Questions and Replies

Reply:

(a)(i),(ii)(aa),(bb),(cc),(b),(c),(i),(ii) Please refer to Annexure A.

ANNEXURE A TO NA-QUES 2762 OF 2023

Details of Annual Reports	Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development	Entities
		Ingonyama Trust Board	Commission on Restitution of Land Rights	CPA	SAVC	PPECB	OBP	NAMC	ARC	OVG
(a) Total amount	(aa) 2020-21	R0.00	R0.00	R158 281.40	R458 684	R24 250.53	R338 549.65	R29 600	R32 400	R74 766.33	R17 800.00
	(bb) 2021-22	R145 560.00	R0.00	R177 289.75	R574 000.00	R14 209.26	R280 025.00	R17 390	R23 749.80	R52 377.62	R25 367.00
	(cc) 2022-23	R0.00	R0.00	R289 945.00	R575 800.00	R14 209.26	R297 056.50	R21 735	R27 000.00	R383 448.74	R44 984.00
(b) Supplier	(aa) 2020-21	Falls away	Falls away	Janine Smith	Seriti Institute	Minuteman Press, Centurion	Brandesign (Pty) Ltd	Idea	Mathisisa Trading and Projects	Uvo Communication Design and Print	Maks-Millan General Trading
	(bb) 2021-22	SonwabaM Projects (PTY) LTD	Falls away	Janine Smith	Seriti Institute	Robain Solutions, Pretoria	Openform Studios CC	Creative Laundry	Lebone Litho Printers	Uvo Communication Design and Print	Maks-Millan General Trading
	(cc) 2022-23	Falls away	Falls away	Fine Art Printer	MAPS Media Agency	Robain Solutions, Pretoria	Openform Studios CC	Creative Laundry	Just in Graphix Communications	Anzomode	KGS Trading Enterprise
(c) (i),(ii) Total copies	(aa) 2020-21	0	0	150	400	130	500	200	160	250	120
	(bb) 2021-22	200	0	200	400	80	500	30	150	180	50
	(cc) 2022-23	0	0	300	300	80	250	30	150	180	50

Reply:

The Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused great devastation in lost human life, destruction of infrastructure and displacement of people. It has also disrupted the supply of grain to world markets and thus precipitated food insecurity particularly in Africa.

Recognising the dangers arising from the instability caused by the conflict, together with other African Heads of State, we committed ourselves to working with both parties involved in the conflict and other key role players to finding a path to peace.

The following countries formed part of the African Leaders Peace Initiative to Ukraine and Russia on 16-18 June 2023: Comoros (as African Union Chair), Congo-Brazzaville, Egypt, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia.

I travelled to Ukraine and Russia with a delegation of 17 people, including the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), DIRCO staff, security and medical support personnel. The members of the delegation provided logistics and substantive support to me. From my office, I was accompanied by my Personal Assistant, Special Adviser, Spokesperson, Digital Media Manager and a Presidential Aide. An advance group of two Media Liaison Officers and two Protocol Officers departed a few days earlier for preparatory duty in the respective countries. DIRCO can provide further details of personnel that travelled to support the peace mission.

My delegation travelled on a South African Air Force aircraft to Poland. We had to travel from Poland to Kyiv due to the closure of Ukraine’s airspace. I paid a courtesy visit to the President of Poland in transit to Ukraine. We had an opportunity to discuss the relations between Poland and South Africa and explored ways in which we could deepen the relations between the two countries. We then travelled from Poland to Kyiv and back by train. The costs of travel to Ukraine from Poland by train were provided on a complementary basis by the Ukrainian government. We proceeded from Poland to Russia by air and spent one evening in St Petersburg following an afternoon and evening of talks with President Putin. The full costs to the Presidency of my delegation will be reconciled and reported in the Presidency Annual Report.

 

As part of the effort to ensure that the South African public was kept informed of the developments around the peace mission, several media houses were invited to travel to Ukraine and Russia. I am advised that due to the financial constraints experienced by several media houses, an arrangement was made for them to travel on the aircraft chartered for security personnel. While their travel was partly facilitated by my office, their travel costs were not borne by the Presidency. I am informed that the travelling members of the media were to cover their own accommodation and other incidental costs.

The details about security personnel and costs of the charter can be obtained from the South African Police Service and South African National Defence Force.

The government of Poland provided through the appropriate diplomatic channels the reasons for the decision to deny entry to an aircraft that transported security personnel and members of the media. The Polish government went further to release those reasons to the media and they are a matter of public record.

The peace mission was facilitated by the Brazzaville Foundation led by Mr Jean-Yves Ollivier. The Brazzaville Foundation team attended the preparatory meeting that took place on 5 June 2023.

Reply:

1. (a) (i) The Animal Matters Amendment Act, 1993 (Act 42 of 1993).

(ii) Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

(b) Municipalities are responsible for public safety.

2. It is the responsibility of each municipality.

3. No. State veterinarians are responsible for the control of diseases; the control of vicious dogs falls outside their mandate.

4. (a) (i) The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development together with some municipalities (e.g. City of Tshwane) and other relevant role players are organising dog safety and wellness campaigns to teach the public about safe dog keeping, management, controlled breeding and wellness. This information will also be made available online and through publications to empower members of the public.

(ii) Municipalities.

(b) The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

 

Reply:

(1)(a),(b) The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development cannot respond to the question as this matter does not fall within the scope of its defined mandate and key functions.

(2),(3)(a),(b),(4) Falls away.

Reply:

1. (a)(i)-(iii), (b) Please refer to the table below.

FINANCIAL LOSSES	2020/2021	2021/2022	2022/2023	(b) 1 April 2023
TOTAL	R636 576 200	R4 958 106 550	R3 611 996 300	R2 985 080 050

(2) Below is the financial breakdown of losses per province.

PROVINCE	2020/2021	2021/2022	2022/2023	2023
Eastern Cape	Nil	Nil	Nil	R3 563 000
Free State	R43 420 000	R10 500 000	R10 000 000	R6 750 000
Gauteng	Nil	Nil	Nil	R3 050 000
KwaZulu Natal	Did not submit / quantify financial losses.
North West	Nil	R4 798 963 000	R3 142 444 500	R2 391 363 000
Mpumalanga	R578 000 000	R111 000 000	R403 000 000	R561 000 000
Limpopo	Nil	Nil	Nil	R13 640 700
Northern Cape	R5 156 200	R37 643 550	R56 551 800	R5 713 350
Western Cape	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
TOTAL	R626 576 200	R4 958 106 550	R3 611 996 300	R2 985 080 050

(3) The provinces used different methods to estimate the losses.

