Questions and Replies
05 April 2023 - NW706
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
(1)With reference to the statement issued by Onderstepoort Biological Products that a number of animal vaccines that currently are out of stock, will be in stock by the end of February 2023, (a) what is the current status of the specified vaccines, (b) could a list be made available of the vaccines that are (i) in stock now and (ii) still out of stock and (c) by what date does she envisage the vaccines will be available; (2) whether, with regard to the vaccines that are still out of stock, any vaccines are available from other countries; if not, why not; if so, (a) which vaccines, (b) from which country and (c) will they be imported from such countries; (3) what long term solution does her department have to satisfactorily meet the vaccine demands?
Reply:
(1)(a) The current status of specified vaccines available is as follows:
VACCINES IN STOCK |
AVAILABILITY (Y)/(N) |
COMMENT |
Anaplasmosis |
Yes |
N/A |
Heartwater |
Yes |
N/A |
Redwater Asiatic |
Yes |
N/A |
Redwater African |
Yes |
N/A |
Anthrax |
Yes |
N/A |
Black Quarter |
Yes |
N/A |
Pasteurella |
Yes |
N/A |
Elephant Skin Disease |
Yes |
N/A |
Tetanus |
Yes |
N/A |
Bluetongue |
Yes |
Product available in stock but already invoiced to a client |
African Horse Sickness |
No |
Product going into production on the week ending 17 March 2023 and available on the market the week ending 7 April 2023. |
Lumpy Skin Disease |
No |
Product available end April 2023. |
Pulpy Kidney Alum |
No |
Product available end April 2023 |
Brucella S19 |
No |
Product available end May 2023. |
Brucella Rev 1 |
No |
Product available end May 2023. |
Rift Valley Fever Live |
Yes |
Product available in stock – minimum quantities, in planned production |
Rift Valley Fever Inactivated |
Yes |
Product available in stock more than 500 000doses |
Botulism |
No |
Product available end April 2023. |
(b)(i),(ii) List of vaccines in stock and not in stock. Please refer to the table below. Please refer to the table below.
(i) VACCINES IN STOCK |
(ii) VACCINES NOT IN STOCK |
Anaplasmosis |
Bluetongue |
Heartwater |
African Horse Sickness |
Redwater Asiatic |
Lumpy Skin Disease |
Redwater African |
Pulpy Kidney Alum |
Anthrax |
Brucella S19 |
Black Quarter |
Brucella Rev 1 |
Elephant Skin Disease |
Rift Valley Fever Live |
Tetanus |
Rift Valley Fever Inactivated |
Botulism |
- Expected date on which vaccines currently not in stock would be available: Please refer to the table below.
Vaccine |
Expected Date of Delivery to the Market |
Bluetongue |
Product awaiting Quality Control results due the week ending 10 March 2023. Product to be distributed to the market week ending the 24 March 2023. |
African Horse Sickness |
Product going into production on the week ending 17 March 2023 and available on the market the week ending 7 April 2023. |
Lumpy Skin Disease |
Product expected delivery date end April 2023. |
Pulpy Kidney Alum |
Product expected delivery date end April 2023. |
Brucella S19 |
Product expected delivery date end May 2023. |
Brucella Rev 1 |
Product expected delivery date end May 2023. |
Rift Valley Fever Live |
Product awaiting packaging and will be available to the market the week ending 17 March 2023. |
Rift Valley Fever Inactivated |
Product awaiting packaging and will be available to the market the week ending 17 March 2023. |
Botulism |
Product expected delivery date end April 2023. |
All vaccines above are scheduled for production in March 2023 and April 2023, and to undergo quality testing in April 2023 and May 2023.
2. The other vaccines that may replace unavailable vaccines are imported products of companies from other countries. Bluetongue, African Horse Sickness and probably Rift Valley Fever, as far as we know are only produced at OBP. Vaccines such as Brucella S19 may be replaced with vaccines from companies such as MSD Animal Health which makes available a vaccine known as RB 51 which has the advantage that it can be given to animals older than 8 months. A vaccine such as S19 normally has a restricted age of between 4 and 8 months. S19 provides much longer protection. Botulism may be available from combination vaccines from similar pharmaceutical companies. All other vaccines may have alternative products.
3. The Department is supporting the Entity in its three-pronged long-term strategy to satisfactorily meet market vaccine demands. The four-pronged strategy as approved by the entity includes:
- Implementing a sustainable planned and preventative maintenance programme;
- Seven-year critical equipment recapitalisation plan;
- Finding an alternative manufacturing site for its vaccines;
- Completing the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) facility project; and
- To augment the Entity’s strategy, the Department will also be looking at ways of supporting the entity in its renewable energy initiative as well as infrastructure recapitalisation programme.
05 April 2023 - NW763
Wilson, Ms ER to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What number of times has the anti-corruption forum within the health sector (HSACF) met in each year since it was established in 2018; (2) what (a) number of allegations of corruption have (i) been referred to the forum and (ii) resulted in investigations by the HSACF in each year since 2018 and (b) was the nature of the allegations, such as fraud, maladministration and/or corruption; (3) what number of the specified investigations have resulted in (a) successful criminal prosecutions, (b) civil recoveries, (c) medical practitioners struck off the roll, (d) medical aid scheme sanctions emanating from HSACF referrals in each case, (4) what specified preventative and/or risk-management measures were implemented by the HSACF?
Reply:
1. The Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (HSACF) has convened its meetings on Nine (09) occasions since 2018, below is the details of the meetings:
# |
Date of Meeting |
1. |
23 August 2018 |
2. |
20 November 2018 |
3. |
27 November 2019 |
4. |
21 May 2019 |
5. |
30 June 2020 |
6. |
02 December 2020 |
7. |
29 June 2021 |
8. |
30 March 2022 |
9. |
21 September 2022 |
In addition, the HSACF has established the Steering Committee that has been mandated to assess all health-related corruption allegations that have been reported. The Steering Committee serves as an operational structure of HSACF and meets more frequently or as and when there are new allegations that has been reported, which requires to go through assessment process.
2. (a) Number of allegations of corruption have (i) been referred to the forum and (ii) resulted in investigations by the HSACF in each year since 2018.
- A total number of eleven (11) allegations were reported to the HSACF in 2018/19/20. All allegations were referred to the relevant entities who are part of the HSACF for formal investigations as per their legislative mandate.
- A total number of twelve (12) allegations were reported to the HSACF in 2020/21. All allegations were referred to the relevant entities who are part of the HSACF for formal investigations as per their legislative mandate.
- A total number of five (05) allegations were reported to the HSACF in 2021/22. All allegations were referred to the relevant entities who are part of the HSACF for formal investigations as per their legislative mandate.
- One (01) allegation was reported to the HSACF in 2022/23. The allegation was referred to the relevant entity who is part of the HSACF for formal investigations as per their legislative mandate.
3. The HSACF has registered quite a significant investigations outcomes or successes in twelve (12) matters that were reported to the Forum and formally investigated by member entities. The below table highlight some of the successes in terms of criminal prosecution, civil recoveries, and medical aid sanctions:
# |
Entity Investigated |
Investigation Outcomes |
1 |
Health Professional Council of South Africa |
|
2 |
Provision of Aero Medical & Patient Transport – NW |
|
3 |
Provision of Aero Medical & Patient Transport – FS |
|
4 |
National Health Laboratory Services |
|
5 |
Council for Medical Schemes |
|
6 |
Office of the State Attorney |
Focus Area 1: Maladministration in connection with the affairs of the office of the State Attorney in relation to― (a) legal services that were provided, or procured, by the office of the State Attorney in the performance of its functions as contemplated in section 3 of the State Attorney Act, 1957 (Act No. 56 of 1957), on behalf of― (i) the Gauteng Department of Health and the Eastern Cape Department of Health in respect of claims based on medical negligence; Legal Practitioners
Medical negligence cases in Court.
Focus Area 2: Maladministration in connection with the affairs of the office of the State Attorney in relation to ― the South African Police Service in respect of claims based on wrongful arrest or detention, assault, or malicious prosecution.
Focus Area 3: The procurement of legal services, as contemplated in paragraph 2(a) of this Schedule, by the office of the State Attorney, or payments which were made in respect thereof, in a manner that was― (a) not fair, competitive, transparent, equitable or cost-effective; or (b) contrary to manuals, policies, procedures, prescripts, instructions or practices of, or applicable to the office of the State Attorney, and any related unauthorised, irregular or fruitless and wasteful expenditure which the Department or the State incurred as a result thereof.
Focus Area 4: Irregular conduct by— (a) employees or officials of the office of the State Attorney; or (b) any other person or entity, relating to the allegations referred to in paragraphs 2 or 3 of this Schedule."
|
7 |
South African Health Product Regulatory Authority |
|
8 |
National Department of Health Medico Legal Claims |
|
9 |
National Department of Health |
|
10 |
Government Employee Medical Scheme (GEMS) |
|
11 |
COVID-19 National Proclamation |
|
12 |
Pretoria Eye Institute |
|
4. Specified preventative and/or risk-management measures were implemented by the HSACF
- A series of webinars were successfully rolled out in 2020/21FY under the banner of HSACF Corruption Prevention Program with the following objectives:
- To create public awareness about corruption in the health sector
- To profile the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (HSACF)
- To raise awareness about whistleblowing and witness protection
Amongst the thematic areas in relation to health sector corruption that were discussed include the following:
- The corruption pandemic in South Africa’s health sector
- National Health Insurance (NHI) and its vulnerability to corruption
- Combatting corruption in the private health sector
- When corruption and Covid-19 intersect
- Unpacking whistleblowing protection in South Africa
2. Collaboration with UNODC to implement corruption prevention programs in South Africa’s health sector.
- The HSACF is collaborating with the UNODC to implement corruption prevention initiatives in the health sector, which include strengthening whistleblowing/reporting mechanism and corruption risk assessments. Two (2) health sector entities were identified to implement these projects.
- These entities include HPCSA where a pilot project will be implemented on strengthening their internal whistleblowing/reporting channels and National Department of Health where corruption risk assessments will be implemented in particular around procurement.
3. Corruption Risk Mitigation Plan for COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-Out
- The COVID-19 Corruption Risk Mitigation Plan (CRIMP) was initiated to supports the National Covid-19 Vaccine Roll-Out Plan, led by the Inter-Ministerial Committee, chaired by the Deputy President
- The key objective of CRIMP was to develop and implement a specific anti-corruption lens on the roll-out of the vaccine taking lessons from the PPE investigations.
