Ntate Ntshayisa, just hold. Hon members, I follow the system, as you press, you are recorded and follow that list, very religiously. Ntate Ntshayisa, please you have the floor.
Well spoken Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I think I am covered by the Deputy President, wait please, you must learn to wait...[Interjection.]
You are on the floor; don't address the members address the Chair.
What I wanted to know is that, because the creation of two million jobs in a decade is not something easy. I like the Deputy President to elaborate on this great initiative, how is he going to make it a success, but somehow you have covered in this very response that you have done, but if have more, you can still say more. Thank you
No, I
don't have more [Laughter.] I am done Thank you.
I am so sorry Speaker I have forfeited my follow up question.
IsiZulu:
USOMLOMO: Siyabonga baba.
Thank Madam Speaker, Deputy President would you agree that there is very high unemployment particularly amongst the youth? The TVET Colleges have a pass rate of one in ten. There is a massive skills shortage in the country while there is abundance in other skills. That is a results that of the fact that the skills at TVET Colleges do not speak to the skill's needs of the country. Now, how are you going address that to ensure that to ensure that - and will give an example, South Africa have a shortage of plumbers, electrician, carpenters and things, at the same time we have millions of people with Bachelor of Commerce, B.Com, degrees that are doing nothing or people that are taking on those things where have skills excess. How are you actually going to deal with this to address that, so that there is co-ordination
between needs of the country, because remember TVET are for large extend funded by government. Thank you.
Your question please!
Thank
you very much, well; I have been assigned the responsibility by the President to chair the Human Resource Development Council, now in that Council, we have got the private sector, we have got civil society and we have got government. This question came a number of times that there is a skills mismatch in the country. We are producing; we are training young people that cannot be absorbed by our private sector. It's a matter that is on the table and it's possible that our training can be tailor made to suit the needs of industry, but of course any skill that is acquired by a young person, that skill is important. We are not only looking at giving young people a skill so that they can be employed. We are giving them a skill so that they can also be employers. So it's a two pronged process, because there is a programme where government is consistently supporting small enterprises, so that they can grow and be big enterprises.
Any economy that is thriving has its foundation, the small- medium enterprises, that are able to employ one or two, up 100 people. Those SMMEs are important mixture in any economy, for that economy thrive. So what I'm saying, it's a matter that Council is going to discuss, skill mismatch but whatever skills that are out there, people acquired they put them into best use.
Deputy President, Statistics South Africa has released data showing that black South Africans aged between 25 and 34 are less skilled than their parents, further more according to former statistician General Palider Hohler, since 1994 in comparison to their white, Indian and coloured counterparts, black youths have:
Lost out in acquiring skills which is the cracks of youth unemployment and a sign of regression.
Deputy President, why has the ANC-led government allowed this regression to take place and what is it doing to develop the skills of all our youth so that they are ready for the fourth industrial revolution? [Applause]
I partly
agree with that assertion, because I have the labour survey from Stats SA, about the number of young people that are not in training, that are not employed, that are not in any education institution, well it's a big number, it's a big number, it's that as government probably we come down, down below what you call the TVET College.
We must think of a college that will accommodate those of our young people, who don't have matriculation, who have not passed grade seven - now for TVET College there are certain entry requirements that can exclude some of the young people, so it's important as government and it's a matter that we discussing as the Council, to say come up with a community college that would not require any entrance qualification.
Take every one young person, assess that young person, and give this young person a skill, because most of these most young people, because of their conditions where they live, they could not go to school, as much we have made education as ANC-led government, free, children that are attending our primary schools, children that are attending secondary school, they do so free and they get food at school, well, there are
some public governing bodies agree that we can pay money because we can afford, but there is no child that can be excluded on the basis of non- affordability [Applause.]
That is known but there are areas in our rural communities where these young people did not present themselves in any school facility. These are young people that are not in education, that are not in training and that are not employed. What do you do with that? Now, they can't be admitted in university, they can't be admitted in a college, now create a facility that will accommodate them but finally give them a skill, train them. So that is the matter that is before our council. It's a matter that is confronting this government but you know where come from with this matter. It's a matter of our historical past, which are trying to address and we are not consistently blaming that past. What is before us is to address those challenges but let's not forget where come from. Thank you very much.
