Questions and Replies

Reply:

1. Prospecting licences, permits and rights were awarded between April 2020 and March 2023. Prospecting Right holders are obliged to pay prospecting fees in terms of section 19(2)(f) of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act 28 of 2002) (as amended) (hereinafter referred to as the MPRDA). According to section 76(2) of the MPRDA Regulations a holder of a Prospecting Right must pay prospecting fees annually in advance and not later than 30 days from the commencement date of such right and thereafter not later than 30 days following the anniversary of each respective year of the right for the duration thereof.

Prospecting right holders usually pay the initial fees when the right is issued, however they fail to pay annual fees in subsequent years due to a variety of reasons.

• Non commencement of prospecting activities and inactive prospecting rights
• Frivolous applications with a view to speculate with the right
• Less than promising results from initial prospecting rounds compared to prospecting costs incurred
• In some cases delinquency on the part of right holders.
• Right holders entered business rescue or the holder of the rights are liquidated
• Non traceable right holders
• Relinquishment of rights without notifying the regulator

2. The total amount of debt relating to Bojanala district right holders’ debt is approximately R510 079.62

3. Prospecting rights can be cancelled after all administrative process have been followed. The right holders are informed on their default in payment of prospecting fees. An order/instruction is then issued in terms of section 93 of the MPRDA non-complying right holders to demand payment. If the right holder fails to make payment, section 47 (intention to cancel the right) is issued. A specific date cannot be determined as this is an ongoing process.

4. The right holder is notified once the right has been cancelled. A specific date cannot be determined as this is an ongoing process.

Reply:

It is not possible at this stage to provide conclusive details regarding the total Rand amount contributed by the Department in the litigation before the ICJ as it is an ongoing matter and all invoices have not yet been received. Notwithstanding, the Department has contributed to costs related to the following:

• Legal fees of Counsel;
• Transport (as per departmental policies);
• Accommodation (as per departmental policies);
• Foreign subsistence and travel allowances (as per departmental policies).

Reply:

According to Information Received from Eskom:

(1)(a)(b)(c)(d)

Eskom does not have tariffs based on the metering type. Therefore, Eskom tariffs published in the Eskom tariff book are the same for both prepaid and billed supplies and there are no tariffs that are specifically specified as “prepaid”. For example, a customer could be on Homelight 60A and take supply through either a prepaid meter or a post-paid account. They will pay the same tariff as published. Some tariffs may only be available on prepaid metering, but only a tariff scale is published, as there are no tariffs based on the metering type, whether it is a conventional meter, a prepaid meter, or a smart meter.

The tariff structure used would take into account the capability of a meter for example, can the meter measure time of use or import an export energy.

(2)(a)(b)

Smart meters do not use more electricity than ordinary prepaid meters. All meters are subjected to the same accuracy and testing in accordance with SANS 62053-21 and calibrated in accordance with SANS 474.

 

Remarks: Approved / Not Approved/Comments

Ms Jacky Molisane PJ Gordhan, MP

Acting Director-General Minister

Date: Date:

Reply:

(1)(a)(b) & (2) Please refer to the attached Annexure A and B.

Reply:

(1) Retrofitting in the automotive industry refers to the practice of replacing internal combustion engines (ICE) in vehicles with an electric motor and large storage batteries, making them electric vehicles (EVs). This practice thus means that an old or used vehicle is fitted with modified or new equipment for alternative propulsion than initially designed for.

In the case of retrofitting, the manufacturer of the original vehicle provides no warranty or assurance of its integrity as the fitment of non-original parts generally compromises the vehicle as it deviates from the original specifications for safety and other parameters.

The government focuses on supporting the mass production of new vehicles that can be distributed globally and meet stringent homologation requirements. Vehicle assemblers provide warranties on their originally-built vehicles and components thus giving consumers relative comfort and confidence that such vehicles are of acceptable and good standard.

 

a) In light of the above, government has collaborated with key stakeholders including vehicle assembler OEMs, Component Manufacturers and other stakeholders such as Research institutions in developing an EV White Paper that was published in December 2023. This White Paper seeks to create an environment supportive to investment for and production of electric vehicles and components in response to the global transition from ICE to EVs.

b) The National Treasury has announced through the Budget Speech on the 22 February 2024, the introduction of a tax support mechanism for EV production with effect from April 2026. Details of this tax support will be published in due course following the adoption of implementation guidelines.

c) EV manufacturing will in addition to the tax support also benefit from the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP). The APDP supports the manufacturing of vehicles on a completely knock-down basis and not retrofitting.

The objectives of the EV White Paper are to:

• Provide additional investment funding to attract investment in the local production of electric vehicles and components.

• Promote access for these locally produced vehicles to regional and global markets.

• Deepen the automotive value chain by promoting regional cooperation for the local beneficiation of critical minerals.

• Promote uptake of locally produced vehicles through fleets including government.

• Develop requisite skills to support the transition to electric vehicles through partnerships with industry and academic institutions.

(i) Ensuring safety standards is critical for the transition to EV production. Therefore, all EV vehicles will be homologated in line with applicable regulations of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS).

(ii) The vehicle component manufacturers represented by the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) are key stakeholders in the growth of the local automotive industry. Thus, they continued to be actively involved in the development of the framework for the transition to EVs. The component manufacturing industry accounts for the lion's share of jobs in the automotive industry, over 70% of the total employment in the automotive industry in 2022.

(iii) The success of the transition requires all stakeholders to continue to work collaboratively to navigate this challenging transition and transform it into an opportunity for growth, sustainability, and economic vitality. There is an established industry stakeholder engagement platform called the Executive Oversight Committee (EOC) to oversee the implementation of the SAAM 2035. Its mandate will be expanded to include overseeing the implementation of the EV White Paper. Therefore, there is a requirement for the active participation of additional stakeholders including those in Logistics (rail and electricity), technology developers (innovation, research, and technology commercialisation), EV support infrastructure (charging facilities providers, emergency services providers). It will also include those involved in marketing SA capabilities to position South Africa as a production and demand destination for EVs and related components.

(iv) Technology changes are at the core of this transition. This includes the introduction of new raw materials and components, while some ICE-specific components are expected to become obsolete over time. These changes in the supply chain are resulting in the re-organisation of the global value chain with the growing importance of locations that can supply EV-specific components.