- The development of the CRIMP was led by DPME, working closely Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, convened by the SIU under the ACTT Prog 4.
The specific purpose of CRIMP was to enhance and complement existing efforts by providing:
- Framework and template to assess COVID-19 Vaccine corruption risks.
- Consolidate and Assess (“hack”/stress test) the workstream plans into a single, living anti-corruption risk mitigation plan.
- Act as coordination interface between the IMC work streams and specialist anti-corruption capacity (such as ACTT and its Fusion Centre) where required.
- Act as coordination interface with civil society, business, and labour; and optimise the existing mechanisms (e.g., with the SIU led Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum) on broadening the anti-corruption response.
END.
05 April 2023 - NW760
Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health
(1)For each province, what (a) total number of nurses have been terminated due to their registration lapsing at the Health Professions Council of South Africa and (b) has been the reasons for the registration lapses; (2) given the critical shortage of nurses, what steps have been taken to assist nurses with their lapsed registration?
Reply:
1. The honourable member should note that nurses do not register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), but with the South African Nursing Council (SANC).
(a)-(b) As per the information received from the SANC, the total number of nurses whose membership was terminated or their names removed due to their registration lapsing is 21 332 over the period of 2021 to 2022, as per the table below. The reasons are also reflected in the very table below.
Table 1.
|
Reason for removal |
|||||
Province |
Deceased |
Removed - Administratively |
Removed - At own request |
Removed - Disciplinary |
Removed - Non-payment of annual fee |
Grand Total |
Eastern Cape |
14 |
2 |
8 |
1 |
3020 |
3045 |
Free State |
|
|
3 |
|
1086 |
1089 |
Gauteng |
24 |
3 |
32 |
5 |
5257 |
5321 |
KwaZulu-Natal |
39 |
5 |
27 |
0 |
4708 |
4779 |
Limpopo |
16 |
|
2 |
3 |
1622 |
1643 |
Mpumalanga |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
929 |
934 |
North-West |
8 |
|
5 |
|
1362 |
1375 |
Northern Cape |
1 |
|
0 |
1 |
343 |
345 |
Outside RSA |
|
|
4 |
|
84 |
88 |
Western Cape |
7 |
6 |
21 |
0 |
2679 |
2713 |
Grand Total |
111 |
18 |
103 |
10 |
21090 |
21332 |
2. In order to assist nurses with their lapsed registration, the Department has successfully signed Resolution 3 of 2019 at the Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council (PHSDSBC) which is an agreement on payment of annual statutory registration fees in respect of health and social development professionals (including Nurses)
The objective of the Resolution amongst others is to:
- Introduce mandatory deductions of professional registration fees from salary of employees by PERSAL as required by the respective statutory professional bodies in the Health and Social Development Departments.
- Assist in the monitoring of potential risks and compliance with registration requirement for appointment and practice as stipulated in the respective Statutory Professional bodies in the departments
END.
05 April 2023 - NW764
Wilson, Ms ER to ask the Minister of Health
Whether he will provide Mrs E R Wilson with a list of the name of each (a) hospital and (b) clinic that is (i) currently exempted from load shedding and (ii) next in line to be exempted in each province in each case; if not, why not; if so, (aa) what are the relevant details and (bb) on what date will each hospital and clinic be exempted?
Reply:
a) Not all hospitals have been exempted from the load-shedding. However, the National Department of Health has provided Eskom with a total of 213 hospitals to be considered for possible exclusion from loadshedding. About 67% of these hospitals are supplied by municipalities while Eskom supplies about 33% of the identified hospitals. Out of the 213 hospitals, 76 hospitals have been exempted of which 26 are directly supplied by Eskom and 50 by Municipalities. The number of hospitals exempted to date have doubled since the meeting held on 22 September 2022 between Eskom and National Department of Health. To date, there are 7 hospitals exempted in Eastern Cape, 9 in Limpopo, 15 in KZN, 4 in Mpumalanga, 4 in Western Cape, 2 in Northern Cape, 3 in North West, 14 in Free State, and 18 in Gauteng provinces. Should there be a need of hospitals names per province, a breakdown list of hospitals is available on request.
b) Load-shedding has a negative impact to the provision of health services at primary health facilities, hospitals, community health centres, clinics, EMS centres including the forensic laboratories. In order to reduce the impact of load-shedding, the National Department of Health is seeking for the financial support to assist with the effective delivery of the following areas:
(i) Additional funding support for fuel, oil including the servicing of generators. The hospitals have been forced to use its budget on fuel, oil and medical gas just to keep healthcare facilities running. With persistent stage 6 load-shedding, greater energy demand is placed on generator capability which requires increased fuel consumption and vast expenditure.
(ii) Additional funding support for the installation of dedicated lines for certain key hospitals that are deeply embedded within the Eskom’s or Municipal networks rendering exclusion impossible in their current state as bigger loads are to be exempted.
(iii) Additional funding support for the roll-out of the solar energy + battery storage as back-up supply to all the clinics, CHC’s, hospitals, EMS centres including the forensic laboratories.
END.
05 April 2023 - NW762
Wilson, Ms ER to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether the Republic attended the first draft deliberations on the Pandemic Treaty of the World Health Organisation on 1 August 2022; if not, why not; if so, who was the Republic’s representative at the deliberations; (2) whether the Republic submitted observations and proposed amendments to the draft before the end of October 2022; if not, why not; if so, what were the relevant details of all the observations and proposed amendments; (3) whether the Republic attended the second draft deliberations and adoption on 7 December 2022; if not, why not; if so, who were the Republic’s representatives?
Reply:
1. The Pandemic Treaty deliberation are still in the conceptualisation of a Zero Draft framework and negotiations have not yet commenced. South Africa participated in discussions focussing on the development of the Conceptual Draft Document which is a framework and outline of the envisaged pandemic instrument that looks at background, methodology and approach to be used during the development of the negotiation tool. South Africa was represented by our Health Attache to Geneva and the United Nations, Ms Lebogang Lebese, who is based in the South African Mission in Geneva.
2. South Africa is championing the cause of access and equity in pandemic preparedness and response. Therefore, the technical input to the Conceptual Zero draft referred to above, was centred around strengthening of the framework in the areas of “operationalisation of the instrument and on achieving equity” with emphasis on seven types of equitable access on Tools; Essential Supplies (strengthening supply chains and shortening supply lines); Financing; Vaccines; Health Workforce; Disease Surveillance and detection of zoonotic and environmental risks; and Equitable ramping up and diversification of manufacturing.
3. The Pandemic instrument discussions have not yet reached the stage of discussing a second draft. South Africa participated in further discussion on developing the Conceptual Zero Draft framework and was represented by our Health Attache, who was also joined by our Ambassador Mr Mxolisi Nkosi, the South African Permanent Representative to the United Nations office in Geneva and other international organisations in Switzerland.
END.
05 April 2023 - NW761
Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health
(1)With reference to his reply to question 2091 on 17 June 2022, and given the vacancy rate of 27 137 doctors, nurses and Emergency Medical Services personnel in the Republic, (a) what are the main reasons for the massive number of vacancies, especially nurses, (b) what steps have been taken by his department to fill the specified positions, (c) in which provinces will the positions be filled and (d) what total number of each position will be filled; (2) what (a) are the reasons that medical students are still struggling to be placed into internships, given the specified vacancies and (b) practical solutions and/or plans will be put in place to ensure that no one is left behind; (3) what (a) are the reasons that intern doctors are still struggling to be placed into community service, given the vacancies and (b) practical solutions and/or plans will be put in place to ensure that no one is left behind; (4) given the total number of foreign medical personnel employed in the Republic, what are the reasons that South African medical personnel who qualified and trained in foreign countries are struggling to obtain accreditation from the Health Professions Council of South Africa?
Reply:
1. The response to parliamentary question 2091 that which was provided on 17 June 2022 indicated a total vacancy posts of 27 137 for doctors, nurses and emergency medical services personnel in the Republic. As of 28 February 2023, there were 18 804 vacant posts of doctors, nurses and medical care personnel. This demonstrates a 31% achievement rate in the filling of vacant posts.
a) The main reason for the recorded vacant posts is general budget cuts introduced by National Treasury. These cuts also affect Compensation of Employment (CoE) negatively resulting in not all posts being filled simultaneously.
b) As demonstrated above in order to reduce the vacancy rate by 31%, the Department introduced several interventions which amongst others, include:
- (i) Prioritisation of the posts in the Annual Recruitment Plan – where funding permits;
- (ii) Prioritisation of the posts for conditional grant funding;
- (iii) Filling of replacement posts considered and approved weekly;
- (v) Advertisements published National wide through print media.
c) Filling of these vacant posts will be prioritised in all provinces as per above method to ensure that there is no over expenditure of Compensation of Employment (CoE).
d) Posts are prioritised according to the availability of funding and the Annual Recruitment Plan as informed by the service delivery model.
2. (a) The Department working together with Provincial Departments of Health and National Treasury has put in place mechanisms to ensure that all eligible South African Citizens and Permanent Residents are allocated to accredited medical internship positions within the Cycle that applicants qualify for. This is evident by the conclusion of allocating 2 505 medical interns applicants in the January Annual Cycle 2023.
Only 55 applicants are still to be allocated as they were not eligible due to various reasons e.g., applicants declining the posts and preferring to wait for the next cycle.
(b) All eligible applicants will again be given an opportunity during the Midyear Cycle which will start on the 1 July 2023.
3. (a) The Department working together with Provincial Departments of Health and National Treasury has put in place methods to ensure that all eligible South African Citizens and Permanent Residents are allocated to medical community service positions within the Cycle applicants qualify in. This is evident by the conclusion of allocating 2 509 medical community service applicants in the January Annual Cycle 2023.
(b) All other eligible applicants, who met the allocation requirements later, will again be given an opportunity during the Midyear Cycle which will start on the 1 July 2023.
(4) Registration of foreign qualified medical applicants with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is a multi-layered process. The HPCSA has to satisfy itself that applicants studied in legally recognized Institutions, by both the health and regulatory authorities of the countries of training. Applicants are required to submit several documents that will assist the HPCSA to establish their competency, including the hours that they would have spent in training and the domain training completed. As most of them study in non-English speaking countries, for example China, Russia and Turkey, documents have to be translated into English and notarized before the HPCSA can submit them to relevant committees of the board to make a determination about the equivalence of their training to that provided in South Africa. Any delays in one of the steps in this process ordinarily lengths the processing of applications.