Reply:

(1)(a),(b) The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development cannot respond to the question as this matter does not fall within the scope of its defined mandate and key functions.

(2),(3),(4) Falls away.

Reply:

The reason for the discrepancy is as a result of the lag in the update of data after projects have reached practical completion. Further, the 1 495 schools with pits toilets from KZN in response to question 104 include schools that still have pit toilets that are yet to be demolished after the schools have already received proper toilets.

Reply:

(a)(i)(ii)

Table 1 below indicates that there were 1 429 Afrikaans single medium schools in 2013; and 1 004 in 2022. 

Table 1: Number of Afrikaans single medium schools, by province, in 2013 and in 2022

Province	2013	2022
EC	193	111
FS	75	41
GT	168	115
KZ	12	3
LP	22	26
MP	28	24
NC	231	155
NW	52	58
WC	648	471
SA	1 429	1 004

Source: 2013 Annual School Survey and 2022 LURITS

(b) Provincial Education Departments (PEDs) are the ones that manage admission of learners and they always ensure that every learner is placed at a school. 

Reply:

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND INNOVATION:

Name of Institution/public entity

(a)

(b)

(c)

(i)

(ii)

(i)

(ii)

(i)

(ii)

(aa) 2020-21

(bb) 2021-22

(cc) 2022-23 financial years

(aa) 2020-21

(bb) 2021-22

(cc) 2022-23 financial years

(aa)

(bb)

(cc)

(aa)

(bb)

(cc)

(aa)

(bb)

(cc)

(aa)

(bb)

(cc)

R’000

R’000

R’000

R’000

R’000

R’000

DSI

374

382

179

N/A

N/A

N/A

Creative Harvest

Creative Harvest

UVO Communication

N/A

N/A

N/A

600

200

200

N/A

N/A

N/A

ASSAf

N/A

N/A

N/A

Nil

Nil

Nil

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Nil

Nil

Nil

NRF

N/A

N/A

N/A

79

72

95

N/A

N/A

N/A

Litha Communication

South Kingdom

Shereno Printers

N/A

N/A

N/A

Nil

100

100

SANSA

N/A

N/A

N/A

Nil

Nil

Nil

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Nil

Nil

Nil

TIA

N/A

N/A

N/A

Nil

Nil

Nil

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Nil

Nil

Nil

HSRC

N/A

N/A

N/A

61

60

Nil

N/A

N/A

N/A

Kashan Advertising

Kashan Advertising

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

300

150

Nil

CSIR

N/A

N/A

N/A

145

161

170

N/A

N/A

N/A

EPI Creative (Pty) Ltd

Lebone Litho Printers

Blackmoon Design and Advertising

N/A

N/A

N/A

250

250

150

DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

REPLY:

In relation to the Department of Higher Education and Training, the following information has relevance:

(a) What total amount did the entity pay for the printed copies of the integrated annual reports in the following financial years:
Organisation	(aa) 2020-21	(i) who were the suppliers?	(ii) total number of copies of the report printed?	(bb) 2021-22	(i) who were the suppliers?	(ii) total number of copies of the report printed?	(cc) 2022-23	(i) who were the suppliers?	(ii) total number of copies of the report printed?
Department of Higher Education and Training	R140 106.82	Delisiwe Trading t/a CTP Publishers and Printers (Ltd)	150 printed copies and 20 CD’s	R176 707.66	Delisiwe Trading t/a CTP Publishers and Printers (Ltd)	150 printed copies and 20 CD’s	R237 532.50	Shereno Printers (cc)	200 printed copies and 20 Memory Sticks (USB) (Not yet printed)

In relation to Public Entities the following information has relevance:

	(a) What total amount did the entity pay for the printed copies of the integrated annual reports in the following financial years:
Entity:	(aa) 2020-21	(i) who were the suppliers?	(ii) total number of copies of the report printed?	(bb) 2021-22	(i) who were the suppliers?	(ii) total number of copies of the report printed?	(cc) 2022-23	(i) who were the suppliers?	(ii) total number of copies of the report printed?
1. FOODBEV	R0.00	N/A	0 (online submission and distribution)	R 24 971.00	Production X	100	R99 375.00	Epic Creative	250
2. HWSETA	R66 390.07	Cre8tor	350	R 84 888.40	Sand Studio	210	R89 679.91	Law print	605
3. CHE	R0.00	N/A	NA	R0.00	N/A	N/A	R0.00	N/A	N/A
4. ETDP SETA	R47 937.75	Shereno Printers	100 copies	R61 237.50	Matcom Printers	150	R63 238.50	Scarlet Studios	130
5. SASSETA	R125 546.75	Brown Block Solutions	200	R81 166,43	Brown Block Solutions	150	R137 500	Fargocure (PTY) LTD	300
6. FASSET	R176 964.48	Shereno Printers CC	300	R207 280.02	Kashan Advertising Pty (Ltd)	200	R142 617.02	UVO Communications Pty (Ltd)	200
7. QCTO	R70 987,75	Branding Formula	250	R83 540,60	45 Media	100	R85 380.60	45 Media	100
8. AGRISETA	R183 760	Through the line	500	R172 000	Rock Bottom Graphic	500	R249 147,50	45 Media	500
9. Services SETA	R0	N/A	No copies were printed	R105 877.05	Miolo Design Shop	300	R0	UVO Communication, Design and Print	Not yet printed. However, 200 copies are planned for printing at a total cost of R85 763.55
10. SAQA	R78 993.50	Pure Brown Designs	None – Only Web based due to COVID 19	R39 675.00	Milk Brown	None – Only Web based due to COVID 19	R248 684.68	BlackMoon	50
11. CETA	R519 916.80	Five Star Communications	200	R336 232.45	Five Star Communications	200	R434 814.00	INCE (PTY) LTD	100
12. MERSETA	R337 467.50	Litha Communications	200	R337 467.50	Litha Communications	200	R421 218.09	Litha Communications	200
13 MQA	R155 540.95	Milk Brown Designs and communications	200 PRINTED, 150 USB, 150 CD’s	R242 691.40	Litha Communications	200 PRINTED, 150 USB, 150 CD’s	R247 017.70	Litha Communications	200 PRINTED, 150 USB, 150 CD’s
14. TETA	R90 620.00	Scarlet Studios	600	R104 431.50	Scarlet Studios	300	R99 314.00	Indima Njongo Marketing and Communication	400
15. FP&M SETA	R233 421	Busi Ntuli Communications	50 printed copies and 50 USB due to Covid	R345 828	Active Brands	400	R276 069	Active Brands	200
16. BANK SETA	R57,785.00	Busi Ntuli (Pty) Ltd	200	R71 882.00	Donna Reid CC	150	R88 235.00	Donna Reid CC	150
17. NSF	R113 861.508	Shereno Printers	200	R106 410.99	Mudau Picture Framers t/a Framefun	200	R131 948.38	Ndabase Printing Solutions	200
18. CHIETA	R68 880.38	Lebone Litho Printers	300	R76 880.38	Libone Litho Printers	300	R76 880.38	Libone Litho Printers	300
19. LGSETA	R98 258.30	Creativity Design & Marketing (Pty) Ltd	200	R104 880.00	45th Media (Pty) Ltd	200	R167 555.00	Moshate Communications	300 (Still in progress)
20. INSETA	R200 910.75	BlackMoon Advertising	300	R222 376.94	BlackMoon Advertising	300	R250 260.13	Epic Creative	300
21. CATHS SETA	R89 567.75	Oranje Printers (Pty) Ltd	150	R229 827.50	Dlloyd Creative Enterprises (Pty) Ltd	150	R145 626.95	Unique Communications (Pty) Ltd	130
22. W&RSETA	R428 950.00	-45th Media -Kashan Advertising (Pty) Ltd	1000	R269 244.90	-45th Media -Msomi Africa	600	R 344 008.70	45th Media	600 Planned (Not yet printed)
23. PSETA	R0.00	Ren-form cc	No hard copies printed due to Covid-19	R17 800.00	Ren-form cc	100	R0.00	N/A	PSETA will not print hard copies of the 2022/23
24. MICT SETA	R 213 312.81	Litha Communications	500	R 183 302.95	45th Media	352	Not yet invoiced as at 13 Sep 2023. R198 000.00	45th Media	352
25. EWSETA	R78 660.00	EPI Creative	120	R59 800	EPI Creative	50	R0.00	N/A	N/A
26. NSFAS	R70,189	Digital on Demand t/a Print on Demand	TBC – invoice being retrieved	R85,183   R169,678	Busi Ntuli Communications (2019/20) Sengwayo Holdings (2020/21)	300 300	*None to date	*None to date	*None to date