(v) the dtic has collaborated with Research institutions and entities mainly as service providers during the development of the EV White paper which is the culmination of substantial research and engagement over the last number of years and follows the publication of a green paper in 2021, a process of receiving public comments, which have been integrated into the policy actions to be taken. This collaboration continues during the transition to EV production.

(2) The EV White Paper focusses on the manufacturing of electric vehicles and their components rather than on retrofitting used vehicles. This focus will mitigate potential job-losses due to the transition to e-mobility as EVs have fewer components and also ensure that South Africa remains a viable manufacturing location in the global setting.

The EV transition requires new certification programs and extensive reskilling to produce and use the associated new technologies. To this end, the industry has completed a Comprehensive Skills Gap Analysis that covers the Labour Market Analysis which gives the future occupations, and the Competency Analysis which gives the future competencies. To address the skills gaps, five roadmaps have been developed.

As part of the implementation of the roadmaps, MerSETA, the Department of Higher Education, and the automotive industry are developing the EV curriculum and certificate. The main beneficiaries will be young people with the automotive industry setting a target of 10 000 learnerships and apprenticeships by 2035.

-END-

Reply:

a) Qualifying South Africans born abroad may apply for Smart IDs in the country, as there is no live capture solution at the embassies.

b) The Department commenced on 5 December 2023 with the pilot project of issuance of Smart ID Cards to naturalised citizens. This process involves the verification of the issued naturalisation certificates. Communication through email, WhatsApp, and letters have been sent to naturalised citizens to visit any DHA office.

END

Reply:

The Pension Redress Programme was an initiative negotiated and agreed to by parties to the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) through Resolution 7 of 1998. The programme aimed to address discriminatory practices by recognising non-contributory service as pensionable service for employees affected by past discrimination. The programme's implementation period started on 29 November 2002 and concluded on 31 July 2012, following PSCBC Resolution 3 of 2012, which set the final application deadline as 31 March 2012. The resolution of the programme was further defined under PSCBC Resolution 2 of 2018, which detailed the compensation methodology and marked the formal conclusion of the redress process for qualifying applicants.

Applications for the redress programme were submitted via the PSCBC. The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) acted as the payment facilitator for the redress payouts but was not the initiating body of the programme. The decisions regarding the programme's commencement, operational framework, and conclusion were determined within the PSCBC framework, with the Government Pension Administration Agency (GPAA) responsible for processing applications and implementing payments. As such, the GEPF would not be able to comment on the reasons for the programme's conclusion beyond the PSCBC resolutions.

a) Applications received to date

The PSCBC received a total of 150,444 applications of which 72 335 applications were identified as qualifying for the redress benefit. An independent audit was conducted to ensure the verification process was complete, fair, and accurate. This process involved a detailed review to distinguish between qualifying applicants, error cases, and those not meeting the eligibility criteria. Following the completion of the audit process, 53,717 records were identified as qualifying applicants and 18,618 error cases were noted.

As part of the implementation process, the GPAA undertook a meticulous re-verification of cases against the resolutions and pensionable periods recorded on the administration system. This was to ensure the utmost accuracy and fairness in the redress allocation. This re-verification process led to various outcomes, including:

• Error cases initially identified that later met the qualifications for approval;
• Approved/Error cases that, upon re-verification, did not qualify due to overlapping pensionable service;

As a result of this thorough process, the total number of approved cases was updated to 58,324, with the initial 17,045 error cases undergoing further review. Hence a total of 75 369 applications have been processed to date.

b) Applications that have been finalised

Of the initially approved cases, 58,123 applications have been finalised and processed for redress. Of the error cases revisited, 5,982 (35%) were reclassified from error to approved, 6,348 (37%) remained as error cases, and 4,715 (28%) were determined not to qualify (DNQ), hence a total of 68 820 have been finalised.

c) Remain to be finalised;

As we continue to work towards the finalisation of the Pension Redress Programme, a small fraction of cases remains outstanding. Specifically, of the approved cases, 201 remain unresolved. Additionally, 6,348 cases have not been resolved due to their initial classification as error cases. A targeted approach has been implemented to address these error cases, involving the redistribution of error letters by the GPAA to facilitate departmental engagements and case resolutions.

Moreover, there are a small number of members who, despite applying within the stipulated timeframe, were not included in the final costing of the Redress Programme. These cases, while few, are being carefully reviewed, and are addressed on a case-by-case basis.

The GEPF is committed to concluding these remaining cases with diligence and fairness, ensuring every eligible member receives due redress.

Reply:

South Africa currently exports around 63% of its vehicle production, making it imperative to consider global developments in the auto industry. Major export markets such as the EU and the UK have announced bans on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales by 2035, accompanied by incentives for electric vehicle (EV) adoption. This global shift towards environmentally friendly transportation is expected to reduce demand for vehicles manufactured in South Africa.

Following extensive work undertaken both with industry and within government, a White Paper was finalised by Cabinet, setting out the policy framework for the technology, production, export and domestic market adoption of electric vehicles, as well as a detailed roadmap and plan of action. The White Paper was publicly released in December 2023.

Subsequently, the Minister of Finance released details of tax benefits that will be available to the industry to facilitate the transition. In addition, discussions have been held with auto-producers not yet in the SA market to encourage new investment in the sector.

While existing policies like the Automotive Production Development Programme and the Automotive Investment Scheme provide a good framework for developing EV productive capacity, including in assembly and component manufacture, additional action will be required. The White Paper thus identifies 10 policy goals with a set of 16 specific and distinct policy actions to be implemented over specified timelines between 2023 and 2035 with 10 actions in support of the development of cost-competitive EV productive capacity in South Africa; and 6 actions in support of the development of a cost-effective local market for EVs.

A copy of the White Paper may be accessed at http://www.thedtic.gov.za/wp-content/uploads/EV-White-Paper.pdf

-END-

Reply:

(1)(a) The progress made in the five designated offices is contained in the table in (b)(ii) below.

(1)(b)(i) The main deliverable of the Proof of Concept (PoC) is an overlay of the selected sites onto an alternative network.

