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08 January 2024 - NW2605

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Shivambu, Mr F to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

(1)(a) What is the name of each company that will be created out of the unbundling of Eskom, (b) who is the director of each specified company, (c) what is the composition of their boards and (d) what are the relevant details of the initial capitalisation of each company; (2) whether he will furnish Mr N F Shivambu with the memoranda of incorporation of each company; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

(1)(a)

  • The Transmission Division will become the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA SOC)
  • The Distribution Division will become the National Electricity Distribution Company South Africa (NEDCSA SOC)

(1)(b)

The National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA) currently has the following directors:

  1. Elsie Pule
  2. Calib Cassim
  3. Segomoco Scheppers

The National Electricity Distribution Company of South Africa currently has the below-mentioned directors:

  1. Elsie Pule
  2. Calib Cassim
  3. Monde Bala

It must be noted that Mr de Ruyter is being replaced by Ms Elsie Pule on boards of the above two entities. So, in the near future Mr de Ruyter will not reflect as a director. It is to be noted that the removal of Mr de Ruyter from CIPC had been delayed by the lack of a recently certified ID copy from him and CIPC refused to make a change without a recently certified ID. The companies have since prepared an affidavit for consideration by CIPC to enable the deregistration of Mr de Ruyter as a director.

(c )

One African male, one coloured male and one African woman.

(d)

Details entailed in the MOI are attached.

(2)

MOI attached.

 

Remarks: Approved / Not Approved

Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3246

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Powell, Ms EL to ask the Minister in the Presidency

What was the total expenditure incurred by her Office in relation to the (i) BRICS Summit in August 2023 and (ii) BRICS Parliamentary Forum in September 2023?

Reply:

The total amount of R 10 571 360.75 was utilized for BRICS related expenditure. We do not have the split with regards to the Summit and the Parliamentary Forum.

REPLY COORDINATOR

Name :

Designation :

Contacts :

Recommended / Not recommended

___________________________

Ambassador Thembisile C Majola

Director-General: State Security Agency

Date:

Approved / Not Approved

________________________

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni , MP,

Minister in The Presidency

Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3633

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Essack, Mr F to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

What (a) number of board meetings and/or operational planning meetings of state-owned enterprises that report to him did he attend in (i) the past two financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2023 and (b) was the purpose of each meeting he attended?

Reply:

The Minister does not attend operational meetings. The Minister attends board meetings.

Alexkor

(a)(i) 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 Reporting Period

  • The current interim board of Alexkor was appointed in February 2022 and the Minister convened an introductory meeting with the Interim Board on 7 February 2022.
  • A meeting took place on 18 March 2022 following the first board meeting to provide feedback and receive guidance from the shareholder.
  • The 2021 AGM took place on 27 May 2022.
  • A meeting took place on 5 August 2022 following the strategy session of the board to provide feedback and receive guidance from the shareholder.
  • There was continuous telephonic interaction between the chair of the board and the Minister and Deputy Minister in the course of the 2022/2023 reporting period.

(ii) 2023/2024 Reporting Period to date

  • The newly appointed Deputy Minister attended the board meeting on 28 April 2023 to be briefed by the board and provide guidance from the shareholder.
  • A meeting took place on 10 August 2023 to discuss the future of Alexkor and, following the strategy session of the board, to provide feedback and receive guidance from the shareholder.
  • The Deputy Minister attended the Alexkor RMC PSJV board meeting on 11 August 2023 to meet the newly reconstituted PSJV board and provide guidance from the shareholder.
  • The 2022 AGM took place on 29 September 2023.
  • There is continuous telephonic interaction between the chair of the board and the Minister and Deputy Minister in the current reporting period.

Denel

(a)(i) Board meeting: 05 April

(b) Annual General Meetings

Please note that the Deputy Minister is also delegated to deal with Denel matters.

Eskom


(a)(i) Annual General Meeting on 23 December 2022

  1. Annual General Meeting on 30 October 2023
  1. (b) Annual General Meetings (AGMs)

Safcol

(a) (i) Annual General Meeting on 28 September 2021

(ii) Annual General Meeting on 23 September 2022

(iii) Annual General Meeting on 28 September 2023

  1. (b) Annual General Meetings (AGMs)

Transnet

(a)(i) Number of board and/or operational planning meetings attended in the past

two financial years (FY)

(a)(ii) Number of board and/or operational planning meetings attended since 1 April 2023

2021/22FY (1 April 2021 – 31 March 2022) - 2

(two)

7 (seven) since 1 April 2023

2022/23FY (1 April 2022 – 30 April 2023) - 9

(nine)

 

(b) Purpose of each meeting

Meetings attended during the 2021/22 FY

21 October 2021

Meeting with Transnet

11 January 2022

Transnet / SONA

Meetings attended during the 2022/23 FY

6 May 2022

Briefing by TNPA

12 May 2022

Follow-up meeting regarding TNPA matters

20 May 2022

DPE Budget Vote

27 June 2022

Transnet Zondo Report

26 July 2022

Briefing by the Board on Transnet AGM of 27 July 2022

27 July 2022

Transnet AGM

5 August 2022

Transnet Container Corridor

28 November 2022

Vulindlela – Transnet - DPE

29 November 2022

Trilateral meeting: Vulindlela, DPE and Transnet

Meetings attended from 1 April 2023 to date

21 June 2023

Meeting with the Transnet Board

11 July 2023

Meeting with Shareholder Minister

18 July 2023

Transnet New Board Members

5 September 2023

SCOPA Review of 2021-22FY Annual Report, Irregular and wasteful expenditure of Transnet

Meetings attended from 1 April 2023 to date (continued)

28 October 2023

Transnet Turnaround Plan by Board

29 October 2023

Engagement with SATAWU/Shareholder/Transnet Board

13 November 2023

Workshop: DPE/AGSA/SOEs on Budgetary Review (BRRR)

South African Airways (SAA)

a) (i) 22 November 2021

22 February 2022

 10 November 2023

(ii) The three meetings attended by the Minister was for the purpose of Annual General Meetings (AGM)

 

Remarks: Reply: Approved /Not approved/Comments

Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

08 January 2024 - NW1395

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Sukers, Ms ME to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

Whether, with reference to the reply to question 73 on 3 April 2023 from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, she has ever met two certain persons (names furnished) and/or any other person who is or has been a director, associate and/or employee of a certain company (name furnished) and/or any company trading under the name of the specified company; if not, what is the position in each specified case; if so, in each case, (a)(i) on what date and (ii) where did each such meeting take place, (b) who was present at each meeting and (c) what was discussed at each meeting?

Reply:

No.
As the Minister of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs, I was never part of a meeting with the referenced individuals.

08 January 2024 - NW3746

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Manyi, Mr M to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies

Noting the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks, what measures are being taken to enhance the cybersecurity capabilities of the Republic and protect the personal data and privacy of citizens and businesses?

Reply:

In 2016, the Department established the national Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), namely the Cybersecurity Hub, as per the National Cybersecurity Policy Framework of 2015. The Cybersecurity Hub acts as the national CSIRT responsible for the private sector and citizens. It delivers various services including, among others, incident coordination, cybersecurity assessment and advisory services, cybersecurity awareness building and collaboration with private sector industry bodies tasked with issues of cybersecurity.

Measures taken to enhance the cybersecurity capabilities and protect the personal data and privacy of citizens and businesses include the following:

1. The Department in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education developed a Cybersecurity Schools Toolkit for Teachers, Parents and Learners which is freely available in digital and printed format. The School’s Toolkit was developed in order to equip teachers (and other caregivers) to educate learners on how to create and adapt to a cyber safety mindset and culture.

2. The Department also has a programme on child online protection which focuses on providing information to children, specifically girls on how to stay safe online and what to study at school to follow careers in the field of cybersecurity.

3. The Department led the development of a Cybersecurity Toolkit for SMMEs in collaboration with the Information Regulator, which is freely available in digital format. Training on the use of the toolkit was launched in November 2021 and included a provincial rollout which is currently underway. The SMME Toolkit provides the tools and knowledge to better guard against cybersecurity risks and drive greater compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act No. 4 of 2023 and international data protection legislation.

Thank You.

08 January 2024 - NW3546

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Manyi, Mr M to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

As the custodian of the National Development Plan (NDP) that promotes the capacitybuilding of the State, what specific guidance did her Office give to the National Treasury not to work against the implementation of the NDP?                                                                                                [

Reply:

The Government has translated the Capacity of the State into Priority One which binds all Government Department including National Treasury. All government department participate in the implementation of the NDP, in terms of the MTSF.

This priority addresses the social, economic and governance issues that cuts across all government that affects all of society. The NDP remains the country’s guide and serves to inform all short- and medium-term plans including the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF).

08 January 2024 - NW3839

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Bagraim, Mr M to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

What plans has her Office put in place to monitor the extent of the demographical representation of the disability sector (details furnished) in the (a) Public Service and (b) private sector?

Reply:

The DWYPD analyses draft annual performance plans (APPs) of government departments with an aim to assess whether they are disability responsive in terms of indicators and targets in the APPs. Technical Feedback is provided by the DWYPD to and they are encouraged to disaggregate data for all its programmes and services according to sex, age and disabilities of beneficiaries. An annual progress report on the White Paper on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (WPRPD) is developed where the number of persons with disabilities included in the various programmes including employment and procurement equity targets are captured, and submitted to Cabinet to provide a determination of the extent to which persons with disabilities are being included and represented in the different areas within the departments. The Department of Public Service and Administration produces its annual report where it outlines the number of persons with disabilities employed by government over the financial year. National Treasury is required to provide a report to the DWYPD highlighting the number of disability owned companies who benefited from the national procurement spend of government through its budget tagging system. The Commission for Employment Equity also provides data on the number of persons with disabilities employed by the private sector and national, Provincial and local government spheres.

STATS SA in partnership with the DWYPD have established the Disability Advisory Group (DAG) consisting of experts from the disability sector, academic institutions, civil society organisations and government departments, which will work in finalising the report on the standardisation of disability in administrative data with the World Bank. The Disability Advisory Group met on 18 August 2022 and on 5 December 2023 and have prioritised the definition of disability so as to ensure that the measure of disability is standardised and harmonised across society. The Disability Advisory Group will also provide assistance in research and development of disability statistics to ensure that the demographic data on disability is accurate and effectively collected and monitored to assist with proper planning, monitoring and reporting.

 

To this end, the DWYPD will endeavour to build relationships with academic institutions, research institutions, donor funders and civil society organisations to build research partnerships and also engage multiple stakeholders to advance evidence based policies and programmes aimed to reach the diverse disabled population group.

Among sources which may be used to respond and provide information on key indicators are: Data from Stats SA Quarterly Labour Force Surveys; Departmental Annual and Research Reports; data from the 2016 South African Demographic Health survey, the 2022 census, SAPS quarterly Crime Stats and the Commission on Employment Equity annual Report.