*NSFAS 2021/22 Annual Reports have not yet been printed.

Reply:

The Department has plans to close institutions that operate without being registered with the relevant bodies.

a) Plans and processes which are followed to close illegal colleges are guided by both the Constitution and the law enforcement agents. Article 29(3) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa requires every private provider of education and training to be registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The purpose of registration is to ensure that private providers of education and training operate within the law, have the necessary resources, capacity and expertise to offer acceptable standards of higher education.

The Department maintains 2 Registers which are published on its website at www.dhet.gov.za for the benefit of the public. These are the Register of Private Higher Education Institutions and the Register of Private Colleges. The Register of Private Higher Education Institutions also lists all the illegal colleges to alert the public, using electronic media.

b) The Department is required to follow specific procedures before it approaches the South African Police Services (SAPS) for assistance, these include:

1. Once the Department identifies an illegal institution, it must issue a warning letter which indicates the timeframe for a response.
2. Should the institution admit to wrongdoing and agree to terminate its services, then the onus rests with it to inform students and refund the fees paid by students. Students are also advised to seek legal assistance and/or approach the Small Claims Court should refunds not be forthcoming.
3. The Department is required to file a case with SAPS in terms of the relevant legislation should the institution desist or not respond or persist in operating illegally. Private higher education institutions are further listed on the list of bogus colleges.
4. Thereafter, the responsibility lies with SAPS and the Prosecuting Authority to execute further steps to address the conduct of the institution.
5. It must be noted that the Department engages extensively with the institution before it approaches SAPS for closure.

Reply:

a) The following Policies are currently under Development:

1. The General Education Certificate: A Qualification at Level 1 on the General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Sub-Framework of the National Qualifications Framework (The GEC)
2. The National Senior Certificate: A Qualification at Level 1 on the General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Sub-Framework of the National Qualifications Framework (The NSC).

b) The General Education Certificate (GEC) is currently being finalised by the GEC Working Group and is still to be resubmitted to Umalusi for further processing. The policy is still to be subjects to the SEIAS process.

The National Senior Certificate (NSC) was submitted to SAQA for registration. Umalusi is currently considering feedback from SAQA regarding Articulation and Recognition of Prior Learning. The policy was submitted to Umalusi for quality assurance, and provisionally approved.

c) General Education Certificate was published for public comments on 4 June 2021, Government Gazette 44674 and the policy for The National Senior Certificate was first submitted to Umalusi for appraisal in February 2020.

d)  The General Education Certificate will be subjected to SEISAS process before recommended for promulgation while The National Senior Certificate will be published for comments in a Government Gazette.

e) The targeted date for finalization of The General Education Certificate is December 2023 while for The National Senior Certificate is December 2024.

Reply:

The question falls under the Executive Authority of the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Kwa Zulu Natal. The Member is kindly requested to refer the question to the MEC for Kwa Zulu Natal as per section 92(3)(b) of the Constitution and Rule 134 (5)(b) of the NA rules. 

Reply:

Response A: Provision of certificates to TVET students on time – DHET

1. The Department of Higher education and Training (DHET) is mandated to issue certificates within three months (90 working days) after students after the release of results to “eligible students’, meaning those students who have satisfied the requirements for respective qualifications. The DHET draws its mandate from the CET Act of 2006 which empowers the Department with the authority to conduct, administer and manage the GETC, NATED Report 190/1 and NC (V) examinations and assessment processes. The Certification backlog was addressed by 31 March 2022 and a report presented to PCHEST by my office. It is therefore imperative to clarify to members of this house the issues that in the public space may still be construed as certification backlog whereas the real issue is the matter of historical records.

2. However, there are various reasons why some students are not receiving their certificates. It is therefore imperative to provide the definition of what is termed Certification as well as the criteria thereof.

3. Working Definition:

- “Certification” is defined as “all eligible students who met the minimum certification requirements for various qualifications who were issued with certificates within three months (business days) after results have been approved by the quality assurers”. The bulk of the students who fall within this category are those who satisfied the certification requirements in one examination sitting and were issued with certificates within three months.

- “Certification backlog” is defined as “all eligible students who met the minimum certification requirements for various qualifications who were not issued with certificates within three months after results have been approved by the quality assurers

4. Certification criteria are described as follows:

• NC(V) qualification: candidates have to pass all seven subjects as required in the policy.
• NATED qualification: candidates have to pass a minimum of 4 subjects in the correct subject combinations.
• GETC: ABET candidates have to pass a minimum of 5 subjects (with a total of 120 credits).

