Questions and Replies
26 May 2023 - NW1637
Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
(1)With reference to her reply to question 920 on 14 April 2023, regarding the 166 365 funded vacant posts in national and provincial departments, (a) in which national and provincial departments are the specified vacant funded posts found and (b) to which positions do the vacancies relate; (2) (a) for what period has each of the posts been vacant and (b) what are the specific reasons for the posts being vacant?
Reply:
(1) (a) The breakdown of the vacant posts in national and provincial departments is provided in Annexure A.
(b) The vacancies are reported in Annexure B in terms of the broad occupational post classification.
(2) (a) Posts are vacant in the public service for a median period of 14 months. A breakdown per department is provided in Annexure C.
(b) The individual departments will be best placed to give the specific reasons why each of the posts has been vacant. However, departments in the past have reported that causes and challenges hindering the filling of vacancies include among others budget constraints, reprioritisation of funds, competition with the private sector as well as internal and external administrative challenges. In addition to the processing of amendments to the Public Service Act and the Public Service Regulations, 2016, the Department of Public Service and Administration provides technical assistants to departments on measures to address the challenges that are listed above.
End
26 May 2023 - NW1619
Mohlala, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
What (a) total number of directives have been issued against municipalities that fail to manage sewage and effluent polluting major water sources and (b)(i) is the breakdown of the directives issued in each province, (ii) are consequences thereof and (iii) followup assessments have been undertaken from 2021 up to the latest specified date for which information is available?
Reply:
a) The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has issued 83 directives from January 2021 to date against municipalities that have failed to manage sewage and causing pollution.
b) (i) The table below depicts a breakdown of the directives issued per province.
Enforcement Actions taken against non-compliant Municipalities *from January 2021 to date |
||
Responsible Regional Office |
*NWA Notices Issued |
NWA Directives Issued |
Eastern Cape |
10 |
8 |
Free State |
6 |
7 |
Gauteng |
20 |
18 |
KwaZulu Natal |
21 |
1 |
Limpopo |
11 |
13 |
Mpumalanga |
39 |
22 |
North-West |
5 |
5 |
Northern Cape |
30 |
8 |
Western Cape |
12 |
1 |
Total |
154 |
83 |
ii) The consequences of DWS’ enforcement actions are indicated below:
- Five criminal charges laid against municipalities because of non-compliance with the Directives issued.
- Two criminal charges were laid and finalised against Randfontein and Thaba Chweu Local Municipality whereby both municipalities pleaded guilty of all the charges. Both municipalities were subsequently fined by the courts for failure to adhere to the provisions of NWA, among other violations.
- Three cases were referred to National Prosecuting Authority for a decision. The Department has initiated three court interdict applications against the non-compliant municipalities, seeking Court Orders from the courts.
(iii) The DWS conducted 49 follow-up inspections whereby compliance with the provisions of the Notices and Directives is established.
---00O00---
26 May 2023 - NW1357
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
(a) What partnerships has her department established with other (i) government agencies, (ii) local governments and (iii) private sector stakeholders to expand the reach and effectiveness of the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and the Small Enterprise Development Agency services in rural communities and (b) in what way are the specified collaborations contributing to the development of thriving small-, medium- and micro enterprises sector in the rural areas of the Republic?
Reply:
(a)(i) The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) has the following partnerships with Government Agencies
Training & Capacity Building –
- DHET – NSF Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Development
- MerSeta – skills development
- W&R Seta - skills development
- PSETA – skills development
- Stellenbosch University - hydroponics vegetable growing
- SALGA - collaboration at local government
- Seda, Entrepreneurial Planning Institute (EPI) & Institute of Business Advisors of South Africa
- (IBASA) Project on Capacity building of Business Advisors - re-grading Business Advisors
(a)(ii) Local Government
As part of the District Ecosystem Facilitation Model (DEF) implementation, which is linked to the District Development Model (DDM), Seda branches engaged with the following 9 district municipalities:
- Seda Western Cape has signed a tripartite agreement with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) and the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM). Work has been ongoing in terms of the agreement.
- Seda Northern Cape - Namakwa branch had engagements with local municipalities, Kangnas Windfarm, BTE Renewables, and Vedanta Resources. The Review of the John Taolo Gaetsewe (JTG) District “One Plan” was concluded and approved by the Council.
- Seda’s Gauteng, City of Tshwane branch had a meeting on the new agreement with the City of Tshwane was held in March 2023. The agreement is in the final stages of being signed and it was agreed that the rollout on the district model would be discussed at the first quarterly meeting.
- Seda’s North West, Ngaka Modiri Molema Branch is actively involved in the District Development Model led by the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality and Cogta and participated in the DDM Economic Development Work-Stream Meetings. Ecosystem projects include the Mafikeng trade hub, the District SMME Expo as well as the initiative on beneficiation of Hemp (Cannabis).
- Seda Eastern Cape - An agreement was signed at the launch of Seda’s District SMME Coordinating Council (DSCC) in the Sarah Baartman District Municipality which continues to be championed by the Seda’s Gqeberha / Port Elizabeth Branch.
- Northern Cape, the Seda ZFM branch in Kuruman, conducted a 3-day Farm management training with small scale farmers in the small-town agricultural town of Keimos within the ZF Mgcawu District. The training helped by upskilling them on the management activities and responsibilities involved in running an agri-business. Basic activities involved in the agri-management process were explained by providing examples and scenarios.
- Free State, Seda Thabo Mofutsanyana Branch within the Thabo Mofutsanyane District partnered with the Department of Correctional Services with the aim of developing a capacity program for inmates based in Bethlehem prison. The Provincial Regional Facilitator conducted self-mastery training.
- Free State, DESTEA in partnership with the Motheo TVET College hosted a Financial Symposium on the which was Seda Provincial Office and Mangaung Branch attended the session together with other stakeholders namely, Nedbank, Sefa, NEF, and the DTI to present offerings to the audience.
- Gauteng, Seda Joburg Branch collaborated with EkasiLab from the Innovation Hub to roll out design clinic training in Soweto and Kagiso for approximately 30 Small Businesses.
In terms of government departments and agencies, Seda and sefa participates in various DDM initiatives that are driven by DSBD. This ensures that there is closer collaboration with local municipalities and other local structures.
(a)(iii) Private Sector Ecosystem Partners
Seda’s engagement with the private sector ecosystem partners in 7 provinces as indicated below:
Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), Gauteng - The partnership provides small enterprise development services to black informal and semi formal businesses who are candidates of the National African Association for Automobile Services Providers (NAAASP). Seda’s role is to provide business development support whilst RMI’s is to provide technical training, facilitate accreditation and facilitate access to retail automotive value chain.
SAPPI, Mpumalanga - Seda’s role is to provide non-financial business development support to Enterprises/ Suppliers selected by Sappi whilst the latter identifies and select Enterprises/ Suppliers for development.
Gold One Mine, Gauteng - Gold One provides access to contracts and SDP opportunities to SMMEs. Seda is currently working with the mine on a Cooperative Initiative. This involves supporting five (5) Bakery Cooperatives, which are based in Ekurhuleni Municipality.
Kgodiso Development Fund, Northern Cape - Seda to provide business development support to Enterprises/Suppliers selected by Kgodiso. Kgodiso to identify and select Enterprises/Suppliers for development.
The South African Furniture Initiative (SAFI) Programme, Western Cape - SAFI has identified youth artisans for business development support. Seda subsequently trained several of the potential clients on Business Awareness. Seven (7) clients have indicated that they are interested in further Seda assistance and were assigned to Business Advisors. At present only one (1) client (Werwel Holdings) is actively working with Seda WC.
Shoprite - Exotic Taste, a City of Cape Town, Western Cape client, has signed a deal with to supply products under its private label programme. Seda Northern Cape, De Aar, for supplier development opportunities in areas where Shoprite operates within Pixley. Seda Free State and the Shoprite Group are working towards having a Supplier Development Programme for Seda clients in the province. This partnership kickstarted with the branches identifying those SMMEs who have the potential to join the programme.
Coca-Cola partnered with Seda Gert Sibande Branch in Mpumalanga to train fifteen (15) businesses. Coca-Cola offers a 3-meter container valued at R150 000 and a Fridge to the Spaza Shops in rural and township areas.
sefa direct Lending has a total of 20 strategic partner institutions. These partnerships range from public, private sector institutions as well as business chambers and associations. The partnerships are managed through MOU’s by a dedicated unit that is geared towards generating a quality pipeline for sefa.
(b) The support provided by Seda in Business Development Services (BDS) is assisting the small enterprises in the areas where there is agreement with the Local Government and the Private Sector.
Seda continuously reflects on how it wants to position itself and contribute meaningfully to the small business ecosystem and understand the importance of extending our services and offerings to SMMEs and Cooperatives. With limited resources, the Agency continues to leverage on strategic partnerships and programmes that will stimulate economic growth, improve small enterprise performance, productivity, long-term sustainability whilst creating entrepreneurship awareness in these areas.
Seda is also in partnership with the United Nations Conference on Trade & Development’s (UNCTAD) Division of Investment and Enterprise United Nation’s Empretec training Programme. Empretec is a six day programme aimed based on a unique Harvard University methodology focusing on behavioural approach to entrepreneurship. The programme is interactive, experience and self-assessment based and takes 25-30 participants per workshop. Participants learn by doing. Participants on this programme receive an UNCTAD endorsed certificate. Programme develops Personal Entrepreneurial Competencies (PECs) such as Opportunity Seeking, Persistence, Goal setting, risk taking, fulfilling commitments, planning etc. for participants.
Seda has a dedicated programme, the Basic Entrepreneurship Skills Development (BESD) which was jointly developed by Seda and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development via Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) since 2012. The programme is funded by the National Skills Fund for an amount of R84 million. The BESD approach utilises coaching as an innovative methodology to facilitate and reinforce learning and development support to emerging entrepreneurs.
The SheTrades programme is a partnership between the International Trade Centre (ITC), DSBD and Seda to promote Women’s Entrepreneurship. ITC SheTrades has set up a Hub in South Africa to help South African women entrepreneurs increase their international competitiveness and connect to national, regional, and global markets through the SheTradesZA Hub. The primary objective of the Hub is to connect at least 10 000 women owned businesses to markets by 2024. This is part of South Africa’s contribution to ITC's goal of connecting three million women entrepreneurs to markets by 2023. Through the programme, women-owned businesses will be able to:
- Connect to potential buyers, investors, suppliers, business support organizations and SheTrades partners.
- Learn skills to boost business potential through free e-learning courses, on-site workshops, and webinars.
- Receive support to attend national, regional, and international trade fairs.
- Get chances to participate in B2B meetings.
- Access to investment opportunities.
- Increased visibility and larger network in international markets.
A total of 3004 women have registered as at the end of March 2023.
