President Cyril Ramaphosa National Council of Provinces oral replies to questions
QUESTION
7. Mr T S C Dodovu (North West: ANC) to ask the President of the Republic:
(1) Whether South Africa has any measures in place to leverage the outcomes of the 2023 Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Summit and its expansion to pursue the advancement of Agenda 2063 as the blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa (details furnished); if not, why not; if so, (a) what measures and (b) what are the further relevant details;
(2) whether these include the promotion of peace and stability on the Continent; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
CO883E
REPLY:
Honourable Members,
The partnership between BRICS and Africa has been a prominent theme of South Africa's Chairship of BRICS during 2023.
At the 15th BRICS Summit held in Johannesburg in August, BRICS leaders reiterated their support for the African Union's Agenda 2063.
A specific priority has been to support the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area through economic and financial cooperation between BRICS and African countries.
The New Development Bank – also known as the BRICS Bank – has recognised the need for a new financing model for regional and continental infrastructure projects in Africa.
Importantly for Africa’s development, BRICS is taking measures to improve the fairness of global trading and financial systems by pushing for the reform of the World Trade Organisation and the global financial institutions.
The African Union recognises the use of local currencies as a key instrument for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. It is therefore significant that BRICS Finance Ministers will be considering the issue of local currencies, payment instruments and platforms for discussion at the next BRICS Summit.
In August 2023, the National Development Bank issued its debut ZAR bond for R1.5 billion in the South African bond market, supporting its ability to lend in local currency.
BRICS Leaders have reiterated their support for a more peaceful and secure Africa in line with the principle of ‘African solutions to African problems’.
In this regard, BRICS supports cooperation between the United Nations and the African Union to address regional challenges such as maintaining peace and promoting peacebuilding, post-conflict reconstruction and development.
The BRICS leaders expressed their support for the legitimate aspirations of countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America – including Brazil, India and South Africa – to play a greater role in international affairs.
They called for the comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including its Security Council, to make it more democratic, representative, effective and efficient.
The BRICS leaders appreciated the African Leaders Peace Mission and the proposed path for peace aimed at peaceful resolution of the Russia-Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
The BRICS leaders commended the cooperation between the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council in address regional challenges.
This includes cooperation on maintaining peace and security, promoting peacebuilding, post-conflict reconstruction and development.
The leaders called for continued support by the international community for these endeavours using diplomatic means such as dialogue, negotiations, consultation and mediation to resolve international disputes and conflicts.
These conflicts should be settled on the basis of mutual respect, compromise and the balance of legitimate interests.
They reiterated that the principle of ‘African solutions to African problems’ should continue to serve as the basis for conflict resolution.
In this regard they supported African peace efforts on the continent through strengthening the relevant capacities of African States.
I thank you.
QUESTION
8. Mr T J Brauteseth (KwaZulu-Natal: DA) to ask the President of the Republic:
With reference to his 2020 State-of-the-nation address that special units would be established in every province to combat the scourge of construction mafia, what are the specifics of the special units regarding (a) personnel and (b) allocated resources?
CO878E
REPLY:
Honourable Members,
As part of the strengthened effort to combat economic sabotage, the South African Police Service has established 20 Economic Infrastructure Task Teams throughout the country.
Of these, 18 have been established at district level and two at provincial level.
A total of 946 personnel have been allocated to the 20 Economic Infrastructure Task Teams from existing structures within each province, district and station. They are experienced and knowledgeable personnel within their respective functional environments.
The Task Teams integrate processes, resources and intelligence across all of the operational environments of the SAPS under a single command. This is to enable them to successfully combat essential infrastructure crimes, illicit mining and extortion within the construction sector.
The Task Teams incorporate personnel from SAPS divisions such as Crime Intelligence, Visible Policing and Operations, and Detective and Forensic Services, as well as the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.
They also work with other role-players on an ad hoc basis. These include the National Prosecuting Authority, Financial Intelligence Centre, relevant government departments,
National Intelligence Coordinating Committee and South African Revenue Service.
They also work with state owned entities like Transnet, Prasa and Eskom and other industry stakeholders.
Various resources, such as vehicles, cellphones, notebooks and radios have been sourced from the existing capacity at provincial, district and station levels.
An operational budget of R20 million was ring-fenced and allocated for the implementation of the Economic Infrastructure Task Teams during the 2022/2023 financial year and a further R17 million for the 2023/2024 financial year.
Between their establishment in June last year and the end of June this year, the Task Teams have made over 4,000 arrests with respect to the damage of essential and critical infrastructure.
They have also arrested over 70 people with respect to extortion at construction sites and made over 3,000 arrests for illegal mining.
The Task Teams have confiscated significant quantities of copper cable, rail tracks and other metals.
The sabotage of our infrastructure and our economy continues to pose a great threat to the country’s development.
However, through the work of the Economic Infrastructure Task Teams, together with partners in the state and the private sector, we are making progress in combating these crimes.
I thank you.