There are also key obstacles that are contributing to the non-issuance of certificates to TVET students. Among others are:

• Part submission of both Internal and External marks by colleges before resulting for Nated R190/1; NC(V) and GETC qualifications
• System functionality and alignment across the full system – non automatic combination of results after the student has accumulated the results over multiple examinations session
• Understanding of Business Rules for certification by students at all points of data processing

5. Observation

In the main students who struggle to receive their certification within the stipulated timeframe are those who sits for multiple examinations sessions in order for them to satisfy the qualification/s requirements and thereafter apply for combinations. There are students who also involved in examinations irregularities that need further investigation for results to be finalised before certifications can be processed and released.

The DHET has a clear system in place where after certificates for eligible students are printed, the TVET section through the Chief Directorate National Examinations and Assessment, package the documents according to colleges where students sat for their examinations, generates waybills for dispatch to the respective destinations through courier services.

Under normal circumstances, where students met the requirements to be certified and the security paper printed by Government Printing Works is available, the DHET is not found non-compliant in this regard. The dilemma is only when student do not even collect the certificates from their respective colleges and chooses to seek the certificates using social media and other platforms without checking with their colleges.

The DHET works collaboratively with Quality councils, namely QCTO and Umalusi in matters relating to certification of students as well as SAQA for the verification of qualifications for those qualifications offered by the Department.

B: What sustainable plans have been put in place to eliminate the problem due to its socio-economic impact?

The DHET has also embarked on expanding the already available eServices on government portal which deals with Examination results, namely the DHET EXAMS Equeries Solution for TVET college System. I have launched this system in 2015 but planning to re – launch the same but updated system again before the end of 2023. My team in attempting to avert the recurrence of this anomaly have enhanced the system by developing another service, namely eTranscript/s, an automated system where students can access their academic records as well as receiving the status of their eCertificate report whilst waiting for a printed hardcopy from their colleges.

Reply:

a) Six
b) Eastern Cape: None; Free State: None; Gauteng: Two meetings (one in 2022 and 2023); Mpumalanga: Two meetings (one in 2022 and 2023); North West: One in 2022; and Western Cape: Two meetings (2021) and Three meetings (2023) 

Reply:

(1) The Universities and TVET Colleges will be implementing the Safety and Security Minimum Norms and Standards upon finalisation. The TVET Colleges blueprint document has been developed by the South African Police Services and accepted by the Department. The Department is currently working on the implementation plan which will require funding. The blueprint document for universities is currently under development by the South African Police Services and it will be presented to the Department and university management upon finalisation.

(2)(a) The Department has not selected any colleges that will implement the Safety and Security Minimum Norms and Standards however, those colleges which are in the hot-spots areas will be prioritised upon consultation with relevant parties and stakeholders.

(2)(b) The criteria that will be used to implement the Safety and Security Minimum Norms and Standards will be determined through a consultative process, therefore it has not been determined yet.

Reply:

(a) There were 9 502 091 learners of South African origin with verified ID numbers on the Learner Unit Record Information and Tracking System (LURITS) in 2022;

(b) and 796 829  learners (excluding WC) without ID numbers were submitted on LURITS in 2022, 

Please note that DBE is still in the process of verifying 2023 data with the Department of Home Affairs.

(c) and (d). The Department of Basic Education does not put any condition to admit learners in schools, therefore, all learners are admitted with or without ID.

Reply:

Yes, the National Department of Health had an exhibition area at the 11th SA AIDS Conference. This was in collaboration with the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC).

(a) The total cost breakdown for the exhibition stand is as follows:

Element/s	Costs
1. Booking of exhibition space at the Durban ICC exhibition Hall	R 46 956.54
2. Conceptualization, design, production and dismantling of an exhibition stand frame, panels and related items Audio-visual materials showcasing during the exhibition Sound, information, technical and communication components of the exhibition stand Promotional items and collaterals to be used during the exhibition	R 725,050,00
3. Recording, production, editing of videography and photography of HIV/AIDS, STIs and TB interventions/programmes that were showcased during the exhibition. Lay-out, design and production of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) promotional items that captured HIV/AIDS, STIs policies, guidelines and key documents: lay-out, design and production of IEC materials, lay-out, design and produce memo sticks with key multi-sectoral policies and documents.	R 283,944,20
GRAND TOTAL	R1,055,951

b) The exhibition stand was manned by officials from the National Department of Health and the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) throughout the conference.

END.

Reply:

The department developed the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBVF) to provide a multi-sectoral, coherent policy and programming framework to strengthen a coordinated national response to the GBVF crisis by all of government and the whole of society.

A key activity under Pillar 4 of the NSP on GBVF is the establishment of local level rapid response teams in every municipality with clear protocols for weekday, weekend, after hours’ services and protocols for child protection to amplify the response to the needs of victims.

The Department led the establishment of multi-sectoral Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) at local municipality level. The RRTs are coordinated by the Department of Cooperative Governance whereas the department takes charge for capacity building of these coordinating structures. The main purpose of the RRTs is to coordinate, multi-stakeholder planning and responses to ensure that they meet the needs of the local community in the fight against GBVF.

Reply:

The monitoring of the pervasive problem of drug abuse among young persons in the Republic is a competency vested with the Department of Social Development (DSD). Accordingly, this question may be directed to the Minister of Social Development for a comprehensive response.

Nevertheless, the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) cooperates with the DSD on programmes that raise awareness on the ill-effects of alcohol and drug abuse.

Reply:

a) The total number of government officials who voluntarily retired from the Public Service between 1 April 2019 and 30 April 2023 is 74 642.

A breakdown of those who retired before reaching the statutory retirement age of 65, i.e. from 60 to 64 is 47 722 from the Provincial Departments and 9 110 from National Departments.

Retirees between the period 1 April 2019 and 30 April 2023	60 - 64	65 and above	TOTAL
Provincial Departments	47 722	15 515	63 237
National Departments	9 110	2 295	11 405
TOTAL	56 832	17 810	74 642

b) The total number of retirees from the age of 65 and above is 17 810. Out of the total number in this category, 15 515 were from Provincial Departments and 2 295 were from National Departments.

End

Reply:

The Department regularly engages with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) on matters pertaining to functions and functioning of the HPCSA, including challenges experienced relating to finalisation of the service level agreement with the service provider to conduct the board examination.

According to the response received from the HPCSA, registration with the HPCSA for foreign qualified applicants is only approved after assessment of the training. The relevant board must satisfy itself that, the curriculum and/or training received is equivalent to that offered in South African institutions, or at least, satisfactory. For the relevant board to make the necessary determination, it relies on the submission of documentary evidence by the applicants for review.

