Questions & Replies: Telecommunications & Postal Services
2014-07-22
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Reply received: December 2014
QUESTION NO: 3029
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 28
DATE OF REPLY:
Ms L V James (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Whether, with regard to the implementation of the Use of Official Language Policy Act, Act 12 of 2012 and since the reply of the Minister of Arts and Culture to question 990 on 6 June 2013, his department implemented the Act; if not, when will the Act be implemented; if so, which languages have been adopted as official languages of his department?
NW3673E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
The Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) will finalise the implementation of the Act by adopting of the prescribed Language Policy, which is presently being developed. It is envisaged that the Language Policy will be adopted in the next financial year as the DTPS has established an Operations Committee to fast-track the review and adoption of all internal policies within the Department.
The DTPS has executed the objects of the Use of Official Language Policy Act, as evidenced by the National Integrated ICT Policy Green Paper summary which was published in all 11 official languages. Such efforts aim to facilitate equitable access to services and information of national government.
Reply received: December 2014
QUESTION NO: 2994
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 28
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr H C C Kruger (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Whether he intends to pay bonuses to staff in his department; if so, (a) what criteria has been used to award bonuses, (b) how many staff members will be receiving bonuses, (c) what total amount will be spent on staff bonuses and (d) was this amount budgeted for?
NW3638E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
Yes.
a) The criteria used to award bonuses were as follows:-
According to the SMS Handbook (Chapter 4, Section 15.3), and Employee Performance Management & Development System guidelines from the DPSA (9.4, Section B (iii) performance bonuses should constitute not more than 1.5% of the wage bill. The total amount for bonuses as per the 1.5% guideline is therefore R 3, 069 000, 00.
If the total bonus bill exceeds the 1.5% of the wage bill, management can request the Minister to approve the allocation of additional funds.
After the calculation of the bonuses for employees from levels 5 – 12, the total amount was found to exceed the 1.5% of the wage bill. Rather than use the option mentioned above to request additional funds, the Department decided to reduce the bonus amounts for levels 5-12 as listed in the table below to R1 961 026. This remaining total of R1 107 973.83 17 has been set aside for the SMS bonuses, pending the outcome of the assessment by the Department's Performance Board.
| ANNUAL % | No. of Employees per Category |
| Employees who received bonuses of 9% | 6 |
| Employees who received bonuses of 8% | 11 |
| Employees who received bonuses of 6% | 20 |
| Employees who received bonuses of 4% | 79 |
| Employees who received bonuses of 2% | 33 |
b) 149 employees at levels 1-12 were awarded bonuses. The assessments for employees at levels 13-15 are currently underway and the numbers will be provided as soon as the process has been finalised.
c) R 3, 069 000, 00, which is within the 1.5% of the total wage bill as prescribed by the Department of Public Service and Administration.
d) Yes.
Reply received: December 2014
QUESTION NO: 2884
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 28
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C Mackenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Whether the members of the SA Post Office board who resigned on 7 November received salary pay-outs following their resignations; if so, (a) what are the names of these board members and (b) how much did each board member receive?
NW3527E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the South African Post Office as follows:-
All Board members who resigned on 7th November 2014, were only paid meeting fees (for meetings that they attended up until the 7th November 2014) being a Board and Committee Meetings , work done outside for SAPO, Reimbursements for travel and other claims which fees were due to them at the time of their resignation . The following are the fees that were paid to Board members
| DIRECTOR'S NAME | DATE OF RESIGNATION | AMOUNT PAID ON 30 NOVEMBER 2014 |
| Dr NH Manzini | 07 November 2014 | R85 251.86 |
| Ms KP Simelane | 22 October 2014 | R 13 363.76 |
| Ms NE Kela | 07 November 2014 | R36 940.28 |
| Mr S Gounden | 07 November 2014 | R19 875.04 |
| Mr SJ Ngubane | 07 November 2014 | R39 693.04 |
| Ms SP Mothelesi | 07 November 2014 | R27 435.04 |
| Mr TP Mageza | 07 November 2014 | R20 551.28 |
| Mr Ms Patel | 07 November 2014 | R31 203.78 |
Reply received: December 2014
QUESTION NO: 2836
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 28
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) (a) How many cyber inspectors are currently employed by his department, (b) when was each of these cyber inspectors appointed and (c) what (i) is the remuneration and (ii) are the (aa) qualifications and (bb) detailed responsibilities of each cyber inspector;
(2) (a) how many (i) inquiries were received by cyber inspectors to investigate in the (aa) 2009-10, (bb) 2010-11, (cc) 2011-12, (dd) 2012-13 and (ee) 2013-14 financial years and (ii) of these inquiries led to prosecutions and (b) what are the relevant details of each prosecution;
(3) (a) how many instances have there been where statutory bodies, including the SA Police Service, applied for assistance from a cyber inspector employed by his department to assist in an investigation in the (i) 2009-10, (ii) 2010-11, (iii) 2011-12, (iv) 2012-13 and (v) 2013-14 financial years and (b) what were the (i) details and (ii) outcomes of each investigation?
NW3478E
REPLY:
1) Currently, there are no appointed Cyber Inspectors. The inspectors will be appointed once the cybersecurity hub is operational because cyber inspectors are an integral part of the cybersecurity Hub.
2) None, as the Cyber Inspectorate has not been established as yet.
3) None, but a framework has been developed to facilitate such request if needed.
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 2794
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 14 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 27
DATE OF REPLY:
(1) Whether he received an invitation to the wedding of Vega Gupta and Aakash Jahajgarhia; if so,
(2) Whether he attended any of the wedding festivities between 30 April and 3 May 2013; if so,
(3) whether he stayed overnight at the venue; if so, (a) what accommodation did she use, (b) who paid for the said accommodation, (c) what mode of transport did he use to attend the wedding festivities and (d) who paid for the travel costs? NW3448E
REPLY:
(1) Yes.
(2) No.
(3) N/A
Reply received: December 2014
QUESTION NO: 2728
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 14 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 27
DATE OF REPLY:
Dr G A Grootboom (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Did (a) his department and/or (b) any entities reporting to it owe money to any Gauteng municipalities at the end of the 2013-14 financial year; if so, in respect of each specified municipality (i) what is the name of the municipality, (ii) what was the total amount owed, (iii) what was the nature of the debt, (iv) for how long has the debt been outstanding and (v) what plans are in place to recover the debt owed to the municipality by (aa) his department and/or (bb) any entities reporting to it?NW3377E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department and the Entities reporting to me as follows:-
(a) Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services: No
(b) Entities:
South African Post Office: No
ZA Domain Name Authority (.ZADNA): No
National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA):
No. However, R40,442 was due to the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality for municipal services rendered during the month of March 2014. This amount was paid within 30 days of receiving the statement.
Broadband Infraco: No
Sentech: Yes had a number of account which were paid in April for services that were rendered to the Company in March. There were accounts that were overdue both with a City of Tshwane. These accounts were paid within 60 days of receiving the statements .
| (i) | (ii) (iv) | (iii) | (v) | |||
| Amount due | Current | >30 days | Amount since paid | |||
| City of Johannesburg | 22,705,13 | 22,766,13 | (61,00) | (22,705,13) | Electricity | Not applicable |
| Johannesburg Water | 65,263,69 | 66,415,08 | (1,151,39) | (65,263,69) | Water | Not applicable |
| City of Tshwane | 70,893,90 | 50,100,00 | 20,793,90 | (70,893,90) | Site rental | Not applicable |
| City Power | 512,590,00 | 512,590,00 | - | (512,590,00) | Electricity | Not applicable |
| Ekurhuleni Metropolitan | 941,00 | 941,00 | - | (914,00) | Water | Not applicable |
| Midvaal Local Council | 13,484,00 | 13,484,00 | - | (13,484,00) | Rates & Taxes | Not applicable |
| Tshwane Municipality | 7,793,34 | (10,000,00) | 17,793,34 | (7,793,34) | Electricity | Not applicable |
| Pik-It-Up Johannesburg | 8,000,00 | 8,000,00 | - | (8,000,00) | Refuse Removal | Not applicable |
| 701,671,06 | 664,296,21 | 37,374,85 | (701,671,06) | |||
State Information Technology Agency (SITA): No
Universal Service and Access Agency of South Africa (USAASA): No.
