People's Assembly

2017-w2498 - 11 October 2017

Pieter Van Dalen to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

(1) Whether his department has disbursed any monies to a certain trust (name furnished) and/or a certain project (name furnished) in each of the past three financial years; if so, (a) who is/are the project leader(s), (b) what is the total amount that has been disbursed and (c) from which programmes were the funds sourced in each case; (2) Whether his department has records of a full account of how the specified (a) trust and (b) project have spent the money; if not, in each case, why not; if so, (i) what are the relevant details of expenditure in each case and (ii) of this, how much was spent on (aa) marketing research and (bb) infrastructure development in each case?

Reply from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION on 11 Oct 2017

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has not disbursed any funds to the Blue Karoo Trust and/or Camdeboo Satellite Aquaculture Project in three financial years, i.e. 2015/16; 2016/17 and 2017/18.
The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries has not provided financial support to the project in three financial years i.e 2015/16; 2016/17 and 2017/18, therefore does not have any financial records in that ...

More »

2017-w2791 - 11 October 2017

Mogamad Nazier Paulsen to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

With reference to his reply to question 1605 on 20 July 2017, of the 37% of his department’s 2017-18 budget which will be used to support smallholder farmers, what percentage of the 37% will be used to support black smallholder farms?

Reply from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION on 11 Oct 2017

Black smallholder farmers refer to African, Coloured and Indian smallholder farmers who are natural persons and:

“Are citizens of the Republic of South Africa by birth or descent; or
Are citizens of the Republic of South Africa by naturalisation before the commencement date of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa Act of 1993; or
Became citizens of the Republic of South Africa ...

More »

2017-w2696 - 02 October 2017

Malcolm John Figg to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

Whether, with reference to his reply to question 1523 on 22 June 2017, he received a request to establish a commission of inquiry into the registration process of the Black Boerboel as a breed; if so, (a) when did he establish the commission of inquiry and (b) what progress has the commission made to date in this regard?

Reply from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION on 2 Oct 2017

The Animal Improvement Act (Act No. 62 of 1998) does not make any provision for a Commission of Enquiry but a Committee of Enquiry. The department received a complaint regarding the conduct of the South African Boerboel Breeders Society (SABBS)

(a) (b) The department has initiated a process to request the Minister to a appoint a Committee of Enquiry in terms of section 22 ...

More »

2017-w2816 - 02 October 2017

Pieter Van Dalen to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

(a) What number of officials and/or rangers have been deployed to monitor poaching and related activities along the coastline of KwaZulu-Natal since his reply to question 1221 on 11 May 2016, (b) to which specific locations have they been deployed and (c) what costs were incurred in terms of (i) salaries and (ii) accommodation expenses for each specified person in each specified month?

Reply from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION on 2 Oct 2017

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries had been deploying a number of officials as Fisheries Control Officers in Richards Bay, Durban and in Port Edward as well as Fisheries Control Officers operating on its Fishery Patrol Vessels. The officials are on various Salary Levels and therefore it is not easy to quantify the exact salary costs. The rangers are not employed by the ...

More »

2017-w2815 - 02 October 2017

Pieter Van Dalen to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

(1) Has his department’s fisheries management service contract related to the provision of stock assessment advice been re-activated since the previous contract expired in March 2017; if not, (a) why not and (b) what interim arrangements have been made to carry on with this work; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) Has his department developed any clear plans to build capacity in the specified area; if not, why not; if so, what are the details?

Reply from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION on 2 Oct 2017

(1) (a) There is, unfortunately, no provision in the public service for such a contract to be ‘re-activated’. The stock assessment service must be procured through the prescribed supply chain processes. The department has been working hard to make sure that such a service is procured. As a result, the prescribed supply chain process is currently underway to procure stock assessment services.

(b) In ...

More »

2017-w2437 - 02 October 2017

Russel Nsikayezwe Cebekhulu to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

(1) Whether his department has the capability and capacity to counter the growing threat to marine resources by poaching networks; if not what is the position in this regard; (2) What (a) plans and/or strategies are in place to counter the growing threat of poaching networks and (b) steps has his department taken, working together with the Department of Tourism and the Department of Environmental Affairs, to manage the threat?

Reply from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION on 2 Oct 2017

1. The Department of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries is part of Operation Phakisa Oceans Economy which is led by the Department of Environmental Affairs. In this Operation Phakisa initiative there are various LABS and one of them is Marine Protection Services and Ocean Governance whose main function entails the protection of the ocean environment from all illegal activities. Joint operations that are intended to ...

More »

2017-w2873 - 02 October 2017

Timothy James Brauteseth to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

What is the detailed (a) breakdown of and (b) valuation for current and non-current assets and investments held by (i) his department and (ii) each entity reporting to him according to (aa) listed assets (aaa) directly held and (bbb) indirectly held and (bb) unlisted investments (aaa) directly held and (bbb) indirectly held by each of the entities, in each case breaking the current assets and investments down by 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months and beyond 12 months?

Reply from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION on 2 Oct 2017

DAFF (a) (b)

(aa)(i)	Cash and cash equivalents	As at 31/3/2017 R’000

(aaa)	Paymaster General Account Cash receipts Cash on hand	27 149 6 73
(aa)(ii)	Prepayments and advances
(aaa)	Travel and subsistence	17
(aa)(iii)	Receivables	Current	Non-Current
(aaa)	Claims recoverable	1 597	-
	Recoverable expenditure	313	188
	Staff debt	121	9
	Other ...

More »

2017-w2611 - 29 September 2017

William Mothipa Madisha to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

What (a) progress has been made in implementing the turn-around strategy of the agricultural colleges and (b) challenges have been encountered in the implementation thereof?

Reply from the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION on 29 Sep 2017

a) In 2009, my Department conducted a study to assess the level of compliance of the twelve Colleges against the approved Norms and Standards the Governance and Financing Framework for ATIs. The assessment study report revealed that no single College complied fully with the established Norms and Standards albeit in differing degrees. Flowing from the approved Norms and Standards and the Governance and Financing ...

More »

2017-w2695 - 29 September 2017

Annette Steyn to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesQUESTION

(1) (a) How many employees of his department are currently on suspension, (b) what are the reasons for the suspensions, (c) what has been the amount paid to each of these suspended employees for the period of their suspension and (d) for what length of time has each of the specified employees been on suspension; (2) whether any of the specified employees are facing disciplinary hearings; if not, why not; if so, (a) when was each disciplinary hearing started, (b) what is the current status of each hearing and (c) by what date will each disciplinary hearing be finalised?