The following table lists other key partnerships already formalised and in the process of being formalised:
Partner |
Purpose |
OR Tambo Co-operative Development Centre |
Partnership with Coop centre on enterprise development. Seda to provide non-financial support services such as Business Plans, access to markets, and training whilst the Coop Development Centre provides access to their database and share defined resources with Seda. |
Department of Economic Development and Tourism |
To Set-up of a Pop-up store for SMMEs in the Thabo Mofutsanyana district in Qwaqwa. Seda is to Manage the store. Department of Economic Development and Tourism and FDC to assist with monthly rental amount for a period of 12 months. |
National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) |
Purpose: A partnership established due to a high demand of technical skills in the construction sector, particularly amongst disabled, youth & Women owned business based rural and Township areas. Seda Thabo Mofutsanyana Branch to recruit clients. NHBRC to provide training and manuals. |
Gold One Mine |
Purpose: Seda to provide non-financial support services such as Business Plans, Technology Transfer Funding and Marketing Support. Gold One to provide access to contracts and Supplier Development (SDP) opportunities for their suppliers. |
Anglo American |
Supply Development Programme (SDP) around Fetakgomo Tubatse under Mototolo and De-Brochen shafts jurisdiction. Parties collaborate for SMME Development in terms of co-funding projects in the area identified and agreed by both parties. Seda will facilitate non-financial support and Anglo will provide venue and funding for the client identified by both parties. |
SFERA Training and Development |
Partnering in the development of the Automotive sector, Agriculture, and ICT (Technical Specialist in Autobody Repairs accredited with all vehicle brands excluding BMW). |
SIOC CDT Thabazimbi Hub |
Appointed by Khumba Resources as the implementor of their Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) and CSI in areas where the mine has closed to develop communities |
SAPPI |
Seda and Sappi intend to create a joint Enterprise / Supplier development programme. Seda to provide non-financial business development support to Enterprises / Suppliers selected by SAPPI. SAPPI to identify and select Enterprises / Suppliers for development |
Columbus Steel |
The establishment of Virtual Incubation programme. Seda to provide non-financial services. Columbus Stainless Steel to provide technical support. |
Sishen Iron Ore Company (SOIC) |
Seda to provide non-financial services support to SIOC contracted service providers as well as aspiring service providers. Parties to conduct joint outreach sessions. SOIC to refer client to Seda for the provision of non-financial support. |
Kangnas Windfarm |
Seda to provide post funding interventions for clients that received funding from Kangnas Windfarm. |
Bojanala Platinum District Municipality |
Memorandum of Agreement on Enterprise Development and Events Partnership |
Rustenburg Local Municipality |
Memorandum of Agreement on Enterprise Development and Events Partnership. |
Moses Kotane Local Municipality |
Memorandum of Agreement on Enterprise Development and Events Partnership |
National Youth Development Agency |
NYDA co-locating with Seda to support youth owned enterprises with financial and non-financial services. Participation in DDM and supporting Seda’s facilitation role |
National Youth Development Agency |
NYDA co-locating with Seda to support youth owned enterprises with financial and non-financial services. Participation in DDM and supporting Seda’s facilitation role |
Pick n Pay |
Seda to assist clients with business development services to clients referred by PnP. Pick n Pay to provide Seda with their supplier list. Monitor and track the progress and successes of the working relationships and meet once a Quarter to discuss the progress and performance of the programme. |
City of Cape Town |
ESD support to their emerging vendors to become approved suppliers on the municipality’s database (cost sharing enterprise and supplier development programme). Seda to provide Business Development Support to identified clients. City of Cape Town to allocate funding towards the Supplier Development Programme. |
Seda/DEDAT/GRDM |
Facilitation of District Development Model Roles: Joint SMME programmes in the Garden Route Region |
Entrepreneurial Planning Institute (EPI) |
Partnership in the skills development of the small business development practitioners and small enterprises in the form of a webinar series, training, and development services The Parties collaborate in: Delivering educational webinars, formal training and enterprise development services for small business development practitioners and small enterprises. Recruit and secure sponsorships and fundraising partners, from both public and private sectors, to cover the costs of delivering the activities falling under the Agreement. |
Cherrie Blair Foundation and Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) |
The purpose of the partnership is to train 2500 women owned businesses on the Cherrie Blair Foundation’s HerVenture App, an e-learning platform for training. Seda through its network is responsible for the recruitment of the participants, assisting women owned businesses to download and utilize the HerVenture APP. GIBS is the strategic partner of Cherie Blair Foundation for Women and responsible for the implementation of HerVenture Programme in South Africa. GIBS is responsible for the training of Seda Staff on the functionality of Her Venture App and provides technical support to the participating business owners. |
Merseta |
In 2021, DSBD, Seda and Merseta signed Agreement for Merseta to release the discretionary grant to Seda to the value of R 50million. The funding will be provided in phased approach over a 3-year period. The purpose is to train Small Enterprise in the Automotive Trade Sector as well as facilitate Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning (ARPL). |
United Nations Commission for Trade and Development (UNCDP) |
To foment the entrepreneurial aptitudes and business behaviours oriented towards the growth and empowerment of entrepreneurs and promote an open entrepreneurship culture in the whole of South Africa. Seda is the implementer of the Empretec programme in South Africa. UNCTAD continues developing integrated capacity building programmes to assist national governments in their efforts to promote the creation of sustainable support structures for Small Medium Enterprises. |
Enactus South Africa NPC |
Purpose: To facilitate entrepreneurial community development projects driven by students and supported by business leaders. Seda’s role is to make Business Advisors available for judging, training, and professional development, provide mentorship, conduct business assessments, and provide technical support. Enactus’ role is to provide administration support in the co-ordination of joint events and projects between the two partners. |
The South African Local Government Association |
Purpose: To create a cooperative and collaborative framework in selected areas of capacity building and development. Seda’s role is to implement the Small-Town Regeneration programme nationally. SALGA’S role is to train LED officers, Councillors, Incubators etc. |
National Skills Fund (NSF) |
Seda applied to the National Skills Fund (NSF) requesting funding to benefit 14 000 beneficiaries for a total budget of R 592 275 000 for a period of 3 years. The aim of the project was to recruit unemployed graduates with Accounting and Business Management qualifications to be trained on New Venture Creation, Coaching, and Mentorship Programme to enhance their skills to provide support to Micro Enterprises. Seda will use coaching as an innovative methodology to facilitate and reinforce learning and development support to Micro Enterprises and the Unemployed graduates will be trained on new venture creation as well as business coaching to enable them to transfer skills & knowledge to Micro Enterprise owners. |
University of Stellenbosch |
Publication of the annual GEM SA 2021/22 report and the regional/municipal Ecosystem Index (ESI) report. |
Retail Motor Industry (RMI) |
Purpose: To provide small enterprise development services to black informal and semi formal businesses who are candidates of the National African Association for Automobile Services Providers (NAAASP). Seda to Provision of Non-Financial and business development support. RMI to provide technical training, facilitate accreditation and facilitate access to retail automotive value chain. |
Umgeni Water |
This is part of Seda’s Supplier Development Programme in which Provision of Non-Financial support, training, and aftercare support to SMMEs in the supply chain of Umgeni Water in order to build their operational capabilities, efficiencies and effectiveness. |
W&R Seta |
Seda and W&R Seta signed an Agreement to support one thousand (1000) Tuckshops, General Dealers to the value of R 9 975 000. |
sefa only enters a formal partnership with organisations that play a critical role in the SMME ecosystem – thus ensuring value add. In compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, sefa will not be able to divulge the names of individual partners – but it’s worth mentioning that these relationships are reported in the sefa management structures and some of them published in the annual reports.
.
26 May 2023 - NW1484
Siwisa, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether, with reference to the reply to question 1081 on 17 April 2023, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was approved through an Act in Parliament in 1945 and with the history of the apartheid regime that ruled the Republic, leading to the disadvantage of proper education for the black majority in the Republic, her department has any plans in place to change the norms as stated by the CSIR, taking into consideration that there are still fewer high schools, leading to overcrowded classes and in some instances children not being able to enrol due to such overcrowding in schools?
Reply:
According to the School Realities 2022 available on the DBE website, the number of learners per grade are as follows:
- There are 7 grades in Primary Schools, compared to only 5 grades in Secondary Schools. If there were an equal number of learners in each grade, we will need 40% more Primary School classrooms than Secondary School classrooms.
- Based on the actual number of learners reported in the School Realities, there were 7 906 918 learners in Primary Schools, compared to only 4 766 312 learners in Secondary Schools. If there were an equal number of learners per classroom, we will need 60% more Primary School classrooms than Secondary School classrooms.
- The CSIR guidelines simply reflect similar realities.
- Overcrowding is not limited to Secondary Schools.
- Overcrowding is the result of the migration of learners. This seems to be a combination of the migration from rural schools to urban schools and the migration to specific provinces.
- Overcrowding is also the result of the preference of parents to place their children in better performing schools.
26 May 2023 - NW1405
Buthelezi, Mr EM to ask the Minister of Finance
Considering the fact that load shedding poses a threat to financial stability and that insufficient and unreliable electricity supply is likely to threaten the success of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as it has caused a reduction in business activity from SMEs, what measures has the National Treasury put in place to aid business owners in mitigating the financial impact of load shedding on their businesses, especially the SMEs located in rural areas?
Reply:
National Treasury is concerned with the impact of insufficient and unreliable electricity supply on the broader economy, including SMEs and households. In this regard, National Treasury has, as announced in 2023 Budget Speech, undertaken various interventions. Some aim to reduce the negative impact as a result of load shedding, while other measures aim to encourage an expansion in the country’s generation capacity – particularly from renewables.
The first intervention relates to the measures taken to return ESKOM to stability and sustainability given that ESKOM remains the principal electricity generat.ing entity. National Treasury proposed a total debt relief arrangement for Eskom of R254 billion. This consists of two components. One is for R184 billion, which represents Eskom’s full debt settlement requirement in three tranches over the medium term. The second is a direct take-over of up to R70 billion of Eskom’s loan portfolio in 2025/26. Because of the structure of the debt relief, Eskom will not need further borrowing during the relief period. Government will finance the arrangement through a R66 billion baseline provision announced in the 2019 Budget, and R118 billion in additional borrowings over the next three years.
Secondly, as announced in the 2023 Budget, from 1 March 2023, businesses will be able to reduce their taxable income by 125 per cent of the cost of an investment in renewables. There will be no thresholds on the size of the projects that qualify, and the incentive will be available for two years to stimulate investment in electricity generation capacity from renewables in the short term. Further, there is also a new temporary tax incentive introduced to encourage households to invest in clean electricity generation capacity which can supplement electricity supply. Individuals who install rooftop solar panels from 1 March 2023 will be able to claim a rebate of 25 per cent of the cost of the panels, up to a maximum of R15 000. This can be used to reduce their tax liability in the 2023/24 tax year. This incentive will be available for one year.
Thirdly, also announced in the 2023 Budget, National Treasury will make changes to the Bounce Back Loan Guarantee Scheme (introduced in 2022) to incentivize renewable energy, rooftop solar, and address energy-related constraints experienced by small and medium enterprises. Government will guarantee solar-related loans for small and medium enterprises on a 20 per cent first-loss basis. National Treasury will launch the Energy Bounce Back Scheme in the coming weeks.
For more information, I refer the Honourable Member to the 2023 Budget Review and subsequent Bills introduced in Parliament or published for public comment on the National Treasury website.
26 May 2023 - NW1518
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
What (a) progress has been made in terms of establishing new Small Enterprise Finance Agency and Small Enterprise Development Agency branches and/or service points in rural communities since the implementation of her department’s strategy and (b) are her department's targets for further expansion in the coming years?”
Reply:
- The Small Enterprise Development Agency has adjudicated 78 and signed contracts with 52 access points during the 2022-23 financial year as shown below. The additional twenty-six (26) access points will be contracted during 2023/24 financial year.
Furthermore, since the beginning of the sixth administration, sefa has provided financial support as follows in the rural towns and villages of South Africa:
Township per Province and District
Rural per Province and District
a) The Small Enterprise Development Agency is working with municipalities through the DDM model to expand its co-location points working through Local Economic Development with the municipalities, this will expand its footprint in the rural communities.
Also, over the MTEF period, sefa plans to disburse as follows to rural towns and villages:
Measurement Indicator |
FY2023/24 |
FY2024/25 |
FY2025/26 |
Disbursements to township-based enterprises (R’000) |
R586 647 |
R645 312 |
R709 843 |
Disbursements to enterprises located in rural towns and villages (R’000) |
R938 636 |
R1 032 499 |
R1 135 749 |
26 May 2023 - NW1520
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
What steps is her department taking to raise awareness among rural entrepreneurs about the availability of the services and benefits offered by the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and Small Enterprise Development Agency to small businesses, particularly in terms of access to finance, business development support and skills training?”
Reply:
The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and Small Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa) raise awareness of their products and services particularly in rural communities through entrepreneurship awareness sessions, these are organized by the branches of the entity and in collaboration with municipalities and private sector partners.
Our agencies also use community radio stations, social media platforms, sector specific webinars, and pop-up markets to expose their products and services. Seda will now also use its access points to send out information to the nearby communities particularly in the rural areas where there is no direct presence.
During the 2022/23 year, Seda trained more than fifteen thousand one hundred and nineteen (15,119) SMMEs on various programmes and courses. These includes courses amongst many other Basic Business Skills, Business Start-Up 1, Cybercrimes, HACCP Awareness, Food Safety, QMS, SARS Incentives, Export Awareness, Costing, Empretec, Business Planning, Business Model Canvas, Community Public Private Partnership, Art of Pitching, Customer Care, Retail Management, Design Thinking, Green Economy, etc. Training are needs based and often presented in collaboration with our partners.
As part of reclaiming components of the township economy Seda has also forged key skills development partnerships namely:
- A 3-year partnership with the National Skills Fund (NSF) and W&R Seta to benefit 15 000 beneficiaries. The aim of the project is to recruit unemployed graduates with Accounting and Business Management qualifications to be trained on New Venture Creation, Coaching, and Mentorship Programme to enhance their skills to provide support to Micro Enterprises. Seda will use coaching as an innovative methodology to facilitate and reinforce learning and development support to Micro Enterprises and the unemployed graduates will be trained on new venture creation as well as business coaching to enable them to transfer skills and knowledge to Micro Enterprise owners..
In 2021, DSBD, Seda and Merseta signed an agreement for Merseta to release a discretionary grant to Seda to the value of R 50 million. The funding will be provided in phased approach over a 3-year period. The purpose is to train small enterprises in the Automotive Trade Sector as well as facilitate Artisan Recognition of Prior Learning (ARPL).
Furthermore, information is also provided through the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), Seda and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) websites and contact centres. The DSBD also participates in Municipal LED Forums organised by the Municipalities / Provincial and National Government in various Provinces across the country. These include Business Forums, Izimbizo, Summits / Conferences, Community Outreach Programmes, Road Shows and other programmes. The DSBD uses these platforms to share information regarding the services that are available to SMMEs and Co-operatives offered through sefa and Seda. Participants at these engagements are also directed to Seda and sefa offices that are found across the country to acquire further assistance regarding the initiatives of the Department and its agencies.
26 May 2023 - NW1488
Mohlala, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
What measures has his department put in place to ensure that the water treatment plant which was opened by the former President, Mr J G Zuma, in the Mopani District Municipality in 2014 which is no longer operational as it only worked for four days and then stopped operating, is fully operational?
Reply:
The Giyani Water Treatment Works (WTW) was upgraded by the Mopani District Municipality (DM) through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) funding administered by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA). That component of the WTW functioned briefly after completion but was subsequently shut down due to structural defects at the pump station. The Mopani DM is handling the matter internally to in terms of applying consequence management against responsible parties that were involved in the project.
During the 2022/23 financial year, the Department approved business plans and provided funding through Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) to address the capacity constraints at the Giyani WTW. The project is implemented in two phases as follows:
- Phase 1 includes, refurbishment of the existing 30Ml/d WTW to restore its capacity to provide water to the 55 villages.
- Phase 2 includes upgrade of the WTW with additional 10Ml/d to meet the current and future water demands in Giyani. This will include refurbishment and upgrade of some components of the failed 6,5Ml/d WTW.
Implementation of Phase 1 is underway with overall progress at 13%. It is anticipated that the project will be completed by December 2023. Phase 2 is being planned and will be funded through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG). The implementation of this project is planned to commence in April 2024.
---00O00---
26 May 2023 - NW1586
Mthenjane, Mr DF to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
(a) “What are the details regarding the cash flow misalignment relating to the Blended Finance Programme and the discontinued Gazelles Programme, (b) why was there a misalignment and (c) how was it discovered and corrected?”
Reply:
a) I have been advised that the Gazelles Programme was discontinued at the beginning of the 2022/23 financial year and by the time it was discontinued, a budget of R29.8 million was already allocated to this programme during the Estimates of National Expenditure (ENE) process and the related cash flow already approved by National Treasury.
b) A decision was taken to discontinue the Gazelles programme after the MTEF process had closed. The funds were originally allocated to Seda for the discontinued Gazelles programme, whilst a decision was taken to fund the Blended Finance programme – the Youth Start Up programme, which is implemented by sefa.
c) The misalignment was known at the beginning of the financial year as stated in (a) above and the corrective measure was to request and receive approval from national treasury. The approval was granted in November 2022. There was a two-month delay in getting the related cash flow approved. The cash flow approval was in January 2023. It needs to be noted that the department has not exceeded the overall allocated 2022/23 budget.
