(1)Whether (a) he will give a comprehensive update on the Aeroswift project at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research which ran into serious financial trouble and was the topic of a forensic report, specifically referring to any of the persons called out in the forensic report still involved with the specified project, (b) beneficiation of titanium is still the focus of the project and (c) the aviation industry is still the target market; if not, what is the position in this regard;
(2) what (a) is presently the key deliverable expected from the project, (b)(i) total amount has been spent on the project to date and (ii) additional amount is anticipated to have to be spent to achieve the key deliverable, (c) is the anticipated return on the investment and (d) steps will be taken to realise the goal?
Question 1
a) Despite the challenges experienced by the Aeroswift joint venture partner, the CSIR continued with the technology development and pre-commercialisation activities, which includes, amongst others, the establishment of an expanded team focused towards achieving these goals. There are no current financial challenges on the Aeroswift project.
There is no one “called out” in the forensic report that is currently a member of ...
MEMORANDUM FROM THE PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 575
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 03/03/2023
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 6 OF 2023
Ms K D Mahlatsi (ANC) to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation: [138] [Question submitted for oral reply now placed for written reply because it is in excess of quota (Rule 137(8))]:
What has been the impact of the research and development tax incentive in increasing research and development investment as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product?
NW640E
REPLY:
Independent studies and assessments have been conducted on the impact of the R&D tax incentive. These studies and assessments were considered during the recent policy review of the R&D tax incentive programme, the outcome of which culminated in the Minister of Finance announcing in his 2023 Budget Speech a 10-year extension of the incentive until 31 December 2033. As part of this policy review a Discussion Document was published on 15 December 2021 by the National Treasury and the Department of Science and Innovation, which document referred to and referenced the relevant studies. The Discussion Document is available on the National Treasury’s website.
In terms of impact, the study conducted by James (2017) indicated that companies benefiting from the R&D tax incentive spend an additional R4 million on R&D compared to those who conducted R&D but did not benefit from the incentive. The study indicated that while the revenue foregone between 2008 and 2015 was about R7 billion, the additional R&D spending was nearly R13 billion. This implies that for every one rand of tax revenue foregone by the fiscus, these companies spent an additional R1.83 on R&D. Another study also indicated positive and significant effects associated with the R&D tax incentive, in that companies that received the R&D tax allowance increased in-house R&D investment in terms of expenditure and intensity and reduced technology in-licensing.
Independent studies and assessments have been conducted on the impact of the R&D tax incentive. These studies and assessments were considered during the recent policy review of the R&D tax incentive programme, the outcome of which culminated in the Minister of Finance announcing in his 2023 Budget Speech a 10-year extension of the incentive until 31 December 2033. As part of this policy review ...
(1)What surety can his department provide to students, with the start of the year being marked by registration complications such as the delay by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, to successfully clear them for registration before the start of the academic year at universities such as Rhodes University, to ensure that they will not be left wanting after they have waited long into the start of the academic period to be cleared;
(2) whether any arrangements, other than his plea to institutions of higher learning, have been made with universities to allow students to register; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
1. The late closure of NSFAS applications (31 January 2023) coupled with a significant increase in applications for first time entering places system wide and NSFAS system challenges contributed to some of the delays. The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) utilising a monitoring toolkit embarked on oversight visits to universities to assess the state of readiness about registration, admissions, funding as well ...
Whether he has been informed of the operations of Jintek Technical College in Pretoria, which is operating without the necessary accreditation; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
No, I have not been informed of any of operations of Jintek Technical College (Pty) Ltd without the requisite accreditation and registration with my department. Currently Jintek Technical College (Pty) Ltd is registered with my department to offer the following qualifications:
National Certificate (Vocational): Finance Economics and Accounting – Level 2
National Certificate (Vocational): Management – Level 2
National Certificate (Vocational): Marketing– Level 2 ...
Following public reports made on 8 February 2023 across social media that a needy student who was in need of placement at the University of Venda was subsequently requested to pay for accommodation by a staff member, and in response to the debauchery, the Deputy Minister of his department reported on Twitter that the specified staff member was duly suspended for their role in the event, what (a) further repercussions, beyond the suspension of the staff member, will follow as a result of the event, (b) steps has his department taken to prevent the incident from occurring again and (c) number of similar incidents have been reported to (i) his department and/or (ii) to him?
1.