END.
04 April 2023 - NW647
Ceza, Mr K to ask the Minister of Water and Sanitation
Whether he has instituted any investigation into allegations of fraud and maladministration by officials in his department’s finance division in relation to water allocation and use that is reserved for blacks for their own farming operations in Groot-Marico, and that a certain person (name furnished) has been using the water for his own farming operations; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Department of Water and Sanitation is aware of the allegations and referred the matter to the Internal Audit Unit for investigation.
---00O00---
04 April 2023 - NW675
Motsepe, Ms CCS to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
What (a) is the current rate of vacancies in the Public Service, (b) are the details of these vacancies in each department and (c) plans does his department have in place to fill the specified vacancies?
Reply:
a) The vacancy rate in the Public Service is 12.12% as at 31 December 2022 which is the end of the 3rd quarter of the 2022/2023 financial year (source PERSAL).
b) The list of vacant posts per salary level in National and Provincial Departments is attached as Annexure A and B.
c) The filling of a post within a department is the responsibility of the relevant Executive Authority in terms of Section 3(7) of the Public Service Act, 1994. The practice of recruitment is therefore decentralised to the relevant Executive Authority.
The Minister for the Public Service and Administration and the DPSA support departments through policy and setting of norms and standards in order to efficiently fill vacancies within the parameters of the legislative framework. The responsibility to fill such vacancies resides with the relevant Executive Authority.
End
04 April 2023 - NW515
Faber, Mr WF to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
What (a) is the salary of each (i) chief executive officer and (ii) top executive position in each state-owned entity reporting to him and (b) total amount does each get paid to attend a meeting?
Reply:
a) state-owned entities do not account, and/or report to the Minister of Public Service and Administration.
b) The Minister of Public Service and Administration does not have powers pertaining to the appointments, remuneration and employment conditions of Chief Executive Officers and top executives of any state-owned entity. Therefore, this question should be addressed to the departments which play an oversight role against the state-owned entities, such as Public Enterprises, Minerals and Energy, etc.
End
04 April 2023 - NW709
Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
(1)On what date was Mr Lubabalo Makapela appointed as the Eastern Cape Director of the National Rural Youth Service Corps; (2) whether his appointment was in line with human resources (a) recruitment and (b) selection processes; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether he possesses the necessary (a) qualifications and (b) experience for the position of the Eastern Cape Director of the National Rural Youth Service Corps; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) on what date did he (a) enrol and (b) obtain his certificate for the Nyukela course?
Reply:
As mentioned in the previous reply to parliamentary question 633 posed by Dr MM Gondwe (DA), the filling of posts within a department is the responsibility of the relevant Executive Authority in terms of Section 3(7) of the Public Service Act, 1994. The practice of recruitment is therefore decentralised to the relevant Executive Authority.
The information on the filling of the post (in terms of the minimum requirements) can be obtained directly from the relevant Department.
End
04 April 2023 - NW1090
Sithole, Mr KP to ask the Minister of Human Settlements
Whether she will furnish Mr K P Sithole with an update regarding the (a) Director-General, (b) Chief Operations Officer and (c) Chief Financial Officer of her department who have been put on paid leave, with some of the specified persons even having jobs in other departments; if not, why not; if so, (i) on what date is it envisaged that the persons will return to work and (ii) what are the further, relevant details?
Reply:
a) The matter of the Director-General is managed by the Presidency.
- Not applicable.
- Not applicable.
b) There is no Chief Operations Officer post in the National Department of Human Settlements.
- Not applicable.
- Not applicable.
c) The erstwhile Chief Financial Officer left the employ of the National Department of Human Settlements when her contract came to an end on 28 February 2022.
- Not applicable.
- Not applicable.
04 April 2023 - NW591
Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
(a) What total number of interns were appointed in the (i) 2019-20, (ii) 2020-21 and (iii) 2021-22 financial years and (b) how were they appointed; (2) whether they were all recruited within the prescripts of the (a) Public Service Act of 1994 and/or (b) Public Service Regulations of 2016; if not, is there a reason for a deviation in the process of their recruitment; if so, what are the relevant details in each case?
Reply:
1. (a) The total number of interns and learners appointed during (i) 2019/20 is 25 711, (ii) 2020/21 is 22 347 and (iii) 2021/22 is 22 303.
The breakdown per province and national is as follows:
Provincial/ National Departments |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
2021/22 |
Grand Total |
Eastern Cape |
4 441 |
4 654 |
2 555 |
11 650 |
Free State |
0 |
1 430 |
895 |
2 325 |
Gauteng |
1 888 |
3 079 |
2 122 |
7 089 |
KwaZulu-Natal |
2 592 |
3 337 |
5 155 |
11 084 |
Limpopo |
3 187 |
3 187 |
2 348 |
8 722 |
Mpumalanga |
912 |
824 |
680 |
2 416 |
National |
8 839 |
4 384 |
4 637 |
17 860 |
Northern Cape |
689 |
689 |
629 |
2 007 |
North-West |
693 |
593 |
526 |
1 812 |
Western Cape |
2 470 |
170 |
2 756 |
5 396 |
Total |
25 711 |
22 347 |
22 303 |
70 361 |
(b) Paragraph 6.2 of the Directive on Developmental programmes in the Public Service states “ in line with the principle of open competition for these opportunities ,an executive authority shall ensure that all opportunities for developmental programmes within his / her department are advertised openly as contemplated in Regulation 65 of the Public Service Regulations and the selection shall be in line with the principles pertaining to the selection process contained in Regulation 67 of the Public Service Regulations”.
2. Based on the above prescript (Paragraph 6: Recruitment of Candidates into Developmental Programmes) of the Directive on Development in the Public Service, which is aligned with the prescripts of the (a) Public Service Act of 1994 and/or (b) Public Service Regulations of 2016, it is expected that all Heads of Departments comply with the provisions of this Directive.
End
04 April 2023 - NW425
Gondwe, Dr M to ask the Minister of Public Service and Administration
What (a) is the total number of public servants whose service has been terminated due to (i) resignation, (ii) death, (iii) transfer, (iv) normal retirement and (v) discharge from duty since 1 March 2020, (b) are the reasons for each termination and (c) is the (i) age and (ii) race of each employee?
Reply:
The service termination in the Public Service is administered through PERSAL system, which is the function that is decentralised to the Departments. Based on the available data on PERSAL as at 01 March 2023, the following information has been extracted in response to the parliamentary question:
(a)
(i) Resigned employees |
60 896 |
(ii) Deceased employees |
24 317 |
(iii) Transferred employees |
4 549* |
(iv) Normal retirement |
54 395 |
(iv) Discharged from duty |
8 548 |
* Transfer within the Public Service is not regarded as termination of service
(b) The available data on PERSAL does not provide any reasons for the normal retirement, death, transfer and discharge, but it provides reasons for resignations. The main reasons for resignations include better remuneration, resignation from position, other occupation, personal grievances and nature of work. The detailed list of reasons sourced from PERSAL is attached.
(c) (i) The table below reflects service terminations according to the age group
Age category |
<=20 |
21-30 |
31-40 |
41-50 |
51-55 |
56-60 |
61-65 |
66+ |
TOTAL |
Retirements |
0 |
37* |
19* |
25 |
865 |
23511 |
29777 |
161 |
54395 |
Discharged |
11 |
656 |
2136 |
2336 |
1816 |
1422 |
169 |
2 |
8548 |
Resignations |
242 |
12733 |
18664 |
12380 |
5509 |
7477 |
3799 |
92 |
60896 |
Deceased |
2 |
685 |
3192 |
7148 |
5970 |
5602 |
1694 |
24 |
24317 |
GRAND TOTAL |
255 |
14111 |
24011 |
21889 |
14160 |
38012 |
35439 |
279 |
148156 |
*This is how it is captured op PERSAL.
(ii) The table below reflects service terminations as per race category.
Race Category |
White |
Asian |
Coloured |
African |
Total |
Discharged |
847 |
301 |
1305 |
6095 |
8548 |
Retirements |
6879 |
1638 |
4444 |
41433 |
54395 |
Resignation |
7951 |
2064 |
7322 |
43559 |
60896 |
Deceased |
998 |
410 |
1 735 |
21 174 |
24 317 |
Grand Total |
16675 |
4413 |
14806 |
112261 |
148156 |
End
03 April 2023 - NW733
Herron, Mr BN to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Considering that point (p) in the National State of Disaster in Electricity Crisis regulations published in the latest Government Gazette makes specific reference to the increase in the requirements for water quality standards and capacity, specifically at the reservoirs and acknowledging that our water supply in a dry country is already at a breaking point with infrastructure collapse, most notably in Gauteng and throughout the Republic, (a) how do the specified regulation changes result in higher water quality and (b) what consequences will arise from any reservoirs and/or water infrastructure that does not meet the new standards?
Reply:
This question can be responded to with the required detail and precision by the Department of Water and Sanitation, as the custodian of legislation and regulatory frameworks that govern provision of water. The role of the NDMC is to coordinate necessary activities aimed at mitigating the prospects of a total blackout, towards fulfilling the purpose outlined in section 27 (3) of the Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW722
Spies, Ms ERJ to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether her department has conducted any studies, evaluations and/or investigations to determine the feasibility of consolidating the various Public Employment Programmes of her department with regard to local government and traditional affairs to minimize resource wastage and expenditure on administrative costs; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Regarding the consolidation of state employment programs, no evaluation has been conducted. This is because the department only has one program for public work, the Community Works Program. Since the agency oversees a number of Public Employment Programs, the Parliamentary Question ought to be directed to the Minister of Public Works.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW334
Mogale, Mr T to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What steps have been taken to improve (a) infrastructure and (b) emergency response systems in high-risk flood zones?
Reply:
a) MISA is assisting municipalities in developing or reviewing the Spatial Development Frameworks (SDFs) and Land Use Plans which incorporates the review of the high flood lines and prohibiting future construction of infrastructure in flood prone areas, and wetlands. This minimises the risks of flood damage to infrastructure.
b) The NDMC is strengthening its collaborative agreement with the South Africa Weather Service to improve on early warnings and early actions in the provinces and municipalities to safeguard communities against the recurrence of flooding incidents and damages.