The monitoring and evaluation that the DWYPD undertakes is in line with the 5 year policy priorities as defined in the MTSF 2019/2024. In planning for the medium-term projects, the programme is always directed towards interventions directed to women, youth and persons with disabilities particularly the most vulnerable, including the elderly, women with disabilities and those from poor households, including in informal settlements and rural areas.

08 January 2024 - NW3605

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Cebekhulu, Inkosi RN to ask the Minister in the Presidency

Whether her Office has contributed towards the training and/or upskilling of youth agri-preneurs in rural areas in the current financial year; if not, why not; if so, (a) how was thee training and/or upskilling done and (b) what total (i) number of youth were beneficiaries and (ii) amount was spent in this regard?

Reply:

The Presidential Employment Stimulus is coordinated by the Presidency while the budgets and implementation sit with line departments

The pandemic illustrated the vulnerability of our food production and distribution systems. Although exempt from the strictest lockdown regulations, the sector faced severe challenges with disruptions to production and marketing experienced by many small-scale farmers. The Presidential Employment Stimulus has provided production input vouchers to subsistence farmers, to assist them back into production.

In the 2022/ 23 financial year, a total of 104, 906 beneficiaries were reached with vouchers using rollover funds. This is made up of 70% female and 30% male. In the current financial year, a further 17,000 beneficiaries were added to the programme.

Presidential Employment Stimulus – Dashboard is available on www.sons.gov.za

 

NAME OF THE DRAFTER :

DESIGNATION :

CONTACT DETAILS :

SIGNATURE : ____________________________


_____________________________

Phindile Baleni (Ms)

Director General and Secretary of Cabinet

Date:

__________________________

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni

Minister in the Presidency

Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3856

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Nothnagel, Dr J to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

What plans has she put in place to (a) effectively disseminate the 30year review of the three decades of the democratic government in the Republic and (b) have a national dialogue on the 30year review across our diverse nation?        (

Reply:

a) The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation’s (DPME) communication activities on the 30 Year Review form part of the overall plan that is coordinated by the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS) on the 30-Years of Freedom and Democracy.

Specific planned activities are for the President to launch the 30 Year Review Report. The DPME will publish the report on the website in order to make it accessible to all stakeholders across the various sectors. Various communication platforms will be used to disseminate relevant material, for instance media briefings, interviews and social media material, and also allowing other parts of government to disseminate further information. All this will be done to maximise citizen engagement by stimulating discussions and facilitating South Africans to take ownership of the country’s progress over the three decades of democracy.

The report will also be shared with all government departments for upload in their websites to broaden its accessibility.

b) Stakeholder engagement sessions will be held to provide platforms for various sectors of the society to engage with the outcomes of the review process and to add their voices on their experience of South Africa’s democracy in the past 30 years.

The DPME will produce an executive summary, which will be translated into various official languages and disseminated to maximise accessibility and used in various stakeholder engagement summits – all in order to encourage the citizenry to engage with the report and contribute to shaping South Africa’s future.

Importantly, the findings and recommendations from the 30-year review will be considered when developing plans for the next cycle, that is the 2024-2029 Medium-Term Development Plan (MTDP).

08 January 2024 - NW1448

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Sonti, Ms NP to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

What monitoring interventions has her Office made to build the skills base of youth in rural areas to fight unemployment?

Reply:

The department has adopted a step change toward an all-of-government and all-of-society approach to livelihood restoration, wealth creation, poverty and hunger alleviation through special projects that will be rolled out across some of the country’s poorest district municipalities. These projects will have a training element for vulnerable groups in general and youth in particular.

(a) SANDF-led National Service (NS) – To address the current state of poverty, idleness, and general economic inactivity among our vulnerable population in general and the youth in particular, the SANDF led NYS programme is being introduced to build the youths’ character, empower them to serve in their communities, inculcate discipline and a sense of patriotism, train youth in leadership and entrepreneurship; and then provide them with technical capacity building in value chain driven sector specific industries with high absorption capacity. The training streams will range from food and agriculture value chain; oceans economy and maritime skills; engineering, manufacturing, and infrastructure development; digital technologies and platform economies; and defense industries, public safety and security stream. The programme participants will be trained to be resilient and self-sustaining and then linked with job opportunities in diverse sectors.

Cabinet has asked us to work with the following Departments who have the financial capacity to support elements of the National Service:

  • Department of Higher Education and Training
  • Department of Transport
  • Department of Forestry Fisheries and environment
  • COGTA
  • Department of Basic Education
  • Department of Employment and Labour
  • Department of Human Settlement

(b) Integrated Farming Value Chain Cooperatives - To address the key challenges of poverty, weakened livelihoods, hunger, limited or no economic opportunities, little to no income as well as inadequate access to resources contributing to the cycle of poverty, the DWYPD is mobilising women, youth, and persons with disabilities, particularly those in poor rural communities to establish integrated farming value chain cooperatives.

Additionally, the department is also partnering with the CSIR in the development of a national goat commercialization pilot project in all the 9 provinces. The goat farming value chain is identified as an initial focus area, because goat farming in South African has been practised since time immemorial, yet this sector has not been fully exploited for optimal economic value.

(c) Community Micro Bakery Training Projects – DWYPD will provide bakery training for women, youth, and persons with disabilities in some of the poorest districts in local municipalities, so that they can participate in this growing industry in order to reduce the impact of extreme poverty, unemployment, create community wealth, raise household incomes, and restore livelihoods as well as basic socio-economic insecurity. Once trained, the programme participants will be supported to become entrepreneurs thus facilitating their economic self-reliance whilst contributing to an all-of-government’s reconstruction and recovery efforts.

08 January 2024 - NW3779

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Graham, Ms SJ to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

With reference to Eskom’s required Atmospheric Emission License (AEL) reports published on the Eskom website data portal, what are the reasons that Eskom has not provided monthly reports on AEL for each of the power stations for most of the months in 2023? (2) How does Eskom identify and ensure compliance with the requirements of the AEL for its power stations in the absence of monthly reports? (3) What measures and/or procedures does Eskom have in place to monitor and verify compliance with the conditions of the AEL, given the lack of monthly reports? (4) Whether there are any alternative reporting mechanisms and/or systems in place that Eskom utilises to track and document emissions data in the absence of regular monthly reports; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

According to information received from Eskom:

1. The emission reports in terms of the atmospheric emission licence (AEL) are compiled monthly and submitted to the licensing authorities by the power stations and the Head Office receives a copy of these reports when it is sent to authorities.

As of 23 November 2023, 17 out of 18 stations are up to date with their submission to the licensing authorities. Eskom experienced a delay in uploading the submitted and completed AEL monthly reports to the Eskom data portal due to issues with system access rights. These issues were resolved in October 2023 and all completed reports have been updated on the portal. Eskom will be able to keep the portal regularly updated going forward. Duvha power station is the only station which has been delayed in submitting to the data portal. The reports are being revised based on data issues identified through the internal quality control processes and this report will be submitted in December 2023.

2. There was no absence of monthly reporting as indicated above. There was only a delay in making the reports publicly available on the data portal.

Monitoring of emission compliance with the AEL limits is carried out continually at the power stations using continuous emission monitors located in the power station stacks. Compliance with the emission limits is tracked continuously and reported on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis within Eskom.

3. There was no absence of monthly reporting. Reports were prepared and submitted to the authorities. However, there was a delay in making the reports publicly available on the Eskom data portal.

4. There was no absence of monthly reports. The reports were prepared and submitted to the authorities. However, there was a delay in making the reports publicly available on the Eskom data portal.

Therefore, the reporting within Eskom, to the relevant authority, and to the public is complied with and in order.

 

 

Remarks: Approved / Not Approved

Ms Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3775

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Schreiber, Dr LA to ask the Minister in the Presidency

Whether, given the role of The Presidency as the centre for strategic coordination within the Government, The Presidency intends to transfer the National Language Unit, created in terms of section 5 of the Use of Official Languages Act, Act 12 of 2012, to The Presidency; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

The is no intention to transfer the National Language Unit to The Presidency. The functions around national language policy are determined by the Ministry of Arts and Culture as the designated department.

 

NAME OF THE DRAFTER :

DESIGNATION :

CONTACT DETAILS :

SIGNATURE : ____________________________


_____________________________

Phindile Baleni (Ms)

Director General and Secretary of Cabinet

Date:

__________________________

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni

Minister in the Presidency

Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3780

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Graham, Ms SJ to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

With reference to Eskom’s required Atmospheric Emission License (AEL) reports published on the Eskom website data portal; (a) how does Eskom plan to address the specified issue moving forward to ensure consistent and transparent reporting on AEL compliance for all power stations and (b) what are the full details of any corrective actions and/or initiatives that have been undertaken by Eskom to rectify the reporting gaps and improve compliance monitoring in relation to the AEL? (2) Whether Eskom faced any regulatory and/or enforcement actions due to the lack of regular reporting on AEL; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details? (3) (a) What steps is Eskom taking to enhance transparency and accountability in reporting on atmospheric emissions and (b) how will stakeholders be kept informed about progress in this regard? NW4996E

Reply:

According to the information received from Eskom:

(1)(a)The atmospheric emission license (AEL) emissions reports are compiled monthly and submitted to the licensing authorities by the power stations, and the Head office receives a copy of these reports when it is sent to authorities. Most of the stations are up to date with their submissions to the licensing authorities. However, Eskom experienced a delay in uploading the submitted and completed AEL monthly reports to the Eskom data portal due to issues with system access rights. These issues were resolved in October 2023, and all completed reports have been updated on the portal. Going forward Eskom will keep the portal regularly updated.

(b) The issues in respect of access rights for the uploading of completed AEL reports have been resolved by ensuring that additional staff are trained and have the appropriate system access rights to allow the uploading of completed reports. The delayed publication of the reports on the data portal was not indicative of any gaps in compliance monitoring in relation to the AELs.

(2) There was no lack of regular reporting on AEL compliance to the authorities, and no regulatory and/or enforcement actions were implemented.

(3)(a)(b)Eskom has already published all the available monthly AEL reports as submitted to the authorities onto the public data portal. Eskom will regularly update the portal which is available to the public.

 

Remarks: Approved/Not Approved/Comment

Ms Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3182

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Luthuli, Mr BN to ask the Minister of Small Business Development

Whether her department has purchased any new vehicles since her appointment to Office; if not, why not; if so, what (a) did each vehicle cost and (b) is the (i) make and (ii) model of each new vehicle?”

Reply:

Yes the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) purchased new vehicles during the Minister’s appointment to office. To note however, when the Minister was appointed in the department there was a procurement process already underway for one (1) vehicle for the previous Minister was later transferred to the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.

Therefore, in total Eight (8) vehicles were purchased since the Minister was appointed in the department.

To avoid the cost of hiring vehicles within the department five (5) vehicles were purchased and the details of the vehicles purchased are provided below.

Detail

Breakdown

  1. Cost of each vehicle

Total cost

Eight (8) vehicles were purchased: three (3) for Minister of Small Business Development and five (5) for departmental pool purposes.