Such documents must respond to requirements as set by the relevant board, including hours of training received, domains and evidence of satisfactory clinical exposure during training. The documents, usually written in foreign languages, may also need to be translated into English and notarised. A Task Team of the relevant board will review the submissions and may decide to either reject the application or subject the applicant to a board examination. Once the board has approved the application for a board exam, the applicant may need to wait until a board examination is available according to set schedules (exams are available frequently set, and sometimes, may happen only twice in a year). These processes are lengthy, and may sometimes take several months, especially as applicants sometimes do not provide all the documentary evidence as required timeously (a non-compliant application will not be processed).

Medical Board examinations are managed on behalf of the Medical and Dental Board (MDB) by an appointed service provider. Previously, this was the Sefako Makgatho University (SMU) whose contract expired, following extensions, in March 2023. The HPCSA had already started a supply chain management process to seek a replacement service provider, with initial bids advertised in March 2022. There was only one bidder that responded, which sadly did not meet the requirements. A closed bid was subsequently advertised in July 2022 to all universities with medical schools.

The same institution again was the sole respondent, still not meeting requirements. Management resultantly sought deviation from Council to enable negotiations with the same institution to provide guidance to ensure that requirements are met. The process took a long time, and it is only being concluded now, with a draft contract negotiated, and will soon be ready for signing.

The HPCSA is still planning to have a round of theory and practical examinations before the end of this year, followed by another round as early as possible next year to address the current backlog of applications received.

 

END.

Reply:

According to Mpumalanga Department of Health patients were never turned away. H A Grove Hospital is one of the two district hospitals servicing patients from Emakhazeni sub-district in Nkangala district, as direct patients or referrals from the local clinics both as emergencies and outpatients. The outpatient department has a booking system to avoid long queues and long waiting times. Patients are booked according to the different outpatient clinics.

END.

Reply:

The annual priorities and targets for the 2023/24 financial year are a work in progress. To date, the department has achieved 81% of quarter 1 targets. Work continues toward achieving the annual priorities and targets by 31 March 2024.

Reply:

According to the South African Nursing Council (SANC), the case was reported to them in February 2022, however the Council experienced difficulty accessing the records from the Hospital. The matter was discussed at the Preliminary Investigating Committee in terms of section 47(3) of the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005), which found that there was a case to be answered and in terms of section 47(3)(b) of the Act. The matter was therefore referred to the Professional Conduct Committee for hearing (PCC). The matter has been set down to be heard at the next PCC.

 

END.

Reply:

The following table reflects the details in this regard.

Province	(a) total number of hospitals in each province is experiencing food shortages	(b) are the specified shortages	(c) are the reasons that the specified hospitals are experiencing such shortages?
Free State	11	Fruits Vegetables Meat and dairy products Bread Meat	Budget constrains Unreliable Suppliers and accruals, however, fund shifts have been done to provide more funds on the items. Delays in terms of delivery by suppliers due to late/non-payment - payment will be authorised on time but disbursed late or supplier refusing to deliver meat because of outstanding payment of bread Prolonged Supply Chain processes but is in the process of generating a new order. Suppliers don’t always have the capacity to deliver food items, delivering only partially and then cancelling the remainder of order. Late payment of suppliers.
Kwa Zulu Natal	The Kwa Zulu Natal health facilities have not experienced any food shortage	N/A	N/A
Mpumalanga	There is currently no hospital in Mpumalanga that experience any shortage of food.	N/A	N/A
Western Cape	The Western Cape health facilities have not experienced any food shortages.	N/A	N/A

Inputs are still awaited from Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, North West and Northern Cape Provinces. This information will be submitted to Parliament as soon as it is received from these provinces.

 

END.

Reply:

(i) The total costs incurred by the Department in relation to the Parliamentary study tour to Europe was Euro 4290.90 with the following breakdown:

• Air Transport: 1287.00
• Hotel Accommodation: 1563.45
• Daily Allowance: 604.75
• Ground Transport: 835.70

(ii) The Department did not make any financial contribution to the African Peace Mission to Ukraine.

Reply:

a) The integrity assessment will be implemented from April 2024, starting with Senior Managers.

b) The piloting of integrity assessments is planned between October and December 2023.

c) The outcome of the specified integrity assessments will be made known once the pilot is completed.

End

Reply:

The department developed the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBVF) to provide a multi-sectoral, coherent policy and programming framework to strengthen a coordinated national response to the GBVF crisis by government and the whole of society.

A key activity under Pillar 4 of the NSP on GBVF is the establishment of local level rapid response teams in every municipality with clear protocols for weekday, weekend, after hours’ services and protocols for child protection to amplify the response to the needs of victims.

The Department led the establishment of multi-sectoral Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) at local municipality level. The RRTs are coordinated by the Department of Cooperative Governance whereas the department takes charge for capacity building of these coordinating structures. The main purpose of the RRTs is to coordinate, multi-stakeholder planning and responses to ensure that they meet the needs of the local community in the fight against GBVF.

Reply:

Addressing youth unemployment requires an all-of-society and all-of-government approach to mainstreaming of youth employment across the different sectors of the economy. In this regard, a sector-wide youth skills development programme has been conceptualised to train young people in various skills to ensure they are employable and are also able to start businesses in priority sectors with high absorption capacity such as oceans economy, manufacturing, agriculture and agro-processing and information communication technology, among others.

In collaboration with South African National Defence Force (SANDF), the department has developed a concept paper for a SANDF-led National Service to provide skills targeting women, youth and persons with disabilities. The programme will build character and develop leadership skills. Together with the South African National Defence Force and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the department is developing an implementation plan and costing the various streams and phases of implementation for the national service.

Led by the SANDF, the Department is also in discussion with various Sector Training and Education Authorities (SETAs) to collaborate on this project, which include the:

1. Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authourity (MERSETA)
2. Agricultural Sector Education and Training Authourity (AGRISETA)
3. Transport Education Training Authourity (TETA); and
4. The Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authourity (EWSETA).

Reply:

(a) The Minister for the Public Service and Administration (MPSA) issued a Directive on Compulsory Capacity Development, Mandatory Training Days, and Minimum Entry Requirements specifically for Senior Management Service (SMS). The Directive prescribes the minimum qualification requirements and experience for entry into SMS level post with effect from 01 April 2016.

The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), can only provide qualification data solely for SMS members in compliance with this Directive.

The total number of public servants with qualifications not specified on PERSAL as of 14 September 2023 is 1801. Departments were guided to complete the qualification information on PERSAL, and this process is ongoing.

