Questions and Replies

Reply:

a) The following steps are taken to strengthen security within Correctional Centres:

• Monitoring of the Gang Combatting Strategy and check list;
• Dealing with complaints and requests immediately;
• Protect whistle-blowers/ inmates that provide reliable information;
• Ensure through searching which includes amongst others, cells, bars, windows, inmates and officials, service providers and visitors are conducted daily and recorded on relevant registers;
• The continuous training and adherence to all security Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs);
• Matter of potential escape incidents be elevated to National Joint Operations and Intelligence Structures (Nat Joints/ PROVJOINTS) and other law enforcement structures – to formulate more dynamic and integrated approach;
• Create a data base to record potential escapees/ ex-escapees and attempted escapees;
• Continuous search and clean-up operations.

b) Measures put in place to curtail incidents of escapes are as follows:

• Continuous training of officials on identification and profiling of gangs;
• Monitoring of the escape prevention plan;
• Reduce overcrowding by the implementation of the multi-prong strategy;
• Prevent idleness by subjecting inmates to sports, recreational programmes, social and physiological services;
• Establishment of a well-resourced information gathering teams at centre level to prevent escapes.

END

Reply:

The Eastern Cape Province's Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs submitted the response listed below. I've been given the following advice as a result:

(a) The MEC established a team to investigate the allegations at Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality. The team visited the municipality to conduct an investigation from 11 to 15 July 2022, and conducted interviews with relevant officials; analysed documentation and obtained evidence. A report was thereafter prepared for consideration by the MEC.

(b) Limitations in terms of the scope of the investigation caused delays in the investigation. Due to the fact that most of those implicated are no longer with the municipality, the office of the MEC referred the matter to the South African Police Service (SAPS), to allow SAPS to deal with the matter.

End.

Reply:

(a) No. The Department of Basic Education is not intending to develop policy on hair in respect of religious identities of learners. There is sufficient education policy frameworks to guide such matters. The challenge emanates from School Codes of Conduct that tend to require children to dress their hair in a particular fashion. Therefore, 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 avoid human rights violations.

(b) Provincial Education Departments will be in a position to support principals and teachers regarding prevention and management of discrimination, prejudice and related intolerance in school management.

Reply:

Sections 152(1)(c) and 153 of the Constitution state that one of the objectives of local government is to promote social and economic development. These objectives are further articulated in the Municipal Systems Act (2000). The Property Rates Act No. 6 of 2004 enjoins municipalities to impose rates on property, exclude certain properties from rating in the national interest and make provision for municipalities to implement a transparent and fair system of exemptions, reductions, and rebates through their policies.

The Property Rates by laws of municipalities make provision for the following types of Agricultural properties,

(i) agricultural purposes;

(ii) business and commercial

purposes;

(iii) residential purposes;

(iv) eco-tourism or conservation; or

(v) trading in or hunting of game and

(vi) farm properties not used for these purposes.

Successful rural development is critical for the long-term sustainability of rural municipalities. Vibrant local economies generate both demand for basic municipal services and the resources to pay for them.

The Municipalities provide the following services to farmers directly;

Road infrastructure that connects rural areas to urban centres and facilitates the mobility of goods and people within the area. Roads provide the connections necessary for local markets to develop and facilitate the provision of public services, such as ambulances and policing. Good feeder roads (access roads) can allow the supply of perishable foods to high-value urban markets.

The supply of water infrastructure, water treatment plants, sewer treatment plants and distribution networks are maintained by the municipalities. The importance of electricity infrastructure in rural areas cannot be over emphasised. Most municipalities who distribute electricity are responsible for the infrastructure installation, repairs and maintenance of the electricity network on farms.

The rate payable by agricultural properties is usually a maximum seventy five percent (75%) of the residential rate payable. The differential rates are calculated as a percentage differential if the municipality does not provide that service to farms for instance; a 20% differential because the farm owner provides more than ten (10) houses to farm workers or a 5% differential due to the fact that the municipality does not provide rural roads.

Municipal bylaws and policies also provide for the granting of a agricultural rebate in respect of agricultural properties which are solely used for agricultural purposes.

(b) Section 154 of the Constitution enjoins national and provincial government to provide support packages to Municipalities. Multi - sectoral Teams led by the Departments’ senior officials have developed support packages for municipalities in general and those that are dysfunctional in particular. The District Development Model is the mode through which this support packages are imported to the Municipality.

End.

Reply:

a. There are no specific ECD centres for children with disabilities, but rather a focus on inclusiveness for all children, and as a result children with disabilities are expected to form part of the ECD programmes.

b. In terms of training of ECD practitioners, the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) guides that early learning programmes should be accessible to young children living with disabilities, as set out in the National Integrated Early Childhood Development Policy as well as in the Children's Act 38 of 2005. This means not only the inclusion of children with disabilities in early learning programmes, but the provision of linkages to other early intervention services to create opportunities for improved access to ECD programmes for all children. Therefore, in line with foregoing, the training provided to practitioners through the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for all levels of ECD qualifications, has a module that deals with children with special needs. 

Over and above this, the Department has appointed UHAMBO Foundation which provides training on inclusive practices to ECD practitioners, capacitating them on how to deal with different types of disabilities within their centres.              

                                                                                        

Reply:

a) The Department is not aware of any specific cases related to respiratory diseases and resulting deaths attributed to the mine relating to the community or its employees. The Department will continue to investigate all complaints received within the prescripts of the prevailing legislation.

b) The Department has been actively involved in facilitating discussions between all stakeholders in due consideration of the Departments regulatory role. The choice to seek alternative relief away from the existing engagements and structures created to facilitate these engagements is the choice of specific individuals and NGO’s.

The Mine continues to engage those who are directly affected in respect of relocations and has signed agreements with a majority of the identified officials. They have advised that they continue to engage those with whom they have not yet reached an agreement. The Mine has also indicated that they will abide by the decisions, directives or requests of the Court accordingly.

Reply:

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs is not tasked with regularly estimating the number of municipalities affected by sewage spillages and the magnitude of the harm they create.

