and receive stiffer sentences are effected, these efforts have been necessitated by the ease in which bail is being granted to suspects even in instances where it is established that they are foreign citizens who might not easily be confined to the borders of RSA.

d) Services will gradually resume in line with the adopted infrastructure and security plan and in compliance with COVID-19 Directions. The focus will be on corridors with high passenger demand and with less repair work required on vandalised infrastructure and station facilities. In Gauteng, due to damage and vandalism to Overhead Traction Equipment (OHTE), services will initially be rendered using diesel traction whiles OHTE are being repaired and security services are rolled out.

The table below gives an indication of the planned resumption of services:

Reply:

a) SANRAL did not apply for a loan from the Development Bank of Southern Africa.

b) (i) Not applicable

(ii) Not Applicable

Reply:

The Department did not procure any services for the disinfecting and cleaning of taxi ranks. This service has been decentralized and National Treasury has mandated Province and Local Authorities to utilise a percentage of allocated Grant Funding to procure COVID-19 related activities for transport industry. As such, the disinfecting and cleaning of taxi ranks is done at provincial and local level.

Reply:

(1) The Road Accident Fund (RAF) received the following amounts from the fuel levy in each month since 1 January 2020:

January 2020	R 3 807 332 143.91;
February 2020	R 3 528 323 707.01;
March 2020	R 3 495 556 973.48;
April 2020	R 3 770 745 323.10;
May 2020	R 2 558 272 599.71; and
June 2020	R 1 599 970 916.97.

(2) With reference to creditors paid over the past three years related to court proceedings in defense of claims,

(a) the different categories of service providers are:	and (b) the amount that was paid to each specified category is:
Advocates for the RAF	R1 004 423 966;
Attorneys for the RAF	R7 317 065 343;
Actuaries for the RAF	R425 791 569;
Assessors for the RAF	R289 909 208;
Medical experts for the RAF	R2 055 641 965;
RAF travel and accommodation	R17 461 530;
Other RAF disbursements	R292 200 723;
Advocates for the claimant	R2 372 350 878;
Attorneys for the claimant	R7 700 134 971;
Actuaries for the claimant	R634 888 188 ;
Assessors for the claimant	R29 297 408;
Medical experts for the claimant	R4 187 898 064;
Claimant travel and accommodation	R235 652 197; and
Other claimant disbursements	R209 998 368.

Reply:

1. (a) With what amount has his department sponsored the SA National Taxi Council over the past five financial years,

2019/2020 – R23.8m

2018/2019 – R22.5m

2017/2018 – R21.3m

2016/2017 – R20.2m

2015/2016 – R19.2m

(b) What was the money intended for and,

These fundsare allocated to SANTACO every financial year based on the recommendations of the 1996 National Taxi Task Team (NTTT), which comprised of members from Provincial Departments, National Department and the Taxi Industry. The purpose of the funding is to assist SANTACO to cover operational costs and implement key NTTT recommendations such as:

• Formalization of the Taxi Industry
• Regulation and Control
• Training and Capacity Building
• Empowerment

(c) to whom are they accounting for the use of the money;

The use of the funds is accounted to the Department.SANTACO submits a Business Plan at the beginning of each financial year and based thereon a Memorandum of Agreement is entered into with the Department. The Agreement sets the expected deliverablesand milestones and funds are only transferred upon achievement thereof.These milestones require that reporting for expenditure on a monthly basis is in place. SANTACO has to provide audited financials for the previous year’s expenditure. In the absence of these requirements, funds are withheld until such time as the records are provided.

2) whether he will furnish Mrs N J Nolutshungu with the financial statement of this money for the past five financial years? NW2197E

The Department has no objection in sharing these documents.

Reply:

a) Taxi Recapitalisation South Africa (TRSA) has been established on a collaborative business model between the Mini and Midi-Bus Taxi Industry (MMTI) with 60% ownership and the Contractor as technical partner with 40% ownership. The appointed Contractor is Anthus Services 84 (Pty) Ltd.

b) In terms of the Revised Taxi Recapitalisation Programme, the Contractor is required to verify the extent of illegal operations, improve the sustainability of the MMTI through leveraging commercial opportunities in the value chain and investigating the feasibility of introducing an age limit for mini and midi-bus taxis, in addition to the scrapping of old taxi vehicles and paying scrapping allowances to taxi operators. The Contractor’s contract value is based on the implementation of all therequirements mentioned above and not only on the scrapping of taxis only.

c) The budget for scrapping allowances provided in the Medium Term Expenditure Frameworks provides for the scrapping of 3693 vehicles annually. The actual number of vehicles scrapped annually is dependent on the number of qualifying applications received from the MMTI.Scrapping of old vehicles is also demand drivenand therefore the total number of vehicles scrapped each year is dependent on the operators bringing their vehicles for scrapping.

Reply:

(a) The revenue received by the Road Accident Fund (RAF) from the fuel levy is insufficient to address its claims liability, consequently one of the plans (targets) included in the RAF’s Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plan, which is specifically aimed at addressing the unpaid claims debt, is for the RAF to secure a finance facility for this short-term debt and (b) the securing of the finance facility to clear the backlog is targeted for the 2020/21 financial year.