Question 6:
Hon
Speaker, in line with our delegated responsibility to accelerate the Land Reform programme, our government remains
committed to pursuing this programme without disrupting agricultural production. In this regard, our focus will be to ensure the effective coordination of integrated farmer support interventions, including small- scale farmer linkages to market value chains.
In the course of the implementation of this programme, we are mindful of the challenges faced by farmers related to drought, which is exacerbated by climate change, as well as rising input costs that impact negatively on agricultural production, resulting in job losses and closure of agricultural enterprises.
As government, we will not allow our agricultural sector to collapse because farmers are the lifeblood of our economy. That is why as part of our response to these challenges we have set aside a package of financial assistance to affected farmers in various provinces.
I am advised by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development that various provinces were assisted with drought relief funding. In this regard, the Free State, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces are among provinces
that received drought relief funding during the last quarter of the 2018-19 financial year.
This does not amount to agricultural subsidies, but our efforts as government to alleviate the negative impact that this drought may have had on our farmers and the sustainability of the small enterprises in those provinces.
Allow me to briefly enumerate some of the funding allocated and disbursed to all approved provinces. Funds were disbursed from the then national Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to various provinces for implementation of projects according to their needs assessments.
In this regard: R20 million was allocated to the Eastern Cape; R13,5 million was allocated to the Free State; R43 million was allocated to the Northern Cape; R10 million was allocated to Limpopo; R10 million was allocated to Mpumalanga; R170 million was allocated to the Western Cape.
Both, the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape Departments of Agriculture provided fodder to the affected farmers, while the Free State Department of Agriculture is currently providing
relief in terms of water infrastructure projects, including boreholes and desalting of dams. The main focus was on subsistence and small holder farmers; however, in provinces like the Western Cape and the Northern Cape, all categories of farmers benefitted in the affected municipalities.
Fodder and water infrastructure were used to support affected livestock in terms of feeding and drinking water. Some farmers have both livestock and crop and would use the water for irrigation as well. The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development in collaboration with the provincial Departments of Agriculture also continuously provide dissemination of early warning information, awareness and drought coping mechanisms/strategies. Provinces are also putting measures in place to assist affected these farmers.
In terms of the processes in cases of drought, municipal and district agricultural offices guide farmers in terms of legislated processes relating to support as outlined in the Disaster Management Act, 2002. This Act stipulates that provinces and municipalities must set aside a percentage or reprioritise their budgets to address the disaster in terms of relief and recovery.
When this percentage has been exhausted, the province or the municipality concerned may access funds from the National Revenue Fund, which is managed by National Treasury through the National Disaster Management Centre housed at the Department Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, to deal with all disaster matters. Thank you very much.
Afrikaans:
Agb Speaker, ek weet nie of die agb Adjunkpresident Afrikaansmagtig is nie, maar ek sal Engels met hom praat.
I am
very poor in Afrikaans.
Afrikaans:
Baie dankie. In daardie geval, ... [Tussenwerpsels.]
I don't
understand. Yes! I am sorry! I am sorry!
No, no, sure. I appreciate it. I think the hon Deputy President has mentioned the challenges of the agricultural sector in South Africa. The fact of the matter is that I don't think people always realise the impact, for instance, of drought. I read an article in a newspaper the other day where business people in Durban, for instance, are very worried about the drought in the Northern Cape because they sell certain food products, like - what do they call it - bunny chows. I don't eat bunny chows but they eat bunny chows. [Interjections.]
They have the special bunny chows with Karoo lamb, which is very favourable sort of food in Durban. But now, they are affected by the drought and they are losing some of their business.
My follow-up question to the hon Deputy President is about that we acknowledge and the farming communities are also thankful for the fact that the government give certain reliefs. However, my follow up is also concerned with the administration. Let me give you one example: In the Northern Cape, at the start of this year, for instance, the district and local municipalities already declared the area as a state
of drought and as disaster, but because of the red tape to get the money - that is where the problem is - unfortunately the livestock cannot wait another day to say: We will eat tomorrow ... [Interjections.]
Hon Groenewald,...
Afrikaans:
... die tyd is verstreke, meneer!