(1)(b)(ii) The following activities were planned to achieve this deliverable: -

Activity	Responsible party	Due date
PoC site selection	CSIR + DHA	31 May 2023 (completed)
Physical PoC site surveys	CSIR	30 June 2023 (completed)
Procurement guidelines	CSIR + DHA	30 June 2023 (completed)
PoC site connection	DHA	30 June 2024 (in progress) – connections taking place in parallel, last site planned to be connected on 30 June 2024
Reporting	CSIR	30 September 2024 (in progress)

(2) CSIR did not appoint any sub-contractors; nor are there sub-contractors involved in the project. However, three service providers were appointed through an RFQ procurement process by the Department of Home Affairs in support of the CSIR project. Please refer to the contracted values below: -

Service Provider	Scope of Work	Contract value
Dark Fiber	Provide Fibre link with no services or data line (Dark fiber), as the standard to the following offices: Menlyn, Soshanguve, Umgeni, Wynberg and Potchefstroom; which terminate on an Optical Distribution Frame on either end of the link (ODF-to-ODF).	R2,896,918.00
Service Provider	Scope of Work	Contract value
Liquid Tech	Provide Fibre link with no services or data line (Dark fiber), with fibre class G652D as the standard to King Shaka International Airport which terminate on an Optical Distribution Frame on either end of the link (ODF-to-ODF).	R3,078,829.00
CBX Tech	Provide and install Nokia SAS-M 24F switch, with dual power supply (1 year Next business day onsite warranty) for the six sites.	R696,658.00

(3) The decision to deviate from the normal SCM processes and the SITA Act in the appointment of the CSIR was based on the fact the Department had requested SITA to appoint CSIR through a deviation process as the service is within the non-mandatory services to SITA, but SITA was advised by the National Treasury to let the Department transact directly with CSIR as the budget is from the Department. The Department then followed the deviation process due to the following:

• CSIR has an understanding and is familiar with the DHA IT environment;

• The project will assist with stabilising the IT environment and enable the Department to achieve its service delivery objectives; and

• The item is not a SITA mandatory service as it is intended to identify bottlenecks within the IT environment. Should the CSIR recommend new developments, SITA will be approached as the IT procurement agency of the State.

The Department operates in the security cluster and security considerations dictate the use of another Government entity / institution to conduct the systems downtime diagnostics rather than any bidder in the open market.

END

Reply:

The provision of Section 15(1)(a) and (b) of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964, respectively provides that any person entering or leaving the Republic must declare all goods (including goods of another person) upon his person or in his possession on entering the Republic or before leaving the Republic. Goods according to Customs and Excise Act includes currency.

Noting the request from parliament, Section 4(3) Customs and Excise Act, 1964, prohibits the Commissioner and/or SARS officials from disclosing any information relating to any person, firm or business acquired in the performance of SARS duties. Accordingly, SARS is not able to disclose information requested to the Minister and Parliament.

Reply:

(1&2)

All one hundred (100) mobile offices have been delivered and are undergoing live capture systems’ installations and configurations and the process will be finalised by 31 March 2024. The minister will announce details of the distribution.

END

Reply:

a) The VAT register has 951 716 Active VAT Vendors as at 16 February 2024. VAT vendors include Companies, Individuals, Trusts and other entities such as welfare organisations, municipalities etc. The below information therefore pertains to all VAT vendors.

b) 448 117 VAT refunds have been paid between 1 April 2023 and 16 February 2024. Of the 448 117 VAT Refunds paid, 336 608 (75.71%) were paid within 21 days. 128 513 VAT Refunds were stopped for verification. Of the 128 513 VAT Refunds that were stopped for verification, 55 373 were resolved and paid out within 21 days.

c) (i) Of the 128 513 VAT Refunds that were stopped for verification, 73 140 VAT Refunds were paid in more than 21 days.

(ii) There are many reasons that cause the delay of refund payments. The delays emanate from SARS as well as taxpayers. On the SARS side, these include amongst others, increased instances of impermissible VAT refund claims that put additional strain on SARS’ already constrained capacity. National Treasury has made funding available to SARS to secure additional temporary resources with effect from December 2023. Improvements in the finalisation of verifications are therefore being realised.

On the side of taxpayers, qualifying VAT refunds are not processed due to amongst others invalid banking details provided by taxpayers and outstanding returns. In the latter instance, the relevant provisions contained in the Value-Added Tax Act (No. 89 of 1991) read together with the Tax Administration Act (No.28 of 2011) provide for the withholding of refunds until such time that the vendor has submitted all outstanding returns.

SARS continues to engage taxpayers in these instances to attend to these issues.

Reply:

There are continuous engagements, at various levels, between the South African Government and the United States Government, as well as with Congress and various other domestic stakeholders. On 26 January 2024, Minister Pandor had a telecon with Secretary of State, Mr Antony Blinken, to discuss South Africa-US bilateral relations, with a specific focus on the state of global affairs, including a reflection on the genocide case between South Africa and Israel that is currently before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague.

On 21 February 2024, President Ramaphosa engaged a bipartisan and bicameral Congressional delegation in Cape Town on the status and future of the bilateral relationship, as well as geopolitical issues, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and South Africa’s case at the ICJ involving Israel. The President used the opportunity to reinforce the importance of the bilateral relationship with the US, including in the areas of trade, investment, and health cooperation. The President further explained South Africa’s non-aligned position as a catalyst for peace and conflict-resolution and provided a briefing on the foundational values that inform South Africa’s foreign policy.

There are also ongoing engagements at the level of the South African Ambassador in Washington DC with the Administration, Congress, the private sector, and civil society organisations. In all the above engagements, both sides have emphasised the importance of refocussing attention on strengthening the bilateral relationship for mutual benefit and the need for respect and open dialogue on areas of divergence and common concern.

Reply:

Prospecting licences, permits and rights were awarded between April 2020 and March 2023. Prospecting Right holders are obliged to pay prospecting fees in terms of section 19(2)(f) of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act 28 of 2002) (as amended) (hereinafter referred to as the MPRDA). According to section 76(2) of the MPRDA Regulations a holder of a Prospecting Right must pay prospecting fees annually in advance and not later than 30 days from the commencement date of such right and thereafter not later than 30 days following the anniversary of each respective year of the right for the duration thereof.

