7. Adv T M Masutha (African National Congress (ANC)) to ask the President of the Republic:
What measures (a) has he taken and (b) does he intend taking to expedite the full implementation of the policies that had been adopted by the Government after 1994 for (i) advancing the rights of people with disabilities and (ii) ensuring their full social and economic participation in society? NO1536E
Reply:
Honourable Member,
Government is guided by the Constitution of the Republic which makes provision for the promotion and protection of the rights of persons with disabilities.
To expedite the implementation of the transformative policies adopted after 1994, South Africa signed both the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol in 2007 and ratified the Convention in 2008.
The convention covers a number of key areas such as accessibility, rehabilitation, participation in political life, equality and non-discrimination.
In order to ensure the proper implementation of the covenant, the government is developing a National Disability Policy and its Implementation Guidelines.
Work is also under way to develop a Disability Act which will deal with the enforcement, non-compliance and implementation of the convention as well as all disability related policies of the land.
We will also continue to promote the inclusion of persons with disability in the mainstream economy through instruments such as the Employment Equity Act and the Black Economic Empowerment Act amongst others.
The recent Employment Equity Commission report indicated dismal figures with regards to the representation of persons with disability at top and senior management levels in the workplace. This was put at 0.8 per cent, together with that of African women.
Solutions to this challenge that we are looking at includes the proposed amendments to the Employment Equity Act to incorporate proposals such as increasing the fines imposed on employers to deter them from not complying with the Act.
The amendment also seeks to amend the definition of designated groups, to limit the meaning of black people, women and persons with disabilities to South African citizens and to those who have become citizens through naturalisation.
This will mean that the employment of persons who are foreign nationals or became citizens after April 1994 will not assist employers to meet their affirmative action targets.
Other special initiatives with regards to job opportunities include the Department of Labour's initiative of funding and managing Sheltered Employment Factories for persons with disabilities.
There are 12 such factories currently and discussions are at an advanced stage for them to be increased and transformed.
At a practical level, among great strides that have been made to deliver services to persons with disability is the access to social assistance.
To date, a total of 981 331 persons with disability obtain the disability grant from government, while a total of 122 153 children with disabilities receive the care dependency grant to assist their care givers to look after them.
In addition, 248 589 persons with temporary disability receive the temporary disability grant.
These grants contribute immensely to the alleviation of poverty.
We welcome the participation of civil society, in particular organisations representing the interests of people with disabilities, in monitoring the measures that government has taken and is working to expedite implementation of post 1994 policies.
I thank you.
8. Rev K R J Meshoe (African Christian Democratic Party(ACDP)) to ask the President of the Republic:
(1) Whether the government of Botswana has communicated their objections to the threats made by a certain organisation (name furnished) to send a team to Botswana to consolidate local opposition parties (details furnished); if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether the government has apologised to the Botswana Head of State who was referred to by the said organisation as a United States puppet; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NO2511E
Reply:
The government of Botswana has not communicated with the South African government about the statements attributed to the said organisation.
Botswana is a democratic country, it goes to democratic elections, whatever the government does there, is in line with the will of the Batswana people.
Political relations between South Africa and Botswana remain strong, cordial and mutually beneficial, and with good reason.
History has bound the two countries and peoples in a friendship and kinship that goes beyond normal diplomatic relations.
Our relations were cemented during the days of our struggle for liberation from colonial oppression and apartheid.
Driven by the desire to see their South African brothers and sisters being liberated, the successive Governments and people of Botswana hosted our freedom fighters under very difficult conditions.
Botswana was the only border and only route for our freedom fighters over a long period, when other routes such as Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Swaziland were not yet open for freedom fighters to use.
This solidarity was accorded to our people at great cost to Botswana and her people, as the Apartheid regime retaliated with bombings and attacks on the citizens of Botswana.
Botswana and South Africa are also bound together by cultural, linguistic and family ties between the two nations, due to geographical proximity.
The President of the Republic of Botswana, Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama paid a State Visit to South Africa from 5 to 6 October last year.
During that visit, we elevated our bilateral relations to the level of a Bi-national Commission chaired by the two Heads of State. The Bi-National Commission (BNC) will meet annually, alternating between Tshwane and Gaborone.
Our cooperation is currently very strong in the areas of agriculture, water, transport, environmental affairs, tourism, trade, aviation, search and rescue, science and technology, health, justice, sport as well as arts and culture.
I have been invited to undertake a State Visit to Botswana and I have indicated to President Khama that I will do so early in the New Year.
Let me reiterate that our relations with Botswana can only grow from strength to strength.
I thank you.
9. The Leader of the Opposition (Democratic Alliance (DA) to ask the President of the Republic:
Whether, with reference to the Presidency welcoming a debate on the current legislative mechanisms for oversight over the executive, this will include amendments to the Executive Members' Ethics Act, Act 82 of 1998, to include disclosure of government deals involving all family members of the executive; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NO2969E
Reply:
As Honourable Members should be aware, the Executive Ethics Code provides for the disclosure of financial interests and gifts of members of the Executive and their spouses, permanent companions, parents and dependent children.
There are no current plans to extend this to "all family members”.
Apart from the obvious question as to who exactly would qualify as "family members” it is arguable whether a member of the executive could reasonably be expected to be adequately informed about the financial affairs of all such family members, and whether such family members could in turn be placed under a legal obligation to "disclose” their affairs to the executive.