One (1) vehicle was procured in 2021/2022 financial year and was transferred to the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies

2021/22: Audi Q5: 1 @ R726 469.25

R 726 469.25

 

Five (5) departmental pool vehicles Nissan Almera 1.5 procured in 2022/2023 financial year

2022/23 Nissan Almera: 5 @ R242 955.03 each

R1 214 775.15

 

Two (2) vehicles were procured in 2023/2024 financial year and allocated to DSBD Pretoria and Cape Town Offices.

2023/24: Audi Q5: 2 @ R790 000.00 each

R1 580 000

     

R3 521 244.40

(b) Make and model of each vehicle:

Year

  1. Make of the Vehicle
  1. Model of each vehicle

2021/2022 financial year

Transferred to DCDT:

Audi Q5

Model: FYGCFY-E00,

Audi Q5 40 TDI 140KW quattro S line tronic, and Paint & Trim

2022/23 financial year

Five (5) X Nissan Almera

Model: Nissan Almera 1.5 Acenta MT

2023/2024 financial year

Audi Q5

Cape Town:

Model: FYGAFY-E00

Audi Q5 40 TDI 140KW quattro S tronic.

 

Audi Q5

Pretoria:

Model: FYGAFY-E00

Audi Q5 40 TDI 140KW quattro S tronic

08 January 2024 - NW3931

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Malatsi, Mr MS to ask the Minister in the Presidency

Whether (a) she, (b) the Deputy Minister and (c) any other official in her Office attended the Rugby World Cup final in France in October 2023; if not; what is the position in this regard; if so, what (i) are the relevant details of each person in her Office who attended the Rugby World Cup, (ii) is the total number of such persons and (iii) were the total costs of (aa) travel, (bb) accommodation and (cc) any other related costs that were incurred by her Office as a result of the trip(s)?

Reply:

(b) Deputy Minister Morolong undertook an approved private trip to attend the Rugby World Cup Final in France. He departed from O.R Tambo International Airport on the 26th October 2023.

(c ) He was not accompanied by any member of his staff.

  1. No one travelled with Deputy Minister Morolong
  2. 0 number of staff
  3. R 0

(aa) R 0

(bb) R 0

(cc) R 0

 

NAME OF THE DRAFTER : Mr Mosimanegape Moleme

DESIGNATION : Head: Office of the Deputy Minister

CONTACT DETAILS : 081 048 8971

SIGNATURE : ____________________________


_____________________________

Phindile Baleni (Ms)

Director General and Secretary of Cabinet

Date:

__________________________

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni

Minister in the Presidency

Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3159

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Luthuli, Mr BN to ask the Minister of Small Business Development

Whether the needs of any specific sector of the economy of the Republic that were reported to her office in the past financial year are receiving priority; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?”

Reply:

I have been advised that:

The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) has not assessed the sectoral needs of the small business development segment of the economy. However, there has been work around the challenges faced by SMMEs and Co-operatives. These challenges relate to excess red tape, access to finance, access to markets, a lack of inclusion of SMMEs in the value chains of big business, lack of access to information and a lack of skills and knowledge on entrepreneurship. To address some of these issues, the DSBD has formulated and executed several interventions aimed at ensuring the participation of MSMEs in the mainstream economy. These include, inter alia, increasing access to developmental funding, expanding support to township and rural enterprises, building access to markets, and improving the regulatory environment. These challenges remain prevalent in most of the sectors in which small businesses operate.

To demonstrate its commitment to the development of SMMEs in the various sectors of the economy, the DSBD established the Small Enterprise Manufacturing Support Programme (SEMSP), as one of the responses to the needs of the small enterprises operating within the manufacturing sector/industry. The programme is considered as one of the contributions to the localization strategy and supports manufacturing enterprises to increase the contribution of manufacturing within the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the South African economy.

The main intention of the Small Enterprise Manufacturing Support Programme (SEMSP) is to replace imports through locally manufactured goods thereby increasing small enterprises production capacity, growth, sustainability, and competitiveness. The support received by small enterprises through the SEMSP includes financial and non-financial to enhance technical skills, business infrastructure support (buildings and machinery) as well as market access. The programme prioritises various categories of manufacturing such as light consumer goods, hi-tech and industrial production which are associated with the sub-sectors such as furniture, basic iron and steel, petroleum and chemical, food and beverages (agro-processing), electrical, green technology etc.

Thus far, SEMSP performance overview for the past three financial years (i.e., 2020/21 to 2022/23) reflects approvals for all nine provinces at about R800M. The first year disbursements were at about R320M, second year being R237M and third year R274M as reflected below.

Figure 1: SEMSP approval 2020/21 to 2022/23

A rectangular orange rectangle with black text

Description automatically generated

The DSBD has increased its involvement in the Cannabis industry. The aim of this involvement is to address some of the challenges faced by MSMEs in the sector. These challenges include, among others, regulatory environment, research, and development (Biomass quality, processing, and product quality), branding (markets), and financing.

The DSBD is working on a Cannabis Pilot Project with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to conduct research and gather information regarding the how we could create opportunities for the creation of small enterprises across the Cannabis value chains, as well as on establishing and increasing the manufacturing capacity of the South African Cannabis industry.

In the main, this initiative is aimed at the development of interventions that are informed by evidence; the promotion and advocacy for an enabling policy, legal and regulatory environment, especially advocacy for ease and accessible issuing of cannabis producing operating licenses for start-ups. It is also the intention of the Pilot Project to develop targeted instruments to support small enterprises (Business Development Services and Financial Support). The development of the Cannabis industry will require a collaborative effort from relevant stakeholders. It is for this reason that we encourage strategic partnerships (public and private) to be formed to advance an inclusive, sustainable, and globally competitive Cannabis industry in South Africa.

The DSBD has developed the Cannabis Small Enterprises Support Plan (CSESP), the aim of which is to develop an instrument for the support and promotion of small enterprises within cannabis industry value chains.

The DSBD–CSIR have also collaborated to establish an Incubation Programme that assists MSMEs to partake in the Cannabis industry. The intention of this programme is to conduct primary (not cultivation/harvesting), secondary, and downstream processing of Cannabis and Hemp biomass. Moreover, there is specific focus on the formulation and re-iteration of low THC cannabis/hemp product prototypes, as well as the upscaling and testing of the range of low THC cannabis-based products for the selected enterprises. The tail end of the process requires the partners to facilitate contract manufacturing of at least 100 market ready samples, at GMP facility, for each MSME to test the formal markets.

To respond to the needs of MSMEs operating in township and rural areas, the DSBD formulated the Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (TREP). The Scheme is aimed at supporting small enterprises to participate in the rebuilding and restructuring of the economy in townships and rural areas, improve the quality and competitiveness of small enterprises for both domestic supply and export market, and seize the opportunities in the various sectors of the economy. The Scheme supports all small enterprises operating in townships and rural areas that meet the qualifying criteria including but not limited to sectors such as Clothing & Textile, Bakeries & Confectionaries, Tshisanyama and Cooked Food, Retail (including restaurants, car washes, general dealers, etc.), Automotive, Personal Care, and Artisans.

To penetrate various local and international markets, the DSBD is implementing a localisation programme with the intention of building the manufacturing capacity of SMMEs. It is anticipated that the increased capacity and capability of SMMEs will assist with market access opportunities for SMME manufactured products. Essentially, the DSBD and its agencies, the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa), provide support and preparation of SMMEs towards import replacement and export market penetration.

On the regulatory environment front, the DSBD continues to roll out the red tape reduction guidelines – working together with municipalities. Several municipalities have been covered across the country.

08 January 2024 - NW3571

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Montwedi, Mr Mk to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

(1)What is the total number of properties that (a) have been rented out by his department for residential purposes as at the latest date for which information is available and (b) remain unoccupied and with security attached to them; 2) what is the total amount that his department spends on protecting state properties that remain unoccupied in each province?

Reply:

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:

I have been informed by the Department that:

(1)

(a) 342 state owned properties let out for residential purposes

(b) 226 are unoccupied with security attached to them.

(2) Total monthly expenditure on security is R13 420 210.19

08 January 2024 - NW4034

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Sithole, Mr KP to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

Whether his department have any step-by-step measures in place to ensure an effective and harmonious freight rail traffic system in Mpumalanga; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

According to the information received from Transnet

The following steps have been implemented to ensure an effective freight rail traffic system to support the Mpumalanga region and to optimise the movement of export coal;

1. Security

  1. The activation of industry support to protect by-passes 24/7 and nightshift deployment of security personnel on the coal line. Nightshift deployment has commenced from 6 November 2023.
  2. Rapid Rail Police have been deployed from 1 November 2023 for hot spots such as Ulundi, Ogies and Rustenburg.

2. Rolling Stock

  1. Transnet looks to improve rolling stock availability through the procurement of 30 compressors for locomotives awaiting spare parts. Delivery is on track with 4 having been delivered via airfreight on 30 November 2023, a further 8 to be delivered in March 2024 and the final 18 deliveries planned for April 2024.
  2. Industry via the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) is assisting in the sourcing of batteries for CRRC locomotives and compressors. A Mutual Cooperation Agreement (MCA) has been concluded that will allow for the procurement of 50 additional compressors and 100 full sets of batteries (1800 batteries).

3. Operational Efficiency

  1. In order to reduce export coal cycle time and increase efficiencies;
    1. Emergency working has been implemented between the Ulundi & Elubana and Iswepe & Maviristad sections that has improved transit times on the loaded and empty legs
    2. At the Geluksplaas substation that was impacted by theft and vandalism, re-energisation will be complete on 21 December 2023. The re- instatement of this substation will improve transit times between Ermelo and the mines.

 

Remarks: Approved / Not Approved/Comment

Ms Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3228

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Sharif, Ms NK to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

In view of the fact that the coordination of the Sanitary Dignity Programme across the Republic falls within her department’s mandate, while her department is more of a regulatory department rather than a service delivery department, what are the details of (a) how her department monitors and evaluates the sanitary dignity programme across the Republic and (b) the findings of the monitoring and evaluation process in each province since the programme was launched?

Reply:

The equitable share budget for the sanitary dignity programme is disbursed directly to Provinces by the National Treasury. Consequently, provinces run their procurement processes independently to appoint service providers to deliver sanitary pads. As the department has no control over the budget, we have no control over the procurement processes in the programme.

In monitoring the programme, the department convenes quarterly Sanitary Dignity National Task Team meetings with representatives from all provinces to receive updates on progress in the implementation of the programme.

08 January 2024 - NW3154

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Buthelezi, Ms SA to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

Whether any of the funds that were allocated towards the repair of the bridge that was damaged in Ntuzuma in KwaZulu-Natal during the 2022 floods have been used; if not, why not; if so, what (a) total amount has been used to date and (b) repair work has been completed to date?

Reply:

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:

The Ntuzuma Bridge in KwaZulu-Natal province does not fall under Department of Public works’ Welisizwe Bridges Programme.

It is therefore advised that the question be referred to the National department of Transport as well as the Provincial Department.