During the Adjustment Estimates of National Expenditure (AENE) process, DSBD requested for reprioritisation of the Gazelles allocated budget to the Youth start-up programme to be implemented by sefa under the umbrella of the Blended Finance line item. The reprioritisation was approved by National Treasury and the Department was requested to submit the revised cash flow by the 9th of January 2022.
The cashflow for the discontinued Gazelles programme was in November 2022 and it was decided that the available cash for this programme should be redirected to the Youth start-up programme to ensure that the new programme is not delayed any further. Waiting for the cashflow process to be finalised in line with National Treasury’s timelines was going to result in a delay of two months as the revised AENE cashflow was only approved on 23 January 2023.
26 May 2023 - NW1490
Mohlala, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
What is the current update regarding the completion of the Giyani Water Project, specifically in terms of the reticulation of water to reservoirs and households of the 55 villages?
Reply:
The Giyani Water Project comprises of three different but interlinked projects namely Nandoni-Nsami Pipeline (Giyani Water Project); Giyani Water Services (reticulation to reservoirs) and Reticulation to 55 villages.
The overall progress for the Nandoni-Nsami Pipeline (Giyani Water) Project is 72%. The 40 km pipeline has been completed. The remaining work includes permanent river crossings, chambers, and pressure testing. Water is being pumped from the Nandoni Dam to the canal at Xixukwana and gravitates to the balancing dam at the Nsami Water Treatment Works. Practical completion for Nandoni to Nsami pipeline was achieved on 05 April 2023. The final completion is anticipated for 30 June 2023.
The overall progress for the Giyani Water Services (reticulation to reservoirs) Project is at 60% with 300km of the 325km pipeline installed. Of the 66 planned connections to the reservoirs, 20 (30,3%) have been completed and are supplying bulk water to the community. However, water is currently supplied on rationing basis due to reduced capacity at Nsami WTW. This is being addressed through refurbishment project for the WTW which is currently under construction. Completion of the project is planned for December 2023.
The Giyani reticulation programme was initiated to complete the water service value chain (source to tap) in August 2022. The reticulation program extends the supply from bulk pipelines to households. The reticulation project will be implemented in two phases.
- Phase 1 for reticulation to 24 villages has commenced. A total of 24 out of 37 contractors have been appointed and are at varying stages of implementation phase. The duration of each contract is for 12 months per village.
- Phase 2 for reticulation to 31 villages is planned for commencement and completion in the 2024/25 financial year.
---00O00---
26 May 2023 - NW1742
Msimang, Prof CT to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Electricity
Whether he has found that the possibility of Stage 8 of load shedding is looming closer than the possibility of the load shedding crisis being handled; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The winter outlook indicates an increased risk of supply shortfall against expected demand, with our worst-case scenario indicating that load shedding could intensify to stage eight if our interventions are unsuccessful. Stage 6 loadshedding is the highest stage of loadshedding implemented in South Africa so far. Stage 7 or 8 load shedding has not been implemented.
The NRS048-9 Code of Practice differentiates between loadshedding and load curtailment, the latter being the instructed, partial reduction of demand from large industrial customers. On occasion, load curtailment, up to Stage 4, has been implemented in conjunction with Stage 6 loadshedding.
Each stage of load curtailment is approximately 5% of the large customer demand with Stage 4 load curtailment being up to 1000MW of demand that is removed from the power system.
26 May 2023 - NW1775
Mthenjane, Mr DF to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
In light of the fact that it has been noted that there is a lack of collaboration between the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa) and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), as Seda business partners sometimes fail to inform its clients about Sefa’s financial support, what are the (a) reasons and (b) limitations that prevent the Seda business partner from informing small-, medium- and micro enterprises and co-operatives about Sefa?”
Reply:
(a)&(b) The collaboration between the Seda and sefa has also improved to the benefit of SMMEs and Co-operatives. One of the initiatives that was undertaken is the development of a common funding template. The funding template provides guidelines to Seda officials when developing business plans that are aimed at raising funding through sefa. In addition to this initiative, there is a Steering Committee that has been established at the national level to guide provinces in respect of areas of collaboration. Seda officials in all provinces were also trained on sefa’s programmes as well as the automated loan origination system.
In the short term, there are concerted efforts to strengthen and streamline collaboration and communications between the DSBD entities (sefa and Seda) with regards to their products, services and especially progress feedback on applications. To this end, the entities identified the following key focus areas of engagement to ensure improved service delivery to our clients:
- The sharing of databases by the entities in order to improve service offerings and efficiencies.
- Pre-investment support to be provided by Seda after sefa has reviewed an application and indicates what Seda needs to assist the client with.
- The sharing of processes, which will be arranged with the Seda provincial network through virtual sessions.
- Amendment of the referral process to focus on process and supported related issues.
- Exposure of Seda Practitioners to sefa processes to gain a better understanding of the entities’ evaluation processes.
- The training of Seda Business Advisors on sefa’s due diligence.
- sefa will also train Seda’s Access Points Service Providers on sefa’s products and application processes, especially in those areas where sefa never receives applications.
- Proper functioning referral system between the two entities.
- sefa to link its pre-invest staff to the various Seda branches.
- Seda will also provide post-investment support. sefa will still provide post-investment monitoring, as required of them as a Development Finance Institution (DFI).
In some of the provinces, sefa’s Investment Analysts are already linked to Seda branches and sefa’s Regional Managers meet with the relevant Seda Branch Managers and Practitioners to discuss sefa referrals. These engagements are very important, and the entities are working on standardizing it in all Provinces.
26 May 2023 - NW1766
Arries, Ms LH to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What total number of (a) schools have fulltime social workers who can assist learners who are bullied and (b) the specified social workers are part of the school organogram?
Reply:
Response
PROVINCE |
CHILD AND YOUTH CARE WORKERS |
SOCIAL AUXILIARY WORKERS |
SOCIAL WORKERS |
LEARNER SUPPORT AGENTS |
CARE AND SUPPORT AGENTS |
Grand Total |
EASTERN CAPE |
38 |
15 |
63 |
913 |
6 221 |
7 250 |
FREE STATE |
54 |
1 |
64 |
93 |
1 650 |
1 861 |
GAUTENG |
10 |
21 |
137 |
415 |
2 860 |
3 443 |
KWAZULU NATAL |
0 |
6 |
72 |
698 |
4 876 |
5 652 |
LIMPOPO |
0 |
0 |
73 |
121 |
3 241 |
3 435 |
MPUMALANGA |
12 |
20 |
30 |
320 |
1 422 |
1 764 |
NORTH WEST |
0 |
18 |
55 |
130 |
1 343 |
1 546 |
NORTHERN CAPE |
0 |
3 |
17 |
40 |
827 |
887 |
WESTERN CAPE |
0 |
9 |
95 |
178 |
450 |
732 |
Grand Total |
114 |
93 |
606 |
2 907 |
21 637 |
26 570 |
Source: Persal, January 2023 |
26 May 2023 - NW1349
Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
What (a) total number of senior managers within the Public Service have no qualifications for the positions that they currently occupy as at 1 March 2023 and (b) is the breakdown of the figure for each (i) national and (ii) provincial government department?
Reply:
a) In terms of information taken from PERSAL, as of 1 March 2023, there were 1874 senior managers within the Public Service who have no qualifications for the positions that they currently occupy.
The 2016 Directive on Minimum Requirements for Appointment of SMS members, provided for minimum requirements as followed:
- Director and Chief Director level : Undergraduate qualification on NQF Level 7
- Deputy Director General and HOD : Undergraduate qualification and a post graduate qualification on NQF Level 8
Senior managers who are considered to have no qualification for the position they occupy are officials in positions who either does not poses the minimum NQF level qualification or qualifications have not been captured on PERSAL by the department that they work in.
b) The breakdown is provided in the table below for (i) national and (ii) provincial governments and highlights the appointments made before the 2016 Directive came into effect and those that were made after August 2016 when the Directive was already in place. It should be noted that engagements are continuing with departments to ensure that all qualification details are updated on PERSAL especially for senior managers appointed after August 2016. The DPSA is intervening to investigate appointments made after 2016 and information obtained indicates that some departments are not updating their information on PERSAL, even when senior managers are in compliance with minimum requirements.
(i) At national level, 634 senior managers were appointed before 2016 and 211 appointed after August 2016.
(ii) At the provincial level 738 senior managers were appointed before 2016 and 291 after August 2016.
National Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development |
25 |
6 |
31 |
Basic Education |
3 |
4 |
7 |
Civilian Secretariat for the Police Service |
2 |
0 |
2 |
Communications and Digital Technologies |
7 |
0 |
7 |
Cooperative Governance |
23 |
8 |
31 |
Correctional Services |
35 |
14 |
49 |
Employment and Labour |
32 |
12 |
44 |
Environment, Forestry and Fisheries |
17 |
7 |
24 |
Government Communication and Information System |
4 |
0 |
4 |
Health |
30 |
9 |
39 |
Higher Education and Training |
26 |
22 |
48 |
Home Affairs |
20 |
5 |
25 |
Human Settlements |
23 |
5 |
28 |
Independent Police Investigative Directorate |
4 |
1 |
5 |
International Relations and Cooperation |
21 |
12 |
33 |
Justice and Constitutional Development |
9 |
6 |
15 |
Military Veterans |
2 |
0 |
2 |
Mineral Resources and Energy |
19 |
7 |
26 |
National School of Government |
0 |
0 |
0 |
National Treasury |
49 |
15 |
64 |
National Prosecuting Authority |
61 |
0 |
61 |
Office of the Chief Justice |
5 |
2 |
7 |
Office of the Public Service Commission |
2 |
1 |
3 |
Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation |
8 |
2 |
10 |
Police |
3 |
1 |
4 |
Public Enterprises |
9 |
4 |
13 |
Public Service and Administration |
5 |
2 |
7 |
Public Works and Infrastructure |
37 |
12 |
49 |
Science and Innovation |
11 |
0 |
11 |
Small Business Development |
4 |
0 |
4 |
Social Development |
5 |
0 |
5 |
Sport, Arts and Culture |
9 |
3 |
12 |
Statistics South Africa |
13 |
3 |
16 |
The Presidency |
10 |
3 |
13 |
Tourism |
9 |
0 |
9 |
Trade, Industry and Competition |
11 |
0 |
11 |
Traditional Affairs |
6 |
1 |
7 |
Transport |
16 |
6 |
22 |
Water and Sanitation |
17 |
25 |
42 |
Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities |
2 |
1 |
3 |
Total |
634 |
211 |
845 |
ii. provincial government breakdown
Eastern Cape |
Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Community Safety |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs |
7 |
2 |
9 |
|
Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism |
11 |
1 |
12 |
|
Education |
11 |
7 |
18 |
|
Health |
31 |
7 |
38 |
|
Human Settlements |
10 |
2 |
12 |
|
Office of the Premier |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Provincial Treasury |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
Public works and Infrastructure |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Rural Development and Agrarian Reform |
10 |
2 |
12 |
|
Social Development |
7 |
5 |
12 |
|
Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture |
6 |
2 |
8 |
|
Transport |
4 |
3 |
7 |
|
|
Total |
102 |
35 |
137 |
Free state |
Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Agriculture |
11 |
1 |
12 |
|
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs |
5 |
0 |
5 |
|
Economic Dev, Tourism and Environmental Affair |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Education |
8 |
2 |
10 |
|
Health |
10 |
5 |
15 |
|
Human Settlements |
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
Office of the Premier |
4 |
3 |
7 |
|
Police, Roads and Transport |
4 |
2 |
6 |
|
Provincial Treasury |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Public Works |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Social Development |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
|
Total |
51 |
17 |
68 |
Gauteng |
Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Agriculture and Rural Development |
13 |
7 |
20 |
|
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs |
10 |
2 |
12 |
|
Community Safety |
4 |
8 |
12 |
|
E-Government |
7 |
6 |
13 |
|
Economic Development |
8 |
5 |
13 |
|
Education |
24 |
8 |
32 |
|
Health |
29 |
15 |
44 |
|
Human Settlements |
11 |
6 |
17 |
|
Infrastructure Development |
7 |
4 |
11 |
|
Office of the Premier |
23 |
5 |
28 |
|
Provincial Treasury |
19 |
11 |
30 |
|
Roads and Transport |
15 |
3 |
18 |
|
Social Development |
0 |
4 |
4 |
|
Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation |
9 |
1 |
10 |
|
|
Total |
179 |
85 |
264 |
KwaZulu Natal |
Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Agriculture and Rural Development |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Arts and Culture |
5 |
0 |
5 |
|
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs |
1 |
5 |
6 |
|
Community Safety and Liaison |
4 |
1 |
5 |
|
Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs |
8 |
8 |
16 |
|
Education |
20 |
6 |
26 |
|
Finance |
12 |
4 |
16 |
|
Health |
8 |
4 |
12 |
|
Human Settlements |
2 |
2 |
4 |
|
Office of the Premier |
9 |
4 |
13 |
|
Public Works |
3 |
1 |
4 |
|
Social Development |
6 |
5 |
11 |
|
Sports, Arts and Recreation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Transport |
17 |
2 |
19 |
|
|
Total |
97 |
42 |
139 |
Limpopo |
Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Agriculture and Rural Development |
4 |
0 |
4 |
|
Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs |
14 |
3 |
17 |
|
Economic Development, Environment and Tourism |
6 |
3 |
9 |
|
Education |
13 |
5 |
18 |
|
Health |
27 |
7 |
34 |
|
Office of the Premier |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Provincial Treasury |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Public Works, Roads and Infrastructure |
11 |
2 |
13 |
|
Social Development |
4 |
1 |
5 |
|
Sports, Arts and Culture |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Transport and Community Safety |
11 |
1 |
12 |
|
|
Total |
96 |
23 |
119 |
Mpumalanga |
Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs |
5 |
2 |
7 |
|
Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs |
3 |
2 |
5 |
|
Community Safety, Security and Liaison |
3 |
1 |
4 |
|
Culture, Sport and Recreation |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Economic Development and Tourism |
4 |
3 |
7 |
|
Education |
10 |
0 |
10 |
|
Health |
14 |
12 |
26 |
|
Human Settlements |
3 |
11 |
14 |
|
Office of the Premier |
9 |
1 |
10 |
|
Provincial Treasury |
6 |
1 |
7 |
|
Public Works, Roads and Transport |
8 |
5 |
13 |
|
Social Development |
8 |
0 |
8 |
|
|
Total |
74 |
38 |
112 |
North West |
Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Agriculture and Rural Development |
6 |
6 |
12 |
|
Arts, Culture, Sports and Recreation |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Community Safety and Transport Management |
2 |
3 |
5 |
|
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs |
5 |
1 |
6 |
|
Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Education |
3 |
5 |
8 |
|
Health |
3 |
2 |
5 |
|
Human Settlements |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Office of the Premier |
7 |
3 |
10 |
|
Provincial Treasury |
15 |
5 |
20 |
|
Public Works and Roads |
11 |
6 |
17 |
|
Social Development |
6 |
2 |
8 |
|
|
Total |
65 |
34 |
99 |
Northern Cape |
Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Agriculture, Environmental Affairs, Rural Development and Land Affairs |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Economic Development and Tourism |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Education |
8 |
2 |
10 |
|
Environment and Nature Conservation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Health |
3 |
4 |
7 |
|
Office of the Premier |
4 |
1 |
5 |
|
Provincial Treasury |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Roads and Public Works |
6 |
1 |
7 |
|
Social Development |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
Sport, Arts and Culture |
4 |
1 |
5 |
|
Transport, Safety and Liaison |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
|
Total |
39 |
10 |
49 |
Western Cape |
Departments |
Before 1 August 2016 |
From 1 August 2016 |
As on 31 March 2023 |
Agriculture |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Community Safety |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Cultural Affairs and Sport |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Economic Development and Tourism |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Education |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Environmental Affairs and Development Planning |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Health |
7 |
3 |
10 |
|
Human Settlements |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Local Government |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
Provincial Treasury |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
Social Development |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
The Premier |
11 |
1 |
12 |
|
Transport and Public Works |
5 |
1 |
6 |
|
|
Total |
35 |
7 |
42 |
Total for National and Provincial
National/Provincial department |
|
|
|
||
Total |
||
|
Eastern Cape |
137 |
|
Free State |
68 |
|
Gauteng |
264 |
|
Kwa Zulu Natal |
139 |
|
Limpopo |
119 |
|
Mpumalanga |
112 |
|
National |
845 |
|
North West |
99 |
|
Northern Cape |
49 |
|
Western Cape |
42 |
|
Total |
1874 |
End
26 May 2023 - NW1776
Mthenjane, Mr DF to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
How do the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and the Small Enterprise Development Agency deal with the overlaps and duplications in the roles and services they and the North-West Development Corporation offer?”