Municipalities are required to report, in terms of section 20 of the National Water Act No 36 of 1998, incidents of sewer spillage to the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) which is the water services regulatory authority. DWS has the power to issue non-compliance directives in terms of section 20 (4) (d) of the National Water Act, No. 36 of 1998 for failure to take reasonable measures to contain and minimise the effects of incidents like sewage spillages. Furthermore, DWS maintains a National Information System in accordance with section 67 of the Water Services Act No. 108 of 1997 that provides information to enable monitoring the performance of municipalities on Water Services Authority functions including wastewater management.

The Department of Cooperative Governance (DCOG), together with all other National and Provincial Departments, have a responsibility in terms of section 154 of the Constitution to support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to perform their functions, including to ensure that wastewater systems are properly functioning well.

Where municipalities fail to perform their functions despite the support provided, the relevant provincial executive and national executive may intervene in accordance with either section 63 of the Water Services Act No. of 108 of 1997 or section 139 of the Constitution.

End.

Reply:

(a/b) No, Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) does not have any current contract with the security company G4S. Security service in the department (COGTA) is provided by Prime African Security and (MISA) is provided by TPD Security Services. All the companies were procured through a public tender.

(i) and (ii) Not applicable

End.

Reply:

1) The Department of Basic Education, in collaboration with Provincial Education Departments, including the Eastern Cape, is working with disability, parents and civil society organisations to ensure that out-of-school learners are placed in schools. In addition, the Department of Basic Education wrote to Provincial Heads of Departments requesting them to ensure that out-of-school learners of compulsory age of attendance have access to appropriate learning programmes. 

a)  

PED	ACTUAL
EC	1685
FS	697
GP	1772
KZN	957
LP	1216
MP	1120
NC	262
NW	521
WC	1646
TOTAL	9876

b) The Department of Basic Education, in collaboration with Provincial Education Departments, including the Eastern Cape, is working with disability and parent and civil society organisations to ensure that out-of-school learners are placed in schools. In addition, the Department of Basic Education wrote to Provincial Heads of Departments requesting them to ensure that out of school learners of compulsory age of attendance have access to appropriate learning programmes.

2) In 2014, the Department of Basic Education promulgated the Policy on Screening, Identification, Assessment and Support (SIAS), which provides guidance regarding the assessment and placement of learners according the level of support required.   

Reply:

 

1. a) 

Province	2023/24
	Budget
Eastern Cape	R      694,000,000.00
Free State	R      102,400,000.00
Gauteng	R   1,046,934,000.00
KwaZulu Natal	R      266,400,000.00
Limpopo	R      466,231,000.00
Mpumalanga	R      464,891,000.00
Northern Cape	R      191,481,000.00
North West	R      450,000,000.00
Western Cape	R      493,299,000.00
RSA	R   4,175,636,000.00

(b) Learner Transport Programme is funded through the Equitable share allocations to Provinces by Treasury. Learner Transport Programme is managed through the Learner Transport Policy published in 2015 and responsible Provincial Departments of Education and Transport are responsible for the administration of the budget through their internal controls, Treasury regulations and oversight to ensure accountability for the control of the allocated budget.

2. Yes, Each Province has received their full budget for the 2023-24 financial year. See above table.

3. (a) 875 985 Learners rely on Scholar Transport Nationally.

    (b&c) 685 157 Learners are being provided and use learner transport programme. Details below.

Reply:

1. SPECIAL INVESTIGATING UNIT

The salaries of the Head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), and the Executives are set out in the table below: It must be noted that the salary structure of the SIU is based on an all inclusive “Cost to company” and includes the basic salary, any allowances and contributions to the provident or pension fund.

Response to (a) (i)

 

and (ii)

(b) The Head of the SIU and the Executives are permanent employees, and therefore

earn a salary, and do not get paid any additional fees to attend meetings.

2. LEGAL AID SOUTH AFRICA:

a) (i) The Total Annual Cost to Company (TCTC) of the Chief Executive Officer of Legal Aid South Africa is R2 400 543.00.

(ii) Details of the Total Annual Cost to Company of the top executive of Legal Aid South Africa:

Position	Annual TCTC
Chief Operations Officer	R1 930 482.00
National Operations Executive	R1 930 482.00
Chief Legal Executive	R2 048 937.00
Chief Financial Officer	R1 688 373.00

b) Legal Aid SA executives do not get paid for attending meeting as they are full-time employees at the organization.

3. BOARD OF SHERIFFS

a) The administrative Head of the Sheriffs Board is the Executive Manager as the there is no CEO of the Board. The total remuneration package for the Executive Manager is R1 778 615.04.

b) The Executive Manager does not get paid for attending meetings as this is a full-time position.

4. INFORMATION REGULATOR

a) The Information Regulator (Regulator) is an independent institution established in terms of section 39 of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA). It has jurisdiction throughout the Republic and is subject only to the Constitution and the law. It exists to promote the protection of personal information processed by public and private bodies and promote access to information. The Regulator is empowered to exercise its powers and perform its functions in accordance with POPIA and the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 as amended (PAIA). The Regulator is accountable to the National Assembly.

b) The Executive Managers do not get paid for attending meetings as it is an inherent requirement of their full-time positions however, the salary scales are as follows:

Position	Annual TCTC
Chief Executive Officer	R2 068 458.00
Executive Officers	R1 590 747.00
Chief Legal Officer	R1 308 051.00
Chief Financial Officer	R1 590 747.00
Chief Information Officer	R1 308 051.00

a) (i) The salary of the Chief Executive Officer of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services is as follows:

• Total package = R1347 606. 00 per annum (all inclusive)
• Monthly basic salary = R78 610. 35

a) (ii) Not applicable

b) Not applicable

END

Reply:

DRAFT REPLY

The question relates to the performance of judicial functions, which falls under the purview of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice. It is advised that information relating to the performance of judicial functions, be directed to the Chief Justice.