SMS Members with Qualifications unspecified on PERSAL
Occupational Classification	Appointed in SMS per Regulation Date	Total
	Before 1 August 2016	From 1 August 2016
Total	1,265	536	1,801
Administrative Related	91	54	145
Advocates		2	2
Agriculture Related	2		2
Communication and Information Related	4	2	6
Computer Programmers		1	1
Computer System Designers and Analysts		1	1
Crime Investigators		1	1
Custodian Personnel		1	1
Economists	2		2
Finance and Economics Related	20	5	25
Financial and Related Professionals	18	11	29
Financial Clerks and Credit Controllers	2		2
General Legal Administration and Rel. Professionals	2	1	3
Head Of Department/Chief Executive Officer	21	6	27
Health Sciences-Related	3	2	5
Human Resources, Org. Dev., and Related Prof	11	4	15
Human Resources Related	11	4	15
Identification Experts	3		3
Information Technology Related	4	1	5
Legal Related	4	1	5
Natural sciences-related	2	2	4
Operational Planning		1	1
Other Admin, Related Clerks and Organisers	2	3	5
Other Administrative Policy and Related Officers	2		2
Other Information Technology Personnel	8		8
Other Occupations	9		9
Police		1	1
Professional Nurse	1	1	2
Risk Management and Security Services	4		4
SAPS	1	1	2
Secretaries and Other Keyboard Operating Clerks		3	3
Security Officers	1		1
Senior Managers	1,031	427	1,458
Social Sciences Related	1		1
Social Work and Related Professionals	2		2
Trade/ Industry Advisers and Other Related Professionals	2		2
Veterinarians	1		1
Table 1: Data Source: PERSAL (Excluding Defence and State Security Agency)

(b) The purview for determining qualification requirements, for instance, current positions occupied, rests with the individual Executive Authorities for roles outside the SMS classification, such as those under Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD) and different coordinated positions. As guided by the DPSA, these standards align with Regulation 64(1) of the Public Service Regulations, 2016, which stipulates that Executive Authorities must identify and document comprehensive employment criteria based on essential objectives, core functions, and inherent job prerequisites.

End

Reply:

The department employed one (1) young researcher for monitoring, evaluation and database management in the past financial year.

Reply:

To date from January 2023, a total of 3 974 posts of medical doctors were advertised and filled as compared to 2 053 medical doctors posts of the previous year (2022) for the same periods of employment. This means that an additional 1 921 posts for medical doctors were funded to accommodate unemployed medical doctors.

It is also acknowledged that not all unemployed medical doctors after completing community service, applied for these positions due to their different personal interests (e.g. Preference of urban areas rather than rural).

It remains the obligation for the Department of Health to ensure that sufficient employment is available for all eligible South African Citizens and Permanent Residents for medical internship and community service. This is to enable them to fulfil the legal requirements to qualify for independent practice, after which they can to seek employment either in public or private sector.

The National Department of Health remains accessible/open to refer unemployed medical doctors, either individually or through their Associations, to Provinces for recruitment to available funded posts.

 

END.

Reply:

1. Yes, a) BRICS member countries have a common understanding on what the process for a potential candidate should be as well as the standards and criteria for the inclusion of a new member. b) BRICS member countries have reached consensus on the guiding principles, standards, criteria, and procedures of the BRICS expansion process which are outlined in the agreed upon BRICS Expansion document.

2. The decision to invite the six new members was a consensus driven decision and that prospective members were considered on the basis of regional strategic influence, the support for multilateralism including its reform and the commitment to sustainable development.

South Africa and Iran enjoy an historical and fraternal relationship, with both countries interacting regularly, notably through the Joint Commission of Cooperation (JCC), with the 15th session of the JCC being held on 10 August 2023. This is the longest running and one of the most active structured bilateral mechanism South Africa has with any country in the Middle East Region. Through our bilateral relations and our cooperation in other multilateral fora, South Africa have continuously engaged Iran on a number of political and economic areas of cooperation, including human rights issues. For instance, South Africa as a member of the Human Rights Council, looks forward to making use of the Human Rights Dialogue Forum, to increase its bilateral cooperation on human rights issues, including constructive and meaningful dialogue, for mutual benefit with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The inclusion of Iran as a new member of BRICS will provide a new platform to further enhance these engagements in the BRICS Spirit of mutual respect and understanding

Reply:

The department does not keep a comprehensive database of persons living with disabilities as various government departments keep databases of persons with disabilities in line with the services they render.

Further, the department does not have a database of persons that require wheelchairs, nor does it provide and/or distribute wheelchairs as that falls within the mandate of the Department of Health. This part of the question may be directed to the Minister of Health for reply.

Reply:

Following the allegations made by US Ambassador Reuben Brigety, he was dèmarched by the department. During the meeting between the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and Ambassador Brigety, South Africa expressed deep disappointment and displeasure at the manner in which the allegations were made, especially since there are prescribed diplomatic protocols which should have been used to convey any grievance/concerns of the US Government in relation to the Lady R vessel.

In the wake of the release of the outcomes of the Investigation Panel into the Lady R, the Department will, after thorough consultation, decide on a course of action in respect of the US Ambassador, should this be deemed necessary, taking into account the overall impact on our bilateral relations with the US and the foreign policy interests of the country.

 

Reply:

The Minister for the Public Service and Administration issues directives on the Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) for Senior Management Service (SMS) members. It must be noted that performance management and assessments are conducted at the departmental level, with the ultimate decision resting with the relevant Executive Authority.

The current PMDS for SMS members incorporates several measures to ensure a fair and justifiable performance assessment process. These measures go beyond individual and supervisor assessments. They involve utilising management control tools, such as leveraging performance outcomes from the Departmental Annual Performance Report and incorporating the Auditor-General's opinions and findings.

In addition, the PMDS for SMS members prescribes performance assessment templates, calculators, and moderation procedures for different SMS levels. The moderation process can comprise two structures: the optional Intermediate Review Committee and the compulsory Moderation Committee. These committees are crucial in reviewing and validating performance assessments, ensuring consistency and fairness across various departmental business units. Therefore, the measures outlined in the Directives help reduce subjectivity in the assessment process.

In line with the Professionalisation Framework, the Department is currently in the process of introducing policy enablers to empower the Public Service Commission to create a panel of experts where departments may select subject matter experts to advise on performance assessments. This will provide an additional level of assurance and objectivity.