Reply:
I have been advised:
that the relationship between the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) and the North-West Development Corporation (NWDC) is both strategic and complimentary.
Currently the NWDC does not provide funding to SMMEs in the province, they provide access to finance by linking SMMEs that require business funding with other Development Finance Institutions including, but not limited to, sefa. Additionally, NWDC also provides access to markets and access to industrial infrastructure to SMMEs funded through sefa.
Furthermore, the NWDC offers non-financial support only to the clients that it has previously facilitated access to finance for by linking them with DFIs. In essence the relationship with our agencies is a complementary relationship.
26 May 2023 - NW1850
Nodada, Mr BB to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What number of educators were rated by her department as (a) unacceptable, (b) acceptable, (c) good and (d) outstanding on the integrated quality management system and/or quality management system in each (i) post level, (ii) province and (iii) year since 1 January 2010?
Reply:
The appraisal of educators, in terms of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) from 2010 and the Quality Management System (QMS) since 2021, is a provincial competency.
The question asked by the Honourable Member, falls within the Executive Authority of the Member of the Executive Council (MEC); and not the Minister of Basic Education. Therefore, the question should be directed to provinces.
26 May 2023 - NW1848
Nodada, Mr BB to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
On what date will the latest National Education Infrastructure Management System report be released?
Reply:
The National Education Infrastructure Management System was decommissioned on 31 March 2023, and the data was moved to the property module of the Education Infrastructure Management System. Concurrent with the said process is the updating of the information on the system conducted by Provincial Education Departments. The updated reports will be released as soon as these processes are concluded.
26 May 2023 - NW1608
Madokwe, Ms P to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What (a) is her department’s position on schools which have grown intolerant of black learners, male and female, keeping their Afro hair to a point of even cutting learners’ hair as it happened in the Endlozana Primary School, kwaNongoma, thus negatively affecting their dignity and their religious beliefs as they belong to the Nazareth Church and (b) consequences befall (i) principals of such schools and (ii) implicated teachers?
Reply:
(a) The Department of Basic Education condemns schools which have grown intolerant of black learners, male and female, keeping their Afro hair to a point of even cutting learners’ hair; as it happened in the Endlozana Primary School, kwaNongoma; thus negatively impuning on the learners' dignity and their religious beliefs; as they belong to the Nazareth Church. This practice is unconstitutional, intolerant and misaligned with the spirit of diversity and social inclusion in schools, expressed in the education policy frameworks to guide such matters.
Schools that are affected by this phenomenon often quote the School Codes of Conduct that tend to require children to dress their hair in a particular fashion. Many years ago, when this matter of hair arose for girls, the Sector resolved that School Codes of Conduct must be periodically reviewed for prejudice and discrimination; and immediately revised when findings of the review points out to existence of discrimination. Currently, the Department is working with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), Equal Education Law Centre (EELC), and the Centre for Child Law to develop an human rights compliant exemplar code of conduct for schools in order to assist schools to avoid human rights violations of whatever nature.
(b) Provincial Education Departments will be in a position to activate consequence management (i) support principals and (ii) teachers regarding prevention and management of discrimination, prejudice and related intolerance in school management.
26 May 2023 - NW1451
Komane, Ms RN to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Given that several learners are not fed at schools due to the challenges faced by the National School Nutrition Programme and noting that most service providers throughout the Republic, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, have still not received payment, (a) what are the causes of such challenges and (b) by what date does she envisage the situation will be addressed, as most learners cannot concentrate at school due to poverty?
Reply:
(a) Government aims to pay all service providers within a 30 day time period. The late payment in KZN is related to difficulties experienced in that province linked to the inability of a service provider to fulfil its obligations in terms of a recent tender.
(b) The NSNP in the provinces, has since been stabilised; and feeding in schools has been fully restored.
26 May 2023 - NW1030
Ngcobo, Mr SL to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Whether her department, in light of its failure to achieve its Quarter 3 indicator target for Programme 5 relating to the Gender-based Violence (GBV) Monitoring Tool and the inability of some districts to implement it, will be capacitating the specified districts to enhance the implementation of the initiative to increase the departmental achievement going forward and ensure that pupils who experience and/or are affected by GBV are afforded the support they need; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The non-achievement of this indicator in the third quarter was linked to ambiguity in the Technical Indicator Descriptor and not programme implementation. The matter has since been addressed.
26 May 2023 - NW1849
Nodada, Mr BB to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What (a) number of (i) single-medium and (ii) dual-medium schools are there (aa) nationally and (bb) in each province and (b) is the (i) language of instruction and (ii) type of each school in each case?
Reply:
Response: (a)(i)(ii)
(a) (i)
Single medium schools are schools that use only one medium of instruction for all learner in all grades. Table1 indicates that majority of schools in the country were English medium schools (5 875) followed by Afrikaans medium schools with 1 004 schools.
Table 1: Number of single- medium schools, by province, in 2022
Province |
Afrikaans |
English |
IsiNdebele |
SiSwati |
IsiXhosa |
IsiZulu |
SeSotho |
SePedi |
SeTswana |
TshiVenda |
XiTshonga |
EC |
111 |
755 |
0 |
0 |
120 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
FS |
41 |
240 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
GT |
115 |
686 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
KZN |
3 |
1 264 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
28 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
LP |
26 |
1 446 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
MP |
24 |
337 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
NC |
155 |
78 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
NW |
58 |
525 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
WC |
471 |
544 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
National |
1 004 |
5 875 |
4 |
1 |
121 |
33 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
4 |
4 |
a) (ii)
Parallel medium schools are schools that offer two or more mediums of instruction in different classes in the same grade for all grades in the school. Table 2 below reflects the proportion of schools that may be regarded as English parallel medium schools.
Table 2: Number of single- medium schools, by province, in 2022
Province |
Afrikaans/English |
English/IsiNdebele |
English/Siswati |
English/IsiXhosa |
English/IsiZulu |
English/SeSotho |
English/SePedi |
English/SeTswana |
English/TshiVenda |
English/XiTshonga |
EC |
156 |
12 |
0 |
3 614 |
0 |
20 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
FS |
97 |
8 |
0 |
5 |
9 |
367 |
0 |
34 |
0 |
0 |
GT |
239 |
60 |
3 |
20 |
126 |
81 |
27 |
59 |
8 |
13 |
KZN |
69 |
29 |
1 |
172 |
3 807 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
LP |
35 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 431 |
23 |
455 |
327 |
MP |
73 |
80 |
327 |
2 |
229 |
1 |
92 |
38 |
0 |
119 |
NC |
128 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
130 |
0 |
0 |
NW |
42 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
16 |
0 |
881 |
0 |
0 |
WC |
464 |
0 |
0 |
159 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
SA |
1 303 |
191 |
331 |
3 983 |
4 172 |
488 |
1 551 |
1 166 |
464 |
459 |
(b)(i)(ii)
Response is attached.
26 May 2023 - NW1489
Mohlala, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
What measures has his department taken to address the challenge of boreholes that were drilled in the Mopani District Municipality, but that are non-operational because they have not been powered by Eskom?
Reply:
The Mopani District Municipality has the responsibility of developing and maintaining water and sanitation services infrastructure within its area of jurisdiction as a Water Service Authority (WSA). The Department of Water and Sanitation is supporting the Municipality through various programmes to ensure infrastructure is developed for the efficient provision of water services to communities. This support is provided through the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) and Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) for groundwater development (drilling, equipping and distribution) to augment water supply to communities in Mopani DM.
---00O00---
26 May 2023 - NW1722
Ngcobo, Mr SL to ask the Minister of Employment and Labour
Whether, in light of illegal and/or undocumented foreign workers who get arrested every year as employers take advantage of lenient and sometimes the inconsistent legislation and labour practices, his department intends to put in place new and/or stricter legislation to ensure strict adherence to legislation that prohibits the hiring of undocumented foreign workers; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Department of Employment and labour has already initiated a process to ensure that the hiring of foreign nationals is done in an orderly and regulated manner that is consistent with our constitution, the International Treaties and Regional and SADC Protocols that are in existence or that we have signed.
We have already released for public comment, a Draft policy and the proposed Employment Services Amendment Bill that seeks to repeal the current sections 08 and 09 of the Employment Services Act with a comprehensive new chapter in the Act.
The Chapter has includes provisions that allows the Minister of Employment and Labour to introduce regulations around limits or quotas on the number of foreign nationals that can be employed in specific sectors of our economy.
The Draft Policy and the proposed Bill are currently at NEDLAC for consultations with Social Partners in terms of the NEDLAC Act for the next two months. We will finalize the government internal processes thereafter to receive the necessary certifications during August/September. Our plans are to approach Cabinet to approve the Bill for tabling in Parliament during October this year.
26 May 2023 - NW1382
Van Der Walt, Ms D to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1) What is the implementation date of her department’s National Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools; (2) whether provinces are allowed to contradict and/or deviate from the specified policy; if not, what (a) are the reasons that pregnant learners at Tshiitwa Secondary School in Ha-Mashamba, Limpopo, were not allowed to attend school without a parent or adult throughout the day and (b) steps will she take to ensure compliance by all provinces; if so, why?
Reply:
(1) The Minister of Basic Education gazetted the DBE Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Secondary schools on 08 November 2021. The Policy was further launched by the Deputy Minister of Basic Education in February 2022 in Rustenburg, North West province. All provinces were orientated on the policy for implementation and dissemination workshops were conducted in 2022.
(2) Provinces are not allowed to contradict or deviate from the policy. The DBE is currently finalising a guide on the implementation of the policy to support SGBs and SMTs with school level operationalisation of the policy.
26 May 2023 - NW1356
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
What measures has her department taken to ensure that the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and the Small Enterprise Development Agency programmes are tailored to effectively address the unique challenges faced by rural entrepreneurs, such as limited access to markets, infrastructure, and skills development opportunities?
Reply:
The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) has initiated the Shared Economic Infrastructure Facility (SEIF), a programme aimed at assisting small enterprises (including informal, micro, small and medium businesses as well as co-operatives) in improving their competitiveness and sustainability, to become integrated into the main economy. The SEIF is an instrument responding to the ecosystem identified Infrastructural needs through product markets, containers, SMME industrial hub etc. for potential, informal and operational entrepreneurs as articulated in the National Informal Business Upliftment Strategy (NIBUS); Integrated Strategy on the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprises (ISPESE); Cooperative Development Strategy. The programme is open to the following institutions to apply on behalf of the beneficiaries: municipalities, agencies of government, secondary cooperatives, private sector through a partnership with government, provincial government, and private entities. The instrument is a 50/50 cost sharing facility with a maximum funding of up to R15 million.
Through Seda the Department is providing infrastructure (machinery and equipment) via its Seda Technology Programme unit, which has a support programme called Technology Transfer Assistance (TTA) which supports SMMEs with machinery and equipment needed by SMMEs to grow their businesses. This takes the form of a grant of up to R1.2 million. Also, the incubation programme, provides infrastructure to SMMEs in various sectors to grow their businesses by giving them access to physical infrastructure needed. These are actual buildings, plant and equipment and skills development in the form of technical mentors in that particular sector.
Seda continuously reflects on how it positions itself and contribute meaningfully to the small business ecosystem and understand the importance of extending our services and offerings to SMMEs and Co-operatives. With limited resources, the agency continues to leverage on strategic partnerships and programmes that will stimulate economic growth, improve small enterprise performance, productivity, long-term sustainability whilst creating entrepreneurship awareness in these areas.