 

Reply:

Yes, there was a discussion to lower the salary of the SAPO CEO during the process of appointment of the current CEO. The approved salary was lowered by R523 000 as compared to the salary of the previous CEO of SAPO due to the financial constraints of the organisation.

Thank You.

Reply:

1. The Transboundary Animal Diseases Programme always submits reports on time. The information relating to phylogenetic trees is always supplied to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development with each new outbreak and on request.

2. Yes. The ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research is still the reference laboratory for Foot and Mouth Disease at the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and Food and Agriculture Organisation.

(a),(b) Falls away.

Reply:

DRAFT REPLY

The question relates to the performance of judicial functions, which falls under the purview of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice. It is advised that information relating to the performance of judicial functions, be directed to the Chief Justice.

Reply:

1. No. This information is not available at the moment. It should be noted that the changes to the Cabinet announcement was made on 6 March 2023 and staff appointed per term of office of the incumbent executive authority or Deputy Minister will only terminate at the end of the first month after the month in which the term of that executive authority or Deputy Minister terminates for any reason. (Regulation 66 of the Public Service Regulations, 2016)

2. This information will be available after 1 May 2023 when appointments in the office of the Minister have been finalized.

Thank You.

Reply:

(1) (a) Yes. Since October 2020, the released state land was assessed to determine the status of each farm. Start-up packages were developed according to the categories/sizes of the farming operations, commodities and required activities to ensure optimum functionality of such farms. The activities on these farms ranged from infrastructure, production inputs and capacity development in respect of both livestock farming and crop farming. The 700 000 hectares of state land identified for redistribution was advertised in October 2020. The process of considering submissions for allocations was completed during 2021.

(b) (i) A total of 895 farms were identified for lease agreements. To date 213 farms have been issued with full leases; seventy-two (72) farms are partially leased; seventeen (17) farms in process; and five hundred and ninety three (593) farms have not been leased but were allocated in terms of the Land Reform: Provision of Land and Assistance Act 126 of 1993 as follows: -

• Communities: 210 farms;
• Donations: 277 farms;
• Land claims: 68 farms (Since these farms are under claim, they will be allocated to claimants in terms of the Restitution of Land Rights Act 22 of 1994);
• Withdrawn:19 farms because of the legal challenge by the communities residing on those farms; and
• Long-term occupiers:19 farms found to have lawful occupiers in terms of Extension of Security of Tenure Act 62 of 1997.

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) is currently working on legislation to enable government to transfer communal land to communities.

(b)(ii) Infrastructure development was identified as a key requirement to enable farmers to improve their production. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed with the Development Bank of Southern Africa for 5 years to assist with the infrastructure development on these farms. The infrastructure development will include fencing, water reticulation, irrigation systems, storage sheds, etc. The Department will be handing over the list of projects for infrastructure development to DBSA to commence with the implementation processes.

2. Yes. The Department conducted farm assessment to determine the status of the farms and the level of support required. It has been identified that most of these are under production at various levels. Given that the production levels at these farms is still not at optimum level, it is envisaged that production inputs, in addition to the envisaged infrastructure will be provided to kickstart agri-business unit(s) on various commodities.

Reply:

1. The Executive Committee of the Department met with the Minister on 7 March 2023 (a day after changes were made to the National Executive) to brief the Minister on the work of the department. The Minister has since been engaging with key stakeholders in the sector.
2. Ministerial Performance Agreements (MPA) are based on the commitments in the State of the Nation Address and selected priority actions from the 2019 - 24 Medium Term Strategic Framework. Each MPA contains a set of specific targets backed by measurable performance indicators to be achieved over the 5- year electoral period, the purpose of which is to put the country on a positive path towards our national development goals and objectives.

Thank You.

Reply:

The SIU Investigation report was commissioned by the President via a Proclamation. The Presidency is, therefore, the owner of the SIU Investigation Report. The Member of Parliament is advised to formally write a letter to the President on this matter.

Thank You.

Reply:

The revised South Africa Connect Phase 2 model focuses on the following three pillars:

• Community and Household connectivity by Broadband Infraco (BBI), Sentech and Internet Service Providers (ISPs);
• Universal Service Obligations to connect schools, health facilities and traditional authorities by Mobile Network Operators; and
• Government connectivity to connect government facilities by the State Information Technology Agency (SITA).

Governance structures involving key stakeholders have been established to guide and monitor the implementation of the programme. The governance structures include the Project Steering Committee and Project Team. The Project Steering Committee is chaired by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies and include the leadership from the DCDT and implementing entities (BBI, Sentech, SITA, Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA). The Project Team is comprised of senior managers and technical teams from the DCDT and implementing entities.

The DCDT has engaged various stakeholders at National, Provincial and Local Government levels to discuss the project and solicit input in terms of sites that require connectivity.

Community and Household Connectivity

BBI and Sentech are responsible for rolling out infrastructure using various technologies (fibre, wireless and satellite). The local SMMEs, ISPs and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) will lease capacity from BBI while Sentech will provide connectivity to those households and 33 000 community Wi-Fi hot spots with the applicable metering and support.

The Department applied for funding to National Treasury (NT) through the Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) process. National Treasury has since approved R3 billion capital expenditure funds to implement the programme over the MTEF. Engagements are underway with National Treasury regarding the availability of funds to enable the project team to finalise the implementation plan. Relevant details are as follows:

• High level core and access network technical designs for the fibre, Transmission and Internet Protocol (IP) network components are completed for all 9 provinces. Procurement processes to appoint equipment suppliers, installers (SMMEs) have commenced. Owners of key third party sites that are essential to deploy infrastructure have been identified.
• Engagements with ISPs have commenced to understand their broadband delivery model and how they can effectively participate in the SA Connect programme to support the overall objectives of connecting communities and households.

USAASA has funded the rollout of 412 sites in the Northern Cape (NC) and Eastern Cape (EC), i.e. Pixley Ka Seme (112) and OR Tambo districts (300) respectively. 110 sites have been connected with the required infrastructure (45 in NC and 65 in EC). Work is underway to connect the remaining 302 in the 2023/24 financial year.