Reply:

1. In respect of the intervention made at the Noord Taxi Rank, it is important that I give context to my response and to also thoroughly explain the circumstances so my answer can be appreciated within this context.

1.1 Regulation 11B(1)(a)(i) of the Disaster Management Act 2002; Amendment of Regulations issued in terms of section27(2) (the Regulations) states;

‘11B. (1) (a) For the period of lockdown-

(i) Every person is confined to his or her place of residence, unless strictly for thepurpose of the performing an essential service, obtaining an essential good or service, collecting a social grant, or seeking emergency, life-saving or chronic medical attention Emphasis added.

1.2 Category B, item 26, of Annex B to the Regulations lists as an essential service:

Services rendered by the Executive, members of Parliament, Members of the Provincial Legislature Members of Local Councils, the Judiciary, Traditional leaders, and National Office Bearers of Political Parties represented in Parliament Emphasis added.

1.3 Accordingly, during the national lockdown, I am obliged to continue rendering my services and performing my duties as Member of Parliament and of the Executive, particularly in the fight to prevent or limit infections, transmissions and the spread of the Covid-19 virus, which has been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization.

1.4. Consequently, on 26 March 2020, I caused to be issued Directions in terms of Regulations 10(7) of the Regulations (the Directives). Given that the COVID-19 pandemic is a moving target, the Directives were amended on 31 March 2020. The aforementioned amendment to the Directives caused much unhappiness and ructions in the taxi industry which was likely to result in nationwide protests.

1.5 As the sitting Minister of Transport, part of my duties aforesaid is educating inter alia the taxi(namely; associations, owners, drivers and queue marshals)and public commuters about the Regulations and the Directives insofar as they relate to the industry in the fight to prevent or limit infections, transmission and the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Covid-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The fight against it is not only a national but global duty. The honorable member cannot deny the importance and prioritization of his fight.

1.6 It has been widely publicized that the industry, which is obviously a major risk environment for infection, transmission and spreading of the virus was at the beginning of the national lockdown and has continue to be one of the main problem industries in the adherence to the Regulations and the measures put in place by the Government in the fight against pandemic. Consequently, the persistent and continued education of the taxi industry and commuters was identified as essential and a priority by Government, in particular the Ministry of Transport, of which I’m its head.

1.7 As Minister of Transport, I was alerted to overcrowding which was taking place in and around Noord taxi rank in Johannesburg Central Business District (the Taxi Rank) in contravention of the Regulations and the Directives, and which most concerning carried the real possibility of undoing the Governments’ efforts in the fight the pandemic. In response to this emergency.I urgently attended at the Taxi Rank to inter alia investigate the situation and to inform and educate the taxi industry and commuters about the reasons and rational behind, and the actual, measures that they must adopt in terms of the Regulations and Directives in the fight against the pandemic, being the prevention or limitation of the rate of infections, transmission and the spread of the virus.

1.8 Upon my arrival, I observed, with despair and concern, a number of contraventions of the Regulations and the Directors in and around the Taxi Rank by members of the taxi industry, commuters and general members of the public.

1.9 Consequently, exercising my duties as Minister of Transport, I inter alia gave an address to inform and educate the members of the taxi industry, commuters and general members of the public about the reasons and rational bind, and actual, measures that they must adopt in terms of the Regulations and Directives in the fight against the pandemic, being the prevention or limitation of the rate of infections, transmission and the spread of the virus. It will be noted from the video footage of my address which is publically available that there were also members of South African Police Services and The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Services in attendance. What is more, residents of the buildings in the surrounding area also came out onto their balconies to listen to my address.

1.10 Since my address, the taxi industry and commuters have significantly improved their adherence to the Regulations and Directives. I had also requested the Mayor of Johannesburg and a Member of the Executives at Local Government level who is also declared an essential worker in line with the regulations to accompany me as these commuters and residents of his city.

2.

2.1 In light of the above, it is clear that I did not, nor did I intend to, contravene the Regulations, particularly regulations 11B.(1)(a)(ii)

2.2 The Honourable member’s assertions in the question that I contravened the Regulations when he made the address in the circumstances referred to above are not only incorrect but also reflective of wrong observations.

2.3 I have remained fully committed to complying with Regulations and the fight against infection, transmission and spread of the COVID-19 virus. I’m heartened by the millions of South Africans who are complying with the Regulations

2.4 I believe that all of us will meaningfully join the Government’s efforts in the aforesaid fight spread of other members of society focusing on derailing or destructing members of our society, the South African Police Services and the Executive who are at the forefront of fighting the pandemic.

Reply:

The Department has commenced with the exploratory work towards a Public Transport Mobility Account that will operated with an Integrated Ticketing System based on cashless system. SANRAL is being engaged to be a lead agency to work on the modalities of this. Initial conceptualization is illustrated in the two tables below;

Diagram No.1