Hon members, the Moral Regeneration Movement, MRM, which is a section 21 organisation, has held numerous management and board meetings. The organisation held meetings with external stakeholders, both in government and nonstate actors. Subjects covered varied from organisational matters that were dealt with at management and board meetings to meetings with external stakeholders that, naturally, focused on strategic and programmatic matters or those matters that relate to the successful implementation of the strategic priorities of the organisation.
If hon members are interested, I can request the MRM to supply its schedule of meetings. These details, however, are not part of my work as a patron of the MRM. Some of the details can also be obtained from the Department of Arts and Culture, which is the department overseeing the work of the MRM. I thank you.
Details regarding meetings held by energy advisory council and conclusions reached by energy advisory council following the consideration of building further nuclear power stations
21. Mr R A Lees (DA) asked the Deputy President:
(1) Whether the energy advisory council has held any meetings during the period 1 January 2009 up to the latest specified date for which information is available; if not, why not; if so, (a) with whom were the meetings held, (b) what subjects were covered in the meetings, (c) what (i) decisions and (ii) recommendations were made at such meetings and (d) who attended the meetings;
(2) whether the energy advisory council has considered the building of any further nuclear power stations; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what conclusions were reached regarding the (a) need, (b) locality, (c) timing and (d) financing of the new nuclear power stations by the energy advisory council? CO540E
The National Stakeholder Advisory Council on Energy met on 8 December 2009 and on 15 October 2010. Members of the council are drawn from government, labour, business and civil society organisations, constituted along the same lines as Nedlac constituencies.
At its December 2009 meeting, the council discussed matters concerning the rising cost of electricity and how this affected consumers, especially the poor. It also discussed an innovative funding model for building new power stations. The council agreed that while the National Energy Regulator of South Africa is the authority that has the mandate to decide on Eskom's proposed new electricity tariffs, there was a need to devise means to cushion the poor by introducing sloping block tariffs. The council also agreed to consider the proposed funding model that was presented by the labour movement.
In the meeting of 15 October 2010, the council considered a proposal on the integrated resource plan. Some of the stakeholders felt that although they had been given time to consider proposals on this plan, they still needed more time to consider this, given its complexity. Government agreed to this request.
The meeting also received a report on the process to create the independent system and market operator in a phased approach to allow independent operators to participate in the generation of electricity. This matter is currently being processed by the Interministerial Committee on Energy.
On the matter of energy efficiency and demand-side management, government indicated that it recognised the need to provide financial incentives in order to stimulate the energy efficiency programme through rebates. The required regulations for accessing these incentives have been drafted and, once the concurrence of the Minister of Finance has been obtained, the regulations will be circulated for public comment.
The council was also keen to have an update regarding the regional electricity distributors programme and whether it would proceed or not. Government indicated that the matter was under consideration at the interministerial committee and that a decision will be announced in due course.
Apart from considering the draft integrated resource plan that was presented, the council did not take any nuclear-specific decisions. The nuclear build programme remains part of our future plans. Once all processes have been finalised, including consultation with stakeholders, we will make a public announcement about the programme. I thank you.
Deputy President, in terms of the response that you have just given, would you argue that interaction with the advisory council on energy will enhance government's pronouncement on the renewable energy feed- in tariff, Refit, model for South Africa? Thank you.
Yes, indeed it will enhance government's response because this advisory council, as I said, is constituted in a representative manner along the lines of Nedlac, organised business, organised labour and civil society organisations. So, its views reflect the take from all these stakeholders. Thank you.
Chairperson, through you to the Deputy President, does the Deputy President think that if we go the way of nuclear power stations in the future South Africa will still have the technological know-how to effect the running of these stations, bearing in mind that there have been problems with Koeberg in this regard? Reactor 1 closed down; and then there was Reactor 2, which shut down as well. I believe this has a lot to do with retaining the technological know-how on how to service these stations. Thank you.
Hon members, yes, it is in the country's interests not only to retain such technological know-how, but also to produce more of the same because opportunities exist for our nuclear scientists to gain practical experience in countries that are willing. For instance, South Korea has an institute which trains nuclear engineers and physicists, and they have expressed the willingness to accept young South African students who are keen to pursue studies in that regard.
It is really for us as a country, through the Human Resource Development Council, to work out the needs of expertise in this area and prepare accordingly, so that at the time when the decision is made to go back to nuclear power, we should not then find that we don't have personnel. So, it is indeed in our interests to retain such nuclear expertise.
Chairperson, through you to the Deputy President, I would just like to correct myself or ease my mind, Deputy President. Why did we close down one of the state-owned enterprises, SOEs, the pebble bed modular reactor, PBMR, which I think was closed due to financial constraints, and then jump over to coal energy? Could you explain this to me, please? Thank you.
You have taken a very good chance; I will allow the Deputy President to respond, if he wants to.
Hon members, the PBMR programme was really doing research in what is called fourth generation nuclear technology. Quite clearly, the fiscus could not sustain that kind of advanced research. However, we, as a country, do retain the intellectual property rights with regard to that research. Thank you. Integration of traditional and religious leaders into government's efforts to fight HIV/Aids, addressing of issue of gender equality in traditional societies dealing with HIV/Aids and new strategies and plans to target youth with HIV/Aids prevention messages
22. Prince M M M Zulu (IFP) asked the Deputy President:
(1) (a) To what extent are traditional and religious leaders integrated into the government's efforts to fight HIV/Aids, especially in the rural areas, and (b) how does the government address the issue of gender equality in traditional societies in dealing with HIV/Aids;
(2) what new (a) strategies and (b) plans will the government put in place in the next 5 to 10 years to assist existing programmes, like loveLife, in order to target youth with HIV/Aids prevention messages? CO554E
Hon members, both traditional and religious leaders are represented in the SA National Aids Council, Sanac, and participate in all the deliberations of the council and its programmes, including World Aids Day events and the national HIV counselling and testing campaign.
Traditional leaders have been integrated into the work of the Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal, KZN, and through the medical male circumcision campaign that was mandated and launched by His Majesty King Goodwill Zwelithini. As recently as last month, the House of Traditional Leaders reaffirmed its commitment to campaigning against HIV and Aids, and resolved to participate in the various programmes implemented in their areas of jurisdiction.
The issue of gender equality is a broad social issue that impacts on health, but is not exclusively a health issue. Civil society, community leaders and other government departments also have a role to play. Sanac includes the women's and men's sectors that have as their objective changing gender roles and addressing gender inequalities. Working with nongovernmental organisations, Sanac participated in the launch of the Brothers for Life campaign, which seeks to make men more responsible for ensuring an equal society.
The medical male circumcision campaign in KwaZulu-Natal also focuses on the roles and responsibilities of men. Young men are taught these responsibilities in the province, including far rural areas, by community leaders and elders. It is hoped that such programmes will decrease the incidence of gender-based violence and sexual assault.
The lifespan of the current HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan ends at the end of 2011. The idea is that a new plan will be developed through a consultative process during the course of 2011. Thank you.
Hon Chair, through you to the hon Deputy President: Deputy President, in your reply you mentioned the circumcision drive in my province, KwaZulu-Natal. Are you aware of the extensive use of the Tara KLamp, which had really severe complications in tests in Orange Farm, and that, despite the results of these tests and the complications encountered at Orange Farm, the Department of Health persists in using this clamp for circumcision in KwaZulu-Natal? If you are aware of it, what are your views about the continued use of the Tara KLamp? Thank you.
Hon Lees, our role, really, in Sanac is to preach and spread the word about the limited benefits of medical male circumcision. That can be done in a clinic or a hospital, and the equipment used is really out of our space, as it were.
In KwaZulu-Natal, yes, indeed, this Tara KLamp is being used. People have been trained and it is being used. So far, we have not received any complaints, as it were. It is not clear whether the people in Orange Farm who are reported to have experienced difficulties after using it were actually properly trained to do so, or not. It is also not clear whether these were operations conducted in a clinic and/or in a hospital. What we do know is that in KwaZulu-Natal it is working so far, and there have not been any complications. Thank you.
Reports on progress by municipalities in fight against poverty, as part of antipoverty campaign, municipalities' functioning indigent policies and programmes in place targeted at poor, and government plans to assist with regard to advancing fight against poverty, social marginalisation of poor, child-headed households and senior citizens
23. Ms N D Ntwanambi (ANC) asked the Deputy President:
(1) Whether, as part of his antipoverty campaign, he or the Presidency has received any reports regarding the progress made by municipalities in the fight against poverty; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether all municipalities have functioning (a) policies and/or (b) indigent programmes in place that are targeted at the poor; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether the government has any plans to assist poor municipalities in playing a critical role with regard to (a) advancing the fight against poverty, (b) the social marginalisation of the poor, (c) child-headed households and (d) senior citizens; if not, why not; if so, what plans?