Prospecting right holders usually pay the initial fees when the right is issued, however they fail to pay annual fees in subsequent years due to a variety of reasons. These include less than promising results from initial prospecting rounds compared to expended financial resources and in some cases delinquency on the part of right holders.

Despite efforts from each of the Regions to collect outstanding fees, some right holders failed to respond. These were escalated to State Attorneys for collection and in some cases, there was a positive response. In others, the Department failed to get response. In some cases, holders were not traceable and there were no activities on the site. In other limited cases the Directors were deceased.

Reply:

The Ministry was established in March 2023, accordingly we advise that you refer the question to the Departmet of Public Enterprises as the legal manadte holder in this regard.

 

Reply:

The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, has made plans to visit the Lenasia South District Hospital, with the MEC for Health, to assess the state of affairs at the Hospital. This visit will take place on Wednesday, 13 March 2024 and the Minister will then provide the Honourable Member with a full report on the state of health services in that Hospital.

END

Reply:

a) The National Department of Health requirements is that each facility should have clean running water. All clinics that are constructed in the Northen Cape province, particularly around Kimberley are having water, and also provided with back up water system through boreholes. Most of the old facilities are getting water from municipalities and those that don’t have borehole are prioritised in 2024/25 to get back up water.

b) No clinics have been closed as a result of poor water supply or quality.

c) Provision of water is the competency of municipalities, the Department interacts with other departments like Water and Sanitation and municipalities to ensure that communities have access to safe clean water. The challenges of unsafe water negatively impact on the health of communities. Random samples are taken to check safety of water at laboratories if there is a sudden increase of diarrhoea cases at certain areas as a precautionary measure.

The tap water in Carnavon was tested and results were positive faecal organisms and therefore not fit for human consumption. Information from District Health Information System (DHIS) for Carnavon CHC and Carnavon clinic for the past six month showed only 1 new case of diarrhoea reported. The matter is dealt with Water and Sanitation Department and outbreak response team has been activated for health education in the community.

END.

Reply:

Find here: Reply

Reply:

(a) There are currently eleven (11) mobile units in the Department of Home Affairs in the Free State.

(b) Mobile units are stationed in the following areas:

• Bloemfontein services Dewetsdorp, Wepener, Soutpan, Glen and Bainsvlei.
• Botshabelo services Hobhouse, Excelsior, Tweespruit, Thaba Pachoa.
• Koffiefontein services Oppermansgronde, Jacobsdal, Petrusburg, Fauresmith, Jagersfontein, Trompsburg, Philippolis, Edenburg, Reddersburg, Bethulie, Springfontein, Gariepdam and Luckhoff.
• Zastron services Smithfield, Vanstadensrus and Rouxville.
• Bultfontein services Boshof, Wesselsbron, Hoopstad, Dealasville, Brandfort and Hertzogville.
• Welkom services Windburg, Ventersburg, Henneman, Odendaalsrus, Virginia, Theunissen, Verkeerdevallei and Windburg.
• Kroonstad services the Steynsrus, Vredefort, Edenville, Koppies, Heilbron and Viljoenskroon.
• Sasolburg services Villiers, Cornelia, Deneysville, Oranjeville and Frankfort.
• Phuthaditjhaba services Kerstell and Phuthaditjhaba.
• Harrismith services Memel, Swenbam, Roadside, Verkykerskop, Magolokweng Intabazwe, Tshiame A.B.C. Diyatalawa and Warden.
• Bethlemen services Lindley, Arlington, Clocalan, Reitz, Fouriesburg, Clarence, Paul Roux, Marquard, Rosendal, Meatz, Danielsrus Senekel, Libertasie, Kransfontein, Tweeling and Petrussteyn.

END

Reply:

Section 6 of the South African Citizenship Act 88 of 1995 makes a provision for Loss of citizenship” and subsection (3) specifies as follows:”

“Any person who obtained South African citizenship by naturalisation in terms of this Act shall cease to be a South African citizen if he or she engages, under the flag of another country, in a war that the Republic does not support.”

END

Reply:

(a) (b) There were no sponsorship, donations and financial transfers that were received from the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Iran by the Minister, Officials and the National Department of Health.

(c) A mobile laboratory, various laboratory equipment and the associated consumables were donated to the National Department of Health by the Russian Government during COVID-19. The Russian government paid for the importation of both the laboratory and other items, but unfortunately the test kits were not approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and were not used. The vehicles (a large truck and a trailer) have been stationery and parked since importation while alternative applications are sought, either in South Africa or in another SADC country.

END.

Reply:

In my previous response I indicated that the Refugee Appeals Authority (RAASA) Backlog Project had 30 legally qualified members that were remunerated from the funding from the United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR). Unfortunately, the number of members decreased to 22 later. Due to limited funding received from the UNHCR, the Backlog Project is currently left with only 10 members as the rest of the members’ (12) contracts of employment were terminated in December 2023.

The future plan is to have two (2) RAASA members stationed at each of the five (5) Refugees Centres in the Republic at all material times. This will in essence go a long way in preventing the recurrence of further backlogs.

END

Reply:

A meeting was held on 9 November 2022 with Mountain City Community Leaders whereby the issue of the clinic was addressed at length. During the meeting, it was communicated to the Community Leaders that there are two clinics at close proximity to Mountain City, namely Thulamntwana clinic which is 2.8 km and Weilers Farm Clinic which is 3.4 km from Mountain City. The two facilities provide health services to the community of Mountain City, thus ensuring access to health services. Both health facilities are within the national norm of the 5km radius access to communities. The Department of Health will continue monitor the situation Mountain City area and respond appropriately.

END.

Reply:

The Department of Health does not keep a database of unemployed health professionals including the nurses. However, all health professionals, including nurses, whether employed or unemployed, are required to remain registered with their relevant statutory health councils, this being the South African Nursing Council in the case of nurses.

END.

Reply:

The act of taking leave of absence in the face of malicious allegations is usually exercised as an ethical step to allow a formal disciplinary process to proceed without any prejudice or hindrance, by an implicated party. As it relates to NSFAS, I have never been subjected to any disciplinary process or investigation and as such, the requirement of leave of absence doesn’t arise.