QUSTION
9. Ms S E Lucas (Northern Cape: ANC) to ask the President of the Republic:
(1) Whether, in light of the prevailing socio-economic challenges facing women, the Government is making any progress in institutionalising gender mainstreaming across the departments, provinces and districts in order to advance equality through gender responsive planning, budgeting and reporting; if not, why not; if so, (a) what progress and (b) what are the further relevant details;
(2) whether the Government is making any progress in advancing economic empowerment of Africans, particularly women in African townships and rural areas; if not, why not; if so, what progress;
(3) what (a) challenges are experienced and (b) plans are in place to ensure that all government departments, provinces and regions rigorously advance economic empowerment of women?
CO884E
REPLY:
Honourable Members,
The Gender Responsive Planning Budgeting, Monitoring, Evaluation and Auditing Framework was introduced as a tool to support the advancement of women, youth and persons with disabilities across all government departments.
The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities analyses the draft Annual Performance Plans of various departments each year to assess their responsiveness to gender considerations.
The findings indicate gradual improvement since the adoption of the framework in 2019.
However, the average overall gender responsiveness score for all national departments is at 54 percent, indicating that there is a need for improvement in many departmental programmes, projects and budgets.
The National Treasury has selected 10 departments to pilot the implementation of the Gender Responsive Budgeting guidelines in 2024/25 before all departments are required to comply with the guidelines.
The Auditor-General has committed to a phased approach to the implementation of Gender-Responsive Auditing over the next three audit cycles.
Evaluations of the implementation of the Gender Responsive Planning Budgeting, Monitoring, Evaluation and Auditing Framework have shown improvements in mainstreaming since the framework’s adoption, but progress has not been as fast as desired.
Effective political and administrative leadership is crucial to ensuring sustainable and substantive gender mainstreaming across government.
Since the advent of democracy, South Africa has progressively promoted access to education, employment, credit, property and land for women in the country.
Several policies and initiatives have been put in place to increase women’s access to finance to promote economic empowerment. Numerous financial institutions and funds have been established to help black South Africans obtain access to loans, some of which have specifically targeted women.
In addition to these measures, there are currently two national initiatives being implemented to advance the economic empowerment of women.
These are the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme, with a focus on capacity building, and the Women Economic Assembly, to facilitate greater access for women-owned businesses to public and private supply chains.
To support our goal of directing at least 40 percent of procurement in the public sector towards women-owned businesses, the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme has been training women owned-business across several provinces. At least 6,290 women business owners have been trained on doing business with government, compliance and governance matters.
Key government departments have integrated gender-responsive procurement in their demand plans and report on this monthly. However, these numbers are still low. Procurement from women-owned enterprises currently stands at 11 percent across the public sector.
Challenges experienced by women entrepreneurs are a lack of access to financial and non-financial support, limited access to markets, the high cost of doing business, and gender discrimination.
Since its launch in October 2021, the Women Economic Assembly has encouraged industry leaders to set gender transformation targets in each industry, implement existing commitments and increase procurement opportunities for women-owned businesses.
Through the Women Economic Assembly, billions of rands have been committed by private sector business to facilitate women’s participation through enterprise development, earmarked funding and supplier off-take agreements.
All of these efforts, both in government and in the private sector, are seeing progress in gender mainstreaming and the economic empowerment of women. However, there is still much further to go and much work to be done.
We are committed to intensify this effort on all fronts.
I thank you.
QUESTION
10. Mr N M Hadebe (KwaZulu-Natal: IFP) to ask the President of the Republic:
With reference to his recent affirmation of the country’s firm commitment to contribute to the global climate change effort at the 2023 United Nations General Assembly, how will the Government seek to achieve this with regard to the decision of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to grant Kusile Power Station a pollution exemption whilst balancing the need for an uninterrupted supply of electricity to all residents?
CO880E
REPLY:
Honourable Members,
The granting of a postponement for Kusile Power Station to operate without sulphur dioxide pollution control technology was necessary as a temporary measure to enable the return to service of three units damaged in October last year.
This is critical to our efforts to reduce the intensity and frequency of load shedding as a matter of the greatest priority.
The granting of this postponement does not deviate from the country’s firm affirmation to contribute to the global climate change efforts in reducing greenhouse gases.
As a country, we are committed to a just transition to a low-carbon economy at a pace and scale that is affordable to us.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change recognises this need for a just transition and has allowed countries to nationally determine their contribution to a global effort to decarbonisation.
South Africa submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution to the UN in 2021, and, as I have indicated previously, we remain firmly committed to achieving our target range for emission reduction. Data from our recent greenhouse gas inventory indicates that we are on track to do so.
As part of the granting of the once-off postponement, Eskom must undertake measures to mitigate against the exposure of its employees and surrounding communities to harmful emissions. These measures must, at a minimum, include independent health screenings and referral to appropriate public health facilities for treatment where necessary.
The end of load shedding and the achievement of energy security for all South Africans is not incompatible with the pursuit of our emission reduction goals.
In fact, the massive investment that is currently underway in renewable energy sources, alongside the stabilisation and improvement of our existing generation fleet, will help us to achieve both of these goals simultaneously.
I thank you.