End
03 April 2023 - NW158
Mokgotho, Ms SM to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What (a) intervention measures has her department put in place to assist the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality in fixing the road infrastructure of Ward 27 in Lethabong Township, which is in a shocking state, and (b) is the timeline and/or exact dates of the intervention? NW163
Reply:
a) Section 154 of the Constitution provides that the national government and provincial governments must support and strengthen the capacity of municipalities to perform their functions. The Department of Cooperative Governance (DCOG), through the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA), provides technical support and builds the capacity of municipalities to effectively plan, deliver, operate, and maintain their service delivery infrastructure. MISA has to-date deployed 5 technical professionals, that includes 4 professionally registered built environment professionals, to support Bojanala Platinum District Municipality (BPDM) together with the local municipalities under its jurisdiction, in accordance with the District Development Model (DDM).
The Lethabong Township road in question is a district road that falls under the responsibility of the North West Department of Public Works and Roads Department (hereinafter known as the Department). The North West Provincial Route Number for Lethabong Road is D1344. MISA’s technical support to BPDM includes coordinating and monitoring the Department and all other implementing agents of infrastructure in the district to ensure successful completion.
b) It is a provincial road and the province appoint contractors. The project duration is estimated to be four (4) months.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW11
Shaik Emam, Mr AM to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
In light of the fact that local government appears to be in a state of collapse as a result of dysfunctional municipalities, municipal coalitions that are collapsing and political parties that prioritise their own interest and are at loggerheads with each other, thereby impacting negatively on budget and the delivery of services, (a) how does her department intend to address the collapse of coalition municipalities and (b) what measures has her department put in place in this regard?
Reply:
a) To address the challenges, the Department has discussed this matter with various stakeholders including the South African Local Government Association, provincial Departments responsible for local government. A framework, including amendments to the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act No. 117 of 1998, is presently being developed to address the challenges.
b) NIn this regard various measures are in place, the Department is presently finalising the Code of Conduct for Councillors Regulations, which is aimed at addressing the issues around walk-outs during council meetings. While the matter around walk-outs are not unique to councils in coalition arrangements, this intervention will assist in ensuring that meetings proceed and council operations are not stalled. Coupled with that intervention, the Department will continue to support municipalities in terms of section 154 of the Constitution.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW292
Buthelezi, Ms SA to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether, given that in the State of the Nation Address on 9 February 2023, the President of the Republic, Mr M C Ramaphosa, noted that 163 out of 257 municipalities are dysfunctional and/or in distress due to poor governance, ineffective and corrupt financial and administrative management and poor service delivery and considering that this is not new information, she will furnish Ms S A Buthelezi with a detailed overview of how her department has capacitated the 163 municipalities as per the recommendations issued by the Auditor-General of South Africa in the Consolidated General Report on the Local Government Audit Outcomes for 2020-2021; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the consequences faced by the municipalities that do not implement the specified recommendations and (b) by what date will the specified overview be furnished?
Reply:
In responding to the question, it is important to first contextualise the widespread and sometimes inaccurate use of the term municipal dysfunction. Municipal dysfunction refers to a situation where a municipality is not functioning as it is supposed to and the discharge of a municipality’s constitutional responsibilities is impaired for some or other reason. However, there are various degrees of municipal dysfunction ranging from dysfunction which is less serious or temporary in nature requiring only appropriate support to rectify and dysfunction that implies a full-blown crisis in the financial and service delivery affairs of a municipality warranting intervention. Often, the use of the term “municipal dysfunctionality” is construed to mean that a municipality is in crisis which is not necessarily the correct interpretation.
The 165 municipalities referred to by the President in his State of the Nation Address, are municipalities that the National Treasury has identified in its annual municipal financial health assessment to be in financial distress. This means that according to the 13 indicators used by the National Treasury to measure the financial health of municipalities based on their audited financial statements, these municipalities are showing signs of existing, recurring and/or potentially serious financial problems. Again, this should not be construed as a necessary crisis in the municipality’s financial affairs.
The assessment is just one of the many early warning systems developed by the National Treasury to indicate where problems are emerging in a municipality’s financial health and if used proactively as early warning systems should be, to avoid these problems from morphing into a financial crisis. This results of this annual assessment should be interpreted alongside many of the in-year monitoring systems already institutionalized by the National Treasury including the monthly S71 reporting process. The National Treasury also publishes on a quarterly basis municipal performance indicators outlined in Section 138 and 140 of the MFMA. S138 indicators are used to indicate “serious financial problems” in a municipality whilst S140 indicators refer to a “financial crisis”. Serious financial problems should ideally be addressed via a discretionary financial recovery plan prepared by the respective province whilst financial crises require that the Provincial Executive Committees institute a mandatory intervention in terms of Section 139(5) of the Constitution and imposes a financial recovery plan on the municipality.
In terms of the delegation of responsibility, the National Treasury shares the responsibility for the oversight of municipal finances with the Provincial Treasuries. The role of the National Treasury is to develop the policies, regulations, norms and standards required to improve financial management and reporting in municipalities and the National Treasury is also responsible for directly monitoring the performance of the 17 largest municipalities responsible for 80 per cent of municipal expenditure. The remaining 239 municipalities are monitored by the respective Provincial Treasuries.
The role of the Provincial Treasury is to implement S213 of the Constitution and to assist the National Treasury in enforcing compliance with the measures established in terms of S216 of the Constitution and chapter 2 of the Municipal Finance Management Act (no: 56 of 2003 as amended).
Apart from the development of early warning systems which help municipalities to identify the extent of their financial problems where they exist, there are several other support initiatives which the NT has focused on to strengthen and enforce transparency, improve fiscal discipline and promote the better use of municipal revenue. These include initiatives focused on improving budget compliance, such as the Municipal Budget and Reporting regulations which aim to standardize the format of municipal budgets, the adoption of a realistically funded and credible budgets by municipalities, integration and management of the revenue value chain, providing technical support to build municipal financial management capacity through the Municipal Finance Improvement Programme (MFIP), resolution of municipal financial problems through the development of financial recovery plans, the introduction of a Standard Chart of Accounts for municipalities (mSCOA) and processes to deal timeously with financial misconduct and consequence management.
National and Provincial Treasuries also engage municipalities annually through budget and benchmark engagements where the tabled budget is subjected to a rigorous assessment prior to adoption by the municipal council.
There are also mid-year performance assessments which provide an opportunity to assess the financial and service delivery performance of the municipality against the adopted budget and effect the necessary adjustments. National Treasury also enforces compliance in terms of s18 of the Municipal Finance Management Act by ensuring that any municipality who adopts an unfunded budget must develop a credible funding plan which seeks to gradually improve the financial position of the municipality and achieve a funded budget status. The implementation of these funding plans is monitored on a quarterly basis by the Treasuries.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW732
Herron, Mr BN to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Considering that points (h) and (i) in the latest Government Gazette relating to the National State of Disaster in Electricity Crisis refer specifically to the exemption of pre-existing energy infrastructure and generation from environmental regulations while they are upgraded and/or maintained, what (a) specific environmental regulations were holding back development and/or refurbishment the most and (b) total amount of projected time is saved in the development process by exempting the specified regulations?
Reply:
The Department of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries, as the custodian of the legal and regulatory frameworks that control environmental issues, can answer to this question with the necessary specificity and rigor. In order to achieve the goals stated in section 27 (3) of the Disaster Management Act, 57 of 2002, the NDMC's job is to coordinate the necessary actions aimed at reducing the likelihood of a complete blackout.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW191
Tarabella - Marchesi, Ms NI to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What are the details of the (a) destination and (b) total costs for (i) accommodation, (ii) travel and (iii) any other costs incurred for international travel of each (aa) Minister and (bb) Deputy Minister of her department since 1 June 2019; (2) what is the total cost incurred for domestic air travel for each (a) Minister and (b) Deputy Minister of her department since 1 June 2019? NW187E
Reply:
(1)
Designation |
(a) Destination |
(b) Total costs |
(i) Accomodation |
(ii) Travel |
(iii) any other cost |
(i) Minister Dlamini-Zuma |
Brazil, Ethopia, Benin, Angola and Botswana |
R122 885,45 |
00 |
R122 145,45 |
R740 |
(iii) Deputy Minister |
Indonesia,Kenya, Rwanda Malawi Germany |
R527 766 |
R233 610 |
R294 156 |
None |
(2)
Designation |
Total incurred on domestic air travel |
(a) Minister Dlamini-Zuma |
R490 431,11 |
(b) Deputy Minister Nkadimeng |
R340 680,40 |
End.
03 April 2023 - NW267
Brink, Mr C to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)Whether she, any organisation and/or association in which she has or had any interest of any kind and/or in which she exercises or exercised influence or control ever received a donation in money or in kind from a certain company (name furnished) and/or any company trading under the specified name and/or any person(s) (names furnished) and/or any other person who is or has been a director, associate and/or employee of the specified company and/or any company trading under the specified name; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (2) whether she has complied with all statutory requirements relating to the disclosure of each such donation; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW271E
Reply:
Since the query is being posed in her individual capacity, it should be directed to the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW271
Horn, Mr W to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What (a) has been found to have caused the explosion of the municipal electrical substation situated on the corner of Rooispan Street and Klaradyn Avenue in Bloemfontein on 13 December 2022, which caused an electrical outage in the area lasting more than 92 hours and (b) steps have been taken to prevent a re-occurrence?
Reply:
(a ) Root Cause Analysis. The root cause of the prolonged power failure in Pellissier was the insulation failure of the 3 x single core cables constituting the 11kV blue phase cables connecting the 11kV side of transformer no.1 to the 11kV switchgear. The 11kV fault on the Oberholzer feeder only aggravated the matter but it was cleared without any damage to the cable feeding Oberholzer feeder from Pellissier DC.
(b ) Steps taken to prevent a re-occurrence
The 2 x 33/11kV transformers were tested and they tested clean at Pellissier DC. The 33/11kV Transformer no. 2 was re-energized and all load was taken by 14h30 on Saturday, 11th of November 2022. This was with the exception of the faults experienced at the Bitterbessiebos substation, Vierperdewa, and Lantern miniature substations.
The 33kV circuit breaker on Transformer 1 at Pellissier DC was badly damaged. This circuit breaker is being replaced with the 33kV circuit breaker that was utilized for the 33kV General de Wet feeder. The cable on that feeder has been out of commission for an extended period of time. The 33kV circuit breakers are old and they will be replaced when the 33kV Switchgear bid is appointed for.