Reply:

The Department does not oversee the operations of service providers appointed by NSFAS, this is the role of senior management. NSFAS has advised that as per their agreements with service providers, they provide on boarding files to all partners in anticipation of the agreed upon monthly payment dates. A NSFAS payment file follows, after all partners have confirmed that students have been on boarded. Within 24 hours of NSFAS paying funds over to the partners, they release funds into students’ individual NSFAS bank accounts.

Reply:

1. Health sector relies on employment of doctors, nurses and other critical posts hence most of the budget is allocated to compensation of employees. Currently in 2023/2024 about 63% of total budget has been allocated to compensation of employees and 64% in 2024/2025 financial year.

2. As reflected during the media briefing hosted on 05/02/2024, we do acknowledge fiscus challenges the country is facing and the impact in the health care system. The Provincial Departments of Health continue to actively engage their Provincial Treasuries to find ways of addressing the unemployment of health professionals, including medical doctors. The ongoing provincial engagements will allow provinces to get leverage of activating the posts that were previous unfunded due to the budget pressures and subsequent austerity measures encountered last year.

Indeed the “several bilateral engagements” with National Treasury have yielded very positive results and become a confirmatory expression that government departments work together to better the lives of the people. On 21st February 2024, the Minister of Finance announced allocation of R848 billion for the health sector which is inclusive of the following obligations:

• Payment of current employees and the impact of the wage bill agreement
• Provision of the health services in all facilities
• Medical equipment
• Maintenance and construction of new facilities

Included in the budget above is an additional budget of R3.7 billion has been allocated towards compensation of employees in the sector for the financial year 2024/25 to address the wage bill increase and recruitment of additional staff including nurses and medical doctors.

As a result of the provincial inter-departmental engagements, Provincial Departments of Health have already advertised 823 since December 2023 and have reported projections of 1103 Medical Officer appointments by 1st April 2024. According to the 09th February 2024 persal print out, 425 Medical Officer appointments were captured for January 2024 of which 371 are Grade 1 category.

END.

Reply:

1. (a) (i) The total number of Internship and Community Service applicants who rejected their allocation for the 2024 Annual Cycle is 70. The table below provide a breakdown of the total applicants who rejected per field of study.

2024 Annual Cycle - Medical Internship and Community Service - Allocation rejections
Community Service	61
Audiologist	2
Dentist	1
Dietician	5
Environmental Health Practitioner	1
Medical Practitioner - Community Service	29
Occupational Therapist	6
Pharmacist	2
Physiotherapist	8
Professional Nurse	4
Speech Therapist	3
Internship	9
Medical Practitioner - Internship	9
Grand Total	70

(ii) The total number of applicants who were not eligible for placement to commence duty on 1 January 2024 is 619.

(b) The table below provide a breakdown per field of study with reasons why they were not eligible to be placed

2024 Annual Cycle - Medical Internship and Community Service - Not eligible applicants
Row Labels	Can only register and commence duty between March to August 2024	Not eligible for Registration with HPCSA	Grand Total
Clinical Psychologist	-	2	2
Diagnostic Radiographer	4		4
Environmental Health Practitioner	15	8	23
Medical Officer Community Service	215	1	216
Pharmacist	-	177	177
Physiotherapist	-	5	5
Radiotherapy	-	1	1
Speech Therapist	-	72	72
Medical Internship	-	119	119
Grand Total	234	385	619

(c) Statutory placements are managed as replacements posts that requires applicants to commence duty on 1 January of each year to ensure that there is constant availability of health professionals to render health services at a certain required time including after-hour roster cover. As a result, the department targets to release allocation outcomes between October and November of the preceding. This allows allocated applicants enough time to make necessary arrangements to commence duty on time and avoid late start that affects health services and the Cycle management.

When applicants timeously declare their late start dates, due to various reasons, a provision is made to align their date to the allocation. However any applicant that has a date beyond 1st April is then expected to apply for the Mid-year Cycle which allocates for 1st July commencements.

2. The department continues to assist applicants who were unable to commence duty on the required date. However, this is done in consultation with Provincial Departments of Health where budgets permits.

In terms of the HPCSA regulations, medical interns has to comply with a three months rotation in one domain. Therefore there are 0 medical interns that can legally commence duty on 1 March 2024.

According to the ICSP records, only 11 Medical Community Service doctors have proclaimed that they will assume duty on 1 March 2024. Provinces have been requested to assist with their appointment to 1 April 2024.

3. They have not accepted posts as yet.

END.

Reply:

a) The National Department of Health requirements is that each facility should have clean water. New clinics that are constructed in the Northen Cape province, particularly around Kimberley since 2011/12 are provided with water supplied though municipality line and back up water system through boreholes. Facilities that were build prior 2011/12 that does not have back up water system are attended to through Borehole Water Programme.

A service provider has been appointed during 2003/24 financial year in Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital (RMSH) in Kimberley to build a 2 Mega Liters (2 million litters) water tanker as additional water capacity to the current 360,000 Liters.

b) All facilities around Kimberley have electricity and some also have back up generators. There is a program running to provide generators to facilities that don’t have any back up system. The province is also benefiting from People Republic of China donated generators. Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital is also equipped with GenSets in case of electricity went off during loadshedding.

c) Ideally the Department of Health wishes to fill all health care worker posts in order to improve the health outcomes of the population. Due to current financial constraints, annually, the Provinces appoint Employment Recruitment Teams led by Heads of Health Departments or delegated officials at senior level to develop recruitment plans, prioritising the filling of critical posts with required skills mix. However, they must guard against overspending on provided / available budgets.

END.

Reply:

The table below summarises the number of projects planned to be completed in the current financial year 2024/25 and the households to benefit from these projects:

Grant Funding	Number of projects to be completed (2024/25 FY)	Number of households targeted to benefit from completed projects
Water Services Infrastructure Grant	103	309 000
Regional Bulk Infrastructure Grant	32	467 000

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Reply:

a)  The Sol Plaatje LM developed an emergency intervention to alleviate the water crisis for hospitals in Kimberley, over and above water infrastructure projects that are being implemented with funding from the Budget Facility for Infrastructure (BFI) funding program. The project is intended to improve water production at Riverton Water Treatment Works. It will be implemented in terms of the "Six Week Project Plan" to immediately deal with "quick-wins" which can improve production and reduce operational losses.