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 2618
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 14 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 27
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C D Matsepe (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
What amount has his department spent on promotional magazines in the (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13 and (c) 2013-14 financial years?
NW3256E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
(a) 2011 – 2012 R200 581.91
(b) 2012 – 2013 R162 535.00
(c) 2013 – 2014 R0
See the link as well: http://www.pmg.org.za/policy-documents/2011/12/01/rnw2618a-141128
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 2473
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 7 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 25
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr T Z Hadebe (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
How many work days has his department lost to (a) sick leave and (b) strike action in the (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13 and (iii) 2013-14 financial years?
NW3067E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
| Financial Year | Sick leave (work days) | Strike Action (work days) |
| 2011/2012 | 1569 (239 employees)* | 0 |
| 2012/2013 | 1352 (215 employees)* | 0 |
| 2013/2014 | 1576.5 (225 employees)* | 0 |
| Total | 4497.5 | 0 |
Please note: Reporting on leave is per leave cycle (January to December) and not per financial year.
* Number of employees using sick leave.
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 2440
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 7 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 25
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(a) What was the total remuneration of (i) board members, (ii) non-executive directors and (iii) executive directors of each entity reporting to him in the (aa) 2011-12, (bb) 2012-13 and (cc) 2013-14 financial years and (b) how many times did each board meet in the specified financial years?
NW3033E
REPLY
I have been advised by the entities reporting to me as follows:
A. USAASA
Total remuneration for USAASA and USAF non-executive directors and executive directors
The total amount spent on Board Members (non-executive directors) as well as Executive Management (executive directors) and members of the Audit and Risk Committee is as summarized in table 1 below:
| Description | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 |
| Non-Executive Directors | R 541 000 | R 825 000 | R 979 000 |
| Independent Audit Committee | R 73 000 | R 58 000 | R 165 000 |
| Executive Management | R 8 165 000 | R 7 110 000 | R 7 848 000 |
Total number of Board and Board Committee Meeting held Including Audit and Risk
The total number of USAASA and USAF Board Meetings held including the various Board Committee Meetings are as summarised in table 2 below:
| Description | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 |
| Main Board | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Audit and risk committee | 4 | 3 | 8 |
| Business Development services committee | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Human Resources and remuneration committee | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Finance Committee | - | 1 | - |
| Social and Ethics Committee | - | - | 2 |
B. NEMISA
Total remuneration for NEMISA non-executive director and executive directors
The total amount spent on Board Members (non-executive directors) as well as Executive Management (executive directors) is as summarized in table 1 below:
| Description | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 |
| Non-Executive Directors | R650 555 | R 833 455 | R1 034 380 |
| Executive Management | R2 758 596 | R1 845 034 | R2 628 338 |
Total number of Board and Board Committee Meeting held Including Audit and Risk
The total number of NEMISA Board Meetings held as summarised in table 2 below:
| Description | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 |
| Board Meeting | 7 | 7 | 11 |
C. Broadband Infraco
Total remuneration for Broadband Infraco non-executive directors and executive directors.
| (a) Financial Year | (i) Total Board Remuneration | (ii)Total Non-exec remuneration | (iii)Total Executive Remuneration | (b) Board meetings |
| (aa) 2011/12 | R 5 705 000 | R 2 259 000 | R3 446 000 | 9 |
| (bb) 2012/13 | R6 758 000 | R4 134 000 | R2 624 000 | 11 |
| (cc) 2013/14 | R6 960 000 | R2 949 000 | R 4 011 00 | 13 |
The total amount spent on Board Members (non-executive directors) as well as Executive Management (executive directors) and number of Board meetings is as summarized in table 1 below:
D. SAPO
Total remuneration for SAPO non-executive directors and executive directors
The total amount spent on Board Members (non-executive directors) as well as Executive Management (executive directors) is as summarized in table 1 below:
| Details | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 |
| Non-Executive Directors | R8, 481 000 | R 10 336 000 | R6 500 000 |
| Executive Management | R5 880 000 | R5 888 000 | R5 585 000 |
The total number of SAPO Board Meetings held as summarised in table 2 below:
| Description | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 |
| Board Meeting | 11 | 17 | 22 |
D. Sentech
Total remuneration for Sentech non-executive directors and executive directors
| (c) Financial Year | (i) Total Board Remuneration | (ii)Total Non-exec remuneration | (iii)Total Executive Remuneration | (d) Board meetings |
| (aa) 2011/12 | R 5 986 000 | R 2 330 000 | R3 656 000 | 11 |
| (bb) 2012/13 | R6 641 000 | R1 905 000 | R4 736 000 | 11 |
| (cc) 2013/14 | R7 778 000 | R1 838 000 | R5 940 000 | 9 |
The total amount spent on Board Members (non-executive directors) as well as Executive Management (executive directors) and number of Board meetings is as summarized in table 1 below
E. SITA
Total remuneration for SITA non-executive directors and executive directors.
The total amount spent on Board Members (non-executive directors) as well as Executive Management (executive directors) and number of Board meetings is as summarized in table 1 below:-
| (e) Financial Year | (i) Total Non-exec remuneration | (iii)Total Executive Remuneration | (f) Board meetings |
| (aa) 2011/12 | R 6 035 859 | R 14 038 960 | 75 |
| (bb) 2012/13 | R4 128 273 | R 13 394 240 | 62 |
| (cc) 2013/14 | R2 275 500 | R 16 093 206 | 60 |
F. Total remuneration for zaDNA non-executive directors and executive directors
The total amount spent on Board Members (non-executive directors) as well as Executive Management (executive directors) is as summarized in table 1 below:
| Details | 2010-2011 | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 |
| Total Remuneration for Board | R768 439 | R726 977 | R723 855 | R998 098 |
| Non-Executive Directors | R187 828 | R103 198 | R79 710 | R202 770 |
| Executive Director | R580 611 | R623 779 | R644 145 | R795 328 |
The total number of zaDNA Board Meetings held as summarised in table 2 below:
| Description | 2011-2012 | 2012-2013 | 2013-2014 |
| Board Meetings | 7 | 7 | 10 |
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 2390
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 7 November 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 25
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
When does the SA Post Office (SAPO) intend to present its audited annual report for the 2013-14 financial year to Parliament?
NW2982E
REPLY:
The SA Post Office intends to table its annual report together with its audited financial statements as soon as they are finalised at the AGM. The intervention team appointed recently have been instructed to finalise these within the three month period.
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 2146
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 24 October 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 21
DATE OF REPLY:
Adv A de W Alberts (FF Plus) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
Whether the Post Office will in any way make use of the funds in the pension fund in order to address the financial challenges it is facing; if so, (a) what is the (i) motivation and (ii) legal grounds that he will rely on for such action and (b) in what way will the interests of (i) current and (ii) future pensioners be protected?
NW2620E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the South African Post Office (SAPO) as follows:
The South African Post Office has not and will not utilise funds of the Post Office Pension Fund to address its current financial challenges.