Okay! Is hon Deputy President prepared to intervene with that process to speed it up?
THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA: Hon
Speaker, yes, I am prepared to intervene. You will be aware that I am chairing the IMC on Land Reform. We want to work with farmers and because you have mentioned farmers in the Eastern Cape, the Northern Cape and the Free State, we spoke with the Minister about this matter. I have indicated my interest to visit those farmers so that I can hear from them what the bottlenecks are - what the problems are - because in order to support farmers to ensure that we use our land
productively, we must deal with all the bottlenecks that are between ourselves and the farmers on the ground.
So, we want to set up integrated support at a district level, which will support farmers. That, we will do together with the provinces and those municipalities involved. However in this case, I will be glad if I take the first visit to go and discuss with those farmers and see the conditions of the affected farms and the extent, scope and scale of the drought. Thank you.
IsiZulu:
Ngiyathokoza Sihlalo, mhlonishwa Sekela Mongameli, inselelo enkulu umuntu ayibukayo yile yokuthi nxa ngabe uHulumeni, umnyango uzimisele kangakanani ukusiza abalimi nxa behlelwe yilezi zinhlekelele kugcina ufica ukuthi abazisakali. Ngakhoke umbuzo wami ubheke ekutheni mhlonishwa, yonke imali ephumayo iyosiza abalimi, ingxenye yayo ayifiki kubalimi abasuke bedinga ukusizakala. Igcina iphelela ezandleni kwizikhulu nabathile ababasebenzisayo ukuthi lezi zimali ziphume ziye kubona.
Ngabe umnyango wakho mhlonishwa ungakwenza ukuthi uke uphenye, ngikususela la ekutheni eKwaZulu-Natal bekunesomiso, kubatshali bomoba abancane abathintekile, abamapulazi afufusayo amancane, abalimi abziphilisa ngokulima ukudla, abantu bakhalile kuze kube yimanje, kwenziwa imihlangano emikhulu emahholo kodwa azange zifike izimali kubona. Umhlonishwa angakwazi yini ukusukuma aziphenye lezi zinto ngokomnyango wakhe? Ngiyathokoza.
USEKELA UMONGAMELI WASENINGIZIMU AFRIKA: Sizosebenzisana
noNgqongqoshe uThoko Didiza, sisebenzisane nondunankulu bezifundazwe ezithintekayo, sisebenzisane noNgqongqoshe bezolinmo kulezo zifundazwe, sisebenzisane nezimeya zezindawo. Into esizama ukuyakha lapha ukuthi sonke sihlangane ndawonye, kubeyithi sonke esiletha izinsiza. Undunakulu wendawo kufuneka azi ukuthi umnyango kazwelonke wenzani. Umnyango kazwelonke kufuneka wazi ukuthi undunankulu wenzani. Undunankulu kumele azi ukuthi umasipala wenzani.
Izimali zonke esiyozikhipha ezihlangene nezinsiza esizilethayo sizoziletha zonke, zisukela kwisifunda. Yiyona le indlela esizoyisebenzisa esicabanga ukuthi izosisiza uma sime kusifunda la kunomasipala abaningana kuleyo ndawo.
Sizohlangana sonke kwisifunda ukuthi konke esizokuletha sisiza abalimi kusukele kusifunda. Kodwa-ke uNgqongqoshe ngeke nje avele ashone kwisifunda, uzosebenzisana nondunankulu aphinde asebenzisane noNgqongqoshe. Yileyo-ke into esizoyenza ukuthi imali ephumayo, noma iphuma kuzwelonke noma iphuma kwisifundazwe noma kumasipala, izofika kumlimi. Ngiyabonga. [Ihlombe.]
House Chair, Deputy President, it is not only drought that is threatening agri-businesses and food security. The sector has recently experienced crop and animal diseases like fall army worm, avian flu in poultry and foot and mouth diseases in the beef industry. How is government going to address these challenges to make sure that no person in South Africa goes hungry as set out by President Ramaphosa during the state of the nation address?
Thank
you, hon member. We want to affirm the view as government that says South Africa has a lot of capacity to produce enough food from the land that we have, to ensure that no person in the country goes hungry. We are going to do that collectively as a country. For instance, we have got the veterinary services in
the Department of Agriculture, which has got programmes that are targeting prevention and the creation of awareness, as well as reacting positively and promptly to any disease outbreak.