Connectivity to Government Facilities

SITA to connect at a minimum of 10Mbps (total of 14 742 government sites) utilising existing budgets from line departments for maintenance and the extension of services provided by SITA. To date 3767 government facilities in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Western Cape provinces facilities are connected and there are ongoing engagements with other provincial departments.

Universal Service Obligations (USO)

ICASA has imposed USOs on Mobile Network Operators (spectrum licensees) who were recently assigned International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum through an auction as per the Invitation to Apply (ITA) i.e. 18 520 schools; 1764 hospitals; 3967 clinics; 567 libraries and Thusong centers and 8241 traditional and tribal authority Centres.

Engagements are underway to finalise site lists with traditional authorities. ICASA is engaging with spectrum licensees to finalise the allocation of the social obligations connectivity. The licensees will develop roll-out plans after the conclusion of ICASA’s engagements.

Thank You.

Reply:

a) There is a time lag of almost a year in the publication of the Annual Agricultural Survey, which depicts statistical information on the general performance in the agricultural sector. Statistics on the 2022 performance will only be available towards the end of the year 2023, once the survey is completed and the results are made available.

(b),(i),(ii),(iii) The table below indicates the performance of the different categories of farmers for 2021. Performance is depicted in terms of income received across different agricultural business activities.

Activity	(b)(i) Large >R 30 million Turn over	(ii) Medium R18 million < Turnover <=R30 million	(b)(iii) Small R3 million< Turnover<= R18 million	Micro Turnover<= R3 million Turn over	Total
	R’000
Growing crops, market gardening; horticulture	130 641 686	12 915 431	29 660 855	11 071 701	184 289 673
Farming of animals	126 343 423	6 503 854	15 078 457	6 703 286	154 629 020
Growing of crops combined with farming of animals(mixed farming)	17 169 993	9 691 581	26 127 474	9 563 642	62 552 690
Agriculture and animal husbandry services, except veterinary services	7 522 709	568 956	3 655 981	1 656 365	13 404 011
Activity	Large >R 30 million Turn over	Medium R18 million < Turnover <=R30 million	Small R3 million< Turnover<= R18 million	Micro Turnover<= R3 million Turn over	Total
	R’000
Hunting, trapping and game propagation including related services	670 662	107 353	853 611	577 495	2 209 121
Total	282 348 473	29 787 175	75 376 378	29 572 489	417 084 515

Reply:

1. (a) A total of 53 286 subsistence producers were supported across all 9 provinces.

(b) Table 1: supported subsistence producers, by province and district.

Province / Districts	Provincial Totals	District Totals
Eastern Cape	9 927
Alfred Nzo		1631
Amathole		1424
Buffalo City		211
Chris Hani		1646
Joe Gqabi		706
Nelson Mandela Bay		364
O.R.Tambo		3748
Sarah Baartman		197
Free State	2 905
Fezile Dabi		434
Lejweleputswa		385
Mangaung		826
Thabo Mofutsanyane		1092
Xhariep		168
Gauteng	2 594
City of Ekurhuleni		646
City of Johannesburg		676
City of Tshwane		544
Sedibeng		423
West Rand		305
KwaZulu-Natal	13 134
Amajuba		658
City of ethekwini		1356
iLembe		1105
King Cetshwayo		2367
Sisonke		1003
Ugu		1504
UMgungundlovu		1024
Umkhanyakude		844
Umzinyathi		654
Uthukela		603
Zululand		2016
Limpopo	7 707
Capricorn		1799
Great Sekhukhune		1642
Mopani District Municipality	1017
Vhembe		2719
Waterberg		530
Mpumalanga	8942
Ehlanzeni		4342
Gert Sibande		1825
Nkangala		2775
North West	5 505
Bojanala		1299
Dr Kenneth Kaunda		447
Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati	2138
Ngaka Modiri Molema		1621
Northern Cape	1 649
Frances Baard		214
John Taolo Gaetsewe		1108
Namakwa		73
Pixley Ka Seme		126
Siyanda		128
Western Cape	923
Cape Winelands		112
Central Karoo		30
City of Cape Town		343
Eden		247
Overberg		45
West Coast		146
Grand Total	53 286	286

(2) No. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020/21 resulted in several complexities and time-consuming activities that impacted on the acceleration of the implementation process. The latter includes but is not limited to the following:

- The setting up and operationalisation of the setting electronic systems which impacted on the management of the e-voucher solution.

- The physical verification of approved applicants for conformity to the qualification of set criteria.

Reply:

1. The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development did not mislead Parliament but was reporting the status as it was at that point in time. The Commission’s business process is complex and can be delayed by multiple factors some internal and others external. the Payment of financial compensation to claimants in phases has been identified as a risk for fraud and possible double payment and as a result, the Policy was amended to discontinue the practice. This meant that instead of paying this claim in phases village by village the Commission in the Eastern Cape had to conduct verification and screening to include all the villages so that the payment can occur at the same time. This automatically meant that there would be a delay, which was communicated to the claimant community.

(2)(a) The claim is targeted for settlement in the Third Quarter of 2023/24 financial year on condition that none of the beneficiaries who have adopted the verification interdict the process because of some disagreement of the payment to be made.

(b)(i) Once the settlement process has been finalized and verification adopted and all the payment lists have been prepared, all beneficiaries having submitted all the relevant documents. Then the Commission will commence with the payment process and the payment will be affected within 90 working days after the signing of the distribution agreement with the individual households.

(ii) The total monetary value of the claim will be based on the financial compensation policy, which allows for payment based on the of Standard Settlement Offer, which is R405 776, per house for the loss of the right in land and improvement.

END

Reply:

No, the Department does not have any collaboration in the provision of financial management skills to rural farmworkers. The Department has support programmes for farm dwellers and labour tenants under the Extension of Security of Tenure Act [No. 62 of 1997] ESTA. There is no special programme to support farm workers. If farm workers have farming practices outside their employ, they would apply for support like any other farmer supported by the Department.