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 2084
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 24 October 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 21
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
(a) How many copies of his department's annual report for the (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2013-14 financial years were produced and (b) (i) at what cost were these reports produced and (ii) to whom were these reports circulated?
NW5551E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as following:-
(a) (i) 300 copies were produced for 2012-13
(ii) 300 copies were produced for 2013-14
(b) (i) Total cost for producing the 2012-13 annual report = R 88 046.76
Total cost for producing the 2013-14 annual report = R 136 059.00
(ii) Annual Reports were circulated to relevant stakeholders including, Parliament, Auditor-General, National Treasury, Department's State Owned Entities, National Library, relevant Government Departments as well as Departmental management.
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 2020
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 21 October 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 20
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C Mackenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) been signed between himself and the Minister of Communications to manage the issues of dual or conflicting legal accountability brought about by splitting the former Department of Communications; if not, how are these conflicts to be resolved; if so, (a) when was it signed and (b) what are the details contained in the MOU?
NO2417E
Reply:-
No. The Presidency is spearheading the reconfiguration process. They are working with the office of the Chief State Law Advisor, the Department of Public Service and Administration, the Department of Communications and my department on the reconfiguration.
(a) Not applicable
(b) Not applicable
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 1962
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 17 October 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 19
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services
(1) Has a certain person (name and details furnished) been placed on extended leave; if so, (a) what are the reasons for this action and (b) what is the duration of the extended leave;
(2) is the specified person receiving full pay for the duration of the extended leave period; if not, what kind of pay has been allocated for this extended leave period?
NW2345E
REPLY:
(1) According to the information we have received from the board of the South African Post Office, the Board of Directors took a resolution to commission an investigation on the conduct of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mr Hlekane. In light of the seriousness of the allegations, the GCEO has been placed on precautionary suspension pending the finalisation of the investigation. (a) (b) I am awaiting the finalisation of the investigation.
(2) Mr Hlekane remains an employee of the SA Post Office and is paid in accordance with his contract of employment
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 1903
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 17 October 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 19
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) Whether (a) his department and/or (b) any entity reporting to him engaged with the electronic communications industry on the issue of extending the Universal Service Obligations to all licensees; if so, (i) how were these engagements conducted, (ii) who hosted the engagements and (iii) what was the (aa) content of government's message to them and (bb) outcome;
(2) has (a) his department and/or (b) any entity reporting to him undertaken or commissioned a regulatory impact assessment (RIA) of the cost Universal Service Obligations contribute to end-user pricing in the electronic communications sector; if so, (i) who conducted the RIA, (ii) when was the RIA conducted, (iii) what was the cost of the RIA and (iv) what were the findings of the RIA; if not,
(3) (a) is his department considering initiating one and (b) when will the RIA be undertaken? NW2285E
REPLY:
I have been advised by Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) as follows:
1(i) ICASA has a mandate to impose various obligations on licensees. These obligations may be in the form of obligations on all licensees or obligations on specific licensees based on specific regulatory actions, such as the awarding of new tranches of spectrum;
(ii) ICASA already imposes an obligation on all licensees to contribute 0.2% of turnover to the Universal Services and Access Fund;
(iv) ICASA has engaged the sector on the extension of obligations to date not engaged with the industry on extending any further obligations on a sector- wide basis;
(v) ICASA is considering this approach to assist achieving the objectives of the National Broadband Plan. "South Africa Connect"
2) ICASA has conducted a study as to whether the obligations on specific licensees were achieved, through a process conducted in 2013, with public comment received earlier this year. Please see Government Gazette 37071. The Authority has also considered existing obligations to ensure that they are in line with future demands, i.e simcard penetration is high, we must now focus on increased internet access at schools. Please see Government Gazette 377718.
(3)(a) Any future obligation imposed by ICASA will be based on evidence; in terms of coverage as well as type of connectivity to be provided (is it schools, police stations or suburbs/geographic location).
Reply received: November 2014
QUESTION NO: 1900
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 17 October 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 19
DATE OF REPLY:
Ms M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Whether Universal Service Obligations will be extended to all (a) electronic communications network services, (b) electronic communications services and (c) broadcasting licensees; if so, (i) what is the purpose of extending the specified obligations, (ii) for what purpose will the fees be used and (iii) when will the regulations governing the extension of the specified obligations be gazetted?
NW2282E
REPLY:
I have been advised by Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) as follows:
(a) The goal of universal service has two components:
· Access, or the ability for consumers to access electronic communications or broadcasting services;
· Ensuring the ability to benefit from such access.
(b) The current situation is as follows:
· All licence holders make a contribution of 0.2% of turnover towards Universal Services Fund, in that regard all license holders make this contribution on an annual basis. The contributions are managed by the Agency (USAASA) in terms of the ECA funds are supposed to be used to subsidies for internet services in schools, network infrastructure roll-out. These fees fund the universal service and access projects of USAASA;
· ICASA does not control how USAASA allocates this funding;
· All electronic communications service licensees also have the obligation to charge schools half of the normal monthly retail fee for internet services, the so-called e-rate;
· In addition Telkom has an obligation to maintain a certain number of public payphones, an obligation the Authority is reviewing given the universality of cellphones and the cost of maintaining traditional public payphone infrastructure;
· The mobile network operators all has coverage and handset obligations as part of spectrum assignments made in the past;
· Different broadcasters have different obligations based on their nature. Public broadcast licensees (SABC TV and radio stations) have higher obligations regarding local content than commercial television and radio stations.
(i) This is currently under review and new local content regulations will be released next year, based on the cost-benefit study already conducted by the Authority.
(c) The Authority is currently reviewing the universal service and access obligations framework. This review is taking place in the context of amongst others the implementation of the SA Connect Broadband Policy, the anticipated licensing of High Demand Spectrum etc. This may include requiring the licensee to adopt a school, hospital or other state institution;
(d) The review may result in the release of draft regulations on universal service obligations towards the end of the financial year. The Authority cannot at this stage pre-empt the outcome of the review.
Reply received: October 2014
QUESTION NO: 1864
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 26 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 18
DATE OF REPLY:
Dr H C Volmink (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) Does his department have any plans to implement the emergency 112 call centres; if not, why not; if so, what is the (a) time frame and (b) further relevant details;
(2) if any money has been budgeted for the 2015-16 financial year for the implementation of emergency 112 call centres; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW2239E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
(1) Currently, there are no plans to implement the 112 emergency call centre. The Department did not finalise the appointment of a service provider to partner in the management of the call centre in early 2013. The funds for the 112 call centre were re-prioritised for the digital migration and broadband projects.
(2) There are no funds budgeted for the 2015-16 financial year. The funds for the 112 call centre were re-prioritized for the digital migration and broadband projects.
Reply received: October 2014
QUESTION NO: 1789
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 26 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 18
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs. M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunication and Postal Services:
With reference to his reply to question 1198 on 16 September 2014, (a) what are the current terms and conditions of a certain person's (name furnished) employment contract and (b) has the specified person received a (i) salary increase or (ii) bonus; if so, what was the amount?
NW2161E
REPLY:
(a) The terms and conditions are on a full time basis (40hr per week) and as per the attached Dispensation for Appointment and Remuneration of Special Advisors appointed to the Executive Authorities on Ground of Policy Considerations in terms of section 12A of the Public Service Act, 1994.
See the link: www.pmg.org.za/files/rnw1789a.pdf
(b) (i) No
(ii) No
Reply received: October 2014
QUESTION NO: 1652
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 19 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 17
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(a) How much money has the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) spent on legal fees defending itself against creditors since 2002, (b) which legal firms have acted for SITA, (c) how were they chosen and (d) how much money has each firm been paid for its services since 2002?