Through Seda’s access points, SMMEs and Cooperatives are provided with business related information, advice, consultancy, training, coaching, mentoring and business development interventions to improve their business performance. These services are aimed at providing solutions related to various business functions from production to human resources, finance, marketing, quality improvement and export development.
- Seda has an Entrepreneurship in Schools Programme that encourages learners to consider entrepreneurship as an alternative career to employment. The main objective of the programme is:
- To influence the mind set of learners by encouraging them to become job creators instead of job seekers once they leave the schooling system.
- To equip learners with entrepreneurial knowledge and skills needed to start and manage their businesses; and
- To improve entrepreneurial activity amongst the learners and educators.
- Entrepreneurship in Schools (Step up to a Start Up) is a Programme together with Primestars that will support educators through Boot camps to create entrepreneurship awareness amongst the youth and educators. To date, Seda has supported 13 190 student beneficiaries.
- The Enterprise Coaching programme is one of Seda’s flagship programmes aimed at developing and enhancing the competencies of business owners by providing them with knowledge, skills and tools needed to grow their businesses. It is a 10-month coaching programme. Coaching sessions included topics such as financial assistance, self-aware mastery, social marketing strategies, financial management and debt counselling, the dtic incentives, worker’s motivation, productivity, best practices in business. Successful entrepreneurs were invited to share challenges, successes of running a successful business, for example, in the manufacturing sector. A total of 159 enterprises were supported in the 2022/23 financial year. All of the supported enterprises recorded an increase in turnover and more than 374 jobs created.
- Seda through its Learning Academy has also developed different training programmes. These programmes are credit bearing and accredited by the Services Seta. Quality training aims to assist organisations of all types to implement and operate the Quality Management System (QMS) to increase effectiveness, consistency, and customer satisfaction, explain the benefits of implementing QMS and understand the quality, management principles. Whilst Food safety introduces Food Safety, Understand Pre-Requisite programme, HACCP (Hazard Analysis, Critical, Control, Point) system and HACCP principles and Implementing a Food Safety Management System.
The Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) as a development finance institution acknowledges the importance of long-term sustainability of small businesses as they are important in reducing inequality, poverty and unemployment. Through its financing programme, sefa is enabling SMMEs to expand and grow. As part of post-investment support services small business are provided with mentoring and business support. During the quarter 4 of the 2022/23 financial year, sefa initiated a business diagnostic project with 144 clients funded under the Township Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (TREP). The diagnoses conducted focused on the following:
- Owner capability and shortcomings,
- Financial sustainability focusing on development of financial discipline, financial planning and profitability of the business.
- Efficient utilisation of Human capital/resources,
- Efficient and effective operational systems,
- Creating sustainable market share,
- Technical know-how and looking at possible improvements and systems.
The diagnostic results indicate the following:
- Load shedding is affecting most of the businesses.
- No financial systems in place as most of them are not recording their business transactions.
- Most businesses have no clear market.
- Some of the businesses are poorly located, impacting their ability to attract new markets.
sefa continually works with its clients to understand their challenges as to better support these businesses in growing the South African economy. Business support and mentoring are essential ingredients that add value to SMMEs and ensure their continued growth and sustainability in these trying economic times.
26 May 2023 - NW1686
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
(1)Given the critical importance of prompt payment for the sustainability and growth of small businesses, what (a) measures, (b) strategies and (c) monitoring mechanisms are employed by her department to ensure that all small businesses that are engaged in government procurement activities receive payment within the stipulated 30-day period, (2) whether there are any remedial actions and/or penalties in place for noncompliant entities and/or departments in cases where payment deadlines are not met; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?” NW1927E
Reply:
1. Given the devastating impact of the non and late payment of small enterprise suppliers by government, the Department following consultations with National Treasury and the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) made recommendations to the Standing Committee on Appropriations and Appropriation Bill, to strengthen the enforcement of compliance to the 30-day payment obligation to ensure that all organs of state will pay invoices to small enterprises within the required timeframe of 30 days. The Department is also working with National Treasury to strengthen regulations on the reporting requirements for the late payment of supplier invoices to differentiate between small enterprise suppliers and large enterprise suppliers. This will enable the Department to specifically follow-up on the late payment of small enterprise suppliers as we do not regulatory authority as it stands.
2. We are in the process of amending the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill that will allow for the establishment of the Ombuds Office which is going to allow for dispute resolutions including nonadherence to the 30-day payment rule.
26 May 2023 - NW1770
Siwisa, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
In light of the recent judgment handed down by the North Gauteng High Court that schools should be exempted from load shedding, what measures has she put in place to ensure that electricity will not be interrupted in rural schools, as they are the most ignored by her department?
Reply:
The Order by the North Gauteng High Court (Gauteng Division; Pretoria) to amongst others, ensures that there is uninterrupted electricity supply to public schools, was against the Minister of Public Enterprises, and not against the Minister of Basic Education (see para 55). The Minister of Basic Education was not cited in the matter.
26 May 2023 - NW1806
Yako, Ms Y to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What programmes has she put in place in the past three academic years so that learners have opportunity to learn music in public schools?
Reply:
What programmes and opportunities are in place to expose learners in music?
1. Music as a Curriculum Offering
The Department of Basic Education's (DBE) Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) caters for Music as one of the examinable subjects for learners and schools up to Grade 12 level.
2. Music as a Co-Curricular and Enrichment Activity in Schools
The DBE annually prescribes a music syllabus that is distributed to schools for participation in the South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod (SASCE). Primary and Secondary schools, including farm and special schools are afforded the platform to participate in this event. The DBE also works with Provincial Education Departments and other organisations like AssitejSA, in promoting other music genres, including indigenous and traditional music.
26 May 2023 - NW1748
Ceza, Mr K to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
Which interventions has he and/or his department made regarding the current water crisis faced by residents of (a) Machubeni Lady Frere in eMalahleni Local Municipality and (b) the 108 villages of Ngqushwa Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape, which has been without safe, reliable drinking water since 2016?
Reply:
a) Lady Frere (known as Cacadu) is supplied by the Machubeni Water Supply Scheme through the Macubeni Water Treatment Works (WTW). The water interruptions currently experienced are caused by ongoing power/electrical outages that resulting in reduced pumping hours from Machubeni WTW. The short-term interventions in place to ensure water availability include:
- On-going water carting to the affected areas including Cacadu town.
- A backup diesel generator at the WTW
- A long-term intervention to resolve the water supply challenges at Lady Frere is through construction of a bulk pipeline from the Lubisi Water Treatment to supplement water supply to the supply Cacadu town and the surrounding villages. The project started in March 2019 and is planned for completion by 31 August 2023.
The Ngqushwa Local Municipality has an existing Bulk Water Supply Scheme that is managed by Amatola Water which distributes water to the communities of Ngqushwa. The limited capacity of the Peddie Water Treatment Works (WTW), water losses and with loadshedding impact negatively on reliable water supply. Two water tankers are currently carting water to the affected areas of Ngqushwa and surrounding villages as an interim measure to ensure water availability. The medium to long-term interventions include:
- Management of water losses by replacing sections of pipelines from the Peddie Water Treatment Works towards Lover’s Twist through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant. The project is in progress and is planned for completion by 31 July 2023.
- An upgrade of the Peddie Water Treatment Works from 6Ml/day to 11Ml/day
- Upgrade of the Sandile Water Treatment Works from 17Ml/day to 27Ml/day to augment water supply to Ngqushwa. The project is in progress and is planned for completion by 31 August 2023
---00O00---
26 May 2023 - NW1871
Hlengwa, Mr M to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
What are the full relevant details of (a) projects and/or programmes that the Republic hopes to initiate following on the discussions between the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa, and the Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr L H Loong, on 16 May 2023 and (b) the projected number of job opportunities that will be created?
Reply:
a) During the visit of the Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr LH Loong, two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed between South Africa and Singapore namely: the MoU on Information and Communications Technology aims to exchange best practices in ICT, digital technologies and artificial intelligence and robotics and the MoU on Skills Development promotes exchange and training of best practices in the areas of digitalisation, leadership and governance, Women’s Empowerment, Youth Development and Education, Science and Innovation, Port Management and Trade and Economy.
b) The successful implementation of the MoUs would enhance competitiveness and develop skills in science and innovation. More than a 1000 South Africans have already been trained under the auspices of the Singapore Development Programme. Singapore has agreed to purchase more food products from South Africa while South Africa also requested market access for South African meat (including beef, lamb, pork and ostrich) products to the Singaporean Market.
26 May 2023 - NW1757
Mathulelwa, Ms B to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
Given that the Republic’s energy grid relies heavily on coal and will continue to do so for some time, what (a) are the reasons that there is no budget for research and pilot programmes for clean coal technologies in the 2023-24 financial year and (b) partnerships exist between his department and other departments running similar research to ensure that clean coal technologies are incorporated into the energy generation methods going forward?
Reply:
a) In the current year 2023/24, the focussed research on the clean coal technology intervention through the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) is undertaken through ring-fenced partnership funding between the South African government and the World Bank. It may be necessary to allocate a budget dedicated to this research in support of the just energy transition policy more sustainably.
b) The clean coal research represents a partnership amongst the DMRE, National Treasury, Eskom and the World Bank. The Council for Geoscience was elected as an implementing agent in 2021 to lead the research and implements the same through strategic partnerships to optimise the research outcomes and its application to use the abundant coal resources responsibly and in line with our multi-lateral commitment on climate mitigation measures.
Mintek currently has the following coal-related research projects: (1) Gasification of waste coal fines and co-gasification of low-grade coal and (2) Rare earth elements (REE) leaching from coal discards. We are currently in discussions with a funding agency to extract REE from acid mine drainage. Recent publications from Mintek research activities include:
- Literature review on the extraction of ultra-clean coal and rare earth elements from coal discards by ultrasonic-assisted chemical treatment,
- Characterisation of coal for the simultaneous extraction of rare earth elements and ultra-clean coal,
- Co-Carbonization of Discard Coal with Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate towards the Preparation of Metallurgical Coke, and
- Mineralogy and distribution of rare earth elements in the Waterberg coalfield high ash coals.
Mintek has budgeted R10 million for the next three years of its funds in coal-related research, and the funding is anticipated to increase as more funds are being sought.
26 May 2023 - NW1643
Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
(1)Whether, considering that the National Environmental Management Act, Act 107 of 1998, and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations as amended (April 2017) require an EIA process through the compilation of a Basic Assessment Report and Environmental Management Programme Report to apply for a prospecting and/or mining licence in accordance with certain Acts and regulations (details furnished), he will furnish Ms A M M Weber with the water usage licence for Portions 28, 46, 72 and 73 of the farm Elandspruit 291 JS (DMRE Ref: MP 30/5/1/1/2/16326 PR) situated in the Steve Tshwete Local Municipality, under the Middelburg Magisterial District in Mpumalanga; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether he will furnish Ms A M M Weber with the water usage licence for Portion 2 of the farm Elandspruit 291 JS (DMRE REF: MP 30/5/1/3/2/13516 MP) situated in the specified municipality in Mpumalanga; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether he will furnish Ms A M M Weber with the water usage licence for Portions 3, 11, 12 and 13 of Kernsig Twaalf Pty Ltd, in the Emakhazeni Local Municipality in Mpumalanga; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. The DWS has no records of water use registration nor authorisation for the properties in question.
2. The DWS has no records of water use registration nor authorisation for the property in question.
3. The DWS has no records of water use registration nor authorisation for the properties in question.
The department will investigate whether there is unlawful use of water at the properties enquired about.
---00O00---
26 May 2023 - NW1731
Luthuli, Mr BN to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
(a) How do events such as the Presidential Small-, Medium- and Micro-Enterprise (SMME) and Cooperatives Awards to recognise SMMEs which her department held together with The Presidency contribute to the development and advancement of the SMME businesses they seek to recognise and (b) what incentives are in place that will prompt other young people to start SMMEs and/or to weather the storms in maintaining their businesses?”
Reply:
1. The aim of the National Presidential SMME and Co-operatives is to cultivate an enabling environment for the development, and nurturing of innovative ideas and best practices across the whole spectrum of small business development in the country. The awards recognise and celebrate outstanding SMMEs, SMME financiers, entrepreneur support organisations and success stories from Enterprise Supplier Development programmes.
The Department does not only recognise excellence but most importantly, the platform serves as a catalyst for business development and growth in that businesses are assessed to determine their development needs. The DSBD further seeks partnerships with other ecosystem players to provide mentorship, incubation support, training support and any relevant interventions aimed at assisting businesses to scale.
a) The department establishes incubators across all sectors of the economy to nurture and develop ideas from entrepreneurs and further provide business development support and financial support through its agencies.
26 May 2023 - NW1781
Motsepe, Ms CCS to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Which contingency plans have been put in place to provide schools with generators while her department is waiting for solar plants for schools and pre-schools?
Reply:
Schools are provided with basic electricity as per the Regulations relating to Minimum Uniform Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure. If there is a need for additional supply for contingencies, schools provide these from their Norms and Standards for School Funding allocations, or make requests to their provincial departments for such.
26 May 2023 - NW1481
Arries, Ms LH to ask the Minister of Social Development
(1)What number of (a) SA Social Security Agency still need to be replaced and (b) grant recipients have not received their grants due to the specified cards; (2) what measures have been put in place for rural areas where branches of the SA Post Offices have closed down and beneficiaries have to travel long distances in order to get their new gold cards?
Reply:
1. (a) The number of cards that expired are as follows :
- April 2023=838 420
- May 2023= 2 652 151
- June 2023= 1 524 963
(b) The expiry date on the cards have been extended to 31 December 2023, hence the current gold cards can still be used to access funds in the clients bank account. Beneficiaries are able to access their grants using the expired cards.
2. The expiry date on the cards have been extended to 31 December 2023 thus providing clients and the Postbank an additional 8 months to replace the cards.
The Postbank has also introduced a card less solution to enable clients to access funds in their bank accounts, thus reducing the dependency on a card. This cardless solution is a permanent solution that will enable beneficiaries to access payment at the participating retailers.
Postbank has also reached an agreement with certain merchants who will assist them with the issuing of cards. More information on this will be communicated by the Postbank in due course.
Clients are also able to use their own bank accounts to receive their social grant payments. SASSA has increased its front office capacity to accommodate an expected increase of clients to address this challenge.