End

Reply:

The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) provides that public administration in South Africa must be governed by the democratic values [s1(a-d)] and principles enshrined in the Constitution [Chapter 2], including the principles outlined in Chapter 10 [s195(1)(a-i)], which includes the principle requiring that the efficient, economic and effective use of public resources must be promoted [s195(1)(b)].

It is therefore a constitutional imperative that the total public administration system of the Republic must be geared towards higher productivity.

To ensure that the Public Service is productive through promoting the efficient and effective functioning of the Public Service, the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has:

• Regulated the measuring and monitoring of Public Service productivity through Regulation 29 of the Public Service Regulations (2016) which requires that: “An executive authority must assess the efficiency and effectiveness [i.e., the productivity] of a department in supporting that department’s service delivery objectives...”;
• Developed a Public Service Productivity Management Framework (2018) in support of Regulation 29. This Productivity Management Framework aims to: (a) define productivity in the context of the Public Service; (b) introduce a Public Service productivity measurement and monitoring instrument; and (3) encourage context-specific interventions to address identified blockages in the public administration system that weakens productivity.

The application of the Public Service productivity assessment tool is basic and uncomplicated in that the tool uses three (3) dimensions, namely Labour, Operations and Performance to isolate key factors in government departments that impacts directly on their productivity:

• Under the LABOUR dimension, the DPSA conducts an assessment and monitors the vacancy rate, skills development investment, absenteeism rate, and the costs of labour in relation to the programme expenditure of a department. This labour dimension shows the labour productivity of a department.
• Under OPERATIONS, the DPSA measures and monitors a department’s ICT investment and system-downtime, the efficacy of the physical workplace environment, and the implementation of regulated operational processes that includes compliance with set service standards, the accessibility of a department’s service charter, mapped business processes, standard operating procedures, and the Batho Pele principles and standards. This Operations dimension shows the operational productivity of a department.

• And under the PERFORMANCE dimension, the DPSA assesses and monitors citizen satisfaction, employee satisfaction, the distribution of performance rewards in a department, discipline and stress management, as well as the achievement of performance targets and overall budgetary performance. The performance dimension shows the performance efficiency and effectiveness of a department.

When the DPSA combines the assessment scores of the three (3) dimensions, this not only generates a comprehensive picture of a department’s overall productivity, it also allows the DPSA to identify those factors that weaken the total productivity of a department. These factors could – for example – relate to vacant, funded posts not being filled in time; or poor discipline management; or poor budgetary performance; or poor investment in skills development. Whatever the contributing factor or factors to poor productivity may be, the Public Service Productivity measurement instrument will identify these factors and department-specific interventions will be proposed to address the identified blockages to higher productivity.

To date, the DPSA has assessed the productivity of over forty (40) national and provincial government departments. As a result, sound recommendations have been made to ensure that these departments achieve their maximum productivity as mandated by the Constitution of South Africa, and as expected by the citizenry of the country.

The DPSA performs the above monitoring, continually in line with the objectives of the approved Public Service Productivity Management Framework.

End

Reply:

No, the department has not issued an instruction to any municipalities to award municipal officials danger pay for their efforts during COVID19.

End.

Reply:

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) has two interventions that directly support production at a subsistence or household level, i.e. Ilima/Letsema and the Presidential Economic Stimulus (PES).

• Ilima/Letsema programme is aimed at supporting rural communities and vulnerable households to produce their own food and rehabilitate irrigation schemes. Since its inception in 2008, the Ilima/Letsema programme has supported 1 572 952 (one million five hundred and seventy two thousand nine hundred and fifty two) beneficiaries to produce their own food. The support includes starter packs for household, schools and community gardens, mechanization support as well as production inputs.

a) KwaZulu-Natal: 2022/23 financial year: the programme has supported 4 560 beneficiaries with production inputs; 1 104 were vegetable producers, 815 maize producers, 1 300 dry beans producers, 256 goat producers and 650 red meat producers.

b) Limpopo: 2022/23 financial year: 7 960 subsistence farmers were supported through Ilima/Letsema for production of vegetables and subtropical fruits.

c) Eastern Cape: 2022/23 financial year: 22 645 households have been supported for maize and vegetable production.

• In terms of the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES) support, the Department has exposed over 146 000 subsistence producers to technology as part of supporting these producers with agricultural inputs. All these applicants submitted support applications via a paperless platform and used the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), for the first time in the country.
• The Department continues to supply agricultural inputs to subsistence producers through the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES). Currently a total of 36 895 subsistence producers are receiving support with crops and livestock inputs.
• The lead commodities are fruits and vegetables at 42% support, 33.4 % livestock, 17% poultry and 6.9% grains. It is encouraging to observe that subsistence producers, even in the most remote and rural areas of the country, continue to utilise technology in all the PES processes.

Reply:

The Department of International Relations and Cooperations is currently not able to provide a definitive answer regarding the total costs for the hosting of the BRICS Summit as invoices are still outstanding from the appointed suppliers. Once all invoices have been received and paid, will the department be able to provide the requested information.

Reply:

1. There have not been any bilateral engagements between the President, Deputy President, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation and officials in the department with their Ugandan counterparts regarding the anti-homosexuality bill signed into law by the President of Uganda, Mr Yoweri Museveni, in May 2023.

2. South Africa is guided by its Constitutional principles which seeks to amongst others, promote and respect human rights of all people including members of the LGBTQIA community. South Africa is monitoring developments in Uganda and will raise its concerns with the Ugandan authorities through diplomatic channels.

Reply:

Regulation 89(1) of the Public Service Regulations, 2016 provides that the Minister for the Public Service and Administration shall, in terms of section 3(5) of the Public Service Act, 1994, annually make determinations regarding the cost-to-employer packages applicable to members of the SMS. Such determinations shall be implemented with effect from 1 April of each year. The determination by the MPSA provides for four salary levels, i.e., salary level 13 (Directors) to 16 (Director-General). These salary levels (scales) are uniformly applied for all employees, irrespective of gender and/or race, etc. Therefore, the basis for the application of these requirements is meeting the minimum requirements for appointment into the Public Service in line with the Regulations and relevant determinations/directives.

Sub-Regulation 44(1) of the Public Service Regulations states that an “Executive Authority may set the salary of an employee above the minimum notch of the salary level indicated by the job weight…..”. In this regard, all appointments are remunerated at the minimum notch of the applicable level, unless the appointed employee meets all the requirements in terms of Regulation 44 of the Public Service Regulations.

End

Reply:

(a), (b), and (c)The National Department does not monitor nor collect information on the dates of payment of salaries of teachers as part of its regular monitoring and support mandate. This is a provincial competency. The Honourable Member is respectfully directed to request such information from the Provincial Education Departments.  

