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Questions & Replies: International Relations

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2015-06-24

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Reply received: May 2015

QUESTION NO: 1566(NW1778E) AS PUBLISHED IN IQP NO.11-2015 OF 24 APRIL 2015

MR S MOKGALAPA (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION:

  1. Will her department and/or the Government be sending any representatives to the Republic of Burundi to participate in election observer missions; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  1. Will her department and/or the Government be sending any representatives to the Republic of Burundi as election observers as part of a larger African Union mission for the specified country’s national general election later this year; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

                     

REPLY:

  1. South Africa will not send an independent observer mission to Burundi to monitor the 2015 General Elections.
  1. As a member of the African Union (AU), South Africa would positively consider sending its representatives to participate in the African Union (AU) Elections Observer Mission, should such an invitation be extended by the African Union (AU).

 

Reply received: May 2015

QUESTION NO: 1565(NW1777E) AS PUBLISHED IN IQP NO.11-2015 OF 24 APRIL 2015.

MR S MOKGALAPA (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION:

  1. Whether her department is currently monitoring the situation in the Republic of Burundi ahead of that country’s national general elections later this year; if so, what have they found the situation to be;
  1. What is the current status of diplomatic relations between South Africa and the Republic of Burundi;
  1. What is the name of the (a) ambassador and/or (b) consul-general currently posted in (i) Bujumbura or (ii) any of the Republic of Burundi’s urban areas;
  1. Will she, in view of South Africa’s influential role in the African Union, consider facilitating talks with President Pierre Nkurunziza with regard to his intention to run for a third presidential term, which would be in violation of the Republic of Burundi’s `constitution and the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Burundi of 28 August 2000?

 

REPLY:

  1. Yes, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) is monitoring the situation in the Republic of Burundi ahead of the 2015 General Elections through the South African Embassy in Bujumbura. With regard to the situation in Burundi, the Department’s assessment is that the situation can be described as relatively stable, with sporadic incidents which are being monitored and addressed by all the parties, including the government.
  1. South Africa maintains good and cordial relations with the Republic of Burundi. As the Honourable Member will be aware, President Nkurunziza undertook a successful State Visit to South Africa from 4-5 November 2014. The main objectives of the State Visit were to strengthen political and economic relations between the two countries. As a result, the State Visit registered a number of positive outcomes, including the signing of a Joint Commission of Cooperation Agreement (JCC) as well as a Cultural Cooperation Agreement. The two countries also agreed to establish a Joint Business Council (JBC) in order to promote and strengthen business and commercial relations between the two countries.
  1. The current Ambassador to Burundi is H.E. Mr Ephraim Oupa Monareng.
  1. South Africa played a historical role during the peace negotiations that led to the Arusha Accords and the Constitution. One of the principles of South Africa’s Foreign Policy is that South Africa should respect the sovereignty of other countries. In this regard, South Africa believes that the issue of whether President Nkurunziza would or would not be entitled to run for a further term in the 2015 General Elections is a matter which should be resolved by the Burundians themselves as well as the relevant democratic institutions, namely the Constitutional Court.

 

Reply received: May 2015

QUESTION NO: 1465(NW1678E) AS PUBLISHED IN IQP NO: 10 OF 17 APRIL 2015

Mr J J McGluwa (DA) to ask the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation:

(a) How many invoices from private contractors to her department currently remain unpaid for longer than 30 days and (b) in each case, what (i) are the details of the (aa) contractor and (bb) services provided and (ii) what is the (aa) date of the invoice and (bb)  reason why the invoice was not paid within 30 days?                                                                          

REPLY:

The Department’s response is based on the latest completed month of March 2015 and is as follows:

  1. No invoices remained unpaid for longer than 30 days as at 31 March 2015;
  2. Based on the response given in (a) above, all the other related questions are not applicable. 

 

Reply received: May 2015

QUESTION NO: 1165 (NW1366E) PUBLISHED IN IQP NO: 9-2015 of 27 MARCH 2015

MR SV KALYAN (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION:

  1. How many sick leave days were taken by employees in her Department in the 2013-14 financial year and (b) what was the total cost thereof in rand?   NW1366E

REPLY

  1. sick leave days taken:  14 949
  2. cost thereof in rand:  R18,035,000.00

 

Reply received: May 2015

QUESTION NO:  684(NW831E) AS PUBLISHED IN IQP NO: 7-2015 OF 13 MARCH 2015

MR R A LEES (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION:

  1. (a) What are the details of the (i) methods used by South African foreign missions to carry (aa) post, (bb) documentation and (cc) other communications between missions as well as from foreign missions to South Africa and vice versa, (ii) frequency of movement and (iii) time taken to move documentation from each mission to South Africa;

 

  1. have the methods of carrying these communications changed over the past five years; if not, why not; if so, what (a) methods were previously used and (b) are the details of why the methods were changed;

 

  1. whether these methods of carrying communications also apply to documents of the Department of Home Affairs that are dealt with by foreign missions; if not, why not; if so, is she aware of the details of the (a) methods used and (b) time taken to move documents of the Department of Home Affairs?

 

REPLY:

 

(1) (a) (i)                Courier Services is a method used by South African Foreign Missions to carry, 

 (aa)                      post  is Air Freight.

 (bb)                     The method used by South African foreign missions to carry documents with Classification is Diplomatic Bag accompanied by two (2) officials, however, non-classified documents are sent through air freight.

(cc)                       The methods used by South African foreign mission to carry other communications is through email, fax, telephone (mobile and land line) and domestic courier services.

 

1 (a)(ii)                  The frequency of movement for both post and documentation is monthly.

1 (a) (iii)                 Time it takes to move documentation from each mission to South Africa is seven (7) working days.

 

(2)                         The method of carrying this communication has not changed over the past five (5) years as there has not been any circumstances that required change except that different courier service provider are appointed from time to time as per the Departmental procurement process.

  1. Yes, these methods of carrying communications also apply to documents of the Department of Home Affairs that are dealt with by foreign missions.

(3) (a)                    Yes, she is aware of methods used.

(3) (b)                    Yes, she is also aware of the time it takes to move documents of the Department of Home Affairs.

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