Reply:

I have been advised by the Department as follows:- 

Cybercrime is the mandate of law enforcement agencies with the Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020 being the primary and most recent piece of legislation in this regard. The Department has a peripheral role with regards to cybercrime in that acts of cybercrime reported to the Department are routed to law enforcement agencies.

With respect to cybersecurity, the Department has established in 2016 and subsequently operationalised a national Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT), namely the Cybersecurity Hub, as per the National Cybersecurity Policy Framework (NCPF) of 2015. The Cybersecurity Hub under the department has a specific mandate to act as the national CSIRT responsible for the private sector and citizens. The Cybersecurity Hub delivers various services including inter alia incident coordination, cybersecurity assessment and advisory services, cybersecurity awareness building and collaboration with private sector industry bodies tasked with issues of cybersecurity.

With respect to promoting cybersecurity the following specific initiatives were and are being undertaken: simulation exercises that improve the coordination of incident response capability at a national level; development of a cybersecurity toolkit for small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs), which is freely available; and development of a cybersecurity schools toolkit for teachers, parents and learners which is freely available.

Thank You.

Reply:

The 450 farmers for commercialisation were identified across all nine provinces, with each province contributing and supporting at least 50 farmers towards being commercially self-reliant. The Commercialization Strategy was a response to the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme [CASP] Evaluation Report of 2015 which recommended that CASP commercialise 30% of producers. A commercial producer that we are referring to is a producer who produces with the intention to supply markets – both locally and internationally, is able to pay his overheads (breaks even or is profitable) and with a minimum turnover above R500 000 per annum.

Of the 450 producers targeted, a total of 350 have been commercialised. The table below outlines progress per province. These farmers were supported with infrastructure, production inputs, training, food safety and accreditation (where applicable) as well as mechanization through the CASP and Ilima/Letsema conditional grants.

The responses / details on these farmers / producers per province is attached.

Province	Targeted	Supported / commercial black farmers as at 30 March 2023.	Variance
Eastern Cape	50	44	6
Free State	50	91	+41
Gauteng	50	17	33
Kwa-Zulu Natal	50	33	17
Limpopo	50	36	14
Mpumalanga	50	33	17
Northern Cape	50	29	21
North West	50	17	33
Western Cape	50	50	0
Total	450	350	100

Reply:

1. The Department has developed a response to the NSP on GBV and it is being implemented in partnership with the State-Owned Entities and stakeholders.

2. The department has developed a framework for women, youth and persons with disabilities to participate in the Information and Communication Technology sector and it will be implemented by March 2024

Thank You.

Reply:

Yes. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) has developed the draft Digital Economy Framework and Strategy and it is currently undergoing final internal consideration and comments, before being submitted to the new Minister for his consideration and Cabinet for approval and publishing in the Government gazette for public comments and consultation with the broader South African society and industry.

The relevant details will only be shared after Cabinet approval.

Thank You.

Reply:

(a)(i),(ii)(b)(i),(ii) The report has been finalised and will be released as soon as all logistical arrangements have been concluded. The Department has already started implementing the recommendations made by the task team.

Reply:

No.

a) The amount of R41 million is reported to have been paid to Ingonyama Holdings, a company of Ingonyama Trust, through two firms of attorneys as well as directly. The Board has to obtain an explanation from the directors of Ingonyama Holdings on what has been achieved as a consequence of this amount being transferred to Ingonyama Holdings. A new Board has just been appointed and I will ask them to look into this matter.

b) The KwaZulu-Natal Ingonyama Trust Act does not empower the Minister to have direct representatives in the Board hence there are no direct representatives. I have however been informed by the Head of the Secretariat of Ingonyama Trust that the directors of Ingonyama Holdings do not accept that they are accountable to the Board. Their view is that they are only accountable to the Trustee hence they resisted attempts by the Board to establish the deliverables associated with the R41 million. The Board had decided in February 2022 to have a dedicated discussion on the relationship between the Board and Ingonyama Holdings, however, the matter had not been attended to at the time the previous Board’s term of office came to an end, which probably could have been the reason the matter was not timeously brought to the attention of the Minister.

Reply:

Yes. The Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development (DALLRD) the LandCare programme which is a community-based programme focusing on optimizing productivity and the sustainable use of natural resources leading to greater productivity, food security and job creation through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The key consideration is that there are circumstances which, based on soil mapping and analysis in order to improve soil fertility, soil organic carbon status and rectification of deficiency alternative measures, need to be considered which entail the use of fertilisers within prescribed measures.

a) The Department in collaboration with the provinces, implements the LandCare programme, wherein conservation measures are considered to support local farmers in creating a sustainable farming system that would maintain productivity while reducing land degradation.

b) Through demonstration projects in provinces communities participate in capacity building, wherein farmers are able to increase production yield and upgrade from small-scale to subsistence farming. These capacity-building initiatives include soil surveys and soil fertility testing. Furthermore, communities participate in exchange learning programmes inclusive of cultivation methods, weed control and related maintenance and calibration of conservation agriculture – no till planters.

c) The LandCare programme has job creation pillars within the EPWP, wherein project beneficiaries are provided with temporary jobs while implementing projects and skills to sustain the project afterwards towards the prevention of land degradation. It is envisaged that with continued farming system farmers are empowered to alternative usage of skills acquired.

Reply:

1. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) has sourced and is awaiting legal advice on the Animal Diseases Act 1984 (Act no 35 of 84) and the Animal Health Act 2002, (Act no 7 of 2002). Such advice will help inform the process going forward with regards to these two Acts.

2. Yes. In an industry adopted veterinary strategy, livestock owners as well as other animal owners are responsible for the health and welfare of their animals and ensure that all controlled diseases outbreaks are reported to the nearest state veterinarian or veterinarian to ensure that there is no unnecessary risk to the animal population of the country at large. Even at international level a trend is emerging where efforts to strengthen official state services, requires the active participation and investment on the part of both the public and the private sectors. The South African private sector as well as livestock producers have indicated their willingness to support this approach in their report to the Animal Health Forum. DALRRD continues to draft biosecurity guidelines to assist the livestock sector to prevent diseases and/or mitigate impact of outbreaks. DALRRD audits and assist to bio-secure facilities to assist them access regional and other international markets

Reply:

1. The claim is currently at settlement stage.

2. (a) Yes, there is a Court Order under Case number 1590/2000 dated 1 June 2000. The High Court in Pietermaritzburg granted a rule nisi, calling all interested parties to be available before the Court on 23 July 2000 at 9:00 am for a hearing why an order should not be granted on the following terms:

(i) the Applicant is granted leave to alienate to the Zwelethu Community Trust, immovable properties described as portion 104 of the Nelsrust No.849, Erf 126 Thornville;

(ii) any person claiming to have interest which entitled such person to object the granting of such order or intends to object thereto shall notify the Registrar of the Court and Applicants attorney on or before 24 July 2000.

(b) The final order was granted on 28 July 2000.

3. (a) Yes, there is a claim with reference number KRN6/2/2/E/42/0/0/202, which was settled on 9 January 2000 in respect of the following properties:

• farm Meyershoek No. 847,
• farm Onrust No. 848,
• Rem of Nels Rust and
• ptn 8 of Nooitgedacht No. 903 collective extent of 3262.9193 ha

(b) The Department is undertaking more in-depth research to determine compliance within the context of the land rights dispossession that took place in the Baynesfield Estate and conduct comparative analysis of the beneficiaries/households in respect of the section 42 D submission approved on the 9 January 2000. Such should happen using the available source documents which include the approved S42D, signed settlement agreement and court order of 2000. The further research will take approximately 120 days to complete.

Reply:

The question relates to the performance of judicial functions, which falls under the purview of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice. It is advised that information relating to the performance of judicial functions, be directed to the Chief Justice.

Reply:

a) The objectives and commitments of the Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan (AAMP) are implemented through two mechanisms, namely, the Commodity Value Chain Round Tables and Transformation Schemes. The two mechanisms ensure that implementation is at a commodity level focusing on both commercial and non-commercial (including tribal and land reform farms) farming areas. The Transformation Schemes are geared towards accelerating the empowerment and participation of previously marginalised groups in each agricultural commodity value chain. Since the signing of the AAMP in May 2022, the establishment of the Transformation Schemes in the mohair, cotton, citrus, and red meat industries are underway. Other industries to follow suit in 2023/24 year.

b) The main challenge is the availability of funding for off-farm infrastructure, particularly in rural and tribal areas where the Transformation Schemes are targeted. The enabling infrastructure such as rural roads, irrigation schemes, electricity supply, fresh produce markets, colleges, and processing or storage facilities are poorly developed. This affects the ability to attract private investments into these areas and impedes unlocking agricultural growth and jobs in rural and tribal areas.

c) Beyond the existing departmental funding that has been reprioritised to align with the AAMP interventions, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) is working with the private sector to raise additional funding to finance both on-farm and off-farm infrastructure and other AAMP interventions through the mechanisms namely, Value Chain Round Tables and Transformation Schemes. Some of the catalytic infrastructure projects that are crucial for the development of agriculture have been submitted to the Infrastructure Office in the Presidency to solicit both domestic and international private funding.

The AAMP furthermore seeks to drive transformation through commodity corridors, where the value chains deep-dives of the AAMP are translated into a district-based value chain approach. These are aimed at linking market-led investments with strategically identified agricultural land. In other words, whereas the deep-dives identify what needs to be done nationally in each value chain, the district-based approach identifies where the high potential areas are to create the biggest impact with respect to inclusive growth and job creation.

Reply:

a) No. The Department is finalising a research study that will serve as the basis for the Cost to Communication review model and/or plan for the 2022/2023 annual accounting period. The study will provide the required information for the construction of the review model and/or plan, which will be completed at the end of 2023/2024 financial year.

Thank You.

Reply:

1. Yes, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) provided a list of matters that require the Board’s approval and the impact thereof. Hence the Ministry wrote to the Minister of Finance, requesting approval for the CEO to be designated as the Accounting Authority in the absence of the Board in terms of section 49(3) of the Public Finance Management Act. Thought the National Treasury granted the approval, the CEO declined to be designated as the Accounting Authority.
2. No, because the process of appointment of the SABC Board neither requires approval of, nor consultation with, Cabinet.

Thank You.

Reply:

1. (a) A total amount of R561,667,106 is currently owed to Medipos.

(b)This amount is historical debt, there is no current amount outstanding, SAPO is up to date with Medipos payments.

2. (a) No amounts have been written off by SAPO. SAPO has previously requested the Medipos members to consider writing off the historical debt owed.

(b) No decision to write off any amounts has been taken. Currently Medipos has been placed under curatorship.

Thank You.

Reply:

a) The Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) has been engaging with Mr. Ntonga, who is the Chairperson of the members of Loto Greens farms on possible relocation because of wetlands affecting their farm. The wetland situation is also affecting other farms in the area of Cedarville including other lessees on this area.

b) The farm was bought for R 9 000 000 from the original owner and allocated to four farmers.

c) None.

Reply:

a) The report has been finalised and its recommendations are currently being implemented.

b) The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development will release the findings and recommendations of the report as soon as all logistical and arrangements have been finalized and confirmed.

Reply:

1. The SA Post Office financial position has been dire as expenses have continued to exceed revenue resulting in unfunded losses. SA Post Office has continued to manage its expenses prudently resulting in the loss position not worsening. Staff costs is the primary cost driver at 69% of total expenses with revenue unable to cover the total staff cost. The monthly salaries have been prioritised, however, cash flow has been insufficient to pay medical and other statutory expenses in full.

2. The funding and implementation of the Post Office of Tomorrow strategy will improve operational and financial performance.

3. Partial payment of medical aid contributions commenced April 2020. A total amount of R561,667,106 is currently owed to Medipos. This amount is historical debt, there is no current amount outstanding, SAPO is up to date with Medipos payments.