08 January 2024 - NW3747

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Manyi, Mr M to ask the Minister in the Presidency

How is his department promoting media diversity to break the mainstream media monologue and in addition ensure the independence and integrity of public broadcasting in the Republic in order to maintain a healthy democracy and free press?

Reply:

The Agency diversifies the sector through the support of community and small commercial media. The support is both financial and non-financial. The approach of the Agency in determining the diversity is through ownership of the entity, language utilised in the media entity, content being disseminated by the organisation as well as gender and disabilities disparities. Freedom of expression is a critical pillar of a healthy democracy. The support of community media and small commercial has no impediment on the public broadcaster and free press and is an extension of media channels to enhance access to information as part of democracy. The existence of a community media sector complements the work of the public broadcaster so that public news, education and information are also accessed in areas where public broadcaster has network/coverage limitation and improves reporting of matters that are of interest to communities closest to the location of community media.

NAME OF THE DRAFTER : PROF. HLENGANI MATHEBULA

DESIGNATION : MDDA BOARD CHAIRPERSON

CONTACT DETAILS : +27 82 448 9219

SIGNATURE :


_____________________________

Nomonde Mnukwa (Ms)

Acting Director-General: Government Communication and Information System

(GCIS)

Date:

__________________________

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni

Minister in the Presidency

Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3930

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Steenhuisen, Mr JH to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans

(1) With reference to recent allegations that the costs of catering on board the Presidential Jet, Inkwazi, amounted to just under R600 000 in total for fewer than 18 VIP guests onboard the 12-hour flight from London to the Republic following the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, what are (a) names of the VIP guests who were onboard and (b) total catering costs for every flight of Inkwazi (i) in the past three financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2023?

Reply:

The flight in issue did not depart South Africa for the burial of Queen Elizabeth II in England in 2022. The trip was a Presidential flight from South Africa to Washington DC, USA via Las Palmas for the President to attend the official working visit to the United States of America at the invitation of President Joseph Biden from September 15th to September 17th, 2022.

The flight then departed from Washington DC on the 18th of September 2022, bound for London, United Kingdom for the President to attend the State Funeral and Burial of Queen Elizabeth II.

After the State Funeral, the aircraft left London bound for South Africa on the 19th of September 2022. The catering fee covers all legs flown by the aircraft.

It should be noted that the South African Airforce (SAAF) is invoiced and billed for all onboard catering needs and requirements for all legs flown by the aircraft and are covered by the catering price.

Furthermore, the London leg was scheduled on short notice, which contributed to price increases. External flight destinations charge all catering charges in foreign currency, which influences the pricing. It must be stated that the SAAF gets billed for catering even if the trip's destination changes.

a) NThe VIP’s on board was 13 and 8 crew members and names are kept at AFB Waterkloof Movement as per established procedures. Please see Table 1 attached with names of passengers onboard the Presidential Jet

B) Please see attached expenditure.

 

a)There is no law or policy that prohibits the South African Air Force from disclosing the names of persons traveling in a state aircraft, however names are withheld when it is deemed necessary due to the confidential nature of military operations. The passengers were as depicted in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Passengers onboard the Presidential BBJ

Rank

Surname and Initials

PRES

RAMAPHOSA M.C

COL

CHAKALE J.M

WO

MABUSELA L.D

DR

SELOMA P.S

MEDIC

DUMA S.M

MS

SINGNH R.

MS

GELEBA A.

MR

MAGWENYA V.

MR

MTHEMBU R.X

MS

NKOSI M.

MR

KOORNHOF G.W

MS

CAROLUS D.

MS

MAPETSHANA N.

MR

MMUTLE J.

2018

 
 

""''

-2019 ,.

Ab=•

,.,

, ,

6 756t?0,64

U'7l240,4l

18129411.06

 

401663.&l

310U8,56

77ltl>2,S8

Ac«1mmod.1.11on

GroundHel'ldll-

1•91645,64

l2011"19S,97

13 517 441,61

Ctter1n•

95JS4116

3247H,80

JVU:23,96

Tr.M d011

A.11469,92

0.00

48"69.92

Tou,I

   

3374'449.U

   

202 -

 

,,..

""''

0-2021

,-,

 

981SSlB.98

t 142322,,S

21U9ll,1!

/1,e(Offlll"'OCb:tlOfl

1!6928..97

"300,08

1'8U9,05

,GroundHal'!dlln1

t 5711081.08

100657',tS

15846$7,ll

c.ite"'11

258341,IIO

U50SO

1GU9UO

Transoort111on

24006,,42

0.00

2,000,..2

T....

   

SU270Et, l

   

.. ...

...

 

,..,

-2019-

2020

·"""'

Tot,!

 

)6l16li,.l7

l2 sSt!7f.i

11•ao .os

Am>mlNld ion

78G 4 ,81

760360,06

154685587

Gtour.d Hlflidlln"

)685066.!7

l77Sl 410.SS

21418 411,Al

c-tem,

....

564.1.6,8.,!-9

31f4St.n

Bal1:49.71

,filflU,O(UUOI'\

 

0.00

9,4SQ9,!M

     

4244oll8R9'JI

I

 

-2021-,2.0.,2..2. ,....

       

"M'O''OmmO:latlon

360202:,:SO

111210-,1•

2600 561.U

72S9

25607M,12

J.84S30,13

Gt011nd Handflfl&

c,•-

5 U7,4'

SUH

4

JS47608

0,00

.\058989,11

56!,13

i rwi,p0muon

11119,80

0,00

11729

to:11

   

7181 tSl.B!

 

2023.igi4

,...

loc:al

.......

folal

Act01N'1'1Cdalian

90-UJ,.?'

1231'91

8

6 7.41261...8

l l7S 18',18

7980175,81

J J6S296."6

lr.round Handlll'IIII

199E6S}J6

3-92?:!32,!U

4 l.26998.17

Clterir,f,

280lS6,91

HS7222,l11

JS.374'19,17

,T ns,portatiM

5 l:)8,40

0.00

3231,40

       

l9013188,.ll

   

,..,, 7fl.2,,_2,-

     

To,al

r.d

S9079!i1,.91

12'23006,41

UI 3,0960:33

Accolffll06a:DOn

278152.-00

4116718.17

44048.M.17

Gtol.l!ldHlotldUn.;

1871282.91

3S5t0!2.63

S42l31S.S7

c.1tniv.

nu1 ...•3

l 7D4JSS,29

248267Ul

rnn1

lot,1

3S75,460

2:1959,

6,t714,16

30705 S,.4,05

   
   

.H.o.l'I.C.V.Well

U.1&!5&.56"

 

'30380,99

,;: '"

13iianFe

....

112,uo

5..,1,00

,Euroc:onuol

 
 

45$9817,44

901!iOS,lO

--,,..--

---

-,,.--•uD4",l.l

·,"-.-.''

    • l!.lf;IJI'

··-

1111 ,,U

t11tt;1;1,n

.'=.".'

"",

11i.t.,u

.IIA21"·"'

...

'.9*,'0."•.1"..J.."U,

· IU01-IU

,,.,

·,-

•••ru..r- ,. 111,ll

...

  • n\.out

Mi'-ILM

..,.-,...,oo

l!lHWU't

.....

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,".",

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IUIUILY.

-,W1l0,)}

CORPOflAlE PAYMENTS

Month

Amo1.1n1

Elich11nlN!R.l1C

RandValle

   

R19J

8303801

futy2023

154S,32

   
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       

Totat

1 S4S.l2•

 

IU038011

       

M°"ll,

....

Amount

Month

Amount

Exch.anH>Rate

Raind Val\le

     

fl334 34•

An1112023

SlB270.U

R18,'l<

 

Mav2023

SJ00,00

IU9,72

s 91G,o

May2023

$137,00

R19,72

R2701,"

May2023

<-11111

Rl9,72

R3569,'3

June 2023

J· 2023

$38992.

$71 329 7

R18,84

R17,87

R73•626,2

RI 274 662,91

Avirust 2023

AU&\l.St 2023

$277.

S34756

.R,lll..BO

RS207

     

R6S3413,9

"4Jgu.st-20?3

5eptember1023

$147,00

S:167""'2

R18

RlB 92

1\2163,,

R316119,7

October 2023

s111a,

R186S

R20860,0

Octobt-t 2023

SS6852,8

R18,6S

R1060 306,

October 2023

s100,nr

Rl.8,65

Rl 865

Nowmb.-r >01:i

S.SJlliO: t

IU.S,11

IH 'rll'faii0,9

Nowmb(o, 20:H

5!00.00

IU8.l!I

Al819,n

       

Total

$.320630,6

 

R-44163565

       

£xch,nHRate RondV.tlue

_.,,

J:u:ne 2023

J,ny2023

October202.3 Oaober202l Ck1ober 20:tl

S4.l5,ss

$657

-,39

S174 5414,

IUS,84 R17,17 Rl8,65 RlB6'

Rl86S

fl8211 1 RU 7S4, R?301,4 R3 260,0 R772l.1

Se tl!l'nbl!f 2023

Total

uchaa te RandVal

IIS38,00 R20.07

Total

S2073,9

Rl8248,ar

Total

4$3800

R91077,6

08 January 2024 - NW3824

Profile picture: Sithole, Mr KP

Sithole, Mr KP to ask the Minister of Transport

(1) What (a) are the reasons for sending 29 officials on an official trip to Prague, (b) was the purpose of the trip, (c) was the duration of the trip and (d) are the expected outcomes and/or benefits to the road infrastructure and transportation sector of the Republic; (2) what (a) was the total cost associated with sending the 29 officials to Prague and (b) is the breakdown of the expenses incurred for (i) travel, (ii) accommodation and (iii) any other specified related costs?

Reply:

1.(a) SANRAL has been a member of the Permanent International Association of Road Congresses (PIARC) since 1995. PIARC is a non-profit association established in 1909, with over 100 years of existence, with the broad aim of promoting international cooperation and sharing of knowledge on issues related to roads and road transport.

PIARC membership is of real value to South Africa as it enhances South Africa’s international relations and provides an opportunity to share its accumulated knowledge, experience and best practices with other member countries.

SANRAL attended and participated at the Congress, and as a member, SANRAL was allowed to exhibit and showcase its experiences and know-how at the PIARC exhibition. The South African exhibition titled the South African Pavilion was officially opened by the Minister, and attended by 125 representatives from member countries across the globe. It offered a unique to foster cooperation and networking between the main actors of the global road system. The exhibition proved to be extremely informative for member countries.

1.(b) In addition to the exhibition, and attending technical working group meetings, officials from SANRAL attended and participated at the Congress by presenting the following papers: amongst others

  1. Progressive approach towards stakeholder management in road construction.
  2. Are Advancing Public Transport Systems Inclusive to all Persons Living with a Disability in Africa.
  3. Public Private Partnership for weighbridge operations in South Africa.
  4. Competency training programme to equip diversifying engineering staff with first principal skills.
  5. Road Tunnel Challenges and Success Stories for LMIC.
  6. The Role of Road Network Operator for Mobility as a Service Development.