NW2013E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) as follows:-
(a) Money spent on legal fees defending SITA against creditors since 2002 totals approximately R4 642 000.00
(b) The following legal firms acted for SITA:
(i) Mlangeni Gasela Magagula Inc.
(ii) Bowman Gilfillan
(iii) Gildenhuys Lessing Malatji Inc.
(iv) Chuene Gouse Inc.
(v) Mchunu Attorneys
(vi) Dlamini Attorneys
(vii) Ncube Inc. Attorneys
(viii) Kunene Rampala Botha
(c) The abovementioned firms were chosen from the approved database of preferred service providers accredited on RFB611/2007 and RFB789/2010 respectively.
(d)(i) Mlangeni Gasela Magagula Inc. – R 604 716
(ii) Bowman Gilfillan – R 1 572 548
(iii) Gildenhuys Lessing Malatji Inc. – R 845 058
(iv) Chuene Gouse Inc. – R 785 702
(v) Mchunu Attorneys - R 517 450
(vi) Dlamini Attorneys – R 43 335
(vii) Ncube Inc. Attorneys – R 184 590
(viii) Kunene Rampala Botha – R 160 000
Reply received: October 2014
QUESTION NO: 1651
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 19 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 17
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs. M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) How many legal challenges for the State Information Technology Agency's nonpayment of suppliers resulted in court action since 2002; and in each case, (a) what was the outcome of each court case and (b) what were the costs involved?
NW2012E
REPLY:
I have been advised by SITA as follows:-
(1) Since 2002 SITA faced at least 37 legal challenges for non-payment of suppliers that resulted in court action.
(2) SEE THE LINK FOR REPLY: http://www.pmg.org.za/rnw1651-141021reply
Reply received: October 2014
QUESTION NO: 1650
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 19 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 17
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) (a) How many suppliers are taking legal action against the State Information Technology Agency for nonpayment of goods and services and (b) in each case, (i) what is the name of each supplier, (ii) how much money is in dispute and (iii) for how long has each payment been outstanding;
(2) (a) what steps are being made to resolve these issues and (b) what contingency amount for these cases have been set aside in his department's budget?
NW2011E
REPLY:
I have been advised by SITA as follows:-
(1)(a) Five (5) suppliers/service providers are currently taking legal action against SITA for non-payment of goods and services.
(i) Harebueng (Pty) Ltd
HR Computek Pty Ltd
GijimaAst
ELCB
PM Focus Consulting
(ii) Money in dispute R 3 707 365.5
Money in dispute R12 741 918.00
Money in dispute R9 545 942.72
Money in dispute R370 711.72 and R5 900 179.51
Money in dispute R1 425 000.00
(iii) Outstanding since July 2004
Outstanding since October 2008
Outstanding since July 2013
Outstanding since 2009
Outstanding since June 2013
(2)(a) Harebueng (Pty) Ltd
SITA attempted to settle this matter through negotiations with the supplier, without any success .It was then referred to external attorneys to defend it. The matter has been set down for trial for March 2015.
HR Computek
SITA successfully defended the matter in the North Gauteng High Court and the supplier has now taken the matter on appeal. Both parties are now waiting for the Supreme Court of Appeal to either grant or refuse the application for leave to appeal.
GijimaAst
The matter will be heard in the North Gauteng High Court on 17 November 2014 for an application brought by SITA to set aside the contract between the two parties on the grounds that lawful procurement processes were not followed in the procurement of these services.
ELCB
There are two claims brought by this supplier. The first one is for R 370,711.72 and the second one is for R 5 900 179.51.
R 370,711.72 – SITA is disputing this claim on the grounds that the services were not provided. It was referred to external attorneys in order for it to be defended. The litigation process is continuing and the matter is now in discovery stage.
R 5 900 179.51 – Due to the fact that the lawful procurement processes were not followed in the procurement of these services, SITA has lodged an application to court for an order declaring the contract that was entered into between the two parties to be invalid. The parties are currently waiting for a court date for such application to be heard.
PM Focus Consulting
SITA has made a recommendation to the Department of Transport that this matter should be settled. SITA is waiting for a response from the Department.
(2)(b) The Department does not have a contingency budget for such cases as SITA is classified as a schedule 3B entity in terms of the Public Finance Management Act (Act No. 1 of 1999 as amended by Act 29 of 1999).
Reply received: October 2014
QUESTION NO: 1646
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 19 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 17
DATE OF REPLY
Ms L V James (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(a) Which posts in his department are vacant in the (i) highly skilled, (ii) highly skilled supervision and (iii) senior and top management levels and (b) in each case, what has been the duration of the vacancy? NW2007E
REPLY: see the reply on this link
http://www.pmg.org.za/rnw1646-141021component-0
Reply received: October 2014
QUESTION NO: 1600
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 15
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr. M Q Ndlozi (EFF) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
What is the role of his department in the roll-out of Digital Terrestrial Television?
NW1720E
REPLY:
The responsibility of the Department is to facilitate policy finalisation and supervision of the agencies that will be responsible for the roll-out such as USSASA, Sentech and SA Post Office.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1529
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 16
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) What was the status of the SA Post Office (SAPO) current account overdraft as at (a) 15 June 2014, (b) 15 July 2014 and (c) 15 August 2014?
(2) Were any SAPO employee pension funds deposited at any time from 1 January 2014 to 1 September 2014 in the SAPO current account; if so, what are the (a) dates and (b) amounts of the (i) deposits and (ii) withdrawals?
NW1899E
REPLY:
I have been advised by SAPO as follows:-
(1) (a) R 233 186 967.50 Overdraft (due to public holidays, this balance is as at 17 June 2014)
(b) R 351 120 724.11 Overdraft
(c) R 323 333 042.36 Overdraft
(2) No
(a) N/A
(b) (i) N/A
(ii) N/A
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1528
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 16
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Whether he was furnished with a copy of the Public Protector's Report on her investigation into alleged corruption at the SA Post Office; if so, by what date will he respond to the report?
REPLY:
No
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1401
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 16
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr. C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1)(a) How many offices of the South African Post Office are leased in privately- owned retail centers in Gauteng and (b) where are they situated;
(2) Are any offices of the South African Post Office leased in centre's owned by a certain property group (name furnished); if so, (a) how many, (b) what is the duration of the lease and (c) have any of these offices been closed due to non-payment of rent? NW1766E
REPLY:
I have been advised by SAPO as follows:-
(1) (a) From the total of 286 Post Offices in Gauteng that are rented, 256 are situated in privately owned retail centres.
(b) These Post offices are spread across the Gauteng Province. A list of the Post Offices is attached as Annexure A see the link: www.pmg.org.za/files/rnw1401annexure.pdf
(2) Yes, the South African Post Office does rent space from Redifine Properties within the Gauteng Province.
(a) A total of five (5) properties are rented from Redifine Properties
(b) The oldest lease commenced on 01 June 2005. The majority of the older leases entered into prior to 2011, were negotiated on a (3) three-year renewal term as per the Delegation of Authority (DoA). The DoA has since been revised to allow for (5) five-year lease terms, only Bruma Post Office was renewed for a longer term.
A table reflecting of offices and leasing periods
| Contact Name | Location | Contract start date | End of Term |
| Protea North Post Office | Soweto, Johannesburg | 2006/11/01 | 2015/10/31 |
| Germiston Post Office | Germiston, Ekurhuleni | 2005/06/01 | 2014/11/30 |
| Zola Post Office | Soweto Johannesburg | 2006/07/01 | 2015/05/31 |
| Bryanston Post Office | Bryanston, Johannesburg | 2005/12/01 | 2014/10/31 |
| Bruma Post Office | Bruma | 2014/04/01 | 2019/03/31 |
(c) No.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1357
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 12 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 16
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr. M Q Ndlozi (EFF) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Does the reduction of the cost to communicate include local production of telecommunication devices such as cell phones; if so, what steps has her department taken to ensure local industrial production of these devices?