26 May 2023 - NW1723
Ngcobo, Mr SL to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
What new and improved measures has her department put in place to prevent the National Schools Nutrition Programme (NSNP) from a disastrous collapse in future as more than 9,6 million school children throughout the Republic depend on the NSNP, with the programme being the only source of food for most of the pupils?
Reply:
The Department will take a lead in the medium to long-term in the modernisation of the NSNP in schools, which will include:
(i) A proposal to create economies of scale to improve the programme;
(ii) A modern electronic stock management system for high quality inputs;
(iii) An extensive local economic empowerment with a focus on women, youth and people with disability;
(iv) The introduction of the Home Grown School Feeding with direct links with small holder farmers;
(v) The encouragement of Provinces to join transversal contracts, such as the liquid gas (RT51); and
(vi)The introduction of a Modern IT/Real time data system.
26 May 2023 - NW1702
Faber, Mr WF to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
Whether he will furnish Mr W F Faber with a comprehensive breakdown of the procurement allocation of (a) his department and (b) every entity reporting to him in terms of the percentages allocated to (i) small-, medium- and micro-enterprises, (ii) cooperatives, (iii) township enterprises and (iv) rural enterprises with a view to evaluating the effectiveness of the set-aside policy of the Government in fostering an inclusive and diverse economic landscape (details furnished) in the (aa) 2021-22 financial year and (bb) since 1 April 2023?
Reply:
Department of Minerals Resource and Energy
(aa) Total procurement for 2021/2022 financial year amounted to R1 168 164 849,84 of which R278 887 344,36 was spent on SMMEs.
(i) Percentage allocated to SMMEs = 24% (R278 887 344.36)
➢ Qualifying small enterprises = 7% (R77 835 797.00)
➢ Exempted Micro Enterprises = 17% (R201 051 547.36)
(ii) Cooperatives = 0%
(iii) Township enterprises = **
(iv) Rural enterprises = **
** The information for township enterprises and rural enterprises was not kept separately. The two categories are included in the QSE and EME as part of the qualification criteria for preferential purposes in line with the Preferential Procurement Regulations 2017.
bb) Figures from 1 April 2023 will be available by end of the first quarter.
COUNCIL FOR GEOSCIENCE (CGS)
(aa) Total procurement spend for the financial year 2021/22 amounted to R 234 968 715 of which R99 819 497 (42%) was spent on small, medium and micro-enterprises which includes cooperatives, rural enterprises and township enterprises.
(bb) The amount expensed towards the SMME cohort for the current year since April will be consolidated at the end of the quarter ending June.
MHSC
MHSC have in total appointed 103 service providers / companies during 2021-22 financial and from 1 April 2023 to 12 May 2023. The percentages are as follows:
- Small – 48 companies were appointed from 103 service providers equal to 47%.
- Township Enterprises - 60% (29) of the small companies of 48 are township enterprises.
- Medium - 26 companies were appointed from 103 service providers equal to 25%.
- Micro – 12 companies were appointed from 103 service providers equal to 12%.
- Big – 17 companies were appointed from 103 service providers equal to 17%.
- Cooperatives – No appointments made to the cooperative companies.
- Rural enterprises – No appointments made to the rural enterprises.
NERSA
(b) (i) NERSA’s spend on Qualifying Small Enterprises and Exempt Micro Enterprises was as follows (aa) 2021-22 - R31 288 179 (bb) 2022-23 - R69 159 653 (cc) Since April 2023 – The reports are prepared quarterly. The first report will be available at the end of June 2023 (ii) Cooperatives – None (iii) Township enterprises – No data is kept on the category (iv) Rural enterprises – No data is kept on the category
SDT
For the financial year that ended 31 March 2022, the State Diamond Trader spent a total of R5,597,000 on procurement of goods and services, with the percentages allocated as follow
- Small-, medium- and micro-enterprises: 91%
- Co- operatives : 0%
- Township enterprises : 0%
- Rural enterprises :0%
- Other: 9%
NECSA
(aa)(i) The total values for procurement with small, medium and micro-enterprises for the FY 2021/2022 period are as follows:
Necsa Group: R84 936 240, 28 (9%)
[Necsa: R 43 531 148.59 (12%)
NTP: R 25 994 130.96 (6%)
Pelchem: R 15 410 960.73 (12%)]
(bb)(i) The total values for procurement with small, medium and micro-enterprises for 01 April 2023 to date are as follows:
Necsa Group: R11 086 614 (16%)
[Necsa Company: R 7 681 574.29 (15%)
NTP: R 2 996 467.22 (26%)
Pelchem: R 408 572.34 (6%)]
(aa)(iii) The Necsa Group conducts business with enterprises that are situated in the townships under a broad umbrella of enterprises that are at least 51% Black-Owned and the figures of expenditure for the FY2021/22 period are as follows:
Necsa Group: R175 169 709.52 (18.7%)
[Necsa: R 72 387 163.52 (19%)
NTP: R 64 299 294.54 (15%)
Pelchem: R 38 483 251.46 (30%)]
(bb)(iii) The figures for the business conducted with enterprises that are situated in the townships under a broad umbrella of enterprises that are at least 51% Black-Owned for the period 01 April 2023 to date are as indicated below:
Necsa Group: R28 035 116 (40.6%)
[Necsa Company: R 20 741 548.04 (41%)
NTP: R 4 619 747.17 (40%)
Pelchem: R 2 673 820.39 (42%]
(aa)(ii), (bb)(ii), (aa)(iv) and (bb)(iv)
The Necsa Group does not currently conduct business with cooperatives and rural enterprises.
NNR
(aa) The NNR’s total procurement budget for the 2021/2022 financial year was R74 842 438 of which 68% was spent on the designated groups, equalling R46 056 045.
(bb) Since April 2023, the NNR has spent R5 536 879, which is 84% of the total budget of R6 571 080 on designated groups.
NRWDI
The National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute, which is a Schedule 3A public entity, conducts its procurement in line with the applicable procurement regulations and prescripts as issued by the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, National Treasury.
Such procurement is conducted in alignment with the PPPFA, and BEE levels have been considered in terms of preference points in the awarding of bids. As a result, there is no information that is requested or captured in the entity’s records that reflects (i) small-, medium- and micro-enterprises, (ii) cooperatives, (iii) township enterprises and (iv) rural enterprises.
SADPMR
No, the SADPMR will not be able to furnish the details required. The Procurement Regulations 2017 were applicable from 1st of April 2022 until 15 January 2023 and the procurement thereof was aligned to the requirements. With effect from 16 January 2023 the new Preferential Procurement Regulations 2022 came into effect and are implemented accordingly. An internal policy with specific preferential procurement goals has been put in place, these goals include enterprises owned by black people, enterprises owned by black women, enterprises owned by youth, enterprises owned by people with disabilities, local content and production as well as Small, Medium and Micro enterprises. A minimum of three of the goals are applicable for each bid or tender that is issued by SADPMR.
SANEDI
Comprehensive breakdown of the procurement allocation |
|||
2021-2022 FY |
2022-2023 FY |
2023-2024 FY |
|
(i)Number of Small-, Medium- and Micro-Enterprises. |
65 SMMEs |
22 SMMEs |
0 |
(ii)Number of Cooperatives. |
0 |
0 |
0 |
(iii)Number of township enterprises. |
0 |
0 |
0 |
(i) Number of rural enterprises. |
0 |
0 |
0 |
There is no Skills Development and Localization policy in place and going forward SANEDI will have an approved policy in place.
Mintek
Mintek is a research council that is mandated to promote mineral technology, and to foster the establishment and expansion of industries in the field of minerals and products derived therefrom through research, development, and technology transfer. The annual budget allocation from the Department is primarily allocated to human capital development, research activities, and industry development broadly; namely, small-, medium- and micro enterprises and large enterprises. As a Schedule 3B government business enterprise, Mintek procures in accordance with the PPPFA and the PFMA. As a result, Mintek does not pre-allocate its procurement budget as per the specified categories (i.e., small-, medium- and micro-enterprises, cooperatives, township enterprises and rural enterprises).
CENTRAL EENERGY FUND
26 May 2023 - NW1588
Mthenjane, Mr DF to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
What (a) are the reasons for the reversal of the payment for computer services to Microsoft and (b) is the root cause of the reversal?
Reply:
a) I have been advised that the reversal in the payment was due to a difference of opinion, between Microsoft and the Department of Small Business Development, regarding the currency in which the payment needed to be made.
b) The Department made the payment to Microsoft in South African Rand, but Microsoft insisted on receiving the payment in US Dollars. The payment had to be reversed in order to make the payment in US dollars.
26 May 2023 - NW1486
Siwisa, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Social Development
With reference to her reply to question 678 on 20 April 2023, on what date will the establishment of the upcoming shelters begin and (b) where specifically in the specified regions will the shelters be set up?
Reply:
a) The Department has prioritize the establishment of Shelters in districts without Shelters in the current financial years, 2023/2024 and 2024/2025.
b) Below is the details of the Shelter establishment:
PROVINCES |
DISTRICTS |
DATES |
North West |
Ngaka Modiri Molema |
June 2023 |
Dr Kenneth Kaunda |
31 March 2025 |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
Zulu-land |
31 March 2024 |
Northern Cape |
Namaqua |
November 2023 |
John Taolo Gaetsewe |
31 March 2025 |
|
Limpopo |
Sekhukhune |
31 March 2024 |
Vhembe |
31 March 2025 |
|
Waterberg |
31 March 2025 |
The above table reflect four (04) shelters to be established in the current financial year, 2023/2024. The remaining four (04) will be established in the next financial year 2024/2025 due to budget limitations.
26 May 2023 - NW1434
Herron, Mr BN to ask the Minister of Finance
(1)With regard to the recent announcement that conditional grant funding will be withheld from municipalities due to non-performance, (a)(i) which municipalities in each province were first identified as at risk of not spending part or all of their conditional grant funding and were given an opportunity to motivate why they should not have their grant funding stopped and (ii) what are the relevant details of the specified funding, (b)(i) which municipality in each province was not able to sufficiently motivate for the full transfer of their allocated conditional grant funding and will have that funding stopped and (ii) what are the relevant details of the specified grant funding and (c) what is the total amount nationally, from each conditional grant, that will be stopped and not paid to municipalities; (2) what is the impact on the residents of the specified municipalities of the reduction in their grant funding; (3) what role does he envisage the (a) provincial governments and (b) National Treasury should play in supporting municipalities to perform and spend their funding allocations; (4) whether he has found that the National Treasury and/or the respective provincial governments fulfilled their obligations to support the municipalities; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. This is an annual practice which has been institutionalized over the last 10 years, to maximise spending and effectiveness of conditional grants. Such withholding and reallocation of grants is published in Government Gazette No. 48327 of 29 March 2023.
On 17 February 2023 National Treasury initiated the process of stopping and re-allocating the 2022/23 conditional grant allocations in terms of section 18 of the Division of Revenue Act (Act No. 5 of 2022) (DoRA), as amended by the Division of Revenue Amendment Act (Act No. 15 of 2022) (DoRAA). NT issued 171 letters to all under-performing municipalities on 17 February 2023 covering about 11 conditional grants that were reflecting under-performance against the 2022/23 conditional grant allocations. This process was done in consultation with the transferring national accounting officers/ departments that are responsible for the administration of the conditional grants.
The 2022/23 mid-year expenditure reports in terms of section 10 of the 2022 DoRA as amended and section 71 and 72 of the Municipal Finance Management Act, 2003 (Act No. 56 of 2003) (MFMA) were utilized to determine if the municipalities are under-performing against their allocations as they report to both National Treasury and to the transferring officers.
In terms of section 18 of DoRA and section 38 (2)(a) of the MFMA the affected municipalities were afforded an opportunity to make a written presentation to National Treasury, by providing a motivation on why the grants should not be stopped. The municipalities were required to submit the motivation to the National Treasury within seven days after the receipt of the letters regarding expenditure against their allocations and project progress on the ground.
In total an amount of R7.4 billion was proposed to be stopped from municipalities in terms of section 18 of the Division of Revenue Act, 2022 (Act No. 5 of 2022) for various conditional grants due to their poor performance or slow spending as proposed by either the Transferring Officer (national department) administering the conditional grant or National Treasury. An amount of R2.7 billion was ultimately not transferred from the initial proposed amount of R7.4 billion. The details of the proposed non-transferred amounts per conditional grant per province are in the tables as per of Annexure A.
2. The stopping and non-transfer of the conditional grants against underperforming municipalities is to assist municipalities to address any issue hindering the spending of their conditional grant allocation in that year i.e. late approval of projects, late procurement, litigation etc., and re-allocate to municipalities that are ready to spend and have shovel ready projects. This is because the funds would not in any case be spent by the municipalities’ funds are proposed to be stopped from, therefore minimizing underperformance of the overall programme. Once these municipalities have addressed their challenges and they are ready, it will be able to spend its future annual allocations which are not normally affected by in year spending.
Therefore, the stopping of the allocation is to ensure efficiency in spending and protecting against possible misuse and usage of the conditional grants for operational purposes while the municipality is being supported to resolve its challenges.
3. With respect to infrastructure conditional grants, specific support includes technical support and assistance provided by DCoG’s Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) for infrastructure delivery. Further, the municipalities that are affected by the stopping / suspension process due to governance and financial challenges will continue receiving support from NT, DCoG and the relevant stakeholders under the MIG cost reimbursement and invoice verification which has been a continuous process over the years. This is a process of safeguarding the cash in the interim before stopping of allocations is considered. In this case municipalities only have their funds transferred once an invoice against work done has been verified by MISA, provincial government, and national government.
The National Treasury has also made funds available in various forms of capacity support in ensuring municipalities and provinces have the capacity to implement infrastructure projects. For example, five per cent of the Municipal Infrastructure Grant and Integrated Urban Development Grant may be used for project management units in municipalities and 3 per cent of the Urban Settlements Development Grant can be used for capacity in metropolitan municipalities, and continuous financial management support and guidance by both National and Provincial treasuries on the usage and reporting of conditional grants is provided to municipalities in this regard.