1.(c) The PIARC 27th World Congress took place from 02 – 06 October 2023 in Prague, Czech Republic. The Minister and the Departmental/ Ministry Officials spent four days in Prague.

1.(d) The following include the expected outcomes and/or benefits to the road infrastructure and transportation sector of the Republic of South Africa:

  1. Transformation and innovation in the road construction industry, and by extension the public infrastructure development space, which is core to SANRAL and the South African Government’s agenda.
  2. Road safety and sustainable design solutions are prioritized in SANRAL projects.
  3. South Africa’s commitment to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021-2030).
  4. Pedestrian safety and non-motorised transport (NMT) solutions which are a priority, for the most vulnerable road users and account for the most fatalities on South African roads annually.

2.(a) R 2.52 million.

2.(b) The breakdown of the expenses incurred by SANRAL are:

SANRAL EXPENSES: 29 employees

Item

Costs

  1. Travel including flights and ground transport

R1,421,002.29

  1. Accommodation

R 77,600.00

Any other specified related costs:

Visa costs for private passport holders

R 23,161.96

27th PIARC World Road Congress Registration fees

R 573,255.22

Subsistence and Travel Allowances

R 416,484.13

TWF Management Fees

R 8,359.27

TOTAL

R2,519,863.87

 

08 January 2024 - NW2091

Profile picture: Cebekhulu, Inkosi RN

Cebekhulu, Inkosi RN to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans

What new ideas and solutions has the Republic adopted and implemented following her attendance in Moscow of the International Security Conference to share practical ideas and explore solutions on matters of global security in August 2022?

Reply:

Find reply here

08 January 2024 - NW3948

Profile picture: Khakhau, Ms KL

Khakhau, Ms KL to ask the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure

Whether (a) he, (b) the Deputy Minister and (c) any other official in his department attended the Rugby World Cup final in France in October 2023; if not; what is the position in this regard; if so, what (i) are the relevant details of each person in his department who attended the Rugby World Cup, (ii) is the total number of such persons and (iii) were the total costs of (aa) travel, (bb) accommodation and (cc) any other related costs that were incurred by his department as a result of the trip(s)?

Reply:

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure:

(a) The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure did not attend the Rugby World Cup final in France.

(b) The Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure did not attend the Rugby World Cup final in France.

(c) No official in the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure attended the Rugby World Cup final in France on official duties.

The attendance of international sporting events is not within the mandate of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. Officials who would wish to attend such events would do so at their own cost.

(i) Not applicable

(ii) Not applicable

(iii) Not applicable

(aa) Not applicable

(bb) Not applicable

(cc) Not applicable

08 January 2024 - NW754

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Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

(1) On what date was Mr Lubabalo Makapela appointed as the Eastern Cape Director of the National Rural Youth Service Corps (Narysec); (2) whether his appointment was in line with human resources (a) recruitment and (b) selection processes; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether the person possesses the necessary (a) qualifications and/or (b) experience for the position of Eastern Cape Director of the Narysec; (4) on what date did the person (a) enrol for the Nyukela Programme and (b) obtain the Nyukela certificate?

Reply:

 

  1. 1 April 2023.
  2. (a) All the issues related to the appointment of Mr Lubabalo Makapela are subjected to comprehensive investigation by the Department. The department will be guided by the outcome of the investigation report.

            (b) Falls away.

       3.   (a) and (b) Falls away

       4.   (a) and (b) Falls away

08 January 2024 - NW3248

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Lees, Mr RA to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

Whether, given that he did not table in Parliament the annual reports for SA Airways (SAA) for the 2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years, notwithstanding clause 17(6)(e) of the International Air Services Act, Act 60 of 1993, that requires the International Air Services Council to take into account the financial capability of the applicant, the SAA currently has a valid international air services licence; if not, why not; if so, (a) on what basis was the financial capability of SAA taken into account by the international air services council and (b) what date was the international air services licence issued to SAA?

Reply:

The previous years financial statements (2019/20, 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23) have been tabled.

In adherence to the stipulations set by the Domestic Air Service Regulations 1991 Section D, Clause 5(a), the interim Chief Executive Officer of South African Airways (SAA) dutifully submits monthly management accounts to the council.

With these considerations SAA was issued its international air services license in February 2020 and the license is updated as new routes are added.

 

Remarks: Approved / Not Approved

Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

08 January 2024 - NW2903

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Sukers, Ms ME to ask the Minister of Basic Education

Whether, noting that the Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools was published in the Government Gazette on 3 December 2021 and furthermore noting that the National Education Policy Act, Act 27 of 1996, requires that she shall within 21 days after determining policy in terms of section 3  table the policy instrument referred to in paragraph (a) in Parliament within 21 days after the notice has appeared in the Government Gazette (details furnished), the specified policy was tabled in terms of the specified Act; if not, why not; if so, on what date?

Reply:

 

The policy has been tabled with Parliament in December 2023. 

08 January 2024 - NW3373

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Majozi, Ms Z to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies

Whether his department has its own target for job creation and growth within the communications sector; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

The DCDT does not have a target for job creation. However, it subscribes to Government’s overarching programme on job creation and reducing unemployment. In this regard, the ICT sector and digital economy are viewed as key levers. Some of the areas identified in creating jobs include: broadband connectivity; broadcasting digital migration; digital skills; electronic equipment installation and refurbishment such as set-top box installation, fibre rollout, Wi-Fi deployment, cell phone repairs and owner driver delivery etc. 

Thank You.

08 January 2024 - NW4052

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Graham, Ms SJ to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

Whether Eskom has determined the extent to which ghost vending impacts the revenue and financial stability of it and local municipalities; if not; why not; if so; what are the relevant details; (2) Whether any measures are in place to detect and prevent electricity ghost vending; if not, why not; if so, (a) what measures and (b) what are the legal penalties or consequences for individuals or entities involved in electricity ghost vending; (3) Whether Eskom has provided vendor education about the risks and consequences of selling illegally obtained electricity tokens or units; if not, what steps are being taken to raise awareness about electricity ghost vending and encourage consumers to purchase electricity tokens from authorised and reputable sources; (4) Whether there are any technological advancements or innovations being implemented to enhance the security and integrity of electricity token distribution and usage; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (5) (a) how can consumers protect themselves from inadvertently becoming victims of electricity ghost vending schemes and (b) what action processes are provided by Eskom for communities or individuals who suspect they may be affected by electricity ghost vending activities in their area?

Reply:

According to information received from Eskom:

(1)

Eskom is unable to quantify the ghost vending impact since it is difficult to determine the revenue losses directly associated with illegal sales, as they are done clandestinely.

(2)(a)(b)

Eskom works closely with law enforcement agencies, including the Hawks, to conduct covert investigations on detected or reported illegal vending activities and thereafter tries to locate illegal vending machines, confiscate, and criminally prosecute the perpetrators. On 02 November 2023, the Pretoria High Court granted a preservation order to the amount of R36 million on the property (movable and immovable) belonging to 13 ring leaders of an illegal vending syndicate.

Eskom has recently upgraded its Online Vending System (OVS) to be compatible with Key Revision Number 2 (KRN 2) software and the meters are being converted to KRN 2 applications where the ghost tokens will not be credited by the meters. Furthermore, Eskom is in the process of replacing the current OVS with a new one. The current vending system has been in operation for 16 years and there is a need for a more modern and integrated one.

Eskom conducts meter audits and the customer credit that was not bought through Eskom agents is removed, thereafter the prepaid meter box is disconnected immediately. The customer is then required to pay a minimum fine of R6 052.60.

(3)

Eskom-approved prepaid electricity vending agents are given clear terms and conditions in the service level agreement with specifications on the service scope and control measures. Notifications or warnings are provided regarding the consequence of selling illegally, otherwise the terms and conditions of the contract and service level agreements are enforced.

(4)

(a) Eskom has since decommissioned all officially registered offline Credit Dispensing Units and security modules and migrated to a new centralised OVS. The new Online Vending STS6 security modules have embedded security features that automatically disable a security module after either a certain amount of electricity is sold or after a set duration.

Also, Eskom has recently upgraded the OVS to be compatible with Key Revision Number 2 (KRN 2) software and the meters are being converted to KRN 2 applications where the ghost token will not be credited by the meters. In addition, Eskom is in the process of replacing the current OVS with a new system. The current vending system has been in operation for 16 years and there is a need for a more modern and integrated one. The new system is also expected to have better controls to minimise fraudulent activities.

(b) Eskom periodically runs campaigns to educate customers regarding energy losses and illegal vending is part of this campaign.

Customers are also urged to buy Eskom prepaid vouchers only from legal Eskom national vendors that have their footprint in supermarkets, petrol stations and local shops with registered point-of-sale machines, ATMs, mini markets, mobile apps, and online banking. Customers are encouraged to be vigilant and not be deceived or tempted on social media by unknown people promising big discounts for their purchases. Customers are advised to report incidents of suspected illegal buying of electricity in their areas to the SMS crime line number 32211 or call the Eskom contact centre on 0860037566.

(5)

(a) Customers are informed through campaigns and customer education to buy Eskom prepaid vouchers only from legal Eskom national vendors such as supermarkets, petrol stations and local shops with registered point of sale machines, ATMs, mini markets or mobile apps and online banking and not be deceived and tempted on social media by unknown people.

(b) Customers are urged to report such activities to Crime line number 32211 or call the Eskom contact centre on 0860037566. Eskom also continuously runs campaigns to educate customers about ghost vending.

Remarks: Approved / Not Approved

Ms Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3732

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Nolutshungu, Ms N to ask the Minister of Transport

Considering that the Road Accident Fund (RAF) has launched a customer relations management tool to improve the finalisation of RAF claims, (a) what total number of (i) claims have been finalised since the launch of the specified programme and (ii) cases are still outstanding and (b) how long will it take to clear the backlog?

Reply:

(a)(i) The Customer Relations Management (CRM) solution is not a claims processing solution, but a Customer contact solution that provides communication platform with claimants and other stakeholders, where claimants can interact with the RAF to enquire and follow up all claims related matters. The CRM solution intends to centralise and optimize all queries handling and become a central point for all key communication information. The solution.

(ii) N/A

(b) We hope that the CRM solution will assist with expediting resolution of the claims backlog.

It must however be noted that if we continue to pay in lumpsums, the backlog may take up to five years to clear, because of liquidity challenges, however; if the legislative changes proposed in the RAF amendment Bill are approved and enable the RAF to pay in instalments for loss of earnings and loss of support benefits, then the backlog could be cleared in less than two years.

08 January 2024 - NW4019

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van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs

Considering that he has admitted that his department records more than 2,000 fake marriages to foreign nationals annually, what (a) new enhanced measures are in place to verify that a marriage between a South African citizen and a foreign national is genuine and not merely a transaction and (b)(i) steps have been taken to nullify the 2 000 fake marriages per year and (ii) are the full, relevant details in this regard?

Reply:

Honourable Member, it may be very important for me to explain how the figure of about 2000 fake marriages comes about.