The Protection on the 33/11kV Transformer no. 1 at Pellissier DC is currently being upgraded with Numerical Protection Relays so that it can be of the same technology as the 33/11kV Transformer no. 2. This transformer will be out of commission until the upgrades are completed.
Pellissier DC is currently carried by the 33/11kV Transformer no. 2 and the loading on the transformer is in order. The damaged NER was replaced, and the replacement NER is now connected and hot commissioned. Pellissier DC is now stable, and the redundancy will be regained when the 33/11kV Transformer no. 1 is back in service.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW715
Xasa, Mr FD to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Considering that the indigent programme has yet to be fully utilised, which has resulted in significant underspending of the poor, what (a) are the root causes of the low uptake and (b) steps will be taken by her department to expedite the increase in uptake of indigent state support?
Reply:
a) The majority of poor households are still not registered by municipalities, which is one of the main reasons of the Free Basic Service program's low uptake by poor households. The following are just a few of the many causes for this, among many others:
Most municipalities are using the self targeting approach, waiting on indigent beneficiaries to approach municipalities to declare their indigent status. Most of the indigent households are not aware of the programme due to lack of awareness raising campaigns and communication strategies in most municipalities.
Major challenges on treatment of informal settlements and backroom dwellings. No verification tools to check the authenticity of the municipal indigent registers. Indigent policies not costed and tabled and adopted in municipal councils.
b) The following are the steps that will be taken by the department to expedite the increase in the uptake of the Free Basic Service programme by indigent households:
Ongoing support will continue to be provided to municipalities to update their indigent registers. The department will continue to support municipalities in developing indigent policies that are in line with the National Indigent Policy Framework and the Implementation Guidelines. The department has included an indicator in the Non-Financial Census (NFC) questionnaire requesting municipalities to indicate whether the indigent policies have been tabled in the municipal council together with the budget for the respective financial year.
This will enable the department to intervene and support municipalities that are not tabling the municipal indigent policies in council. In its interactions with municipalities, the department will continue to communicate and encourage municipalities to undertake a comprehensive roll out of free basic services programme so as to address some of the critical root causes in the low uptake of the of the Free Basic Service programme.
The department will also be hosting quarterly forums with the provincial COGTAs to share best practices and strategize on the mechanisms to effectively and efficiently support municipalities in the roll out of the FBS programme.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW327
Tito, Ms LF to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether she has any powers to provide for the safety and security of community halls all over the Republic, which are increasingly becoming vandalised and dilapidated; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (2) whether she intends using these powers; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW342E
Reply:
- No, the Minister does not have the powers referred to in the question. These are competencies of the South African Police Service and the municipal police service, where applicable, as contemplated in section 205 of the Constitution read with sections 13, 14, 64E and 64F of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act No.68 of 1995).
- N/A.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW336
Mokgotho, Ms SM to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether her department intends taking any intervention measures under the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic, 1996, to assist the community of Siyahlala Informal Settlement in the Western Cape, which has been struggling without basic service delivery for a prolonged period of time; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Western Cape is home to multiple Siyahlala Informal Settlements. In order for the department to investigate and respond, it is advised that the Honourable member make it clear for which town or municipality the informal settlement in question is situated.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW73
Brink, Mr C to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether she has ever met two certain persons (names furnished) and/or any other person who is or has been a director, associate and/or employee of a certain company (name furnished) and/or any company trading under the name of the specified company; if not, what is the position in each specified case; if so, in each case, (a)(i) on what date and (ii) where did each such meeting take place, (b) who was present at each meeting and (c) what was discussed at each meeting?
Reply:
The question be referred to the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, precisely because it is asked on her personal capacity.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW333
Mogale, Mr T to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
How is her department working with local communities to provide relief and support to the communities affected by the floods?
Reply:
The national Disaster has been declared on floods. In providing relief and support to the communities affected by floods, governmnet has activated a working Special Intergovernmental Committee on Disaster Management to provide support and relief to the affected communities. Teams comprising national, provincial and local spheres of government have been assessing the damage and providing emergency support in the form of shelter, food, blankets and other essentials.
The department is working with local communities through relevant organs of state and structures as per the existing arrangements. The department through the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) has activated the National Joint Floods Coordination Committee (NJFCC) for coordination and collaborative efforts by relevant organs of state with the legislated mandate to provide relief and support to the communities affected by the floods. The NDMC analyses reports received from Provincial Disaster Management Centres (PDMCs) and facilitates mobilisation of resources from relevant organs of state as well as advises on the communities where interventions and relief and support are required.
We focus on immediate humanitarian relief, ensuring that all affected persons are safe and that their basic needs are met. We focus on stabilisation and recovery, rehousing people who have lost homes and restoring provision of services. We focus on reconstruction and rebuilding. An immediate task is to house those people who have been displaced by the floods.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW273
Horn, Mr W to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What are the reasons that the administration and intervention team that she deployed to the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (a) has not ensured that bulk water and electricity supply provided by Bloem Water and Eskom respectively have been paid up to date on 31 December 2022 and (b) has not ensured that the 2021-22 Annual Report, including the Auditor-General’s report for the same period, was tabled before Council on or before 31 January 2022?
Reply:
a) There are several reasons why the Mangaung Metro has not been able to service it’s water account with the Bloem Water entity which amongst others are as follows:
The current tariffs and charges levied by Bloem Water are not affordable and the municipality is therefore not able to sustainably service the account. The current revenue collection rate for water services is not sufficient to service the Bloem Water account. In addition, funding needs to be prioritized for operational expenditure in relation to water services provided by the Metro.
Outstanding debt from residents and underpayment by government departments. Department is assisting the municipality with cost of supply study on water services, which will assist the municipality to design tariff setting and to have cost reflective tariffs.
The Centlec entity has continued to pay it’s Eskom current account despite the challenges of the 15 days as opposed to 30 days payment arrangement. It is worth noting that payment of the Eskom account is made beyond the 15 days due to a number of reasons viz.
Mangaung metro is a rural metro and cannot sustain 15 days payment period from Eskom.
The Eskom bill includes 24 hours billing including unserved energy which still requires payment during loadshedding. This matter has been brought to Eskom’s attention and a request made to offset unavailability of the supply from the billing. The Centlec entity suffered from 208 days loadshedding, like all other municipalities in the country during 2022. Table 1 below shows the statistical real- time data. The technical, operational, and monetary impact of on-going loadshedding results in increased expenditure to maintain the electrical infrastructure network , despite the increasing monthly Eskom bill Table 1 below illustrates the financial impact relating to the cost of loadshedding from January 2022 to December 2022 with a total of 497.50 hours of loadshedding which is equivalent to a monetary cost factor of R 85 754522.81.
This significant impact should be apprehended in the monthly bulk Eskom account bill, however at this stage the figures below exclude the vandalism to infrastructure, theft of cables during loadshedding that impacts on the revenue collection.
The replacement cost of vandalism and theft to electricity infrastructure impacts on revenue collection and increases the repairs and maintenance budget which is not funded and results in prolonged outages because of loadshedding. A task team has been established between CENTLEC and Eskom to find amicable solutions towards resolving the payment of outstanding debt.
7. MONTHS |
LOADSHEDDING |
||
|
EVENTS (DAYS) |
DURATION (HOURS) |
COST (R) |
JANUARY 2022 |
- |
- |
- |
FEBUARY 2022 |
6.00 |
15.00 |
2,905,715.78 |
MARCH 2022 |
7.00 |
17.50 |
4,664,129.65 |
APRIL 2022 |
10.00 |
25.00 |
4,177,189.10 |
MAY 2022 |
26.00 |
65.00 |
8,561,435.34 |
JUNE 2022 |
11.00 |
27.50 |
9,823,477.93 |
JULY 2022 |
22.00 |
55.00 |
11,189,281.51 |
AUGUST 2022 |
7.00 |
17.50 |
2,276,111.96 |
SEPTEMBER 2022 |
24.00 |
57.50 |
14,880,366.46 |
OCTOBER 2022 |
27.00 |
67.50 |
10,837,806.41 |
NOVEMBER 2022 |
30.00 |
75.00 |
7,652,835.94 |
DECEMBER 2022 |
30.00 |
75.00 |
8,786,172.74 |
TOTAL FOR PERIOD |
200.00 |
497.50 |
85,754,522.81 |
Table 1: Cost of Loadshedding
(b) Due to changes in the political leadership of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, the Council meeting scheduled for 31 January 2023 did not take place to approve the 2021/2022 Annual Report and Auditor General’s Report. These reports were however tabled and approved during the Council meeting held on 13 February 2023.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW413
Shaik Emam, Mr AM to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether she intends introducing a more credible and transparent procurement process for her department located in all spheres of the government, particularly at local government, by publishing all contracts awarded, the names of the successful bidders, the value of the contract, the itemised billing so that the communities are aware of all successful bidders in order to deal corruption, looting and a monopoly by service providers a death blow; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The department of Cooperative Governanve follows a credible and transparent procurement process as it publishes all awarded bids in the eTender Portal administered by National Treasury and as well as on the departmental website. The pubilcation includes the names of successful bidders and the value of contract.
Similarly, the procurement in the local government is guided by Municipal Finance Management Act and Procurement Regulations issued and administered by the National Treasury. It compels the Municipalities to publishing all contracts awarded, the names of the successful bidders and he value of the contract.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW1109
Buthelezi, Ms SA to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
With regard to the allocation of R630 million in backpay that iZinduna in KwaZuluNatal would be paid in the financial year which starts in April, what are the relevant details of an overview of the resources that her department will be availing to assist iZinduna with financial management?
Reply:
As the appointment and recognition of headmen/women is a provincial competence, we engaged with the Kwa-Zulu Natal CoGTA regarding the Honourable Member’s question. The provincial department has advised as follows: In anticipation of receipt of funding to pay iZinduna, the KwaZulu-Natal Executive Council resolved to conduct roadshows to eleven Districts to disseminate the information and to communicate the government decision to allocate R631 million for the back pay of iZinduna. The roadshows are led by Members of the Executive Council (MEC) and the central communication for these engagements is on the background and the plan in place (payment plan for current and terminated iZinduna) to pay the money to the qualifying iZinduna. An integral part of these sessions consists of financial counselling which incorporates elements of financial planning and management, investing in education, property and business to assist the beneficiaries to better manage the anticipated back pay monies. iZinduna have also been made aware of the significance of confidentiality in handling these anticipated funds.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW74
Joseph, Mr D to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
In accordance with the Traditional and Khoisan Leadership Act, Act 3 of 2019, how will her department accommodate the term Khoisan into (a) the new name of the department, (b) the new name of the division in the department dealing with traditional and Khoisan affairs and (c) guiding provinces and municipalities to include Khoisan into their structures?