NW1719E
REPLY:
The Department has had recent engagements with the Department of Trade and Industry to identify opportunities for local electronic manufacturing in the Telecommunications sector and one of the key areas for discussion in on electronic devices.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1310
DATE OF PUBLICATION:
QUESTION PAPER NO:
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(a) When will the revised Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy be presented to Cabinet, (b) what is the cause of the delay and (c) what impact is this having on his planned announcement of the start of the digital switchover?
NW1606E
REPLY:
(a) The Broadcasting Digital Migration Policy will be finalised after it has been approved by Cabinet.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1309
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 5 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 14
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs. M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) Has the project to connect (a) 580 clinics, (b) 4 444 schools, (c) 182 police stations and (d) 572 government offices in the medium term been completed; if not, what is the cause of the delay; if so, (i) what (aa) is the implementation plan and (bb) are the deadlines, (ii) what are the costs and (iii) from which budget will these costs be paid;
(2) (a) when will tenders be issued for these installations and (b) who will manage the (i) tenders and (ii) project management?
NW1605E
REPLY:
(1) The Department has coordinated the development of a high-level plan which enabled the development of a business case for Phase 1 of the Broadband implementation plan. The business case was completed and submitted to National Treasury in July 2014 as part of the 2014 MTEF submission. As the Department awaits National Treasury's decision on the allocation of funds, the detailed planning on the implementation of the programme is underway.
(2) As part of the current detailed planning, the Department will finalise the roles of the various role players in the delivery value chain of the programme.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1282
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 5 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 14
DATE OF REPLY:
Dr A Lotriet (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) Whether the facility at Houwteq near Grabouw is functional to the extent that satellites can be tested there; if not, why not; if so, is it operational;
(2) Does his department have any plans to upgrade the facility; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW1574E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
(1) The test facility at Houwteq near Grabouw was closed down. The process to transfer the equipment to the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has commenced.
(2) No, as there is no need to continue with this work.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1261
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 5 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 14
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr. C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(a) How many casual workers embarked on industrial action in August 2014, (b) where did the industrial action take place and (c) what were the reasons for the strike action?
NW1552E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the South African Post Office as follows:-
(a) 473 casual employees embarked on industrial action in August 2014
(b) Across Gauteng mail centers and retail offices
(c) Casual employees requested full time employment and full benefits for all casual workers.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1260
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 5 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 14
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr. C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(a) How many casual workers were employed by the SA Post Office as at (i) 1 March 2014 and (ii) 1 August 2014 and (b) in each case, in what (i) division and (ii) region and/or locations were these workers employed? NW1551E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the South African Post Office as follows:-
(a)&(b):-
Reply received: October 2014
QUESTION NO: 1282
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 5 September 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 14
DATE OF REPLY:
Dr A Lotriet (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) Whether the facility at Houwteq near Grabouw is functional to the extent that satellites can be tested there; if not, why not; if so, is it operational;
(2) Does his department have any plans to upgrade the facility; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW1574E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
(1) The test facility at Houwteq near Grabouw was closed down. The process to transfer the equipment to the South African National Space Agency (SANSA) has commenced.
(2) No, as there is no need to continue with this work.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1214
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 29 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 11
DATE OF REPLY:
Adv A de W Alberts (FF Plus) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) Whether the CEO has appointed a firm of consultants to (a) investigate the need for layoffs at Telkom and (b) advise Telkom accordingly; if not, (i) how did Telkom arrive at the decision to effect layoffs at the company and (ii) what are the relevant details; if so,
(2) whether the prescribed procedures of appointment have been followed as defined in the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NW1452E
REPLY
I have been advised by Telkom as follows;
Due to Telkom's unique position, of being a partially State-owned Company as well as a Company listed on the JSE, it is granted exemption from various stipulations of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). Telkom is comfortable that its internal governance processes and policies regarding the approval and conclusion of contracts with suppliers are robust and effective. The conclusion of some contracts is done in accordance with specified delegations of authority, including those agreements concluded by the CEO.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 1198
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 29 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 12
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs. M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunication and Postal Services:
(1) Whether (a) he and (b) the Deputy Minister has each employed a ministerial special advisor; if so,
(2)(a) what is the name of the special advisor, (b) when was the advisor appointed, (c) what are the duties of the advisor, (d) at what post level was the appointment made, (e) what is the salary level of the advisor, (f) what is the duration of the employment contract entered into with the advisor and (g) why was it necessary to appoint this advisor?
NW1436E
REPLY:
(1) The Ministry did not appoint an advisor. The contract of Mr. Sipho Johannes Mjwara was extended on the same terms and conditions he was employed in on 12 July 2013.
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 996
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 10
DATE OF REPLY:
Ms P T van Damme (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) Whether he has statistics available to illustrate the drop in the costs of (a) mobile call rates and (b) broadband data during the past ten or five years;
(2) What is the source of these statistics? NW1149E
REPLY:
(1) The Department does not keep such statistics. However, open source information that is available from the Independent Communications Authority of SA, mobile operators and research institutions suggests that there has been a drop in mobile call rates and broadband data since 2010.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 995
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 10
DATE OF REPLY:
Ms P T Damme (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Will any South Africans serve on the group of experts from BRICS Member States to be established to co-operate and co-ordinate activities on combating cybercrimes; if so, (a) who are these persons and (b) what is their (i) expertise in this field and (ii) role in this BRICS group?
NW1148E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
Yes.
(a) Officials from various Government departments such as the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services, State Security Agency, South African Police Service, Department of Defence and Department of International Relations and Cooperation.
(b)(i) The expertise of persons delegated to represent South Africa at the BRICS Cyber Security Expert Group is varied as per their departmental mandates ranging from combating cybercrime, policy and regulatory formulation, as well as intelligence and diplomacy.
(b)(ii) Their role is to represent the interests of South Africa encompassing the entire Cyber Security value chain including the provision of formal input during interactions at the Experts Working Group on Cyber Security.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 994
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 10
DATE OF REPLY:
Ms V van Dyk (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) What was South Africa's position on the call for internet and human rights concerns to be reflected in the Fortaleza Declaration of the 6TH BRICS Summit held in Brazil in July 2014?
(2) (a) who represented South Africa's information and communication technologies interests in discussions held at the (i) summit or (ii) allied events, (b) what was their mandate and (c) who mandated them?
NW1147E
REPLY:
(1) South Africa is an active member of BRICS and part of its declarations.
(2)(a)(i)&(ii) The South African delegation was led by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and our officials participated in the preparatory meetings but were not part of the summit in line with prior agreement by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to reduce the number of the South African delegation.
(b) Their mandate was to negotiate with their counterparts and motivate the inclusion of Information Society and Development as a standalone BRICS agenda item.
(c) The IMC advised that DIRCO could negotiate on behalf of the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 993
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 10
DATE OF REPLY:
Ms. V van Dyk (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) (a) What impact did the strike by employees affiliated to the Communications Workers' Union have on operations at Sentech and (b) what contingency measures were taken by management to ensure continuity of services;
(2) Was any Sentech (a) property or (b) equipment damaged during the strike; if so, (i) what was damaged and (ii) what is the cost of repairs?
NW1146E
REPLY:
I have been advised by Sentech as follows:-
(1) (a) The strike did not have any reportable impact to the Company's operations.