Reply:

a) The management of employee discipline regarding the abuse of sick leave within the public service is decentralized, as per section 7(3)(b) of the Public Service Act 1994. In the decentralized human resources model applicable in the public service, individual departments are responsible for maintaining discipline and managing such cases. Therefore, specific statistics related to employees disciplined for abusing sick leave can be obtained from respective departments.

b) The Minister for the Public Service and Administration (MPSA) plays a critical role in establishing norms and standards, as mandated by section 3(1)(c) of the Public Service Act. To implement these norms and standards, the MPSA issues regulations, determinations, and directives, which guide various aspects of public service operations. Concerning leave management, the MPSA has provided guidelines through Regulations (regulation 48), the Determination and Directive on Leave of Absence in the Public Service, as well as the Policy and Procedure on Incapacity Leave and Ill-health Retirement.

Within the decentralized HR model, the responsibility to prevent the abuse of sick leave rests with the heads of individual departments, as outlined in Regulation 48(c) of the Public Service Regulations, 2016. They are expected to ensure that employees adhere to the norms and standards established by the MPSA regarding sick leave usage.

Furthermore, the MPSA has instituted the Employee Health and Wellness Framework, which enables the development of strategies, mechanisms, and interventions by government departments, components, and provincial administrations. These initiatives aim, among others, to implement Health and Productivity Management and Wellness Management within the Public Service, addressing issues that could lead to sick leave abuse.

To ensure compliance with the established norms and standards, the MPSA has also created the Office of Standards and Compliance (OSC). One of the focus areas of the OSC is the management of leave in the public service. The OSC is tasked with setting standards and monitoring compliance to MPSA guidelines, including those related to leave management. This focus on leave management by the OSC ensures that departments will be held accountable for their compliance with MPSA norms and standards in this regard.

End

Reply:

a) It should be noted that the Public Service only recognises funded posts as all unfunded posts should be abolished in terms of the applicable prescripts. The latest information on PERSAL reflects a quarterly vacancy rate of 13.31% for the Public Service as of 30 June 2023 (1st Quarter 2023/2024). This is 3.31% above the set target of 10% for the Public Service, however, it represents a significant improvement over the immediate past medium term period, which illustrate the positive effect of the support provided by the DPSA to departments on employment management and human resource planning.

b) As the management of vacancies is a decentralised function to the relevant executive authorities of the Departments, individual departments may possess nuanced insights into the specific impact of vacancies on their mandates and service delivery. It should be noted that in general, a high vacancy rate has broad implications for the efficacy and efficiency of government services across the Republic. The DPSA, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the AG-SA to improve the monitoring of these employment norms to ensure that services are not compromised. Working with the Public Service Commission and the National Treasury, the DPSA will also ensure that all critical posts are prioritised for filling, with a specific focus on frontline staff.

End

Reply:

The department has adopted an all-of-society and an all-of-government approach to livelihoods restoration and wealth creation for unemployed women, youth and persons with disabilities through a step change to implement various projects to empower the identified categories of people in some of the poorest districts in the country. The aim of these projects is to skill and empower these categories of persons to be employable and/or to start their own businesses.

These projects include:

1. A baking skills training project to train women, youth and persons with disabilities in skills from baking bread to wedding cakes, which skills they can use to get jobs and/or start their own businesses;

2. An integrated farming value chain project that will provide training to cooperatives on farming crops and livestock, so as to leverage economies of scale to sell the produce;

3. A South African National Defence Force (SANDF) led National Service to train young people in various skills to ensure they are employable and are also able to start businesses in priority sectors with high absorption capacity such as oceans economy, manufacturing, agriculture and agro-processing and information communication technology, among others; and

4. The formation of a cooperative bank for women, youth and persons with disabilities toward the socio-economic empowerment and financial inclusion of those who have been unable to access finance from the mainstream banks.

Reply:

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) and entities reporting to department have not made any contribution towards the establishment of the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Leadership School in Tanzania and have not sent any visitors and/or participants to the school.

Reply:

a) No funds were spent by the Department. The gala dinner event was funded entirely by sponsor contributions.

b) (i),(ii) Falls away.

Reply:

(a) The total number of cases of irregular expenditure by public servants which the departments reported to the Public Service Commission from 1 January 2023 is 247.

(b) From 01 January 2023 to 31 August 2023, the Public Service has appointed 524 females to positions within its Senior Management Service, as verified by data from PERSAL. This is against a total number of 1174 appointments, representing 44.6% of total appointments. Women now currently make up 44.6% of all SMS. The Department of Public Service and Administration is working directly with Heads of Corporate Services across the public service to provide the necessary technical support to ensure gender parity at the SMS level and across the whole public service.

End

Reply:

Since 2004, following the closure of the Agriculture Credit Board (ACB), the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development developed the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP) to ensure that the class of post-1994 farmers received the support that will enable their growth within the agricultural sector, since structures that existed pre-1994 had been privatised and the support that was available for small scale farmers were not within reach by these new class of farmers and beneficiaries of land reform. The CASP became a platform through which farmers, particularly previously disadvantaged farmers, could get access to the following:

• training and capacity building;
• production inputs;
• on-and-off- farm infrastructure support;
• mentorship and business development;
• market access support; and
• extension support and advisory services.

For the CASP pillar on training and mentorship, a total of 79005 small holder farmers were trained in various skills programmes across the nine provinces. An additional 3 275 farmers were provided with mentorship.

A number of further support programmes were later introduced to support rural farmers and communities to harness opportunities and grow within the agricultural sector, including the following:

• Ilima/Letsema programme aimed at supporting rural communities and vulnerable households to produce their own food and rehabilitate irrigation schemes.
• Land Care programme which is aimed at protecting the land, minimizing degradation and teaching communities to care for the land.
• Recapitalization and Development Programme – which aimed at accelerating productive land reform farms by stimulating production and maintaining the infrastructure on these farms.
• Land Development Support aimed at commercialising land reform farms.
• Presidential Employment Stimulus support: The Department has exposed over 146 000 subsistence producers to technology as part of supporting these producers with agricultural inputs. All these applicants submitted support applications via a paperless platform and used the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), for the first time in the country.

The Department continues to supply agricultural inputs to Subsistence Producers through the Presidential Employment Stimulus (PES). Currently a total of 36 895 subsistence producers are receiving input support in respect of crops and livestock. The lead commodities are fruits and vegetables at 42% support; 33.4% livestock, 17% poultry and 6.9% grains. It is encouraging to observe that subsistence producers, even in the most remote and rural areas of the country, continue to utilise technology in these PES processes.