These are divided into three main categories; the first category is real fake marriages whereby a Home Affairs official is involved in facilitating a marriage that does not exist. The official gets paid money by the prospective spouse (usually male) who wants documents to sojourn in South Africa through marriage.

Due to the system of BACM (Biometric Access Control Management), a Home Affairs official who practices this type of corruption will not register this marriage on the National Population Register because their fingerprints are needed to do so. Hence it is very easy to pick up this type of marriage once a complaint is made, because of its absence from the Register.

The second category, which is by far the biggest category, is marriages of convenience. This is when the couple agrees to get legitimately married whereby one spouse (usually a foreign male) pays money to the other spouse (usually a South African lady) in return for getting documents to sojourn in South Africa via marriage. It is wrongly believed by both spouses that after the transactions have been completed the South African spouse will then approach Home Affairs to ‘cancel’ the marriage on the basis that it is fake. However, our investigations usually reveal their fingerprints, addresses, and photos which are legitimate on the marriage documents. In this case, we advise them to go to court to start divorce proceedings. Many of them cry foul and publicly blame the Department of Home Affairs.

The third category is whereby an ID of a South African (usually a lady) is stolen and used to go and register a marriage with a foreign spouse.

a) Our measures are the following:

  • BACM discourages corrupt officials from registering a marriage on the National Population Register because they will be caught out through their fingerprints
  • Introduction of the new Marriage Register (DHA-30) which requires biometrics from the couple at the same time.
  • Extensive interviews are conducted with the couple before registration of marriage.
  • Letter of non-impediment must be submitted by the foreign prospective spouse to prove that they are not married back home. Such a letter must be written by the Department of Foreign Affairs of the country of origin of the prospective spouse.

b) (i)(ii) Any marriage that is not on the NPR is immediately annulled. Those that are legal but are marriages of convenience, we as Home Affairs are unable to do anything about them. The couple themselves must go to court to divorce, where we have proof that an ID was stolen we also annul the marriage.

From January 2023 to November 2023, 1 614 fraudulent marriages were encountered and 1102 have been expunged. The remainder are still under further investigation.

Reply: Approved / Not Approved

 

Dr PA Motsoaledi, MP

Minister of Home Affairs

Date:

08 January 2024 - NW4008

Profile picture: Groenewald, Dr PJ

Groenewald, Dr PJ to ask the Minister of Police

(1) What total number of (a) firearms and (b) ammunition of each Ci) type and (ii) calibre, (aa) were stolen and (bb) were lost and/or went missing at each police station in each province (aaa) in the past four financial years and (bbb) from 1 April 2023 up to the latest specified date for which information is available; 2) what steps has his department taken to combat the then and loss of the Drearms and ammunition; (3) whether any persons were (a) arrested and/or found guilty in this regard; if not, why not; if so what total number of (i) persons were arrested and/or found guilty and (ii) the specified persons were members of the SA Police Service?

Reply:

Find reply here

08 January 2024 - NW1394

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Sukers, Ms ME to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

Whether, with reference to the reply to question 268 on 3 April 2023 from the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, she and/or any member of her Office has met with any representative of any public and/or private company, nonprofit company, association and/or organisation in the tobacco industry and/or a company with an interest in public policy related to the import, export, distribution and/or control of tobacco-related products since her appointment as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a)(i) on what date and (ii) where did each such meeting occur, (b) who was present at each meeting, (c) at whose request did each meeting take place and (d) what was discussed at each meeting?

Reply:

No, I have not, to the best of my knowledge, met with any representative of any public and/or private company, nonprofit company, association and/or organisation in the tobacco industry and/or a company with an interest in public policy related to the import, export, distribution and/or control of tobacco-related products since my appointment as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.

08 January 2024 - NW4076

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Khanyile, Ms AT to ask the Minister of Home Affairs

What is the current backlog of processing applications for temporary residence visas at his department?

Reply:

Honourable Member, this question of visa backlogs was responded to in September 2023 and seems to be appearing again two months later. But it is also appearing in the media in various forms.

The central claim by various media houses, individuals and sometimes even companies, or organisations is that the department of home affairs is causing economic stagnation and contributing largely to unemployment by delaying the processing of visas.

I wish to take this opportunity to clarify matters in this regard.

Contrary to popular belief,the department has no undue delays on visas that impacts directly on the economy and employment. The delays and the backlogs are on two special categories of visas which I will elaborate on below,

The majority of applications received for temporary Residence visa are categories that belongs to section 11 (6) and Section 18. These sections denote to spousal visas and relative visas respectively as enacted in the Immigration Act (Act 13 of 2002).

The department is not just deliberately delaying the processing of such visas.

The department is experiencing significant and ever increasing challenges with regards to legitimacy of relationships being claimed or cited as a reason for applying for these visas.

Some foreign nationals have taken advantage and gets into corruption to legitimise themselves, family members, friends and others.

The number of fraudulent marriages, marriages of convenience and a special category of cohabitation are unfortunately on the increase.

The category of cohabitation is even more problematic and easily attracts corruption because all that two people claiming to be staying with each other need to produce is a contract written by the notary public (notarial contract). There is nothing in law that forbids two people to legitimise their relationship through a notarial contract. The problem is that some of the contracts presented to the department looks very suspicious and warrants a thorough investigation when such applications are processed. More worryingly, spousal visa applications based on the notarial contracts are on the increase.

It is common cause that the department does not have enough Immigration officers who have to be tasked with the difficult job of investigating authenticity of relationships. Yet, without knowing whether relationships are authentic, the department will find itself issuing visas to people who do not deserve to be in the country.

As of 14 December 2023, approximately 86 per cent of the backlog consists of this relationship visas.

The department has developed a plan to address the backlog. The plan aims to move the older Temporary Residency Visa applications from 2022 concurrently with the current applications of 2023.

Reply: Approved / Not Approved

Dr PA Motsoaledi, MP

Minister of Home Affairs

Date:

08 January 2024 - NW2533

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Groenewald, Dr PJ to ask the Minister of Police

1) With reference to his reply to question 882 on 24 July 2023. What is the reason that no response was furnished to paragraphs (2) and (3) although he explains in the same response that stolen firearms that are sold by members of the SA Police Service are investigated by Project Impi; 2) What (a) total number of the stolen firearms that were directly linked to the former Col Christiaan Prinsloo and David Charles Naidoo were recovered to date and (b) number of murders are linked to the specified firearms?

Reply:

Find reply here 

08 January 2024 - NW2285

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Marais, Mr S to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies

Whether, with reference to the institution of an inquiry by the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa, into matters surrounding the docking of the Russian vessel, Lady R, in Simonstown in December 2022, the import permits granted in 2019 and 2020 were still valid to offload Russian ammunition while the ship was docked and/or any applications for export permits for munitions to be loaded onto the specified vessel were received; if not, was the validity of the import permits extended by the National Conventional Arms Control Committee; if so, what are the details and reasons that the extension and the export permit application were not reported to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence?

Reply:

  1. The NCACC confirms that the import permits granted in 2019 and 2020 were not valid at the time of the offloading Russian ammunition while the ship was docked and/or any applications for export permits for munitions to be loaded onto the specified vessel were received.
  2. This is because the Permits issued at any given time have a limited lifespan and may only be extended to keep these valid but the extension in terms of legislation is limited. When such a time frame lapses so does the validity of the Permit. Thus, it goes without saying that the Import Permit issued in 2019 and 2020, would have lapsed.
  3. The Export Permits of munitions to be loaded on the specific vessel do not arise, since the NCACC has not received any application for such export permits therefore none would/were issued.
  4. Further, the Judge Mojapelo (retired) Panel Report also vindicated the NCACC by concluding that no ammunition was loaded onto that specific vessel.
  5. The Import Permits which were used in 2022 are linked to the same Order and Purchase by the Importer. However, the Order and Purchase are purely a commercial transaction and are not regulated under the NCAC Act.
  6. The Importer is entitled that in pursuance of their commercial interests to apply to the NCACC and should enjoy the full consideration by the Conventional Arms Control processes. This the Importer complied with in 2022 and was issued with the necessary Import Permits.
  7. The Importer applied for the Import Permits and these were issued as follows:

PERMIT 1 

(a) Import Permit IM0036810 which is the Final Import Permit that was issued and signed by the Secretariat of the NCACC in order for the Vessel that was carrying Equipment. This permit is referencing both Order Numbers of Armscor: KP467230/1 and KP467233. Further, this Import Permit also indicates that it is a replacement permit that replaced IM0036672, which had been cancelled earlier.

PERMIT 2

(b) The final issuing of Import Permit no IM0036677 was issued by the Secretariat as a result of a request for cancellation and an issue. This transaction resulted in the Permit being issued under a changed Import Permit to IM0036814 by the Importer.

Finally, the report(s) by the NCACC to Parliament in terms of s23 of the NCAC Act are compiled in a predetermined manner. Thus, ensuring consistency and probity when the respective Parliamentary Committee(s) have to exercise their Oversight Role.

Therefore, it is not an omission by the NCACC that the Export Permit(s) was not reported to Parliament. Such reporting is done/provided based on applications received and processed. Since no Export Permit was received by the NCACC, no report can be furnished to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence (JSCD).

I trust that this enables the Member to fully appreciate and accept the factual aspects of the matters at hand.

 

Thank You.

08 January 2024 - NW3068

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Marais, Mr S to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies

(1)On what date(s) did the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) hold its scheduled meetings in the (a) 2021, (b) 2022 and (c) 2023 calendar years to consider applications for all the (i) import and (ii) export permit applications as defined by the National Conventional Arms Control Act, Act 41 of 2002; (2) whether the NCACC has considered the instability that prevailed between Russia and Ukraine in both 2021 and 2022; if not, why not; if so, (3) whether the NCACC has considered any applications for imports and exports to and from Belarus, which has provided its territory to Russia since its first attacks on Ukraine, actively supported and participated in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and now houses the Russian Wagner private military group; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

1.

1.1 The NCACC Meetings are scheduled to take place on the last Thursday of each month from February to November in each year. Dates of scheduled NCACC meetings for 2021, 2022 and 2023 are as follows:

1.2 The 2021 meetings though scheduled as per ussual, were held virtually due to the protocols that were under COVID 19 Controls as prescribed under the State of Disaster as proclaimed at the time.

A. 2021

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

25

25

29

27

24

29

26

30

28

25

 

B. 2022

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

24

31

28

26

30

28

25

29

27

24

C. 2023

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

23

30

27

25

29

27

31

28

26

30

2.

2.1 The NCACC applies the provisions of s15 of the NCACC Act (as amended) to evaluate and approve application(s), presented for such consideration. The NCACC has not considered and approved any applications to export to Russia and/or the Ukraine. Unless there were any such transfers, in contradiction to s15 of the Act, the contradiction of s15 of the Act would have been a conterpoint of consideration. However, given that none were considered, s15 has been applied without fail.

2.2 Importation of equipment from Russia and/or the Ukraine would not have come into contention, since the importation of controlled items seeks not/does not contribute destabilization of the Region. But, contributes to South Africa’s defensive needs.

3.