QUESTION
11. Mr F J Badenhorst (Western Cape: DA) to ask the President of the Republic:
(1) Whether he deliberately misled the nation concerning the highly irregular handling of ammunition as controlled items (details furnished);
(2) whether he was misled by the irrational and false findings by the panel;
(3) whether such controlled items were loaded and/or offloaded by clandestine parties as responded to in an oral parliamentary question by the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans; if so,
(4) whether he concedes that (a) cargo could have been loaded and/or offloaded by clandestine parties that were not reported to Parliament and (b) Government allowed illegal transactions against the relevant international laws and the United Nations Convention on the transfer of such controlled items?
CO879E
REPLY:
Honourable Members,
The Independent Panel appointed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the docking of the Lady R vessel in Simonstown in December 2022 was led by a respected retired judge and two prominent and respected legal minds.
The extent of the work undertaken and the information the panel sought, obtained and analysed gives me full confidence in the contents of their Report.
I have no reason to believe the findings of the panel were irrational.
The panel made no finding of involvement by ‘clandestine parties’ or illegal transactions, and no evidence has been presented to contradict the panel’s findings.
The contents of the shipment carried on the Lady R are kept secret so as not to compromise the work or the safety of our security forces. I have no intention of compromising this under any circumstances.
Section 23 of the National Conventional Arms Control Act makes it clear that information on the quantity of items is shared with Parliament on a confidential basis. Nothing in the Act requires disclosure on the intended use of the controlled items. In fact, the Act expressly states that: “Information concerning the technical specifications of controlled items may be omitted from a report contemplated in this section in order to protect military and commercial secrets”.
The work of the National Conventional Arms Control is critical in ensuring that we abide by our international obligations in relation to the transfer and trade in controlled items and it will continue to do this critical work, as provided for in its founding legislation and the relevant United Nations conventions.
The protection of information related to its work is clearly provided for in the Act and is just as important to its mandate and to national security.
Government will continue to respect the requirements of the law and its responsibility to safeguard the security of the nation.
I thank you.
QUESTION
12. Mr A J Nyambi (Mpumalanga: ANC) to ask the President of the Republic:
(1) Whether, in light of the high and growing rate of youth unemployment, the Government has considered harnessing the current youth development interventions to develop a compressive and multiservice youth employment and economic empowerment strategy to address the situation; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) what progress has the Government made in collaboration with the private sector to reduce graduate unemployment and create job opportunities and economic activity for the disadvantaged youth?
CO885E
REPLY:
Honourable Members,
A major intervention by government in response to the youth employment crisis in the country is the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, which was launched in 2020.
The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, which is coordinated by the Presidency, brings together the strengths of over 50 partners to create more pathways for young people from learning to earning.
In addition to key government departments, these partners include the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, the Youth Employment Service and the National Business Initiative.
We have developed a pay for performance mechanism that helps local economies to support young people to enter and succeed in enterprises and self-employment. It provides young people with paid community service and other temporary earning opportunities to gain experience, build their agency and contribute to their communities.
To date, 4.1 million young people are registered and accessing opportunities on South Africa Youth, an online network of opportunities for employment and skills development. Many of these people are young African women and other young people who face exclusion in the labour market.
Between April 2020 and June this year, more than a million young people have secured earning opportunities on the SA Youth network. Over 1,700 private sector companies are registered on the SA Youth platform.
The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention is integrated with other interventions coordinated by the Presidency.
This includes the Presidential Employment Stimulus, which by August of this year had delivered over 1.4 million jobs and livelihood opportunities. More than 80 percent of these opportunities went to young people.
The Presidential Employment Stimulus includes the Basic Education Employment Initiative run by the Department of Basic Education, which has placed over 850,000 young people as teaching assistants and general assistants in over 23,000 schools in the country since October 2020. Every community has schools and through this programme every community has had jobs for young people.
Through the National Rural Youth Service Corps, nearly 18,000 young people have been trained since 2011 in areas such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries, construction and engineering, energy, health, safety and security, IT, transport and road management.
The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention also includes the revitalised National Youth Service, which enables young people to support development and service delivery in their communities and contribute to a democratic society.
The first phase of implementation of the National Youth Service saw 47,000 young people engage in community service. Over 10,000 of these young people went on to other opportunities.
The National Youth Development Agency has made progress in supporting young people to start their own businesses by providing them financial and non-financial enterprise development support. Since 2021, the NYDA has created over 70,000 such opportunities to young people who are in various forms of enterprise.
Government’s strong partnership approach through the implementation of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention has strengthened collaboration with the private sector.
Our partnership with the Youth Employment Service – known as YES – has to date placed over 119,000 young graduates in workplace experience opportunities, ensuring that young people are able to access their first job and, through it, gain traction in the labour market.
Nearly a third of the YES alumni have been employed permanently at their placements.
Over 1,400 business are currently participating in the programme.
We are working to enable self-employment and the involvement of young people in informal micro-enterprises and semi-formal work through initiatives such as the SME Fund.
We are are also sustaining work experience programmes by expanding the Youth Employment Service, placement of TVET learners and artisans.
These interventions recognise that while government continues its efforts to address the structural constraints on growth, it is imperative in the immediate term to ensure that excluded young people are engaged, supported to build their employability and access earning opportunities.
I thank you.