Reply:
a) The competence for the proclamation of names of Departments and their amendments rests with the President and not individual Ministries and Departments. The Department is thus not the competent authority to amend its name.
b) The current organisational structure of the Department provides for two Branches, namely, Research, Policy and Legislation (RPL), under which the administrative support to the Commission on Khoi-San Matters (CKSM) is located, and Institutional Support and Coordination. The names of the two branches are inclusive enough to accommodate the work that is being done to execute the mandate of the Department with respect to applicable Khoi and San matters.
c) The structural arrangements of Provinces and Municipalities are not the competence of the Department. However, should the organisational structure of the Department change in future, it will accordingly be shared with the Provincial Departments of CoGTA for information in relation to the alignment of their structures.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW55
Brink, Mr C to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether the Government has a detailed disaster management plan in place in the event that the risk of a total collapse of the national electricity grid occurs, in which there will be a complete and prolonged electricity outage affecting Eskom; if not, by what date will such a plan be in place; if so, (a) what are the different steps that will be taken in terms of such a plan, (b) what events will prompt each of the specified steps and (c) who are the role players that will be responsible for each step? NW55E
Reply:
The Energy Action Plan was developed through extensive consultation and endorsed by energy experts as providing the best and fastest path towards energy security. Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act has been amended to remove the licensing requirement for generation projects, which will significantly accelerate private investment. Since the licensing threshold was first raised to 100 MW, the pipeline of private sector projects has grown to more than 100 projects with over 9000 MW of capacity. The first of these large-scale projects are expected to connect to the grid by the end of this year. Noting that the President on behalf of government announced the declaration of a national state of disaster to respond to the electricity/energy crisis and its effects, which was subsequently Gazetted by Minister of CoGTA. The government is in the process of developing a detailed plan on how to deal with national electricity challenge to prevent a total collapse of the grid. The government will make a pronouncement once these plans are finalised.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW81
Tarabella - Marchesi, Ms NI to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What are the details of the (a) make, (b) model, (c) year of manufacture, (d) cost and (e) purchase date of all the official vehicles purchased for (i) her, (ii) the former Minister, (iii) the Deputy Ministers and the (iv) former Deputy Ministers of her department since 1 June 2019?
Reply:
Designation |
(a) Make |
(b) Model |
(c) Year of manufacture |
(d) Price |
(e) Purchase date |
(i) Minister Dlamini-Zuma |
Volvo |
XC60 |
2020 |
R806 699.96 |
24 March 2020 |
(ii) Former Minister |
None |
None |
None |
None |
None |
(iii) Deputy Minister T Nkadimeng |
Toyota |
Fortuner H50 / A2X |
2023 |
R 698 138,55 |
January 2023 – Purchase order issued |
(iv) Former Deputy Minister |
None |
None |
None |
None |
None |
End.
03 April 2023 - NW278
Brink, Mr C to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
With reference to every court case in which she has been cited or joined as a party in her capacity as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, (a) on what date was each case initiated, (b) by whom was each case initiated, (c) what was the nature of each case, (d) what have been the legal costs payable by the Government in each case to date and (e) what was the outcome of each case?
Reply:
Given the fact that the Minister is cited or joined in court cases in her official capacity, and that capacity covers even the period before she was appointed as the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, it is recommended that Honourable member clarify for which period and whether he is referring to:
- every court case that was initiated since the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs was established; or
- every court case that was initiated since she was appointed as the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; or
- every court case that was initiated during any other period which the Honourable member may so choose.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW783
Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
Whether the SA Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) has been mandated by her department to act on behalf of the Muslims in the Republic; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (2) Whether she will furnish Ms H Ismail with a copy of the agreement authorising SAHUC to act on behalf of Muslims; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) What are the terms and conditions of the mandate given to the SAHUC; (4) Whether her department deals with SAHUC as part of its operations; if not, why not; if so, (a) for how long is the mandate given to the SAHUC and (b) what is the validity of the mandate?
Reply:
1. No, the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) has not been mandated by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation to act on behalf of the Muslims in the Republic.
2. There is no agreement between the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and the SAHUC authorising SAHUC to act on behalf of Muslims.
3. The SAHUC has not received any mandate from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
4 Yes, the Department deals with SAHUC as part of its operations, insofar as the SAHUC as the Pilgrims’ Affairs Office of South Africa liaises with the South African Consulate-General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, regarding Consular services such as deaths, injuries, and distressed pilgrims.
.
03 April 2023 - NW505
Buthelezi, Ms SA to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether, with the recent heavy rains that have once again wreaked havoc, damaging infrastructure, roads, and homes across the Republic and at least four persons having been swept away by overflowing rivers in Gauteng, while at least four lives were claimed by floods in Mpumalanga since the rains began, her department has ensured that all municipalities have disaster management plans in place; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details of her department’s involvement in the implementation of the plans?
Reply:
a) The Act in Sections 52 and 53 respectively, places explicit responsibility on all organs of state as well as all municipalities across the Republic for the development and implementation of disaster management plans. It is a legislative requirement that once developed, these plans must be submitted to the NDMC. The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) through the NDMC within the Department of Cooperative Governance (DCOG) does all that she can to ensure that all municipalities have disaster management plans in place. The table below depicts the status on disaster management plans submitted to the NDMC by the Metros, Districts and local municipalities, to date:
TYPE OF MUNICIPALITY |
NUMBER OF DM PLANS SUBMITTED.
|
NUMBER OF DM PLANS STILL NOT SUBMITTED |
Metros |
7 |
1 |
District |
40 |
4 |
Local |
68 |
137 |
TOTAL: 115 |
142 |
b) On receipt of the disaster management plans from municipalities, the NDMC performs an assessment to ensure compliance and the practicality of their implementation within the respective areas of their municipal jurisdiction. Frequently, the assessments reveal that most, if not all the plans assessed, were developed long before the guidelines on the “development and structure of a disaster management plan” were developed and published in 2017. The NDMC in its 2022/23 financial year Operational Plan, implemented jointly with the PDMCs, a project on stakeholder consultative workshops on the development and implementation of disaster management plans and guidelines on the integration of DRR measures into municipal IDPs in all 9 provinces. These workshops included sourcing of inputs from stakeholders to enhance the process to develop the Support Plan on the development and implementation of risk-informed disaster management plans by municipalities. Once approved by the Head of the NDMC, the guideline and the Support Plan will in the new financial year (2023/24) be piloted in 2 municipalities. These sessions also included a segment on Impact-Based Early Warnings to educate and remind all provincial stakeholders on the need to understand the different warnings levels and what should be done once the warnings are issued. It is about “Early Warning, Early Action” to safeguard lives and livelihoods within communities.
The NDMC continues to execute its legislative obligations by facilitating the promotion of an integrated and coordinated system of disaster management among national, provincial and local government, statutory functionaries and other role players involved in disaster management.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW70
Brink, Mr C to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What is the reason that she never replied to question 3522 that was published on 30 September 2022?
Reply:
Below receive response for question 3522 that was published on 30 September 2022.
QUESTION:
3522. Mr J N de Villiers (DA) to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs:
Whether the National Disaster Management Centre has a detailed national disaster management plan in place for the risk of a total collapse of the national electricity grid and/or a complete and/or prolonged electricity outage; if not, on what date is it envisaged that such a plan will be in place; if so, (a) what (i) are the different steps that will be taken in terms of such a plan and (ii) events will prompt each of the specified steps and (b) which role players will be responsible for each of the steps? NW4335E
REPLY:
The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) does not have a consolidated national disaster management plan in place for the risk of a total collapse of the national electricity grid and/or a complete and/or prolonged electricity outage on the basis that the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act No. 57 of 2002) (DMA) assigns the responsibility for the preparation of disaster management plans to all organs of state across the three spheres of government, which includes conducting a risk assessment for their functional area and formulating contingency arrangements to deal with the risks identified.
This includes the risk of a total collapse of the national electricity grid and/or a complete and/or prolonged electricity outage.
The objective of the NDMC as outlined in section 9 of the DMA, is to promote an integrated and co-ordinated system of disaster management, with special emphasis on prevention and mitigation, by national, provincial and municipal organs of state amongst others. In this regard, in implementing the prevention and mitigation components, the NDMC has been working with ESKOM on the implementation of load shedding which is a highly controlled intervention made in terms of a National Code of Practice (NRS-048-9) to ensure the operability and security of the national power system from having a demand overload.
a) (i) & (ii) The respective disaster management centres established in the national, provincial and local government, in the unlikely event of a total collapse of the national electricity grid and/or a complete and/or prolonged electricity outage occurring, has the responsibility to bring organs of state of the respective sphere together to coordinate the implementation of the respective organs of states contingency plans developed in terms of the DMA.
b) All organs of state 'have a responsibility to conduct a risk assessment for their functional area and formulate contingency arrangements to deal with the risks identified. This includes the risk of a total collapse of the national electricity grid and/or a complete and/or prolonged electricity outage.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW268
Brink, Mr C to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether she and/or any member of her department has met with any representative of any public and/or private company, non-profit company, association and/or organisation in the tobacco industry and/or a company with an interest in public policy related to the import, export, distribution and/or control of tobacco-related products since her appointment as Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a)(i) on what date and (ii) where each such meeting occurred, (b) who was present at each meeting, (c) at whose request did each meeting take place and (d) what was discussed at each meeting?
Reply:
For the reason that the question is being posed in her individual capacity, it should be aimed to the Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW1
Groenewald, Mr IM to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)Whether, with reference to her reply to question 4311 on 6 January 2023, persons who are appointed as engineers at municipalities countrywide, but are not registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa receive the same remuneration packages as registered engineers; if not, at which salary level are they being remunerated; if so, on what legislative provisions do municipalities rely in doing so; (2) whether she will make a statement on the matter?
Reply:
1. In a municipality, the salary of an engineer appointed as the municipal manager or as a manager directly accountable to the municipal manager is determined in accordance with the Notice issued by the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs published in the Government Gazette No. 43122 on 20 March 2020. The Notice determined the upper limits of the total remuneration packages payable to municipal managers and managers directly accountable to municipal managers. According to the Engineering Professionals Competency Framework in the Local Government: Municipal Staff Regulations dated 20 September 2021 published in Gazette No. 45181 (herein after referred to as Municipal Staff Regulations), a Department Head should meet Level 5 requirements of having a relevant Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) Engineering Degree and be eligible for registration as a Professional Engineer.
The upper limits as determined in the Notice vary greatly from lower values for municipal categorisation 1 mainly for rural low-income municipalities to higher values for municipal categorisation 10 mainly metropolitan municipalities as shown on the Table 1 below.
Municipal categorisation |
Minimum |
Maximum |
10 |
R2 055 005 |
R3 147 538 |
1 |
R815 063 |
R996 188 |
This leads to discrepancies of salaries earned by engineers in different municipalities with different categorisation irrespective of professional registration. A professionally registered engineer in a municipality with categorisation 1 may earn less than some senior engineers not professionally registered, but eligible, in a municipality with categorisation 10.
The salaries of other engineers who are not accountable to the municipal manager is dealt with, as provided for under clause 59 of the Municipal Staff Regulations, in terms of the collective agreement concluded by the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC). The three parties to SALGC are the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) and the Independent and Municipal Allied Union (IMATU). The SALGBC Task Wage Rate Collective Agreement of April 2010 provided the grades, called Task Grades, as per Table 2 below.
Task Skills |
Task Grades |
|
1 |
Basic |
1 to 3 |
2 |
Discretionary |
4 to 8 |
3 |
Specialised |
9 to 13 |
4 |
Tactical |
14 to 18 |
5 |
Strategic |
19 to 26 |
According to eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) which is a high-capacity municipality, in EMM posts are graded and remunerated based on their job content, scope of work and grade as follows:
- Candidate Engineer as Task Grade(T) 13
- Engineer as T14
- Senior Engineer as T15
- Chief Engineer as T16
In EMM, all levels (T13 to T16 above) are required to be registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) with the Candidate Engineer level requiring eligibility for registering. At Senior Engineer level upwards, professional registration is a pre-requisite and a Scarce Skills Allowance is provided. Furthermore, at EMM, the term Engineer is not used generically for engineering personnel. A post designated as an Engineer is for those with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) qualification in the respective discipline and professional registration with ECSA. It is worth noting that the salary scales do overlap for example an official on T13 may earn more than another on T14, and one on T15 may earn more than another on T16 depending on their respective years of experience.
There is no uniformity across municipalities because of a number of reasons that include the different categorisation mentioned above as well as different powers and functions. As a result, engineers appointed in different municipalities will not be necessarily on same Task Grades nor same salary scales.
2. No statement will be made. The Minister promulgated the Municipal Staff Regulations setting uniform standards and guidelines for all municipal staff in the Government Gazette No. 45181. The regulations took effect on 1 July 2022.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW716
Msimango, Mr X N to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Under which powers is she able to support local municipalities to manage land invasions and a rise in informal settlements, as land invasions significantly impact on spatial planning, local government planning and budgeting?
Reply:
Using SPLUMA provision 2.2, the Department of Agriculture Land Reform and Rural Development; the Department of Human Settlements is in charge of regulating the use of land and controls of land invasion and Municipal By-Laws, Spatial Development Frameworks and Land Use Schemes are used in conjunction with Planning Instruments to address irregular communities. Municipality is the authority of first instance. (Informal Settlements). Therefore, it is advised that it be moved or redirected to the Department of Human Settlements and the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW460
Alexander, Ms W to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What (a) is the salary of each (i) chief executive officer and (ii) top executive position in each state-owned entity reporting to her and (b) total amount does each get paid to attend a meeting?
Reply:
Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA)
a) Salary of:-
- Chief Executive Officer (R 2 068 458)
- Deputy Director-General: IDMS (R1 765 512)
Deputy Director-General: TSS (R1 590 747)
b) None of the above members are paid to attend meetings.
Municipal Demarcation Board (MDB)
- Salary of:-
- Chief Executive Officer = R1,661,293.40.
- Chief Operations Officer = R1,518,715.20
Chief Financial Officer = R1,453,467.12
Executive Manager: Corporate Services = R1,330,516.44
- None of the above members are paid to attend meetings.
South Africa Local Government Association (SALGA)
a) Salary of:-
- Chief Executive Officer – Vacant
- Chief Officer – MF FP and Economic Growth - Vacant
Chief Operating Officer – R 2 775 127.52
Chief Financial Officer – R 2 083 302.48
Chief Officer: Municipal Governance and Capabilities – R 2 255 708.40
Chief Officer: ID STS and Sustainability – R 2 166 217.56
Chief Officer: Human Capital and Corporate Services – R 2 013 400.36
Chief Digital Officer – R 1 824 597.72
b) None of the above members are paid to attend a meeting.
South Africa Cities Network (SACN)
a) Salary of:-
- Chief Executive Officer – R 2 902 639,34
- Executive Manager: Governance and Strategies – R 2 005 284.00
Executive Manager: Programmes and Researches – R 2 005 284.00
Executive Manager: Finance and Corporate Services – R 2 005 284,00
b) None of the above members are paid to attend a meeting.
CRL Commission
a) Salary of:-
- Chief Executive Officer – R 1 347 606
- Chief Financial Officer – R 1 302 102
Senior Manager 1 - R 1 226 817
Senior Manager 2 - R 1 138 800
b) None of the above members are paid to attend a meeting.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW322
Madokwe, Ms P to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether, given the reports of terrible roads, particularly in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, her department intends intervening under the provisions of the Constitution of the Republic, 1996, to ensure that the funds that were allocated will be used to fix (a) all roads and/or (b) only a small number of roads; if not, (i) what is the position in this regard and (ii) how will residents of the specified areas go about ensuring that their own roads are in good condition; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Funding for the construction of municipal roads is usually secured through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG). Fixing of roads within municipalities is generally funded through municipal own resources and the Equitable Share allocation. As the roads infrastructure asset continues to grow / increase, there is need to increase the budgeting and funding for the repair and maintenance and minor upgrades of all rural / municipal access roads and related infrastructure.
Some / most municipalities have own plant and equipment and labour to undertake most of their Operations and Maintenance (O&M) requirements. Due to limited funding and sometimes due to heavy rains the roads infrastructure deteriorates faster than planned thereby forcing respective municipalities to re-prioritise their maintenance plans and sometimes delay the same as resources would be channelled towards critical interventions. There is no reported under-expenditure of O & M funds within municipalities. Certain municipalities have even applied for re-prioritisation of capital expenditure grants to undertake urgent O & M activities to alleviate the O & M backlog challenges.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW711
Mkhaliphi, Ms HO to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(a) What direct interventions were made to provide relief to the persons affected by the recent floods in the Republic and (b) how will the lessons learnt from the response to the floods that affected KwaZulu-Natal in 2022 guide her department to improve its response to natural disasters of this nature?
Reply:
a) Direct interventions made by the Department to provide relief to the persons affected by the recent floods are made through the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) coordinated and collaborated with relevant stakeholders on disaster intervention measures as per its legislated mandate. The following are actions by the department:
- Facilitated the deployment of teams from the Security Cluster for search and rescue missions within the affected communities. Coordinated the evacuation missions and placement of affected households within emergency shelters. Mobilised humanitarian relief measures and the distribution by stakeholders within affected communities. Facilitated technical support to municipalities through the Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) in addressing some of the critical infrastructure damages for the restoration of services. Monitored conditions on the ground, further disseminated early warnings and advisories for informed decisions to prevent the conditions from deteriorating further within communities. Allocated disaster grant funding to affected municipalities for disaster interventions to address the damages incurred by municipalities and monitored implementation of interventions and provide support to municipalities to enhance the realisation of desired impacts from allocated funding.
b) The department continues to incorporate the lessons learnt within the disaster management function. The disaster grant frameworks were amended to factor in the lessons learned. Currently, the department is leading in the review of the Disaster Management system in consultation with relevant stakeholders to ensure collation of and implementation of lessons learnt to enhance the current system.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW648
Tito, Ms LF to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
Whether her department is responsible for fixing the houses and properties in Ward 7 and Ward 17 in the Sol Plaatje Local Municipality in Kimberley which were damaged during the flooding of dams, during the 2020-21 financial year; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, when will it be fixed?
Reply:
Fixing homes and properties is not the Department of Coorperative Governance and Traditional Affairs' responsibility. The Department of Human Settlements is responsible for this. It is advised that the Ministry of Human Settlements receive the inquiry.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW642
Madokwe, Ms P to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
(1)Whether she has any power to take steps against a certain person (details furnished), whose voice recording has been circulating on social media wherein the person is alleged to have instructed senior staff to compromise supply chain management according to his wishes; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the powers that she has to make the person account for his actions; (2) Whether she has directed that any investigations be undertaken in other municipalities to ensure that such abuse of power is not happening in other municipalities across the Republic; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. No.Item 12(b) of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act No. 117 of 1998, as amended, (“the Structures Act”) provides that a councillor may not, except as provided in law, give or purport to give any instruction to any employee of the council, except when authorised to do so. However, the authority to take appropriate steps for the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Councillors (“the Code”) lies with the speaker, or the municipal council, and the MEC responsible for local government in the province (“the MEC”), subject to the provisions of item 15 and 16 of the Code.
Item 15 of the Code provides that if the speaker is of the opinion that a provision of the Code has been breached, then the speaker must authorise an investigation of the facts and circumstances of the alleged breach, and thereafter report the matter to a meeting of the municipal council, and also report the outcome thereof to the MEC in the province. The MEC may furthermore, in terms of item 16 of the Code, suspend the councillor for a period as may be determined by the MEC, or remove the councillor from office.
Note that the specific instance also constitutes a breach of section 173 of the Municipal Finance Management Act No. 56 of 2003 and should be dealt with in terms of that Act read with the Municipal Regulations on Financial Misconduct and Criminal Proceedings.
2. No. As indicated in response provided in paragraph (1) above, any investigations concerning an alleged breach of the Code, must be undertaken by the speaker, or the municipal council, or the MEC for local government in the province if considered necessary, subject to the provisions of items 15 and 16 of the Code.
End.
03 April 2023 - NW724
Opperman, Ms G to ask the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs
What steps has her department taken to assist failing municipalities as provided for in the Constitution of the Republic, 1996, to improve (a) service delivery and (b) financial administrative capacities?
Reply:
a) Steps taken to improve service delivery capacities.
Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent (MISA) has deployed built environment professionals to municipalities in accordance with the District Development Model (DDM) to provide technical support for infrastructure development throughout the product life cycle from inception, planning, design development, implementation, operations and maintenance. This aims to augment and build State Capacity. 103 Built environment professionals (86 of which are professionally registered with Statutory bodies as engineers and town planners). In the current financial year, 150 Young Graduates have been deployed to augment the technical capacity whilst pursuing professional registration. These technical professionals support municipalities to implement infrastructure grant programmes that include the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) administered by the Department of Cooperative Governance (DCOG), the Water Services Infrastructure Grant (WSIG) and the Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant (RBIG) which are both administered by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) as well as the Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP) administered by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). The budget allocations are published annually in the Division of Revenue Act (DORA). These technical professionals also support municipalities to employ and maximise labour intensive construction (LIC) methods where feasible, by incorporating the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Guidelines during infrastructure development e.g. low volume roads, water, sanitation and electrification projects. The use of LIC methods during infrastructure development maximises the creation of job opportunities thereby alleviating unemployment. This will assist municipalities to meet the job opportunities target for the EPWP infrastructure sector administered by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI).
1. MISA is implementing capacity building programmes aimed at building the capacity of municipalities for infrastructure development. These capacity building programmes aim at the current cohort of municipal officials as well as unemployed youth by creating a skills pipeline.
- The municipal officials responsible for infrastructure development are trained through short courses for continuous professional development throughout the project life cycle as well as taking them through a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme. MISA is providing training on short technical courses in collaboration with the South African Institute of Civil Engineers (SAICE) and aims to train 500 officials this financial year. The RPL programme involves assessment, training provisioning and attaining a qualification of those municipal officials who gained work experience but did not get formal qualifications. MISA aims to enrol 100 officials for RPL Programme.
- The capacity building programmes implemented that are targeting unemployed youth are the Apprenticeship Programme, the Experiential Learnership Programme, the Bursaries Programme and the Young Graduates Programme. The implementation is done in collaboration with the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA). MISA aims to enrol a total of 420 youths for these skills programmes for this financial year. The respective targets are 100 for Apprenticeship Programme, 70 for the Experiential Learnership Programme, 100 for the Bursaries Programme and 150 for the Young Graduates Programme.
2. MISA has implemented other capacity building initiatives for municipalities to provide infrastructure development viz. the building of internal built environment design development capacity so that there is less reliance on outsourcing to Consultants, the development of Public Infrastructure Unit Cost Guidelines as well as collaboration with professional bodies and Institutions of Higher Learning.
- MISA has bought design software and is currently piloting the establishment of a design office at OR Tambo District Municipality where selected infrastructure projects that are prioritised and funded by the municipality are designed through the support of MISA procured design software and technical support personnel and not outsourced to Consultants.
- The Unit Cost Guidelines were developed in collaboration with the University of Cape Town. These Guidelines provide cost estimates of providing infrastructure as one source of truth for planning, budgeting and implementation monitoring. The Guidelines can be used by all interested and affected stakeholders including municipalities, communities, oversight structures and law enforcement agencies. The Guidelines assist in building communities’ confidence in government expenditure on infrastructure development. The Unit Cost Guidelines were used during the assessment of municipal infrastructure that was damaged by floods in April 2022.
- MISA has entered into a collaboration agreement with the University of Cape Town and Wits University and is finalizing a Memorandum of Agreement with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). The collaborations with these institutions aim to use research to find innovative solutions to infrastructure development and service delivery challenges among other benefits.
3. MISA is also contributing towards the eradication of basic services backlogs through its meagre budget by funding and implementing 39 borehole projects in this financial year in low and medium capacity municipalities.
4. MISA, through DCOG, applied for the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) program that was aimed at addressing the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the economy to an amount of about R700 million. An amount of R284 million was approved for MISA to implement the PES through the Innovative Solid Waste Management Program that was piloted in 25 municipalities across the 9 provinces.
The project commenced in December 2021. To-date the programme has created employment opportunities as detailed below as the programme ensured removal of municipal waste:
Province |
Number of municipalities benefitted |
Number of jobs created |
Amount spent |
Eastern Cape |
7 |
3 200 |
R51 252 295.00 |
Free State |
4 |
1 996 |
R38 134 654. 50 |
Gauteng |
4 |
1200 |
R20 488 113.15 |
KwaZulu Natal |
9 |
4 400 |
R64 977 015.00 |
Limpopo |
3 |
1 500 |
R21 854 087.7 |
Mpumalanga |
2 |
1 038 |
R14 569 391.90 |
Northern Cape |
5 |
1200 |
R23 458 589. 68 |
North West |
4 |
1 200 |
R26 426 925.00 |
Western Cape |
3 |
900 |
R22 496 929. 95 |
TOTAL |
41 |
16 634 |
R 283 658 001.88 |
The participants were employed for a period of (16 weeks) 3 months and received a minimum stipend of R102 per day for general workers, and R150 per day for coordinators.
End.
31 March 2023 - NW736
Madisha, Mr WM to ask the Minister of Finance
(1) Whether, considering that under the Customs and Excise Act, Act 91 of 1964, any person and/or entity are only allowed to manufacture cigarettes in the Republic if they are registered and/or licensed with the SA Revenue Service (Sars), he will furnish Mr W M Madisha with (a) a list of all the persons and/or entities that have an active registration and/or licence with Sars and (b) the registered manufacturing addresses linked to the specified registrations and/or licences; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case; (2) (a) what total number of licences have been issued since 1 January 2022 and (b) to whom were such licences issued; (3) What criteria are used to issue such licenses; (4) Whether a tender system is in place; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. Any legitimate trader ought to be licensed with SARS in terms Sections 19 (1),27 (1), and 60 (1) of the Customs & Excise Act, No. 91 of 1964 (the Act).
As per the Customs & Excise trader register, there is total of 64 (sixty-four) licensed facilities for tobacco products as follows:
(i) Manufacturer of tobacco products is 50 (fifty) Licensees
(ii) Storage of tobacco products as per register – 14 (fourteen) Licensees
(a)(b) In terms of the section 4 (3) of the Act, the Commissioner or any officer of SARS may not disclose any taxpayer-specific information, except in the performance of his or her duties under this Act or by order of a competent court. The taxpayer confidentiality provisions of the Act therefore prevent names and addresses of licensees to be shared as requested.
2. (a) Since the 01 January 2022 a total number of licenses issued for Manufacturers of
tobacco products is 8 (eight) and Storage of tobacco products is 4 (four)
(b) Licenses were issued to traders that submitted applications and met the criteria as per Sections 19 (1),27 (1) and 60 (1) of the Act.
3. Sections 19, 27 and 60 of the Act make special provision for Customs and Excise warehouses in which Excisable or fuel levy goods are manufactured or stored. Section 19A of the Act controls the activities in and movements of goods from and between such warehouses, with the rules numbered 19A1 thereto being specifically applicable to tobacco products.
Section 54E of the Act makes provision for a Customs and Excise manufacturing warehouse in which environmental levy goods are manufactured. Section 54J of the Act applies these licensing provisions in respect of Health Promotion Levy on sugary beverages.
No licensee may conduct other business / manufacturing in or on the same factory / plant that is licensed as a manufacturing or storage warehouse with the SARS.
Client is required to submit application through Customs & Excise branch with all relevant supporting documents and applicable annexures for the purpose of the application.
The following additional supporting documents must be presented with the application (DA 185):
i) Registration certificate of business (as issued by the Registrar of Companies or Master of the Supreme Court in a case of a trust);
ii) Resolution / consent or other authority applicable.
iii) Site plan:
A) Must be a detailed plan of the premises but need not be a blueprint although it must be according to scale.
B) Must show the position(s) of the proposed manufacturing or storage warehouse in relation(s) to the adjoining building(s) and public thoroughfare(s);
C) Adequate office space must be provided to enable excise officers to conduct enforcement functions on the premises; and
D) Must be signed and dated by the applicant.
iv) A list of plant and machinery; and
v) Identity / passport documents of –
A) Individual.
B) Partnership, Close Corporation and Trust (All members / partners / trustees).
C) Company (All Directors, including Managing Director and Financial Director).
Once application is submitted client is subjected to below verification processes before being granted with a license:
A).Case is generated at time of submission at branch office
B). Physical inspection will be conducted to ensure client meet the requirements
C).Compliance check is conducted – and client is required to lodge a bond (surety/guarantee) to minimum value of R 2 000 000.00
D) Once all applicable processes are conducted and client meets all criteria, license will be issued.
4. No, since licencing is a regulatory measure. [Optional: It is not a measure to allocate finite resources that are in high demand, such as radio spectrum.
31 March 2023 - NW835
Buthelezi, Mr EM to ask the Minister of Finance
What is the National Treasury’s position with regard to the request for funding of the Department of Basic Education for an additional 16 000 teacher posts to improve the teacher-student ratio?
Reply:
The National Treasury does not generally have any official position on specific funding requests and focuses on the process on how budgetary decisions are made as funding decisions always involve trade-offs between different priorities. Such process includes consultation with the technical Medium Term Expenditure Committee and Technical Committee on Finance processes, as well as political forums like the Budget Council, Budget Forum, Ministers Committee on the Budget, and ultimately, Cabinet.
In the 2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the 2023 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, as reported on pages 72 and 60 of the 2022 and 2023 Budget Reviews, R24 billion and R20 billion respectively was added to the provincial equitable share for provinces to deal with compensation of employees in provincial education departments, which includes dealing with the learner-educator ratio.
31 March 2023 - NW804
Buthelezi, Mr EM to ask the Minister of Finance
Whether the National Treasury has a plan to balance the increase in employee compensation while also ensuring that funds are allocated to ensure service delivery; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
In recent years, government has proposed difficult but necessary measures to curb the growing and unsustainable public sector wage bill. Given the size and the share of the public sector wage bill to total consolidated expenditure, it is critical that the public sector wage bill is carefully monitored and managed in relation to the broader economy. A faster growing public sector wage bill in relation to economic growth, will lead to a crowding-out effect on other critical priority spending areas.
Government thus far has successfully in curbing or slowing down growth on compensation expenditure given the fiscal consolidation measures introduced in Budget 2020 and Budget 2021. This has resulted in consolidated compensation of employees’ accounting for 31.6% of total consolidated expenditure in 2022/23, which is a reduction from the 35.7% share in 2013/14. Please refer to Figures 3.5 and 3.6 in page 29 of the 2023 Budget Review for relevant details regarding growth in compensation of employees’ spending relative to other service delivery areas.