3.1 The NCACC is provided with intelligence reports on a systematized frequency and this subscribes to the manner of the criteria contained in various estimates. The reports also target the type of equipment for assessment in terms of whether such transfers are in line with both our domestic and international obligations. Key to this assessment is the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) that include arms embargo.

3.2 At no stage of assessment could the aspect of Belarus and/or the Wagner Group constitute an identified risk to consider at the time. Further, the applications that were destined for such a country would have come under scrutiny, given the applicable criteria of the NCACC Act.

3.3 Thus the question does not arise, other than it being postulate.

Thank you.

08 January 2024 - NW3771

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Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister in the Presidency

(1)(a) What total number of heads of department (HODs) and Directors-General (DGs) were on suspension with full pay in the (i) 2020-21, (ii) 2021-22 and (iii) 2022-23 financial years and (b) in which department was each HOD or DG employed in each case; (2) what (a) were the reasons for the suspension in each case and (b) was the duration of the suspension and (c) total amount was paid in salaries for the duration of their suspension?

Reply:

The question falls out of the scope of my portfolio it should be directed to the Minister of Public Services and Administration.

 

NAME OF THE DRAFTER :

DESIGNATION :

CONTACT DETAILS :

SIGNATURE : ____________________________


_____________________________

Phindile Baleni (Ms)

Director General and Secretary of Cabinet

Date:

__________________________

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni

Minister in the Presidency

Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3761

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Pambo, Mr V to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

Noting that The Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA) has the poorest Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment scorecard of Level 9, which is non-compliant compared to all other state-owned enterprises, what are the reasons that Eskom continues to conduct business with PetroSA when Eskom can get a cheaper product from service providers other than PetroSA?

Reply:

According to the information received from Eskom:

Eskom follows an open, fair, transparent, and competitive procurement processes in sourcing its goods and services as prescribed by National Treasury Regulations, Eskom Procurement Policy and Procedure (32 – 1034), as well as the legislative requirements (PPPFA, BEE, NIPP, etc). These processes entail:

  • A robust selection process to appoint qualifying suppliers to provide goods and services using the following criteria: 1) Technical capability and capacity, 2) Quality and competitiveness, 3) BEE, and 4) Price.
  • Once the suppliers have been identified through this process, a ranking based on preference points (price and BEE) is used to select the highest-ranked supplier to be awarded a contract.

An open market tender process was followed to award PetroSA

  • The process described above was undertaken to award the current contracts for fuel supply where PetroSA was the highest ranked (BEE level 4 and competitive price = discount of wholesale price) at the point of award (2019).
  • This was submitted and approved by the delegated approval authority (DAA).
  • These contracts will expire in September 2024 and a similar process is currently underway to source suppliers to replace the existing contracts.

Concern over high price

  • At the time of the award, PetroSA offered the highest discount/litre compared to other bidders.

Detailed market analysis

  • Eskom conducts a market analysis for benchmarking purposes and scans the market for potential new entrants.
  • Eskom also monitors the market in search of opportunities for price renegotiations where possible.

 

Remarks: Approved / Not Approved

Ms Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3528

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Pambo, Mr V to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

(1) What urgent steps of intervention has she taken to create job opportunities for youth, in particular graduates, since she assumed office; (2) whether there has been any discussion to legislate job seeking allowances for unemployment graduates who seek employment; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

1. Addressing the youth unemployment challenge requires all of society to intervene. It requires all spheres of government to prioritise the creation business and employment opportunities for the Youth. The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD), plays a coordinating role in the all-of-government intervention particularly as the budget of the DWYPD is not proportional to the scale of the youth unemployment challenge in the Republic.

The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is part of Project Management Unit (PMU) established by government and placed at The Presidency. Through the PMU, the Presidency, (NYDA), and the DWYPD, are implementing the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) as a response of the sixth administration to impact on jobs and livelihoods. Using direct public investment, the PES supports job creation, job protection, and livelihood support programmes as part of a wider economic recovery progress. The PES has created 1 098 304 work and livelihood opportunities for unemployed South Africans. Of the participants, 84% are youth and 62% are women.

As part of the Employment Stimulus, the Department of Higher Education and Training is supporting a graduate placement programme in 21 universities - because even for graduates, lack of work experience creates barriers to labour market entry. These placements are for work that allows graduates to apply their skills in relation to their field of study, in order to directly enhance relevant work experience. University departments have been invited to create meaningful opportunities for graduates and in so doing increase their research and academic support capacity. 1052 graduates have benefitted from the programme.

The DWYPD also amended its 2023/24 Annual Performance Plan (APP) to include new priorities for implementation with various stakeholders within and outside of government that are aimed at creating jobs for youth, including for the graduates. These initiatives include:

a) SANDF-led National Service (NS) – To address the current state of poverty, idleness, and general economic inactivity among our vulnerable population in general and the youth in particular, the SANDF led NYS programme is being introduced to build the youths’ character, empower them to serve in their communities, inculcate discipline and a sense of patriotism, train youth in leadership and entrepreneurship; and then provide them with technical capacity building in value chain driven sector specific industries with high absorption capacity. The training streams will range from food and agriculture value chain; oceans economy and maritime skills; engineering, manufacturing, and infrastructure development; digital technologies and platform economies; and defense industries, public safety and security stream. The programme participants will be trained to be resilient and self-sustaining and then linked with job opportunities in diverse sectors.

Cabinet has asked us to work with the following Departments who have the financial capacity to support elements of the National Service:

  • Department of Higher Education and Training
  • Department of Transport
  • Department of Forestry Fisheries and environment
  • COGTA
  • Department of Basic Education
  • Department of Employment and Labour
  • Department of Human Settlement

b) Integrated Farming Value Chain Cooperatives - To address the key challenges of poverty, weakened livelihoods, hunger, limited or no economic opportunities, little to no income as well as inadequate access to resources contributing to the cycle of poverty, the DWYPD is mobilising women, youth, and persons with disabilities, particularly those in poor rural communities to establish integrated farming value chain cooperatives.

Additionally, the department is also partnering with the CSIR in the development of a national goat commercialization pilot project in all the 9 provinces. The goat farming value chain is identified as an initial focus area, because goat farming in South African has been practised since time immemorial, yet this sector has not been fully exploited for optimal economic value.

We are also working with the Department of Agriculture in implementing this program. We have also approached the Private Sector to support the beneficiaries of the farming value chain cooperatives.

c) Community Micro Bakery Training Projects – DWYPD will provide bakery training for women, youth, and persons with disabilities in some of the poorest districts in local municipalities, so that they can participate in this growing industry in order to reduce the impact of extreme poverty, unemployment, create community wealth, raise household incomes, and restore livelihoods as well as basic socio-economic insecurity. Once trained, the programme participants will be supported to become entrepreneurs thus facilitating their economic self-reliance whilst contributing to an all-of-government’s reconstruction and recovery efforts.

2. The National Treasury is better placed to respond on discussions to legislate job seeking allowances for unemployed graduates who seek employment. This part of the question may be directed to the Ministry of Finance for reply.

08 January 2024 - NW4038

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Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

Whether her Office has the relevant details of the (a) allocated budget and (b) total expenditure of the executive of the National Youth Development Agency in respect of (i) travel and (ii) accommodation in the past 10 years; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

I am informed by the agency (NYDA) that it currently has data available for the last six financial years due to a change of financial management system and in line with its record management policy.

The budget and actual spend for travel and accommodation for the last six years for the Executive of the NYDA is as follows:

Financial Year

Budget

Actual

2017-18

R5 000 000,00

R5 049 908,84

2018-19

R 9 000 000,00

R9 233 443,12

2019-20

R8 000 000,00

R7 809 264,72

2020-21

R100 000,00

R68 127,08

2021-22

R8 000 000,00

R7 826 743,47

2022-23

R10 000 000,00

R9 399 241,32

The NYDA is working on extracting the remaining four years from its archived data and will share as soon as the extraction is complete.

08 January 2024 - NW3212

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Graham, Ms SJ to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation

(1)On what date (a) did the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa, and the Minister in The Presidency for Electricity, Dr K Ramokgopa, sign a performance agreement and (b) will the performance agreement lapse;

Reply:

(1) (a) The President and the Minister in The Presidency for Electricity, Dr K Ramokgopa signed a performance agreement on 31 July 2023 and (b) the performance agreement is until the end of the 2023/2024 financial year (31 March 2024);

(2) No. I will not furnish Ms S J Graham with a copy of the performance agreement; as it is an agreement is between the President and the Minister in The Presidency for Electricity;

(3) President meets regularly with Ministers to assess progress in their portfolios. Whilst the Minister in the Presidency for Electricity provides regular progress with regard to the performance of his portfolio. In addition, the management of the performance of ministers is a prerogative of the President in terms of the Constitution.

08 January 2024 - NW3985

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Shaik Emam, Mr AM to ask the Minister in the Presidency

What measures is her Office putting in place to encourage credible reporting by media houses, some of whom appear to promote propaganda, which was found to be untrue (details furnished)?

Reply:

Ethics cannot be considered in a vacuum. It is therefore imperative that we consider the historical as well as current context of the South African media. South African media has a dark history of hegemonic control, censorship, and manipulation in the interest of implementing the apartheid project, resisted only by a few brave independent publications and the conscientised media activists of the liberation struggle era.

The resulting legacy could not be – and is not – easy to undo. Oligopoly and lack of diversity persist, narrowing the public space for access to information and debate in a socio-political and economic landscape where English and Afrikaans dominate all platforms, pay-walls encroach, data is expensive and online access limited. Further constraints come in the form of the perceived imperatives of digital news production and dissemination and the fragmenting impact of the entry, via social media, of multiple unaccountable new voices.

To the traditional media roles of informing, educating and entertaining and, as the ‘Fourth Estate’, speaking truth to and asserting checks on power, have been added new responsibilities: countering the self-reinforcing echo chambers of social media; fighting mis- and disinformation; and counterbalancing the hegemony of powerful international information platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and Google.

These are heavy duties. Yet for the proper functioning of a modern participatory democracy, the South African media must be free, proactive, professional, inquiring and accessible. Only then can the media effectively include all citizens in the public discourse and support them in discovering information and forming opinions. Yet the Global Disinformation Index suggests that 41% of South Africans distrust the media and 70% are concerned about the problem of distinguishing valid from ‘fake’ news.

South Africa has a constitution that enshrines the right to freedom of expression and media freedom. However, like in many countries, balancing these rights with ethical considerations is an ongoing challenge. In addition to media being regulated by the country’s constitution and laws, and they are also regulated by the codes they have voluntarily adopted to regulate themselves:

  • the Press Council’s South African Press Code;
  • the Broadcast Complaints Commission’s Code of Conduct for Free-to-Air Broadcasting Service Licensees and its Code of Conduct for Subscription Broadcasting Service Licensees; and
  • the Digital Media and Marketing Association’s Professional Code of Conduct.

Through the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) government continues to ensure that information needs of citizens are met. The GCIS is geared towards ensuring that South Africans receive information in a timely manner, to empower their engagement on important issues that affect their lives as well as the development of communities.