It should be noted that the key contributing factor to the water challenges being experienced in the Kimberly area is the raw water quality of the Vaal River, due to algal bloom. This has had a direct negative impact on purified water production. The municipality is currently supplementing water supply to hospitals and malls through water tankers, which fill-up the on-site water tanks of health facilities.

The Sol Plaatje LM has been experiencing substantial water supply and quality challenges from the Riverton supply on the Vaal River to their Newton Storage facility located towards the South of Kimberley. The bulk water supply system not only has capacity constraints in meeting the increasing water demands, but Sol Plaatje is having to contend with frequent supply disruptions caused by continued leaks/breakages and poor water quality. The leaks are experienced on the main pipeline from Riverton to Kimberley.

To address this, the Sol Plaatje Municipality submitted an application to the National Treasury for Bulk Funding Infrastructure (BFI) in 2021, with the aim of implementing much-needed upgrades to its ageing water supply infrastructure (bulk and reticulation). The objective is to restore, monitor and control water quality, water supply and non-revenue water to Sol Plaatje Municipality.

The overall Water Supply Intervention Plan has been developed with three key phases:

INTERVENTIONS	SCOPE
Planning and Emergency/Short Term Interventions (Phase 1: 9 months duration) (Phase 2: 11 months duration) Planned to commence in Sept 2023 Planned for completion by Jun 2025	Internal and external bulk pipeline condition audits and leak detection. Emergency bulk pipeline repairs. Refurbishment of the Riverton WTW to improve water quality Emergency pipe repairs and level monitoring at Newton Reservoir Site to reduce losses.
Medium Term Interventions (25 - month duration) Planned to commence in May 2024 Planned for completion by Jun 2026	Bulk pipeline cathodic protection and or bulk pipeline replacement, dependent on outcome of the emergency interventions. Newton reservoir and tower pump station upgrades. Finalize water network zoning, meter installation and smart monitoring. Extended network upgrades and pipe repairs.
Long Term Interventions (40 - month duration) Planned to commence in Nov 2024 Planned for completion by March 2028	Water treatment works upgrades, technology improvements and automation to further improve water quality.

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Reply:

(a & b) The information is tabulated below:

Year	Number of Cases received	Arrests	Convictions
2019 - 2020	283	6	None
2020 – 2021	193	5	None
2021 – 2022	232	27	01
2022 – 2023	206	48	09
2023 – 2024	266	40	02

END

Reply:

The Minister’s delegation included one technical official and one Personal Assistant.

1. (a)-(d) Yes.

(i) Total cost: R1 101 726.83

(ii) Daily allowance: R 57 390.94

Air Travel: R 211 876.63

Accommodation: R 827 461.51

Travel agent service fee: R 1 083.00

Service fees for accommodation: R 258.75

International handling fee: R 828.00

Back-office processing fees: R 828.00

Meals: R 2 000.00

2. As indicated in (1) above, the costs were born out of the budget of the National Department of Health.

END.

Reply:

1. The employment of Foreign Health Professionals is subject to the conditions contained in South African employment legislation (including, for the public sector, those conditions contained in the Public Service Act, 1994, as amended and the Public Service Regulations, 2001), as well as the provisions of the Immigration Act, 2002 as amended in 2004 (Immigration Act) and the Refugees Act, 1998 (Refugees Act) where applicable.

In accordance with Section 19(2)(a) of the immigration Act 2002, as amended, the employment of Foreign Health Professionals shall only be allowed on condition that there is record that no South African Citizen or Permanent Resident was available or found suitable to fill the particular post. In addition, no Foreign Health Professional is allowed to initially take up employment in a professional capacity or continue with such employment without a valid Work Permit or Refugee's Permit or Treaty Permit and with the appropriate registration with the relevant Health Professional Council in South Africa.

In line with the above Regulations, the Policy on Recruitment of Foreign Nationals informs that posts for internship and community service will be offered to non-South African citizens and refugees within available resources only after all South African citizens and Permanent Residents have been accommodated. The policy further states that, once South African citizens and permanent residents are accommodated, priority will be given to the allocation of non-South African citizens who graduated from South African Universities and finally non-South Africans who have been recognised by the relevant statutory council as being suitable for practice in South Africa. The allocation algorithm will continue to place applicants in this order until all applicants have been allocated or available sites have been exhausted.

a) (i) Applications received for Foreign Nationals for ICSP in each year since 2019:

Non-South African Applications
Field of study	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Audiologist	1	3	4	2	3	1
Clinical Psychologist	7	9	12	5	2	5
Dentist	18	6	10	11	18	11
Diagnostic Radiographer	17	23	33	13	13	12
Diagnostic Sonographer	0			0	1
Dietician	6	9	16	4	7	3
Environmental Health Practitioner	1	63	39	8	1	2
Medical Practitioner	83	27	38	13	11	5
Nuclear Medical Radiographer (Comm Service)	1	5	7	2	0	1
Occupational Therapist	8	7	11	6	4	2
Pharmacist	103	121	140	139	145	43
Physiotherapist	5	11	17	10	6	7
Professional Nurse	40	41	75	49	53	13
Radiotherapy	0	2	4	6	2	3
Speech Therapist	2	6	7	4	3	2
Internship	143	76	107	90	74	48
Grand Total	435	409	520	362	343	158

(ii) & (iii) In the reporting period of 1 January 2019 to 1 January 2024 only 2 foreign nationals were allocated in 2019 and 2023 on a self-funded accredited post or where resources permitted.

(b) There is no backlog of allocations as each Cycle is managed according to the number of applicants received against the number of available posts pertaining to the Cycle. Instead, applicants are always advised to apply in each cycle and treat that as a new application.

(c) Medical training offered across the 10 Medical Schools in South Africa has been accredited and accepted to fulfil the requirements to obtain Medical Degree. To register to practice as a Medical Doctor in South Africa as per the HPCSA Regulations, graduates are expected to undergo a two-year Internship Training programme. Accredited and funded posts for Internship programme are limited and as such unable to accommodate most Foreign Nationals.