Various other conditional grants provide for the option to convert part of the capital infrastructure grants for technical support to capacitate municipalities to spend more effectively. This could be in the form of engaging district municipalities to implement stalled projects on behalf of struggling municipalities, utilization of both national entities and municipal entities to assist municipalities (either through a service level agreement (SLA) or agency vs. principal option) to roll out struggling projects. National Treasury further utilizes the services of the provincial treasuries to assist struggling municipalities in terms of the system of “delegated municipalities” while National Treasury focusses on the non-delegated ones. A host of experts are also available to these municipalities through the support of the Municipal Finance Improvement Programme (MFIP) from National Treasury.
The National Treasury and relevant department administering the grants (Transferring Officers) with the support of the respective provinces have fulfilled their obligations in supporting the municipalities. On a quarterly basis, the national transferring officers conduct quarterly meetings across the country with the municipalities that receive their grants to assess performance of the previous quarter and advise municipalities on how to mitigate the challenges causing them to underperform. In addition, the national transferring officers conduct site visits to confirm the performance reported by municipalities align, where National Treasury is sometimes also invited.
Further CoGTA holds under-performance meetings with targeted municipalities to get to the root causes of underperformance. MISA also plays a crucial part in that it provides technical support to municipalities that experience challenges in the implementation of their infrastructure programmes.
Despite all the interventions in place, some municipalities still underspend. It is ultimately the responsibility of municipalities to take up the support provided and make their own decisions but still be accountable.
Annexure A
details of the proposed stopping amounts per conditional grant per province
Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG)
Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP) Grant
Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG)
Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG)
Energy Efficiency Demand Side Management (EEDSM) Grant
Neighbourhood Development Partnership Grant (NDPG)
Informal Settlements Upgrading Partnership Grant (ISUPG)
Public Transport Network Grant (PTNG)
Urban Settlements Development Grant (USDG)
Rural Roads Asset Management Systems (RRAMS) Grant
Annexure B
The following 171 municipalities received letters of intention to stop a portion of their conditional grants:
Eastern Cape (22 letters)
- Buffalo City;
- NMA Nelson Mandela Bay;
- Amatole District Municipality (DM);
- Joe Gqabi DM;
- O.R. Tambo DM;
- Alfred Nzo DM;
- Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality (LM);
- Makana LM;
- Ndlambe LM;
- Kou-Kamma LM;
- Mbhashe LM;
- Great Kei LM;
- Emalahleni LM;
- Dr AB Xuma LM;
- Enoch Mgijima LM;
- Elundini LM;
- Senqu LM;
- Walter Sisulu LM;
- Ngquza Hill LM;
- Port St Johns LM;
- Matatiele LM; and
- Winnie Madikizela-Mandela LM.
Free State (17 letters)
- Mangaung;
- Fezile Dabi DM;
- Letsemeng LM;
- Kopanong LM;
- Mohokare LM;
- Masilonyana LM;
- Tokologo LM;
- Matjhabeng LM;
- Nala LM;
- Setsoto LM;
- Dihlabeng LM;
- Nketoana LM;
- Phumelela LM;
- Mantsopa LM;
- Ngwathe LM;
- Metsimaholo LM; and
- Mafube LM.
Gauteng (9 letters)
- City of Ekurhuleni;
- City of Johannesburg;
- City of Tshwane;
- Emfuleni LM;
- Midvaal LM;
- Lesedi LM;
- Mogale City LM;
- Merafong City LM; and
- Rand West City LM.
KwaZulu-Natal (34 letters)
- EThekwini;
- UThukela DM;
- UMzinyathi DM;
- Amajuba DM;
- Zululand DM;
- UMkhanyakude DM;
- King Cetshwayo DM;
- Harry Gwala;
- UMzumbe LM;
- UMuziwabantu LM;
- Ray Nkonyeni LM;
- UMshwathiLM;
- UMngeni LM;
- Msunduzi LM;
- iNkosi Langalibalele LM;
- Alfred Duma LM;
- eNdumeni LM;
- Nquthu LM;
- UMvoti LM;
- Newcastle LM;
- Dannhauser LM;
- eDumbe LM;
- uPhongolo LM;
- Ulundi LM;
- Jozini LM;
- Big Five Hlabisa LM;
- UMhlathuze LM;
- Mthonjaneni LM;
- Nkandla LM;
- KwaDukuza LM;
- Maphumulo LM;
- Greater Kokstad LM;
- UMzimkhulu LM; and
- Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma LM.
Limpopo (20 letters)
- Mopani DM;
- Vhembe DM;
- Capricorn DM;
- Sekhukhune DM;
- Greater Giyani LM;
- Greater Letaba LM;
- Greater Tzaneen LM;
- Musina LM;
- Thulamela LM;
- Makhado LM;
- Blouberg LM;
- Polokwane LM;
- Lepelle-Nkumpi LM;
- Thabazimbi LM;
- Lephalale LM;
- Bela-Bela LM;
- Mogalakwena LM;
- Modimolle-Mookgophong LM;
- Elias Motsoaledi LM; and
- Makhuduthamaga LM.
Mpumalanga (14 letters)
- Chief Albert Luthuli LM;
- Msukaligwa LM;
- Mkhondo LM;
- Dr Pixley ka Isaka Seme LM;
- Lekwa LM
- Dipaleseng LM;
- Emalahleni LM;
- Steve Tshwete LM;
- Emakhazeni LM
- Thembisile Hani LM;
- Thaba Chweu LM;
- Nkomazi LM;
- Bushbuckridge LM; and
- City of Mbombela LM.
Northern Cape (23 letters)
- Richtersveld LM;
- Nama Khoi LM;
- Kamiesberg LM;
- Hantam LM:
- Karoo Hoogland LM;
- Khâi-Ma LM;
- Ubuntu LM;
- Umsobomvu LM;
- Emthanjeni LM;
- Kareeberg LM;
- Renosterberg LM;
- Thembelihle LM
- Siyathemba LM;
- Siyancuma LM;
- !Kai !Garib LM;
- !Kheis LM;
- Tsantsabane LM;
- Dawid Kruiper LM;
- Sol Plaatjie LM;
- Dikgatlong LM;
- Joe Morolong LM;
- Ga-Segonyana LM; and
- Gamagara LM.
North West (13 letters)
- Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati DM;
- Moretele LM;
- Madibeng LM;
- Rustenburg LM;
- Moses Kotane LM;
- Ratlou LM;
- Ditsobotla LM;
- Ramotshere Moiloa LM;
- Naledi LM;
- Mamusa LM;
- Lekwa-Teemane LM;
- City of Matlosana LM; and
- JB Marks LM.
Western Cape (19 letters)
- City of Cape Town;
- Cape Winelands DM;
- Matzikama LM;
- Cederberg LM;
- Saldanha Bay LM;
- Swartland LM;
- Witzenberg LM;
- Stellenbosch LM;
- Breede Valley LM;
- Langeberg LM;
- Overstrand LM;
- Cape Agulhas LM;
- Kannaland LM;
- Mossel Bay LM;
- George LM;
- Bitou LM;
- Knysna LM;
- Prince Albert LM; and
- Beaufort West LM.
NB!! Details of the amounts stopped per province, per municipality and per conditional grant are attached as an annexure (Government Gazette No. 48327 of 29 March 2023).
26 May 2023 - NW1416
Lorimer, Mr JR to ask the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy
Whether he intends to rescind his decision not to table in the National Assembly his department’s report on alleged rampant corruption in his department’s regional office in Mpumalanga, which followed the weeks long closure of the specified office in order to investigate the alleged corruption; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
There is no intention to rescind the decision to table the said report in the National Assembly as the fact-finding report was intended for internal use by management.
26 May 2023 - NW1685
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
Whether she will furnish Mr H C C Krüger with a comprehensive breakdown of the procurement allocation of (a) her department and (b) every entity reporting to her in terms of the percentages allocated to (i) small-, medium- and micro-enterprises, (ii) cooperatives, (iii) township enterprises and (iv) rural enterprises with a view to evaluating the effectiveness of the set-aside policy of the Government in fostering an inclusive and diverse economic landscape (details furnished) in the (aa) 2021-22 financial year and (bb) since 1 April 2023?”
Reply:
I have been advised that;
a) The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) Preferential procurement allocation:
(aa) 2021/22: R29 154 571.56 (total procurement spending)
- SMMEs: R3 873 228.25 – 13.2% of total procurement.
- Co-operatives: R0.00
- Township enterprises: R2 817 196.92 – 72.7% of SMME.
- Rural enterprises: R1 056 031.33 – 27.3% of SMME.
(bb) 2022/23: R44 535 493.44 (total procurement spending)
- SMMEs: R13 366 125.02 – 30% of total procurement.
- Co-operatives: R0.00
- Township enterprises: R9 367 783.78 - 70.1% of SMME.
- Rural enterprises: R3 998 341.24 – 29.9 % of SMME.
b) The Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) Preferential procurement allocation:
(aa) 2021/22: R491 353 796 (total procurement spending):
- SMMEs: R176 083 798 – 35% of total procurement.
- Co-operatives: R0.
- Township enterprises: R95 085 251 - 54% of SMME.
- Rural enterprises: R49 303 463 - 28% of SMME.
(bb) 2022/23: R392 054 198 (total procurement spending)
- SMMEs: R172 205 153 – 44% of total procurement.
- Co-operatives: R0.
- Township enterprises: R84 380 525 – 49% of SMMEs.
- Rural enterprises: R46 495 391 - 27% of SMMEs.
c) The Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) Preferential procurement allocation
(aa) 2021/22: 95 233 357 (total procurement spending):
- SMMEs: 60 203 272– 63.22% of total procurement.
- Co-operatives: R0.
- Township enterprises: - R54 845 813.18 – 91.10% of SMME.
- Rural enterprises: - R5 357 458.82 – 8.89% of SMME.
(bb) 2022/23: R86 691 884.74 (total procurement spending)
- SMMEs: R 66 274 556.00– 76.45% of total procurement.
- Co-operatives: R0.
- Township enterprises: – 60 059 248.96 – 90.62% of SMMEs.
- Rural enterprises: R6 215 307.04 – 9.38% of SMMEs.
26 May 2023 - NW1581
Thembekwayo, Dr S to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
Which steps of intervention has she taken regarding the shortage of school nutritional food which is being experienced by most of the high schools in Gauteng?
Reply:
The question asked by the Honourable Member, falls within the Executive Authority of the MEC for Education in Gauteng, not the Minister for Basic Education. The Honourable Member is advised to direct the question to the responsible MEC.
26 May 2023 - NW1355
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
(1)What are the full details of (a) her department's strategy to expand the footprint of the (i) Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) and (ii) Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) in rural communities across the Republic and (b) how the strategy aligns with the Government’s commitment to promote inclusive economic growth and development in rural areas; (2) what (a) specific programmes and/or initiatives has her department undertaken in recent years to improve access to finance and support services for small and medium enterprises in rural communities through SEFA and SEDA and (b) are the details of the (i) impact and (ii) outcomes in each case? NW1557E
Reply:
1. The agency of the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) – Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda), via its technology programme which is in charge of the Incubation rollout nationally, focuses only on township and rural areas in terms of establishing new incubators. This will assist in the expansion of Seda’s footprint in both rural and township communities. Below is a graphical presentation of the new incubators that are to be established and their respective provinces/locations.
Seda has by far the biggest network of offices in the country, with 53 branches and 56 co- location points. Seda’s Co-locations are specifically established to extend access to the Small Business Development Portfolio (DSBD and its agencies, Seda and sefa) services in underserviced and rural South Africa. SBD Portfolio has also realised that there are still a number of areas where entrepreneurs and SMMEs still have to travel far for them to access services. As such, through Seda, 58 service points or access points were established during the 2022/23 financial year. The agency also employes alternative mechanisms for ensuring that services are available, such as mobile offices. A Business Development Services mapping exercise has been undertaken to identify other stakeholders that are also providing similar services to establish partnerships with them and offer services on the agency’s behalf. Information is also provided through DSBD, Seda and sefa websites and contact centers. Where possible, Seda also provides virtual interaction with those clients that can attend online training and webinars.
(2) Seda has been prioritising support to SMMEs and Cooperatives with dedicated programmes to ensure that the desired impact is realised. Amongst the dedicated programmes are the following:
The Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Pogramme (TREP) targets specific sectors and/or types of business that are to be provided with both financial and non-financial support. The support offered is tailored per targeted sector to try and ensure the best opportunities for sustainability and growth. The Sectors/business types are Artisans, Automotive businesses, Bakeries & Confectionaries, Clothing & Textile, Personal Care, Retail (including restaurants, car washes, general dealers etc.) and Tshisanyama and Cooked Food. Seda, has provided 22 233 skills development and other business development support interventions for township and rural businesses which also include interventions such as Financial Management training, Point of Sale Training, Access to funding, Basic Business skills training, Information and Business Advice, Business Plans, Training and Mentoring etc.
Seda has a dedicated programme, The Basic Entrepreneurship Skills Development (BESD) which was jointly developed by Seda and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development via Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) since 2012. The programme is funded by the National Skills Fund for an amount of R84 million. The BESD approach utilises coaching as an innovative methodology to facilitate and reinforce learning and development support to emerging entrepreneurs.
Seda has an Entrepreneurship in Schools Programme that encourages learners to consider entrepreneurship as an alternative career to employment. The main objective of the programme is:
- To influence the mind set of learners by encouraging them to become job creators instead of job seekers once they leave the schooling system.
- To equip learners with entrepreneurial knowledge and skills needed to start and manage their businesses; and
- To improve entrepreneurial activity amongst the learners and educators.
Entrepreneurship in Schools (Step up to a Start Up) is a Programme together with Primestars that will support educators through Boot camps to create entrepreneurship awareness amongst the youth and educators. To date, Seda has supported 13 190 student beneficiaries.
The Enterprise Coaching programme is one of Seda’s flagship programmes aimed at developing and enhancing the competencies of business owners by providing them with knowledge, skills and tools needed to grow their businesses. It is a 10-month coaching programme. Coaching sessions include topics such as financial assistance, self-aware mastery, social marketing strategies, financial management and debt counselling, the dtic incentives, worker’s motivation, productivity, best practices in business. Successful entrepreneurs were invited to share challenges, successes of running a successful business, for example, in the manufacturing sector. A total of 159 enterprises were supported in the 2022/23 financial year. All of the supported enterprises recorded an increase in turnover and more than 374 jobs created.