(b) From the onset, the Company established a Strike Management Committee in terms of its Policy on Industrial Management. This committee pulled all levels of Company's management including specialists to close gaps in the areas of operations that were reprioritised and customised. The Company also worked closely with organised labour to quickly reach an amicable agreement.
(2) (a) There was no damage to company property as a result of the strike.
(b) There was no damage to equipment during the strike.
(i) N/A
(ii) N/A
Reply received: September 2014
QUESTION NO: 992
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 10
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(a) What policy guidelines were devised to (i) regulate and (ii) licence television white spaces and (b) what progress has been made on developing a policy?
NW1145E
REPLY:
There are national proof of concept trials and international studies to determine if the Television White Space ("TVWS") technology interferes with broadcasting and other services. The trials are also testing the technical viability of the technology and the different approaches to implementing this technology. The outcome of these trials will determine if we need to develop policy. Icasa, through its Annual Plan, intends developing a concept paper that will outline how licencing and regulation of TVWS will work.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 991
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO:
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs. M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) (a) How many SA Post Office buildings (i) have Occupational Health and Safety Act, Act 85 of 1993, certificates and (ii) have been denied such certificates and (b) what were the reasons some of these buildings were denied such certificates;
(2) (a) what is being done to ensure compliance with the specified Act within offices that do not comply and (b) what is the budgeted cost in the 2014-15 financial year to ensure compliance;
(3) What is the schedule for getting all buildings compliant with the specified Act?
NW1144E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the South African Post Office as follows:-
(1) (a) (i) Approximately 137 Post Office buildings have Occupational Health and Safety Certificates.
(ii) Approximately 618 Post Office buildings that have been denied
Occupational Health and Safety Certificates
(b) Some of the key reasons why some of the buildings did not meet minimum standards include but are not limited to the following:-
· Need proper ventilation
· Provision of emergency and escape routes
· Inadequate physical safety and security measures
· Structural deficiencies, e.g. interior and/or exterior walls, roofing and ceiling
· Insufficient illumination
· Insufficient fire extinguishing equipment
(2) (a) The following has been done to ensure compliance with the Act:
· Appointment of Occupational Health and Safety Representatives and establishment of Occupational Health and Safety Committees;
· Group OHS unit monitors the progress of mitigating process for the risks identified.
· The OHS unit also visit sites and issue internal administrative occupational certificate which are utilized to track progress.
· The Property Unit together with the OHS unit has developed an integrated schedule to upgrade buildings.
(b)The total budget allocated for 2014-15 is amounted to R 42.7 million
(3) The planned schedule targets attaining compliance over a period of three years provided that necessary funding is available throughout the period.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 991
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO:
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs. M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) (a) How many SA Post Office buildings (i) have Occupational Health and Safety Act, Act 85 of 1993, certificates and (ii) have been denied such certificates and (b) what were the reasons some of these buildings were denied such certificates;
(2) (a) what is being done to ensure compliance with the specified Act within offices that do not comply and (b) what is the budgeted cost in the 2014-15 financial year to ensure compliance;
(3) What is the schedule for getting all buildings compliant with the specified Act?
NW1144E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the South African Post Office as follows:-
(1) (a) (i) Approximately 137 Post Office buildings have Occupational Health and Safety Certificates.
(ii) Approximately 618 Post Office buildings that have been denied
Occupational Health and Safety Certificates
(b) Some of the key reasons why some of the buildings did not meet minimum standards include but are not limited to the following:-
· Need proper ventilation
· Provision of emergency and escape routes
· Inadequate physical safety and security measures
· Structural deficiencies, e.g. interior and/or exterior walls, roofing and ceiling
· Insufficient illumination
· Insufficient fire extinguishing equipment
(2) (a) The following has been done to ensure compliance with the Act:
· Appointment of Occupational Health and Safety Representatives and establishment of Occupational Health and Safety Committees;
· Group OHS unit monitors the progress of mitigating process for the risks identified.
· The OHS unit also visit sites and issue internal administrative occupational certificate which are utilized to track progress.
· The Property Unit together with the OHS unit has developed an integrated schedule to upgrade buildings.
(b)The total budget allocated for 2014-15 is amounted to R 42.7 million
(3) The planned schedule targets attaining compliance over a period of three years provided that necessary funding is available throughout the period.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 980
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 10
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr. C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) How many low power transmitters were installed by Sentech in rural areas before 1 November 2013;
(2) Have any low power transmitters been installed by Sentech in rural areas since 1 November 2013; if so, please indicate the number of transmitters installed in each province?
NW1131E
REPLY:
I have been advised by Sentech as follows:-
(1) 467 transmitters were rolled out successfully per province before 1 November 2013.
| Description | Pre 01 November 2013 number of Transmitters | |
| Radio | TV | |
| Western Cape | 25 | 51 |
| North West | 11 | 36 |
| Limpopo | 10 | 30 |
| Eastern Cape | 24 | 45 |
| Free State | 10 | 27 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 14 | 48 |
| Mpumalanga | 7 | 30 |
| Northern Cape | 27 | 72 |
| Gauteng | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 128 | 339 |
(2) Yes, 49 transmitters have been installed successfully per province since 1 November 2013;
| Description | Post 01 November 2013 | |
| Radio | TV | |
| Western Cape | 2 | 3 |
| North West | 0 | 0 |
| Limpopo | 11 | 33 |
| Eastern Cape | 0 | 0 |
| Free State | 0 | 0 |
| KwaZulu-Natal | 0 | 0 |
| Mpumalanga | 0 | 0 |
| Northern Cape | 0 | 0 |
| Gauteng | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 13 | 36 |
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 976
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 10
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr. C Mackenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) Whether Sentech has conducted any range tests for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) broadcasts; if so,
(a) When was this done?
(b) What frequencies were used and
(c) In which areas did the specified tests take place?
(2) Whether any range tests for DTT broadcasts are planned for
(a) September, (b) October, (c) November and (d) December 2014; if so,
(i) On what dates will these range tests be conducted,
(ii) What frequencies will be used and
(iii) In which areas will these tests take place?
NW1126E
REPLY:
I have been advised by Sentech as follows:-
(1) Sentech has conducted range tests as part of network rollout and coverage verification for the DTT network;
(a) Since 2009, sample range tests were conducted as part of commissioning and putting of sites on-air. These tests are ongoing and will continue to be conducted as part of network optimisation even beyond commercial launch.
(b) The frequencies used were as per the published Terrestrial Broadcast Frequency Plan by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA).
(c) The sample tests were conducted nationally at various sites in line with rollout of sites.
(2)(a),(b),(c)&(d) The field tests and measurements are continuously being undertaken based on signal strength measurement results, as part of continuous coverage verification and network optimisation.
(i) The field tests will be done as per the DTT rollout schedule across various sites nationally.
(ii) The frequencies to be used will be as per the published Terrestrial Broadcast Frequency Plan by ICASA.
(iii) These range tests will continue to be conducted nationally on an ongoing basis, based on the continued coverage measurements.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 929
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 22 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 10
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr M G P Lekota (Cope) to ask the Minister for the Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Whether, in view of the fact that the audit report of the State Information Technology Agency had found material breakdown in the functioning of internal control measures and violations of the Public Finance Management Act, Act 1 of 1999, and that both internal and external audits identified noncompliance with laws and regulations pertaining to the procurement process, contract management and adherence to internal control, her department had (a) instituted disciplinary action against the transgressors and (b) laid charges against them with the SA Police Service?
NW1022E
REPLY
I have been advised by Sita as follows:-
(a) Arising out of last year's audit report in relation to irregular expenditure, Sita instituted disciplinary measures against against 11 officials. To date, seven of these have been concluded.
(b) Four cases have been referred to the SAPS for criminal investigations.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 842
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 1 August 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 7
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr. A. P. Van der Westhuizen (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services: [Interdepartmental transfer from Public Service and Administration on 01 August 2014]
With reference to the reply to question 2266 on 2 September 2013, did he replace the specified contract with a term contract; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW929E
REPLY:
SITA replaced Contract CNT SW 011 with a fixed, three-year contract expiring in June 2016.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 483
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 11 July 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 4
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs. M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1)(a) How many strikes by the SA Post Office (SAPO) (i) employees and/or (ii) casual workers have been held since 1 January 2014, (b) what was the cause of these strikes, (c) how many man-days of labour were lost, (d) what was the cost to SAPO and (e) how were these strikes resolved;
(2) What (a) actions were taken by SAPO to ensure adequate service levels to customers during these strikes and (b) contingencies are in place to ensure continuation of service during strikes in the future?
NW562E
REPLY:
I have been advised by SAPO as follows:-
(1) (a)(i)(ii) In the period referred to there were five (5) instances of industrial action. Only one of these five instances of strikes was protected.
(b) There were a variety of socio-economic reasons that contributed to industrial action, including demand for permanent positions and salary anomalies. The underlying factor was labour broking system that the South African Post Office has started to address.
(c) Approximately 78 690 man hours were lost
(d) Notwithstanding the application of the no work no pay principle, an estimated direct cost of loss of labour and damages to property was R 5 025 760, 00. Loss revenue was R71 million
(e) Normal practice negotiations were entered into as part of the dispute resolution process, and where appropriate, legal action was resorted to.
(2)(a) SAPO appreciates the potential impact on customers as a consequence of industrial action and therefore put in place plans and actions, as contained in the Disaster Recovery and Contingency Plan to ensure adequate service levels to customers.
(b)SAPO has an official Disaster Recovery and Contingency Plans designed to provide for services during strikes. SAPO continually updates these plans to factor in new experiences garnered from industrial action to ensure that service levels to customers can be maintained at acceptable levels.
Reply received: August 2014
QUESTION NO: 482
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 11 July 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 4
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs. M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) What Universal Services Obligations apply to (a) Telkom, (b) the SA Post Office, (c) Mobile Network Operators, (d) the Electronic Communication Network Services licensees and (e) any other service provider in the electronic communications sector;
(2)(a) which entities or service providers have failed to meet these obligations to date, (i) please supply details with regard to such entities and (ii) advise of any penalties paid by/or due from any of these entities or service providers?
NW561E
REPLY:
(1) (a) Telkom is obliged in terms of its Universal Services Obligations (USOs) to roll out 120 000 public payphones. Telkom also has schools connectivity obligations, and is thereby obliged to provide a 50% E-Rate discount to schools, public further education and training institutions.
(b) The South African Post Office has the Universal Service Obligations as
follows-:
i) Point of Presence roll-out (Infrastructure roll-out);
ii) Address expansion (delivery point roll-out);
iii) Performance standards (Service Level agreement); and
iv) Customer Care and Complaints handling
(c) Mobile Network Operators:-
Cell C, Vodacom and MTN are obliged in terms of its Universal Services Obligations (USO) to provide internet access to 1500 schools which includes special needs schools. Cell C, Vodacom and MTN also have an obligation to provide computers/hardware as per the licence conditions.
The commencement date was 1 April 2014. Each Mobile Network Operator is obliged to roll-out internet access to at least 300 schools per year.
(d) Electronic Communications Network Service licensees.
Neotel is obliged in terms of its Universal Services Obligations (USO) to provide internet access to 750 schools which include special needs schools. Neotel also has to provide computers/hardware as per the licence conditions.
The commencement date was 1 April 2014. Neotel is obliged to roll-out internet access to at least 150 schools per year.
(e) Currently no other operators have USOs. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), however, is in the process of implementing a framework to impose USOs on the remainder of licensees.
(2) (a) Entities and service providers performed against their obligations as follows;
Community Service Telephones
("CSTs" containers with phones). The CST roll out was met as follows:-
| Operator | Target | Achievement |
| Cell C | 52000 | 52000 |
| Vodacom | 52000 | 118000 |
| MTN | 52000 | 75000 |
(i) Details of entities that failed to meet the obligations:-
Obligation partially completed:
Handset distribution to government health and safety institutions:
| Operator | Target | Achieved |
| Cell C | 125 000 | 26000 |
| MTN | 125 000 | 26000 |
| Vodacom | 125 000 | 26000 |
The obligations were designed in 2003 to help expand access to government services. Since then, the SAPS has raised concerns about the costs of running the scheme because the police still have to pay for airtime when they use the handsets.
Public payphones
Telkom had targets of 120 000 public payphones and achieved 118 000 payphones.
South Africa Post Office USOs
| Obligation | Target | Achievement |
| Roll-out of points of presence | 50 | 45 |
| Address Expansion | 1, 9 million | Currently busy with verification |
| Performance standards | 95% delivery times | Never measured due lack of equipment/ procurement process underway |
| Customer Care and complaints handling | No specific targets | Handling complaints on a daily basis |
Obligations not achieved:
Sim card distribution was not achieved by all operators.
The reason obligations targets were not achieved was due to inadequate integration among key stakeholders in the early stages of the implementation processes. The key stakeholders include the former Department of Communications, the Department of Education, mobile operators and Icasa.
(ii) ICASA could not impose any penalties due to lack of integration in the implementation process. ICASA has now done a review of the USOs to address the challenges experienced in the past.
Reply received: July 2014
QUESTION NO: 481
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 11 July 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: NW560E
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) (a) How many applications for radio frequency spectrum were lodged with the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA) but were not granted as at 31 March 2014, (b)(i) when were they lodged, (ii) by whom and (iii) for what frequencies and (c) what is the status of these applications;
(2) (a) how many successful applicants for radio frequency licences are waiting to be assigned spectrum and (b) what (i) spectrum has been applied for and (ii) are the reasons for the delays in assigning the spectrum?
NW560E
REPLY:
(1) (a) Applications for radio frequency that were not approved as at 31 March 2014 were 272.
(b)(i) During the 2013/2014 financial year.
(ii) By the applicants listed in the attached annexure (see annexure A attached hereto).
(iii) For various frequency bands (see annexure A attached hereto)
(c) These applications were not approved for various reasons such as cancellations, incomplete applications, pending payment, outstanding spectrum fee, no response from the clients, application fee not paid, duplicate applications and other outstanding information.
(2) (a) None
(b) (i) Various spectrum frequency bands ranging from 30 KHz to 38 GHz.
(ii) No assignment of spectrum was delayed.
Annexure A see the link: http://www.pmg.org.za/policy-documents/rnw481applicants
Reply received: July 2014
QUESTION NO: 416
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 04 July 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 3
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister Telecommunications and Postal Services:
Are post offices that are equipped to renew motor vehicle licences allowed to refuse to do so if there are outstanding e-toll accounts related to the vehicle in question; if so, under what circumstances is this permitted?
NW498E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the South African Post Office as follows:-
No. Outstanding e-toll accounts are not described as infringements in the current Service Level Agreement with the Department of Transport. Further, the eNatis system is not set-up to pick up outstanding e-toll payments as it is with other infringements.
Reply received: July 2014
QUESTION NO: 415
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 4 July 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 3
DATE OF REPLY: 08 July 2014
Mr C MacKenzie (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:-
(1) How many post offices are equipped to renew motor vehicle licences in (a) Gauteng, (b) KwaZulu-Natal, (c) the Eastern Cape and (d) the Western Cape?
(2) How many motor vehicle licences were renewed in 2013, (a) Gauteng, (b) KwaZulu-Natal, (c) the Eastern Cape and (d) the Western Cape?
(3) How were motor vehicle licences renewed from January 2014 to April 2014 in (a) Gauteng, (b) KwaZulu-Natal (c) the Eastern Cape and (d) the Western Cape?
NW497E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the South African Post Office as follows:-
(1)(a) 259 in Gauteng
(1)(b) 34 in KwaZulu-Natal
(1)(c) 99 in the Eastern Cape
(1)(d) Nil in the Western Cape
(2)(a) 2 021 800 in Gauteng
(2)(b) 563 530 in KwaZulu-Natal
(2)(c) 529 641 in the Eastern Cape
(2)(d) Nil in the Western Cape
(3)(a),(b)&(c) All motor vehicle licenses were renewed in-store by the designated, 'Registered Authority' as gazetted by the Department of Transport. The Post Office outlets of the South African Post Office have been identified and gazetted as such a, 'Registered Authority' by the Department of Transport.
(3)(d) No motor vehicle license renewals were done at Post Office outlets in the Western Cape as the Western Cape Provincial Government did not appoint SAPO as a, 'Registered Authority' to renew motor vehicle licenses.
Reply received: July 2014
QUESTION NO: 414
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 4 July 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 3
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs M. R. Shinn (DA) to ask Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) (a) How many schools has his department supplied with (i) Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) equipment and (ii) communications infrastructure and (b) how has this been (i) financed and (ii) insured against damage, loss and theft;
(2) (a) Where are these schools located, (b) what equipment has been supplied to each
school, (c) who is responsible for (i) implementing and (ii) supporting these school
systems and (d) what are the terms of this support;
(3) what targets have been set to continue this programme throughout South Africa;
(4) what (a) liaison does his department have with the Department of Basic Education to co-ordinate the (i) needs analysis, (ii) installation timeline, (iii) successful
implementation and (iv) effective use of this ICT equipment and (b) monitoring is in
place to ensure return on investment?
NW496E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
(1)(a)(i) 1250 (400 schools already had ICT equipment)
(1)(a)(ii) 1650
(1)(b)(i) The funding was sourced from the savings of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Legacy Project
(1)(b)(ii) The equipment provided included a manufacturer's warranty of twelve (12) months for technical support. Recipient schools are responsible for indemnity against damage, loss and theft.
2 (a) The schools are located in all nine Provinces within different Department of Basic Education Districts:
| Province | District |
| North West | Rekopantswe and Kagisano Molopo |
| Mpumalanga | Witbank, Middleburg and Nkangala |
| Gauteng | Tshwane North |
| Western Cape | Cape Winelands |
| Free State | Motheo |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Hammersdale, Umhlathuze and Pinetown |
| Limpopo | Vhembe |
| Northern Cape | Siyanda |
| Eastern Cape | Lady Frere and Queenstown |
(2)(b) Each school was supplied with (20) twenty laptop computers enclosed in a lockable trolley (which allowed for mobility to classrooms), a multifunction printer; an overhead projector; a router and a Wi-Fi access point.
(2)(c)(i) Telkom was responsible for the roll-out of connectivity;
(2)(c)(ii) On-site support is provided by Telkom;
(2)(d) In terms of the contract, Telkom shall provide support for a period of (2) two years effective from March 2014.
(3) 5250 schools will be connected through the Universal Service Obligation (USO) programmes for a period of 5 years, effective from the 2014/2015 financial year. These are allocated as follows:-
MTN - 1500
Cell C - 1500
Vodacom - 1500
Neotel - 750
(4) (a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv) and (b) A Deputy Ministers forum consisting of Deputy Ministers from the Departments of Telecommunications and Postal Services (former Communications), Basic Education, Science and Technology, and Health was established to ensure a coordinated approach. Additionally, a project team consisting of Telkom and the Departments of Basic Education and Telecommunications and Postal Services (former Department of Communications) was established to drive the project.
Reply received: July 2014
QUESTION NO: 412
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 4 July 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 3
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) Who is serving on the team of the Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) Policy Review Panel that is drafting the Options Towards a National
Integrated White Paper;
(2) What deadline have they been given to present this draft white paper to the
department;
(3) (a) When will the department finalise this white paper and (b) when will it be
published for public comment?
NW494E
REPLY:
I have been advised by the Department as follows:-
(1)
I. Ms. Rosey Sekese
II. Mr. Joe Mjwara
III. Mr. Charley Lewis
IV. Prof. Shaun Pather
V. Mr. Calvo Mawela
VI. Mr. Lehlohonolo Letele
VII. Mr. Lucky Masilela
VIII. Ms. Angelina Maseko
IX. Mr. Sizwe Snail
X. Mr. Monde Twala
XI. Ms. Lulama Nongongo
XII. Ms. Libby Lloyd
XIII. Mr. Jossy Zitha
XIV. Mr. Mothibi Ramusi
XV. Mr. Mpho Mosimane
XVI. Mr. Atul Gupta
XVII. Mr. Nkateko Nyoka
XVIII. Ms. Nadia Bulbulia
XIX. Ms. Brenda Leonard
XX. Mr. Philly Moilwa
XXI. Ms. Nomvuyiso Batyi
(2) The ICT Policy Review Panel will present the draft White Paper in January 2015 to the Department.
(3) (a) The White Paper will be finalised in February 2015
(b) The White Paper will be issued to the public in April 2014.
Reply received: July 2014
QUESTION NO: 295
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 27 June 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 02
DATE OF REPLY:
Ms M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) What are the details of office furniture ordered and/or purchased for the use of him and/or his staff since 1 May 2014;
(2) in respect of each piece of furniture, (a) what is the description, (b) what is the breakdown of the costs, (c) where will each piece of furniture be used and (d) who will use each piece of furniture;
(3) what are the details of furniture disposed of;
(4) in respect of each piece of furniture disposed of, (a) what is the description, (b) original purchase costs and (c) on what date was it purchased;
(5) (a) how was this furniture disposed of, (b) what disposal method was used, (c) what is the name and contact details of person/s to whom it was disposed and (d) at what price was it disposed of?
NW375E
REPLY:
(1) No office furniture was ordered and/or purchased for my use and/or any of my staff;
(2) Not applicable;
(3) No furniture was disposed of;
(4) Not applicable;
(5) Not applicable.
Reply received: July 2014
QUESTION NO: 261
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 27 June 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 02
DATE OF REPLY:
Mrs. M R Shinn (DA) to ask the Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services:
(1) What are the details of motor vehicles ordered and/or purchased for his use since May 2014;
(2) (a) what is the (i) make, (ii) model, (iii) total cost and (iv) breakdown of the cost of each motor vehicle and (b) where will each motor vehicle normally be stationed?
NW340E
REPLY
(1) No motor vehicles were ordered and/or purchased for my use;
(2) Not applicable.
Reply received: July 2014
QUESTION NO: 205
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 27 June 2014
QUESTION PAPER NO: 02
DATE OF REPLY:
Mr. GR Davis (DA) to ask the Minister of Communications:
What is the status of her department's negotiations with electronics industry players regarding the issue of an access control system for set-top boxes as part of the migration to digital terrestrial television?
NW250E
REPLY:
The former Minister Yunus Carrim was involved in mediation discussions with the broadcasters with the aim of facilitating a consensus on set top box control system utilisation in the Digital Terrestrial Television migration.
This mediation did not succeed in reaching consensus and was stopped in March 2014.