Over and above this, the entities of the department, mainly the Agricultural Research Council, the Onderstepoort Biological Products and the Perishable Product Export Control Board are in the forefront through research and innovation of developing smart agricultural technologies that will improve on-farming productivity, that will reduce postharvest loses and increase resilience towards plant pests and animal diseases, especially in the light of the risk induced by climate change.
By right, I am saying as country, as government, the Department of Agriculture will need to increase its capacity to deal with any disease outbreak. The institutions that I have mentioned are capable to increase our capacity as a country to deal with those and to prevent them before occurring. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
Deputy President, you may aware that the Northern Cape Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development have compiled a report, and in it, they say very clearly that in the next three months, they are going to require R111,6 million. If rainfall doesn't happen on the Northern Cape, they are going to require R612 million by the end of the end. Now, you said farmers are the lifeblood of the country. You said that we can't leave farmers to fend for themselves.
So, the question I would put to you is: How is this funding going to be made available to the farmers of the Northern Cape; and, will you support the declaration of the Northern Cape as a disaster area? They quite rightly complain than the national government is often not willing to do so. The funding has to follow that declaration. Given the figures that we are talking about: Will you commit to this funding; and, will you support the Northern Cape being declared a disaster area?
The
question was raised by the member who asked the original question ... [Laughter.] [Interjections.] ... I mean, by hon Groenewald. In that question, he mentioned the Northern Cape,
the Eastern Cape and the Free State. I have made an undertaking that together with the Minister, I will go to these provinces so that we can ascertain the problems.
I appreciate the fact that you are aware that there is a problem and you have raised it with us. So, it is important that we satisfy ourselves that we engage and talk face-to-face with the farmers because the Northern Cape is very high in terms of agriculture. We are quite aware that some of the products that are produced in the Northern Cape cannot be found anywhere else in the country.
So, it is important to go and support those farmers. We will talk to the Premier and the MEC; we will meet with the farmers on an indoor meeting and hear their problems. [Interjections.] At times, I want to visit their farms - one or two farms - that are highly affected by the drought. [Interjections.] But, I want to raise one element here ... [|Interjections.]
Hon Deputy President, let me just take the intervention from this member. Why are you rising, hon member?
Hon House Chairperson, since this is repetition of a question - I don't know where was hon Steenhuisen when hon Groenewald already asked this question: Can we give a new follow-up question so that we maximise the efficiency of this session of question and oral replies? The question he asked was already asked earlier on!
Thank you, hon Ndlozi. Hon Steenhuisen, why are you rising?
House Chairperson, it is clearly not a PhD in listen, because the question I've asked is a completely different question from the hon Groenewald's. I asked two specific questions: Will he support it being declared a disaster area; and, will he provide the R111 million? Hon Groenewald didn't ask those questions.
And, the Deputy President is busy replying to that follow-up question. You can now continue, hon Deputy President!
Well, I
said: Hon Groenewald, you raised the question; you interacted
with the farmers; and you didn't read this in the newspaper. I said I am going to visit the Northern Cape. I will interact with the farmers. We will see the extent of the damage caused by the drought and together with the province; we will find a way of supporting those farmers.
I also want to say to our farmers out there: When they do their business - if you enter into any business venture - whether it is farming or anything else, it is important to take insurance because drought or anything can strike at any time. At least there should be something that comes from your insurance and probably government can support. It is important to note that and I am going to tell the farmers that. As much as there would be government support, there should be anticipation that anything can happen to the business, so insure your business. Thank you very much.
Thank you, hon Deputy President. Hon members, this concludes questions to the Deputy President. I wish to thank ... [Interjections.]
Point of order!
Order! I wish to thank the hon Deputy President for his replies. Thank you!
Point of order!
Why are you rising, hon member?
I think we were invited today to a ...
Afrikaans:
... skilpadbraai: Baie dop; min vleis!
English:
The Deputy President said nothing today!
That's not a point of order, hon member. Please take your seat. Take your seat! We will now proceed with our business, hon members. The next item on the order Paper is a motion in the name of the Chief Whip of the Majority Party.