It should be noted that the intention of hosting Foreign National African students to study in South Africa is to improve the human resources for health in the Region. Therefore, it is expected that foreign health professional graduates will return to their countries of origin to serve. Similarly, we expect our professionals to undergo Community Service before they can be recognised for independent practice registration.

2. Foreign students who study at various South African Medical Schools are continuously made aware of the above-mentioned processes and legislation throughout their duration of study. Furthermore, the Internship and Community Service Placement (ICSP) website clearly stipulates the allocation criteria. Lastly, the foreign graduates who would have applied still get reminded through the letter of decline the reasons for their ineligibility.

END

Reply:

1.  Since the date of inception of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II the costs have escalated to the current estimated total project cost of R42.1billion. It is important to note that these are overall costs which incorporate costs that are not directly related to the LHWP infrastructure costs and are shared costs to be borne by South Africa and the Lesotho Government.

The cost escalations are owing to several challenges including:

a) Longer time to conclude negotiations with Lesotho and obtain governmental approvals for the Phase II Agreement, 3 years to Dec 2022.

b) Procurement related delays due to policy interventions, delayed decision making and in the conclusion of funding arrangements, 2 years to Dec 2024.

c) Project implementation related delays due to Covid which delayed the project by 2 years.

d) Slow issuance of various permits by Lesotho, contractor performance and one year shift in the impoundment date due to a lost rainy season, 4 years to Nov 2028.

All major contracts have now been awarded and construction of the dam and tunnel is in progress.

e) The time value of money (escalation) impact of the 9 years delay from 2019 to 2028 on the R42.1 billion is estimated at R16.64 Bn.

2. Water delivery is expected to start in November 2028.

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Reply:

Find here: Reply

Reply:

NSFAS is currently still processing applications based on financial eligibility of a combined family income in the range of R351 000 to R600 000. Academic institutions will assist in establishing academic eligibility (e.g. STEM vs Humanities programmes and the 70:30 split respectively).

Once both requirements of financial and academic eligibility are satisfied, NSFAS will share the loan agreement forms and associated documents for each eligible student with the students. Disbursement will follow thereafter.

Reply:

As a standard practice, staff submit their annual leave plans to their managers in the beginning of the year. Managers analyse the plans and allocate the leave days in such a way that there will be service coverage at all times. Managers discuss the allocations with the staff, reach agreements and finalise the unit or section leave plans. Any unavoidable deviation from the agreed upon plan is managed by seconding staff from other facilities so that service coverage is adhered to.

END.

Reply:

1. Five Operation Vulindlela recommendations were implemented fully during the targeted timeframe.

2. The remaining three recommendations are being processed as they relate to:

a) Firstly, it’s the introduction of new visa categories to cater for remote workers and start-ups. Secondly, it is the expansion of the DHA capacity in Immigration Services and the Third, is modernising IT systems.

b) The DHA is making progress with regard to the remaining three recommendations which can be recorded as follows: The amendment of Immigration regulations for new visa categories was published on 08 February 2024 for public comments until 29 March 2024. The regulations will be finalised after the public consultation process. With regards to DHA capacity, the Department recently received an allocation from the National Treasury to increase its capacity but will take longer to reach the desired level. In terms of modernising IT systems, the DHA is working on a modernisation programme that seeks to modernise IT systems.

3. (a) (b)Yes, the department has committed to the Presidency to implement all the recommendations and is in the process of doing so within the targeted timeframes of Operation Vulindela.

END

Reply:

1. The Department has, in terms of governance, developed and gazetted the “National Environmental Health Norms and Standards for Premises and Acceptable Monitoring Standards for Environmental Health Practitioners” in 2015. In terms of these Norms and Standards, the Department has since 2016 included the “Assessment of Municipalities” in its Annual Performance Plan (APP) to monitor the 1:10 000 ratio of EHP per population in the country. The reports generated from the assessments play a vital role in providing municipalities with evidence to use to motivate for additional human resources at their respective Municipal Councils.

2. The following table reflects the details in this regard.

YEARS	NUMBER OF VISITS TO ECDs
2019	48035
2020	29376
2021	39913
2022	52561
2023	54533

 

END.

Reply:

(1) The total number of beds that have been accredited by NSFAS is 83 750.

(2) NSFAS has paid accreditation agents for whom invoices have been validated and approved. The total paid to date for 2023 accreditation amounts to R1, 575,740.

Reply:

According to the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS):

a) (i) There is no backlog of toxicology cases at the Durban FCL.

The Durban FCL does not offer a full toxicology service. Postmortem cases referred from the Kwazulu-Natal and regions of the Eastern Cape provinces that require analysis for carbon monoxide testing only are processed and completed at the Durban FCL. These comprise a small number of samples and no backlog has developed.

(ii) There is no backlog of toxicology cases at the Durban FCL.

(iii) The Durban FCL receives on average 12 carbon monoxide cases for analysis per month and completes these cases each month.

b) There is no backlog of toxicology cases at the Durban FCL.

END

Reply:

The Department issued the National Norms and Standards for the Creation of Serviced Stands, the Construction of Stand Alone and Higher Density Semi-Detached and Three Storey Walk-up Residential Dwellings which are financed through National Housing Programmes. Part of the norms and standards cater for persons living with disabilities, including persons who use wheelchairs. As a minimum, the standards prescribe that a subsidised house for a person living with disabilities must be forty-five square meters (45m2) in gross floor area as size. Additionally, an increased space must be allocated for the bathroom to enable ease of mobility, while accommodating specialised items such as handrails. Other items that cater for persons living with disability include:

• Access to the house: 12 square metres (12m2)of paving and ramp at the doorway
• Grab rails and lever action taps in the bathroom (enlargement of the area can be done at the expense of the rest of the house)
• Visual doorbell indicators

The above-listed provisions serve to cater for people using walking aids, wheelchair-partial usage and persons who are partially or profoundly deaf.

It is important to note that the policy also permits that in instances wherein a member of a beneficiary's household is disabled, a variation to the subsidy amount is made available to cater for them.