Furthermore, the GCIS has tried and tested platforms such as Vuk’uzenzele newspaper, SAnews, My District Today newsletter, PSM magazine and radio services which boost government efforts to reach the public and contribute to ensuring that the public has access to balanced information. Equally, the social-media platforms managed by the GCIS are regularly updated to ensure they are more effective in conveying government content.

In order to ensure that the community media sector adheres to principles of ethical journalism; the MDDA has since 2019 implemented fact checking training for the sector. Journalists are the first line of defence against information abuse and fake news. Fact-checking is one of the most important elements of the proofreading process. As the name implies, fact-checking in proofreading involves verifying the accuracy of the information included in a document. This practice is essential for producing factually accurate content material that is both reliable and credible.

 

NAME OF THE DRAFTER : PROF. HLENGANI MATHEBULA

DESIGNATION : MDDA BOARD CHAIRPERSON

CONTACT DETAILS : +27 82 448 9219

SIGNATURE :


_____________________________

Nomonde Mnukwa (Ms)

Acting Director-General: Government Communication and Information System

(GCIS)

Date:

__________________________

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni

Minister in the Presidency

Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3433

Profile picture: Graham, Ms SJ

Graham, Ms SJ to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies

What measures have been taken to accommodate employees from closed post offices; 2. what (a) measures have been put in place to facilitate the payment of stipends and grants which would ordinarily have been paid at the closed Post Offices, (b) number of beneficiaries have been affected and (c) measures have been taken to assist the affected beneficiaries, including the means of communication?

Reply:

1. Employees from closed Post Offices are offered redeployment to other workplaces based on staffing requirements.

(2)(a) Beneficiaries are referred to the nearest branches, retailers and banks for access to their grants.

(2)(b) SAPO has closed a number of branches nationwide, and amongst the closed branches are SASSA paying offices. The SAPO does not have a measure of determining the number of affected beneficiaries as a result of closed branches.

(2)(c) The process below is followed when a branch is closed:

  • SASSA beneficiaries are referred to nearest branches, retailers and banks for assistance.
  • For a planned closure – a board indicating the intention to close is displayed prior to the actual closure for customer information. An SMS is sent to branch customers where the cell phone details are known.
  • For forced closure – a notice indicating closed status is displayed and left on the property for customer information.
  • List of closed branches is shared with SASSA for further communication with beneficiaries.
  • The list of closed offices is also placed on the SAPO website and updated weekly with details of alternative offices. The process has proven effective as beneficiaries have a choice to use retailers or banks.

Thank You.

08 January 2024 - NW4089

Profile picture: Bodlani, Ms T

Bodlani, Ms T to ask the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies

(a) How has the R745 million debt that is owed to Sentech by the SA Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) for signal distribution impacted Sentech’s operations, (b) how did the debt impact the long-awaited transition from analogue to digital signal distribution, (c) what interventions did the department make to mitigate the impact of the SABC’s debt to Sentech and (d) how will the SABC finance (i) its debt to Sentech and (ii) future distribution costs?    W5370E

Reply:

(a) & (b) The non-payment of the debt has impacted negatively on Sentech’s cashflow which in turn affects the company’s ability to fulfil its commitments in relation to CAPEX and operational working capital initiatives and maintenance plans.

(c) The DCDT advised the two entities to work together outside third parties to find a workable solution to resolve the signal tariff dispute. The two Boards committed to working together to find a solution and as such a joint committee of the Boards and Executives from both companies was established. The Department is still awaiting the report on the outcome of this committee. The two entities were also advised to enter a debt repayment plan whilst finding a workable solution for the tariff dispute. This was to ensure that the SABC makes monthly payments to minimise the impact of non-payment on Sentech. A debt repayment plan has since been entered.

(d)(i)(ii) The SABC is required to finance its debt obligations including that of Sentech through normal revenue sources so that it can meet all its debt obligations. The SABC is in the process of exploring alternative revenue sources that are set to increase its revenue generation base in the immediate term and a new Strategy has also been developed to improve revenue generation. In addition, in the medium to long-term, in anticipation of the SABC Bill being processed by Parliament, the Department will be reviewing the funding model of the public broadcaster. The funding of signal distribution costs, particularly for public broadcasting service platforms will be considered as part of the review process of SABC’s funding model.

Thank You.

08 January 2024 - NW1635

Profile picture: Gondwe, Dr M

Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration

(a) For what total number of days has a certain person (name and details furnished) been on suspension, (b) what are the (i) circumstances surrounding the specified person’s suspension and (ii) reasons that the person was suspended and (c) what total amount has the State spent to date on the continued suspension?

Reply:

(a) As at 25 May 2023, the specified employee has been on suspension for approximately 654 working days owing to: 1) delays imposed by the employee in respect to disciplinary process, which was kickstarted within the prescribed 60 days period, and 2) the passing away of the chairperson of the disciplinary committee.

(b)(i) The employee is alleged to have committed serious misconduct (29 charges) including several allegations of prejudicing the administration of the department, failing to carry out lawful instructions, abuse, insolence and gross insubordination. The prolonged suspension is as a result of the protracted processes and applications that had to be dealt with within this process in different forum. To expedite the matter, the Director-General: DPSA, as the disciplining authority, has referred the matter to the GPSSBC as a hearing under section 188A(11) of the Labour Relations Act, 1995 triggered by the passing of the Chairperson of the disciplinary process, amongst others.

(ii) A professional public service starts with holding senior officials accountable to the highest standards of behaviour, decorum and ethics. The DPSA, as the leader of the charge to build a professional, ethical and capable State and the custodian of ensuring that the public service adheres to these enshrined Constitutional principles, must itself live and achieve this goal. Employees within the DPSA have a higher responsibility to act in a manner becoming of these aspirations. The employee in this instance has fundamentally failed in his/her responsibilities and was suspended as his/her continued presence in the workplace would jeopardise the current disciplinary processes, interfere with witnesses and actively undermine the administration of the department to the extent that key work of the department and public service at large would be hamstrung.

(c ) The employee is suspended on full pay, as per section 188A of the Labour Relations Act, read with the Disciplinary Code and Procedures contained in Chapter 7 of the Senior Management Services Handbook. Despite the delays not being at the instance of the Department, the Department is obliged to continue to pay the employee as there is no authority for an unpaid suspension. The DPSA is reviewing the relevant disciplinary codes to ensure that matters such as these are not a phenomenon that plagues the public service. The employees’ rights to fair labour practices must be balanced against the State's ability to hold public servants accountable for their conduct or misconduct. The Department is not in a position to share further details as the case is ongoing.

End

08 January 2024 - NW4015

Profile picture: Buthelezi, Mr EM

Buthelezi, Mr EM to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

What (a) are the (i) names and (ii) positions of officials of his department who travelled abroad in the 2022-23 financial year and (b) was the (i) purpose, (ii) total cost and (iii) total breakdown of such costs of each specified visit?

Reply:

Names (i)

Positions (ii)

Purpose (i)

Total cost (ii)

Breakdown (iii)

Borotho Nthabiseng

Chief of staff

Official visit to UAE

86 252.00

43 126.00

Gordhan Pravin

Minister

Official visit to UAE

 

43 126.00

 

 

 

 

 

Molisane Jacky

ADG

Official visit to Kenya

45 417.57

45 417.00

 

 

Official visit to Kenya

3 901.25

3 901.25

 

 

 

 

 

Masualle Phumulo

D Minister

Official visit to Dakar

18 722.35

6 240.78

Jacky Molisane

ADG

Official visit to Dakar

 

6 240.78

Thelma Malatsi

PA

Official visit to Dakar

 

6 240.78

 

 

 

 

 

Jacky Molisane

ADG

Official visit to Dubai

8 355.98

4 177.99

Georgina Sylvester

PA

Official visit to Dubai

 

4 177.99

 

 

 

 

 

Gordhan Pravin

Minister

Official visit to Dubai

81 924.03

27 308.01

Jacky Molisane

ADG

Official visit to Dubai

 

27 308.01

Georgina Sylvester

PA

Official visit to Dubai

 

27 308.01

 

 

 

 

 

Jacky Molisane

ADG

Official visit to Kenya

17 201.93

17 201.93

 

 

 

 

 

Georgina Sylvester

PA

Official visit to Dubai

8 378.06

8 378.06

Jacky Molisane

ADG

Official visit to Dubai

8 378.06

8 378.06

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacky Molisane

ADG

Official visit to Kenya

8 550.51

8 550.51

 

 

 

 

 

Total Allowances for all trips

 

 

37 778.00

37 778.00

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

 

 

 

324 859.16

 

Remarks: Approved / Not Approved/Comments

Jacky Molisane P J Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

08 January 2024 - NW3857

Profile picture: Mgweba, Ms T

Mgweba, Ms T to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration

What are the relevant details of the (a) progress and (b) preliminary findings of the National School of Government skills audit on technical skills announced in the State of the Nation Address reply by the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa?

Reply:

a) The NSG has made significant progress on the implementation of the Skills Audit Project since the pronouncement by the President in his reply to the debate on the 2023 SONA. The NSG has signed an MOU with the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on the 11th of August 2023 to formally establish their collaboration in conceptualising and executing this project. The HSRC is undertaking this research project in partnership with the NSG as announced by the President. Phase 1 (project inception) saw the development of the Skills Audit approach and project plan in the first quarter of the current financial year (2023/2024). Inception meetings were convened on the 9th of March and 9th of May 2023 with the DGs of government departments mentioned by the President to sensitise them on this project and to outline its approach. On the 5th of June 2023, FOSAD MANCO was briefed on this project. Additionally, inception meetings were held bilaterally with each of the mentioned departments. Phase 1 concluded in July 2023. Phase 2 of the project, which commenced in July 2023, is currently underway. It entails the review of departmental documentation. The review covers the analysis of the departmental mandate and strategic imperatives, ideal state of delivery on mandates based on competencies required and organisational design assessment.

b) The preliminary findings are still emerging from the project, which will be tested and engaged with the departments under study for accuracy and validation. These will then be submitted to the President later in the year and also tabled to Parliament.

End

08 January 2024 - NW2834

Profile picture: Cachalia, Mr G K

Cachalia, Mr G K to ask the Minister of Public Enterprises

Whether he has found that Eskom assets are being sold off to private companies; if not what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether he will remain resolute in the face of opposition by encouraging public-private partnerships at (a) Eskom and (b) Transnet; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

1. No part of Eskom’s restructuring involves selling any of its assets. Eskom is being restructured into three separate and distinct subsidiaries – generation, transmission and distribution – which will be 100 percent wholly owned by the State.

2. Public-private partnerships have previously been acknowledged as a way to unlock critical investment opportunities for the SOEs. They are also critical in helping the state to address competing fiscal priorities by making SOEs more financially sustainable and self-reliant.  These partnerships also enable crowding in of appropriate skills and capital. This ensures that the national interest is best served by creating a collaborative ethos among all stakeholders, including labour.

Remarks: Approved / Not Approved

Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date: