Questions and Replies

Reply:

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

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

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

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

Risk Mitigations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reply:

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

b) (i) Not applicable

(ii) Not Applicable

Reply:

The R2.53 billion (incl VAT) will be used for the funding requirements in the Toll Portfolio, which includes the shortfall on the collection of toll revenue from the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) as well as the servicing of debt for the portfolio.

Reply:

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

Reply:

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

2019/2020 – R23.8m

2018/2019 – R22.5m

2017/2018 – R21.3m

2016/2017 – R20.2m

2015/2016 – R19.2m

(b) What was the money intended for and,

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

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

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

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

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

The Department has no objection in sharing these documents.

Reply:

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

Reply:

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

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

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

In KZN 26 roadblocks were conducted;

23 Employers were charged;

262 undocumented truck drivers were charged; and

35 inspections at trucking companies were conducted.

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

Reply:

1. Procurement of Covid19 related goods below R 500 000:

Nr	Name of Service Provider	Amount	Goods/Services
	(a)	(b)	(c)
1	Way 2 Go It Solutions	R465 000,00	PPE for DOT officials/internal use
2	Moloko Family Holdings	R141 940,00	Public Transport: Activation at Taxi Ranks
3	Mistralog	R19 300,00	PPE for DOT officials/internal use (Multiple Award)
4	Hamisa	R26 569,14	PPE for DOT officials/internal use (Multiple Award)
5	Amet	R51 750,00	PPE for DOT officials/internal use (Multiple Award)
6	Ecko-Green	R9 000,00	PPE for DOT officials/internal use (Multiple Award)
7	Ecko-Green	R6 000,00	PPE for DOT officials/internal use (Multiple Award)
8	Cherry Pickles	R175 500,00	Ministry: Outreach and DLTC's: Face Shields and Sanitizers
9	Morerishi Travel	R90 000,00	Ministry: Outreach and DLTC's: Face Shields and Sanitizers
10	Tshwane Running Shop	R22 000,00	PPE for DOT officials/internal use (Multiple Award)
11	Tshebis Projects	R16 900,00	PPE for DOT officials/internal use (Multiple Award)
12	Consumer Connectedness	R128 604.00	Disinfecting of Building
13	Rimone Wako Mzantsi	R25369.60	Disinfecting of Building

(2)(a) The Department did not foresee the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic at the commencement of the previous financial year and had therefore not budgeted for the pandemic nor planned for any tenders in the Annual Procurement Plan related hereto. However, The Department had followed all the available prescripts by the National Treasury in the COVID-19 procurement processes.

Quotations were sourced in line with the provisions of the relevant Treasury instructions and a process of multiple award approach was utilised to meet the necessary volumes requested in the distributions for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Wear

(2)(b) A report was provided of a positive Covid19 case at the Department, and Facilities Management requested that the entire building be disinfected urgently. Four companies who had provided quotes for other Covid-19related services to the Department was approached and requested to provide a quote within two (2) hours. The deviation is that under normal circumstances suppliers are given three (3) to seven (7) days to respond to quotations. In this circumstances in with the need to have the building functional as soon as possible, suppliers were given period of two hours to respond. This however is in line with provision of the Treasury Instruction Note No.5 of 2020-2021.

(3) Companies are listed under the required commodities on CSD. Quotes were received from multiple companies, and the award was done based on ranking for either price or price and preference (in cases where preference points were claimed).

(4) If the house deems it appropriate, the Minister will make a statement, but does not see any necessity at this stage.

Reply:

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

Diagram No.1