Seda through its Learning Academy has also developed different training programmes. These programmes are credit bearing and accredited by the Services Seta. Quality training aims to assist organisations of all types to implement and operate the Quality Management System (QMS) to increase effectiveness, consistency, and customer satisfaction, explain the benefits of implementing QMS and understand the quality, management principles. Whilst Food safety introduces Food Safety, Understand Pre-Requisite programme, HACCP (Hazard Analysis, Critical, Control, Point) system and HACCP principles and Implementing a Food Safety Management System.
Clients are also supported with access to Local markets through Pop-Up Markets in collaboration with our strategic partners. Following are a few recent examples:
- Seda Namakwa Branch conducted their Pop-Up market from 28th of February 2023 to 1st of March 2023 where various clients exhibited their products and services. Eighteen (18) Exhibitors were in attendance.
- Seda ZFM Branch hosted the Pop-Up Market from 2nd to 3rd of March 2023 in Upington.
- The Nkangala Branch held a Pop-up market on the 17th of March 2023, in Delmas, and 25 SMMEs exhibited their products and services in partnership with Victor Khanye Local Municipality and Standard Bank.
- Seda Limpopo hosted a Pop-Up market in collaboration with the Groblersdal Mall in February 2023.
- The Mopani Branch in conjunction with the district and local municipalities hosted two (2) Popup markets and one (1) in Waterberg on 31st of March 2023.
- The SBD Portfolio in Limpopo, in collaboration with Exxaro, hosted a three-day Mall Activation at Lephalale Mall from the 24th to the 26th of March 2023. Twenty-two (22) local entrepreneurs from the manufacturing, arts & craft, agriculture, and service sector participated in the exhibition.
- Pop-Up markets were held in the Brits Mall with ten (10) SMMEs and Letlhabile Mall with fifteen (15) SMMEs exhibiting. Both events were held on the 31st of March 2023 ending on 1st April 2023.
Seda’s Export Development Programme (Trade Facilitation /Promotion) aims to contribute to the creation of a dynamic and successful SMME sector in South Africa by facilitating an improvement in the sector’s international competitiveness. Priority was given to enterprises owned by previously disadvantaged individuals. Missions and exhibitions that Seda participates in are determined by the Department, in line with government’s strategy.
The SheTrades programme is a partnership between the International Trade Centre (ITC), DSBD and Seda to promote Women’s Entrepreneurship. ITC SheTrades has set up a Hub in South Africa in order to help South African women entrepreneurs increase their international competitiveness and connect to national, regional and global markets through the SheTradesZA Hub. The primary objective of the Hub is to connect at least 10 000 women owned businesses to markets by 2024. This is part of South Africa’s contribution to ITC's goal of connecting three million women entrepreneurs to markets by 2023. Through the programme, women-owned businesses will be able to:
- Connect to potential buyers, investors, suppliers, business support organizations and SheTrades partners.
- Learn skills to boost business potential through free e-learning courses, on-site workshops and webinars.
- Receive support to attend national, regional, and international trade fairs.
- Get chances to participate in B2B meetings.
- Access to investment opportunities.
- Increased visibility and larger network in international markets.
A total of 3004 women have registered as at the end of March 2023.
A partnership between Seda, GIBBS and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women was forged. The Cherie Blair Foundation has an award-winning Mobile App that offers women entrepreneurs essential business training and support on the go. It features a range of learning tracks on topics including launching a business, accessing finance, expanding market access, e-commerce and mobile money.
- Seda practitioners have been trained on the HerVenture App to assist clients.
- Preparations are underway to create more awareness of the programme.
- Access to information on Research Publications that is now made available to entrepreneurs.
- Entrepreneurs are sharing their best practices.
- Training sessions for specific areas of interest by SMMEs have indicated the importance of the APP and the acceptance as well as the participation in the training.
- The APP has indicated that it is an influencer to competition amongst the users.
Supplier Development Programme is aimed at strengthening the performance of supplier firms by enabling them to acquire the skills and capacities required to make them globally competitive. The programme attempts to raise awareness on opportunities available to supply to corporates and state-owned enterprises. Through the programme and partnerships many of Seda clients secure contracts with mines and large retail companies such as Anglo, Pick n Pay, SPAR, SAPPI, to supply their goods and services and register as suppliers on their databases.
Manufacturing Support Programme responds to the specific current challenges, needs, skills and capabilities of the country’s SMMEs in the manufacturing sector, while at the same time charting a path to assist SMME manufacturers to be competitive. Typical interventions include quality training, implementation of quality systems, product certification and testing, etc. These interventions help clients to also gain access to local and international markets. Seda is also rolling out an Access Point programme to improve access to Seda services by SMMEs.
The Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) as a development finance institution acknowledges the importance of long-term sustainability of small businesses as they are important in reducing inequality, poverty and unemployment. Through its financing programme, sefa is enabling SMMEs to expand and grow. As part of post-investment support services small business are provided with mentoring and business support. During the quarter 4 of the 2022/23 financial year, sefa initiated a business diagnostic project with 144 clients funded under the Township Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (TREP). The diagnoses conducted focused on the following:
- Owner capability and shortcomings,
- Financial sustainability focusing on development of financial discipline, financial planning and profitability of the business.
- Efficient utilisation of Human capital/resources,
- Efficient and effective operational systems,
- Creating sustainable market share,
- Technical know-how and looking at possible improvements and systems.
The diagnostic results indicate the following:
- Load shedding is affecting most of the businesses.
- No financial systems in place as most of them are not recording their business transactions.
- Most businesses have no clear market.
- Some of the businesses are poorly located, impacting their ability to attract new markets.
sefa continually works with its clients to understand their challenges as to better support these businesses in growing the South African economy. Business support and mentoring are essential ingredients that add value to SMMEs and ensure their continued growth and sustainability in these trying economic times.
26 May 2023 - NW1587
Mthenjane, Mr DF to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
(a) “What are the reasons for the overspending of 119,2% on claims projected for the second and fourth quarter but were paid in the third quarter of the financial year and (b) why was it necessary to pay the claims in the third quarter of the financial year, when they were projected for the second and fourth quarters?”
Reply:
a) What are the reasons for the overspending of 119.2% on claims projected for the second and fourth quarter but were paid in the third quarter of the financial year?
I have been advised that Departments are required in line with section 40 (4) of the PFMA Act No.1 of 1999 to provide National Treasury with a breakdown per month of the anticipated revenue and expenditure for the financial year, on the 28th of February, which is one month before the beginning of a financial year.
The National Treasury approved monthly cash flow projections are drawn down per month from April and kept in the departmental bank account referred to as the Pay Master General (PMG) account. Payments are processed once fully compliant documents are submitted to Finance.
The reason for the cashflow variance of 119.2% is the timing misalignment between actual cash disbursement and planned cash payout. Factors that contribute towards this misalignment are milestones in projects either being delayed or reached earlier than the cash flow. In instances of goods and services, it could also be due to early or late deliveries of orders.
Finance can only process transactions upon receipt of fully compliant supporting documents.
b) Why was it necessary to pay the claims in the third quarter of the financial year, when they were projected for the second and fourth quarters?
I have been advised that cash flow projections and plans are based on estimated values and dates. As part of cash flow management and compliance with Treasury Regulations 8.3.2, claims are processed within 30 days of receipt by Finance.
It should be noted that the utilisation of the available cash did not lead to overspending on the overall vote.
26 May 2023 - NW1620
Mohlala, Ms MR to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
What steps of intervention has he taken to mitigate the potential risks to water treatment plants and water treatment centres from load shedding to ensure that the essential facilities continue to operate efficiently and effectively during power outages?
Reply:
a) The DWS is participating in nationwide discussions to find sector wide solutions to the impact of loadshedding on delivery of water and sanitation services. This challenge requires collaboration with municipalities, water boards and ESKOM, among other institutions. DWS proposed recommendations for consideration are as follows.
- Water Boards and municipalities should maximize water treatment while electricity is available.
- Water Boards and municipalities should revise the minimum operational levels for their reservoirs to increase storage capacity.
- Water Boards and municipalities should endeavour to increase their water treatment and reservoir storage capacity to enable them to better manage periods of load shedding. Households should be encouraged to install their own storage capacity, such as rainwater catchment tanks.
- All municipalities and Water Boards should either apply to Eskom for exemptions from load shedding (where they obtain electricity directly from Eskom) or work with their municipal electricity departments to isolate their water and sanitation infrastructure. In some cases, where water and sanitation infrastructure cannot be isolated from local electricity grids, it may not be possible. In some instances, making this effective might require additional switching and cabling to limit the size of affected electrical supply zones. Where Eskom directly supplies a strategic installation (such as a major Water Board pump station) it may be necessary for Eskom to limit the electricity supply zone area so as not to impede their load shedding options.
- Municipalities which are water service authorities should develop integrated response plans to keep water flowing during load shedding. These response plans should be integrated across the water and sanitation, electricity, and other divisions of the municipality.
- Eskom should quickly review its processes for dealing with requests for exemptions from load shedding for water and sanitation infrastructure, with a view to making them more simple and quicker.
---00O00---
26 May 2023 - NW1664
Winkler-Lidgett, Ms HS to ask the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
What (a) area the reason that she agree to withdraw the revised Regulations pertaining to Threatened or Protect Terrestrial and Freshwater Species and the Associated Spies List, (b) settlement was reached between her department and game breeders and/or hunters and (c)(i) total costs were her department made to pay and (ii) were the reason for this?
Reply:
Find here: Reply
26 May 2023 - NW1729
Buthelezi, Ms SA to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
Whether he has found that the Government is now better prepared to deal with natural disasters such as the floods in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, which prompted him to call for a state of disaster to be declared in parts of Gauteng which have been hit by floods; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) how and (b) what are the further relevant details?
Reply:
The intensity of the flood conditions has necessitated a review of the operating rules for government water schemes to ensure that there is some level of attenuation in the impoundment areas of large dams. Cognisance is taken of the changes in weather patterns caused by climate change. The department is putting in place flood mitigation operation strategies to ensure readiness to mitigate the impact of floods in the large dams and other government schemes. Notwithstanding the efforts of the department, there will still be risks where extreme weather conditions result into peak surface runoff over concentrated areas, since this could result in flood conditions within a very short period.
a) In urban areas, it will be required from municipal town planning units to review stormwater conveyance capability as well as to maintain such systems to reduce the impact of such rainfall.
b) The Department’s Water Resource Planning unit is collecting information which will assist with the review of operating rules to further mitigate the risk associated with flood related peak flows.
---00O00---
26 May 2023 - NW1519
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
How is (a) her department monitoring and evaluating the impact of the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and the Small Enterprise Development Agency’s services in rural communities and (b) it envisaged the information will be used to inform future policy and programme development around the area small business support?”
Reply:
a) In relation to evaluation, I have been advised that the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) periodically conducts different types of programme evaluations depending on the life cycle of an intervention/project or a programme. Just an example, in 2021/2022 financial year, the Spaza Shop Support Programme (SSSP) was subjected to a process evaluation. The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the effectiveness of the SSSP and to determine if the programme is achieving its intended objectives. The recommendations(information) derived from the evaluation were used to inform the programme review, enhance performance, and leaning. Furthermore, I have been advised that the department is finalising an impact evaluation of the Incubation Support Programme (ISP). The purpose of the impact evaluation is to determine how the beneficial impacts can be strengthened. The envisaged information/ outcomes from this evaluation will be used to inform current (review) and future policies including intervention design around small enterprise support.
b) Entities and the DSBD’s Research Units use programme performance data to identify shortcoming in programme implementation and opportunities to enhance access to finance and financial inclusion. Entities’ programmes performance data was further used as an input in the formulation of the National Integrated Small Enterprise Development (NISED) Strategic Framework. The NISED Strategic Framework outlines government’s future policy direction for the SMME and Co-operatives sector.
26 May 2023 - NW1888
Ngcobo, Mr SL to ask the Minister of Basic Education to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1) Whether she can give an update on the status of the National Reading Plan (NRP) that was announced by the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address in 2019, which aimed to ensure that every 10-year-old will be able to read for meaning, in light of the fact that four years later provincial education departments’ progress reports for 2022-23 indicate that poor planning from the national department coupled with random, uncoordinated reading interventions by some of the provincial education departments and disorganised monitoring and evaluation of the interventions are all drivers of the country’s reading crisis; if not, why not; if so, (2) whether there is a set minimum standard budget for all the nine provinces to ensure that the NRP is a province-wide campaign and that it is not only concentrated in some parts of the province which might lead to uncoordinated activities; if not; what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details of the budget?
Reply:
(1) The Department of Basic Education, in collaboration with a team of reading experts from civil society organisations, academia, Provincial Education Departments (PEDs), and schools - developed the Integrated National Reading Sector Plan, whose aim was to contribute to the improvement of reading outcomes, especially for learners in primary schools. The Sector Plan was premised on the understanding that sustainable improvements in reading require a comprehensive response, which involves more than just classroom interventions. It was therefore, developed to provide a framework that would allow the Sector to implement comprehensive reading promotion activities. From this plan, provinces went on to develop and implement their contextualised plans, informed by the integrated National Reading Sector Plan.
In its quest to strengthen reading literacy, particularly in the face of the evidence of learning losses, the Department decided to review the Sector Plan as part of bolstering up its response to the current challenges. Further to the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the DBE carried out the Thrive by Five Index in Early Childhood Development (ECD), which revealed that a number of children start school not on track with their developmental outcomes; and thereby, not school ready. The review of the strategy therefore, takes into account that when the Sector Plan was conceptualised, ECD was still part of the Department of Social Development. The revised strategy will therefore, give a sharpened focus to improving the teaching and learning of African Home Languages reading literacy on a large scale, in both the emergent and early grade phases (ECD and Foundation Phase).
(2) On the matter pertaining to provincial budgets, the Honourable Member is requested to direct his question to the Members of Executive Council (MECs) as this matter rests within their purview.