1.1 On the 03 February 2023, the University of Venda successfully traced and apprehended one of its Junior Administrative staff members who was allegedly soliciting bribes from prospective students. His modus operandi was to contact students who had applied for admissions at the University and had received notification to accept admission to the programme of their choice. He called students, informing them that ...
What total amount do the institutions of higher learning spend daily on diesel each time the Republic experiences stage (a) 3, (b) 4, (c) 5 and (d) 6 load shedding?
|
No.
|
Institution/University
|
Stage 3
|
Stage4
|
Stage 5
|
Stage 6
|
|
1
|
Cape Peninsula University of Technology (across all campuses)
|
R30 500.00
|
R44 650.00
|
R56 400.00
|
R82 250.00
|
|
2
|
University of Cape Town
|
R98 510.00
|
R131 346.00
|
R164 183.00
|
R197 019.00
|
|
3
|
Central University of Technology
|
Central University of Technology spends about R 39 285.87 per week for both campuses. This is a conservative number since it varies based on the stages of the loadshedding. ... |
(1)What are the details of the (a) destination and (b) total costs for (i) accommodation, (ii) travel and (iii) any other costs incurred for international travel of each (aa) Minister and (bb) Deputy Minister of his department since 1 June 2019;
(2) what is the total cost incurred for domestic air travel for each (a) Minister and (b) Deputy Minister of his department since 1 June 2019?
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
1. (aa) Minister
|
(a)
|
(b) (i)
|
(b) (ii)
|
(b) (iii)
|
|
Namibia
|
R6800
|
R8770
|
R1919.00
|
|
Japan
|
R16316
|
R103565
|
R16785
|
|
Germany
|
R25300
|
R68362
|
R10656
|
|
USA
|
R32,200.00
|
R78,195
|
R15,451.00
|
|
Italy, Czech Republic, and Hungary
|
R24,080.00
|
R71,039
|
R19,703.00
|
|
Italy
|
R10,560.00
|
R80,134
|
R14,175.00
|
|
France
|
R13,980.00
|
R85,851
|
R15,841.00
|
|
Dubai
|
R15,623.00
|
R92192.75
|
R18,812.00
|
|
USA
|
R26,650.00
|
R217,502.4
|
R24,699.00
|
|
United Kingdom
|
R18,473.00
|
R118338.4
|
R16,933.00
|
|
Portugal
|
R9,460.00 ... |
What (a) is the salary of each (i) chief executive officer and (ii) top executive position in each state-owned entity reporting to him and (b) total amount does each get paid to attend a meeting?
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
|
Name of public entity/institution
|
(a)
|
(b)
|
| |
(i)
|
(ii)
|
|
| |
R’000 (per annum)
|
R’000 (per annum)
|
R’000 (per annum)
|
|
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
|
6,168
|
4,269
|
Nil
|
|
Technology Innovation Agency
|
2,142
|
2,234
|
Nil
|
|
South African National Space Agency
|
2,800
|
2,415
|
Nil
|
|
Human Sciences Research Council
|
3,210
|
2,421
|
Nil
|
|
Academy of Science of South Africa
|
1,530 ... |
With reference to the upcoming Zimbabwean Exemption Permits deadline, which poses a potential obstacle to students who would like to further their studies and/or continue their current studies in the Republic, what steps has his department taken to ensure that there is continuous and purposeful integration of students into the domestic learning environment in alignment with his department’s internationalisation mission in universities?
The Department of Home Affairs is responsible for determining the upcoming Zimbabwean Exemption Permits deadline for students who would like to further their studies and/or continue their current studies in the Republic. Students are allowed to apply for their study permits, the current permit deadline date is 30 June 2023.
The Department of Higher Education and Training has however, put in the necessary measures to ...
Whether he will furnish Dr W J Boshoff with the details on progress with regard to erecting a fence around the terrain of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope which would enable SANParks to commence with management of the land surrounding the SKA radio telescopes purchased by the SA Radio Astronomy Observatory, as well as enable neighbouring stock farms to operate without the challenge of unmanaged land, including the proliferation of problem animals, adjacent to their own small-livestock operations; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
1. The upgrading of the existing fence surrounding the land acquired by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), which was recently declared as the Meerkat National Park, will enable SANParks to manage the land as an environmentally protected area and provide opportunities for multi-disciplinary research. It is in the best interests of all parties to commence with the upgrade of the fence as ...