Those who drafted the regulations governing public office bearers, in their wisdom, realised that we could not subject extended or other family members to rules that apply to their relatives who have chosen to become public office bearers.
Like all citizens, those related to public office bearers are entitled to their right to privacy, to work or create work and all other rights Constitutional rights of South Africans.
I thank you.
10. Prof L B G Ndabandaba (ANC) to ask the President of the Republic:
With reference to the Auditor-General identifying leadership at the core of good governance and accountability at all levels of government, what new policy interventions does he intend to implement to ensure that the newly elected leadership at local government level is accountable to the communities that elected them through the appropriate utilisation of public resources and effective service delivery? NO1537E
Reply:
Honourable Members, to ensure good governance and accountability by the newly elected leadership at local government level, a Councillor Induction Programme was conducted during the month of July 2011.
The induction programme was well attended and went very well.
The programme focussed on, among others, the following areas: the structures and systems of local government; roles and responsibilities of municipal councils; personal and leadership skills; cooperative governance; municipal budgeting and financial management; and public participation.
The induction programme is part of a major, intensive, and ongoing training programme.
The Department of Cooperative Governance has also, in conjunction with the National Treasury, developed guidelines for the establishment of Municipal Public Accounts Committees, in order to strengthen the oversight measures in municipalities.
The committees, which are chaired by a Councillor, will assist the council to hold the executive and municipal entities to account, and to ensure the efficient and effective use of municipal resources.
It is hoped that the committees would help to increase council and public awareness regarding the financial and general performance of municipalities.
Honourable Members, these are just some of government's concerted efforts to improve accountability and service delivery at a local government level, informed by the recommendations of the Auditor-General.
I thank you.
11. Ms S P Lebenya-Ntanzi (Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP)) to ask the President of the Republic:
(1) Whether he has found that the needs of the youth are being served by the National Youth Development Agency; if so, how; if not,
(2) whether he intends to establish a dedicated ministry for youth, similar to the Ministry of Women, Children and People with Disabilities, in order to serve the needs of the youth more effectively; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details? NO2515E
Reply:
Honourable Members, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) has presented before Parliament its three-year strategic plan and annual performance plan focusing on key performance areas.
These include Economic Participation, Training and Development, National Youth Service and Social Cohesion, Youth Advisory and Information Services, Policy, Research and Development as well as the National Youth Fund. This programme was agreed upon at the inception of the NYDA. It also served before the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Youth.
Based on the programmes and interventions outlined in the strategic and annual performance plans of the Agency, it is certainly apparent that the NYDA is serving the needs of young people.
It is important to highlight that since inception, the NYDA has made significant inroads in dealing with the challenges that continue to face young people in the country.
Among others, the following have been realised:
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Sustaining 61 341 employment opportunities;
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Training 49 341 young people on entrepreneurship;
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Training 84 205 young people in the National Youth Service programme, thus promoting entrepreneurship and patriotism amongst the youth;
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Issuing 24 062 loans to young people valued at R60,4 million
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Facilitating business opportunities for young people valued at R142,8 million;
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Providing information to over 1,5 million young people through their various access points including the call centre and its 144 local youth offices.
The NYDA's Annual Report for the 2010/11 financial year will be presented to Parliament this month and the Honourable Member will be able to access more specific information in the report.
Notwithstanding these achievements by the NYDA amid budgetary constraints and related matters, more remains to be done in the quest to concretely develop young people to play a more pronounced role in all sectors of our society.
As must be acknowledged, the NYDA achievements are but a drop in the ocean if we consider the many challenges facing young people in our country.
To support the NYDA to achieve its noble objectives, we call upon civil society, the private sector and all sectors of our society to join hands with government in prioritising youth development in their plans, including establishing Youth Directorates as outlined in the National Youth Policy of 2009 to 2014.
These Directorates would foster seamless integration of youth development in the country.
Honourable member, there is already a Minister responsible for youth development in cabinet, the Minister for Performance Monitoring and Evaluation in the Presidency.
12. Mr M G P Lekota (Congress of the People (COPE)) to ask the President of the Republic:
(1) Whether the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs provided any reason for undertaking a trip to Switzerland; if not, why not; if so, what reason did he provide;
(2) whether he accepted that the reason given was authentic and valid; if so, what are the relevant details; if not,
(3) whether he authorised the Minister to undertake the trip; if not, (a) how did the Minister justify his trip and (b) did he submit a report on the trip; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details, in each case;
(4) whether he intends requesting that the Minister to refund the money spent on the trip if it is found to have been irregular; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(5) Whether he intends taking any action against the Minister if the trip was found to have been in pursuit of a personal objective; if not, why not; if so, (a) how and (b) when is he planning to act in this regard? NO2513E
Reply:
The Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs who was then the Minister of Provincial and Local Government, requested permission to travel to Switzerland in December 2008 in order to perform official duties related to South Africa's hosting of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup.
Former President Kgalema Motlanthe accordingly granted permission as it was considered important for the Minister to acquaint himself with his new role as the Chairperson of the Host Cities under the 2010 Local Organising Committee.
I requested a report from the Minister subsequent to media reports alleging that business other than what Former President Motlanthe had been informed about transpired.
The Minister complied. The complaint is also being investigated by the Public Protector and I await the outcome of that process.
I thank you.