Furthermore, the policy allows that if a person who has already owned a subsidised property becomes disabled, or if any of his or her dependents become disabled, the Provincial Department concerned may award the beneficiary an increase in the subsidy amount by a maximum amount in line with the classification/category of disability. This addition to the subsidy amount is determined taking into account the severity of a person’s disability and the cost of providing assistance measures to cater for the specific disability.

Similarly, the Department has introduced a Special Housing Needs Subsidy Programme to provide group housing to persons with special housing needs and for people suffering from various other disabilities who require assisted housing. This programme is being implemented in partnership with the Department of Social Development.

In 2023, the Department pronounced on the revision of the quantum which included the installation of burglar bars in their houses to ensure their security.

Reply:

a) The NSFAS Board is currently undergoing legal processes related to the cancellation of these contracts. Contracts will be cancelled upon completion of this process.

b) In terms of the agreed upon process, the partners do not hold on to NSFAS funds in the partners bank accounts; funds are paid into students individual NSFAS bank accounts and these funds are immediately available to students upon them completing the know your client (KYC) bank processes.

Reply:

The following details are available:

1. The (i) Minister, (ii) The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) (iii) and the officials of the department have not received any (a) sponsorships, (b) donations and (c) financial transfers provided for lawfare and/or any other purposes from the following:

(aa) Qatari organ of state, organisation and/ resident since 1 January 2021 up to date.

(bb) Iranian organ of state, organisation and/ resident since 1 January 2021 up to date.

2. (cc) The DPSA has received (a) a sponsorship worth R86 thousand rands in June 2023 from (cc) Russia organ of state (Tag A), the full details are as follows:

In 2020, the Russian Federation identified anti-corruption education and training as a priority of its Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Presidency and decided to host an “anti-Corruption tailor-made training for ethics and integrity officers in public administration”, in collaboration with the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA). As the sponsor of the training Russia insisted that the training be in-person. The training was held on the 19 to 23 June 2023 in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Russia sponsored the training through UNODC.

DPSA is the focal point for all activities of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and represents the countries in the Implementation Review Group (IRG) and the working Group on Prevention, four officials from each of the BRICS Countries were accommodated in the training. The Director General of DPSA nominated 2 officials to attend the training.

No (b) donations, (c) financial transfers provided for lawfare and/or any other purposes were received by the (i) Minister, (ii) The DPSA and (iii) and the officials of the department from (cc) Russian organ of state, organisation and/ resident since 1 January 2021 up to date.

End

Reply:

The following table reflects the details in this regard:

NAME OF THE PROVINCE	1 (a) Total number of medico-legal claims filed	1 (b) Total number of the claims paid out	1 (b) (i) Total number of claims paid out as settlements	1 (b) (ii) Total number of claims paid out as court ordered payments	2 (a) (i) Total number of claims that were awarded based on lost patient files	2 (a) (ii) Total number of duplicate claims that have been filed	2 (b) (i) Total amount spent on legal cost	2 (b) (ii) Total amount of claim cost
Eastern Cape[1]
Free State	651	53	50	3	0	0	R37 259 798.24	R2 484 606 393.54
Gauteng	322	449	0	449	108	0	R634 637 738.31	R1 897 283 000.00
KwaZulu- Natal	779	94	0	94	0	1	R328 252 675.68	R8 677 266 708.80
Limpopo	903	30	2	28	0	1	R63 145 941.00	R266 804 823.43
Mpumalanga	569	62	32	30	15	0	R224 990 555.00	R245 485 320.00
Northern Cape	57	28	27	1	7	0	R24 670 478.26	R152 235 223.45
North West	241	22	15	7	0	0	R59 270 605.65	R99 136 357.41
Western Cape[2]
Totals	3522	738	126	612	130	1	R1 372 227 792,14	R23 637 317 204,63

1. Eastern Cape still verify the figures. ↑

2. Still waiting the information from WC. We have been advised that the responses have been forwarded to the HoD for approval. ↑

Reply:

All water boards have put in place adequate insurance to cover for claims that may arise due to loss or damage to infrastructure, namely Asset All Risk Policy. The policy covers all perils for material damages to the water boards assets inclusive of claims of pipe bursts that may occur; loss or damage to insured property as declared; material damage, property damage and business interruption; pipelines, plant and machinery.

a) In terms of (a) for claims lodged against the water board an insurance assessor is appointed to investigate the legitimacy of the claim including assessment of possible liability to the waterboard. The cover is subject to policy terms and conditions outlined in the policy of insurance of various water boards which are renewable annually.

b) Any losses or damage to insured property are attended to immediately to limit liability to 3rd parties.

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Reply:

1. Based on the current Occupational Specific Dispensation (OSD) salary scales of 1 April 2023, the appointed medical officers will be remunerated as follows:

 

Category	Salary Structure
	Basic Salary	Commuted Overtime (8-12 hours weekly)	Total Cost of Employment (per capita)
Medical Officer Grade 1	R 906 540	R 253 135	R1 159 657
Note: Designated facilities may also offer Rural Allowance at R 148 740

2. The Department is not reviewing the approach of employing medical doctors. Instead, the review is on conditions of service and relatively all employment categories will be included in the process. The envisaged outcome of the review is to optimize the retention of health care workforce in the public health sector and for the department to remain the employer of choice.

END

Reply:

(a) (b) The Department has 17 visa categories. As of 31 January 2024, the total number of Critical Skills, Business, and General Work Visas that form part of the annual performance plan have no backlogs.

The delays and backlogs are on two visa categories, they are section 11 (6) and Section 18. They are for spousal and relative visas respectively. The department experiences challenges concerning the legitimacy of relationships being claimed or cited in the application. It must be noted that some foreign nationals take advantage and follow corrupt methods to legitimise themselves, family members, friends, and others. The backlog in this category is 41083.

Fraudulent marriages, marriages of convenience, and a special category of cohabitation are unfortunately on the increase. The department has to prove the legitimacy of these relationships as well as their notarial contracts.

It is widely known that the department does not have sufficient capacity such as immigration officers who have to be tasked in investigating the authenticity of such relationships. Without proving the authenticity of such documents the department will end up issuing visas to people who do not deserve to be in the country.

END

Reply:

Please note that NO gifts or donations were received from any of these countries for the period stated.

END