Medical aid benefits for Medipos were suspended from 1 October 2022 to 13 October 2022, and then reinstated on 14 October 2022. The other medical aid schemes (Bonitas, Discovery and Sizwe) were suspended in November 2022 due to non-payment of October 2022 contributions. The suspension was lifted after payment was made in January 2023 for the outstanding three months, October to December 2022.

Medical aid benefits were suspended once more in February 2023 due to non-payment of January and February 2023 contribution. These contributions were paid 8 March 2023. The number of employees affected differs on a month-to-month basis depending on membership numbers, at approximately 10,975 active employees + 1,740 pensioners = 12,715 principal members.

Thank You.

Reply:

1. The Postbank has been on a countrywide drive to promote its service offerings as it gets ready to play the role of a State Bank. Additional to the support provided to the Postbank at Struisbaai, the former Minister conducted oversight monitoring of the distribution of decoders by SAPO and installation thereof by Sentech to registered households towards fulfilling ConCourt judgement of June 2022.

a) Decoders were distributed to qualifying registered households and five (5) 32 Inch Integrated Television sets were donated to deserving poor households.

b) The cost of the IDTV is estimated at R3500.

2. (a) Through this activation, the Postbank generated 429 leads (individuals who provided their contact information for marketing/ solution purposes). The leads are being analysed and engaged for conversion by the acquisition team.

b) This was exclusively a Postbank initiative from an execution standpoint. The campaign was part of Postbank’s ongoing brand and product awareness efforts and to also promote financial literacy and education as part of Postbank founding mission.

Thank You.

Reply:

a) [1]The General Household Survey (GHS) 2021 data from Statistics South Africa illustrates that 77,5% of South African households had at least one person who had access to or utilised the internet in places such as their homes, places of employment, places of study, internet cafés, or public hot spots.

b) [2]According to the Research ICT Africa Policy Brief, South Africa's data prices are excessively high in comparison to other African nations. South Africa offers has the most expensive mobile data in the region and ranked 34th out of 47 countries in the Research ICT Africa Mobile Pricing (RAMP) Index for 2021 Quarter 3.

Thank You.

1. STATISTICAL RELEASE P0318 General Household Survey 2021 ↑

2. Research ICT Africa Policy Brief f [3] [December] [2021] ↑

Reply:

1. Yes

a) Three (3) and the fourth one is underway.

b) (i) Nil (0)

c) (ii) Nil (0)

2. Individuals are subjected to a disciplinary hearing.

Thank You.

Reply:

The entities have advised as follows:

1) South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC)

a) The salaries of the Chief Executive Officer and the top Executives in the Corporation are outlined in the table below.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Group Chief Executive Officer	R 5 735 155.92
(ii)	Chief Operating Officer	R 3 512 790.00
	Chief Financial Officer	R 3 348 730.44
	Group Executive: Radio	R 2 900 000.04
	Group Executive: News & Current Affairs	R 2 801 848.56
	Group Executive: Legal Governance & Regulatory	R 2 484 216.72
	Group Executive: Video Entertainment	R 2 430 831.48
	Group Executive: Sales	R 2 534 839.44
	Chief Digital Officer	R 2 787 956.52
	Group Executive: Human Resources	R 2 534 839.44
	Chief Audit Executive	R 1 500 675.00

b)  None of the Executives are paid to attend any meetings where they represent the SABC.

2) South African Post Office (SAPO)

• a) The below table reflects the total annual remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and the respective Executives.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Chief Executive Officer	R 3,950,000
(ii)	Chief Financial Officer and Acting COO for part for the year	R 3,824,906

• b) Executives at the SA Post Office are not paid to attend meetings.

3. South African Postbank (Postbank)

a_ The salaries of the Chief Executive Officer and the top Executives in the Corporation are outlined in the table below.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Interim Chief Executive Officer	R 5 049 993
(ii)	Chief Risk Officer	R 3 258 439
	Chief Human Resources Officer	R 3 000 000
	Acting Chief Financial Officer	R 1 702 974
	Acting Chief Commercial Officer	R 1 080 603
	Acting Chief Information Officer	R 1 096 146 (6 months)
	Acting Chief Audit Officer	R 1 869 732

b) The Postbank Chief Executive Officer and Executives are not remunerated to attend meetings.

4. Sentech

a) The below table reflects the total annual remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and the respective Executives.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Chief Executive Officer	R 3 329 513.42
(ii)	Chief Financial Officer	R 3 000 000.00
	Chief Operating Officer	R 3 072 799.55

b) The CEO and top executives do not receive any payment for attending meetings.

5. Broadband Infraco (BBI)

a) The below table reflects the total annual remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and the respective Executives.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Acting Chief Executive officer	R 2 997 978,91
(ii)	Executive: Compliance Risk and Audit	R 1 676 462,66
	Acting Chief Technical Officer	R 1 534 819,71
	Acting Chief Marketing and Sales Officer	R 1 484 077,52
	Acting Executive Human Resources	R 1 099 639,93

b) The Chief Executive Officer and Executives are not remunerated to attend meetings.

6. State Information Technology Agency (SITA)

a) The below table reflects the total annual remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and the respective Executives.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Interim Managing Director (Chief Executive Officer)	R 3 823 465.36
(ii)	Chief Financial Officer	R 2 575 000.00
	Executive: Application Development and Maintenance	R2 252 334,53
	Executive: Corporate and Digital Strategy	R2 000 000,00
	Executive: Human Capital Management	R2 000 000,00
	Executive: National Consulting	R2 987 192,00
	Executive: Service Management	R2 080 000,00
	Executive: Supply Chain Management	R2 152 800,00
	Executive: Internal Audit	R2 434 367,03
	Executive: IT Infrastructure Services	R2 825 680,00
	Executive: Governance, Risk, Compliance and Integrity	R2 117 075,05

Note:

(i) The Interim Managing Director (Chief Executive Officer) contract ended on the 27th of July 2022 and an Acting Managing Director (Acting CEO) was appointed from then onward. The Interim Managing Director (Chief Executive Officer) salary was R 3 823 465.36.

b) No additional payments for attendance of meetings.

7. National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA)

a) The below table reflects the total annual remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and the respective Executives.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Chief Executive officer	R 1 739 785.11
(ii)	Acting Chief Financial Officer	R 1 221 273.60

(b) NEMISA does not pay any of the employees mentioned above (CEO and Acting CFO) for attending meetings.

8. Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA)

a) The below table reflects the total annual remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and the respective Executives.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Acting Chief Executive Officer	R 1 768 713
(ii)	Acting Chief Financial Officer	R 1 308 051
	Acting Executive Manager: Corporate Services	R 1 308 051
	Acting Executive Manager: Operations	R 1 308 051
	Executive Manager: Strategic Planning and Performance Management	R 1 518 069

b) The Executives do not get paid for any meetings.

9) Films and Publications Board (FPB)

a) The below table reflects the total annual remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and the respective Executives.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Chief Executive Officer	R 1 919 662
(ii)	Chief Financial Officer	R 1 771 664
	Executive: Corporate Services	R 1553 000
	Executive: Regulatory Development & Enforcement	R 1 806 262
	Executive: Technology Support & Platform Monitoring	R 1 878 519

b) The Film and Publication Board’s (FPB) Executives have no additional remuneration offered when attending meetings as they are employed full-time.

10) ZA Domain Name Authority NPC (.zaDNA)

a) (i) The chief executive officer (CEO) of ZADNA earns a total cost to company package of R1,838,575.

(ii) Other than the CEO position, ZADNA does not have any other top executive positions.

b) The CEO of ZADNA does not receive any additional remuneration for attending internal stakeholder engagement sessions.

11) Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)

a) The below table reflects the total annual remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and the respective Executives.

	Position	Total Package
(i)	Chief Executive officer	R 2,667,343.00
(ii)	Executive: Licensing and Compliance	R 1,891,777.00
	Executive: Engineering and Technology	R 1,891,777.00
	Executive: Policy Research and Analysis	R 2,029,548.12
	Executive: Regions and Consumer Affairs	R 2,020,195.32
	Executive: Corporate Services	R 1,891,777.00
	Executive: Legal and CCC	R 1,891,777.00

b) Not applicable, as these executives are appointment on a five-year contract.

Thank You.

Reply:

1. (a) The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) is required in terms of the Communal Property Associations Act to:

• Appoint a Conciliator (mediator) when there are disputes within a CPA
• Inspection CPA records for monitoring purposes
• Conduct an enquiry into the activities of the CPA
• Subpoena persons who may have relevant information in respect of affairs of CPA
• Require CPA members to conduct elections of new committee
• Place a CPA under Judicial Administration

The Department also assist CPAs to comply; the following are the Department’s interventions:

• Conduct Governance and Compliance training to CPA Executive Committee members and CPA members in general.
• Support CPAs towards compliance by assisting them with updating membership list, amending their Constitution, and facilitating an Elective Annual General Meeting.

b) The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) is responsible for all the 1 750 registered CPAs in the country. See Annexure A

c) The following is a breakdown of CPAs that failed to report on their financial records during the past three financial years. Annexure B

Province	Financial year
	2019 - 2020	2020 - 2021	2021 - 2022
Eastern Cape	170	176	195
Free State	52	49	56
Gauteng	22	34	33
KwaZulu-Natal	382	332	403
Limpopo	75	100	160
Mpumalanga	392	392	394
North West	168	170	191
Northern Cape	71	56	71
Western Cape	17	27	25

2. (a) The following is a breakdown of CPAs that failed to report on the validity of term of office for the CPA Executive Committee during the past three financial year.

Annexure C

Province	Financial year
	2019 - 2020	2020 - 2021	2021 - 2022
Eastern Cape	76	142	111
Free State	0	12	18
Gauteng	2	12	16
KwaZulu-Natal	313	231	308
Limpopo	24	29	72
Mpumalanga	390	389	307
North West	134	134	158
Northern Cape	55	47	63
Western Cape	2	0	1

(b) The DALRRD has powers through section 11 of the CPA Act to require CPA members to conduct elections for a new committee, if the integrity, impartiality or effectiveness of the committee or any member of the committee is in question. In implementing of this section, the DALRRD issues notices to notify all CPA members of such a requirement made by the DALRRD and if possible, assist the CPA in facilitating an Elective AGM to ensure that these elections take place.

3. In the event that the CPA cannot resolve their own dispute through internal processes as stipulated in the CPA’s Constitutions, the members may refer the dispute to the DALRRD for assistance. The DALRRD must investigate the dispute and determine if the issues fall within the scope of the CPA Act and receive consent from the parties involved for mediation. Mediation takes place, either by an official of the DALRRD or through the Land Rights Management Facility Panel. As a last resort when all interventions proved unsuccessful, the DALRRD can request through the courts to place a CPA under Judicial Administration.

Reply:

The question relates to the performance of judicial functions, which falls under the purview of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice. It is advised that information relating to the performance of judicial functions, be directed to the Chief Justice.

Reply:

Yes. The Department has allocated R87 million to the OBP and R100 million to the ARC respectively to ensure the sustained availability of FMD vaccine. The Department has also assisted the KwaZulu-Natal Province with R18,2 million towards control of the Foot and Mouth outbreak.

Reply:

(a) A total of 2 124 144 hectares of land is currently leased for private use. The methodology used in 2018 and prior years has since been discontinued as part of measures towards improving the quality of information. For instance, in 2018 and preceding years, where a farm consisted of several lease units and only one lease unit has a lease, the entire farm was regarded as leased and, in the calculations, the total extent of the farm was used. The Department has since improved the methodology to calculate only the extent per lease/land unit with a lease hence the number of hectares of land leased out has been rectified from 2 309 078 hectares to 2 124 144 hectares.

(b),(c)(i),(ii) Please refer to Annexure A: List of Properties with leases.

Reply:

(a) her department and/or No

(b) any of the entities reporting to her have any current contracts with the security company G4S; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what None

(i) are the relevant details of the specified contracts and No

(ii) is the monetary value of each contract?    None