In light of the fact that sections 99 and 206 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, read together, allow for the devolution of policing powers to provinces, particularly where provinces can show that they can do a better job of keeping citizens safe, what (a) would the Western Cape Government need to do in order to get more policing powers so that they can achieve a safer province and (b) is the Government’s policy position regarding the devolution of policing?
Section 199(1) of the Constitution provides that the security services of South Africa consists of a single police service. Furthermore, in terms of Section 205(1) of the Constitution, the national police service must be structured to function in the national, provincial and, where appropriate, local spheres of government.
The National Commissioner is, in terms of Section 207 of the Constitution, responsible to control and ...
(a) What mechanisms and processes has The Presidency set up to monitor implementation of the recommendations of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and ensure that government departments and entities act against those who have violated regulations and broken the law, as announced in the 2022 State of the Nation Address, and (b) how does The Presidency enforce accountability for delays, shortcomings and failures by relevant organs of state and government structures to follow up on SIU findings?
The Presidency, including the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, has established a coordinating and monitoring mechanism for the implementation of recommendations and referrals arising from the investigations of the SIU.
The recommendations, referrals and actions of the SIU fall into five categories. These are (1) referrals for criminal investigation and prosecution to the National Prosecuting Authority, (2) referrals for disciplinary processes against officials ...
What (a) number of advisory panels, advisory councils, task committees and commissions has he established since becoming President of the Republic on 15 February 2018, (b) are the details of the (i) mandate and (ii) work conducted to date of each of the specified panels, councils, committees and/or commissions, (c) is the (i) name and (ii) professional designation of each person serving on each of the specified panels, councils, committees and/or commissions, and (d) are the details of the costs incurred in the establishment and operation, including salaries and any other benefits paid to persons serving on each of the specified panels, councils, committees and/or commissions?
The following advisory panels, advisory councils, committees and commissions have been established since 2018:
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Panel, Council, Committee or Commission
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Responsible department
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1. Presidential Commission on the Fourth Industrial Revolution
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Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services
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2. Presidential Economic Advisory Council
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National Treasury
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3. Presidential Advisory Council on Investment
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Department of Trade, Industry and Competition
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4. Presidential Commission on Climate Change
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Department of Forestry, ... |
(1) With reference to the statement released on 2 June 2022, entitled Presidency responds to claims by Mr Arthur Fraser, what was the total amount that was stored on his farm;
(2) whether the specified amount of $4 to $8 million equalled the entire proceeds from the sale of the game auction that was held on his farm; if so, (a) who bought the game at the auction on his farm and (b) on what date; if not,
(3) whether there was additional money that was not from the proceeds of the sale of the game auction that came from elsewhere; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, where did the additional money, that was stored on his farm, come from;
(4) whether he had (a) made any disclosure of the total amount of money stored on his farm in terms of the Executive Ethics Code and (b) alerted the SA Revenue Service of the specified amount; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant reasons in each case;
(5) (a) what are the reasons that he did not report a case of theft on his farm at a police station, but instead reported the theft to the Head of the Presidential Protection Unit and (b) will he open a criminal case with the SA Police Service at a police station about the burglary and theft at his farm?
I am ready to cooperate with any investigations on this matter and will answer whatever questions the investigators ask of me. The law must be allowed to take its course and due process needs to be followed. I have made every declaration required of me since my first election to public office in 2014 and will continue to fulfil those obligations.
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(1) With reference to the affidavit of Mr AJP Fraser, which alleges serious criminal misconduct against him and casts a dark cloud over the Office of the Presidency, how does he reconcile these serious allegations with his sworn obligation to uphold the Constitution and all other laws of the Republic;
(2) what are the reasons that he has not yet taken the nation into his confidence and given clear answers to the many questions that have arisen from the matter;
(3) whether he has found that his implication in the circumstances surrounding the break-in and theft of foreign currency from his farm, may amount to a violation of his oath of office; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
I am and will remain committed to the fulfilment of my oath of office. I do not intend to address these matters in a piece-meal fashion and will ensure the investigations currently under way have my full cooperation. The law must be allowed to take its course and due process needs to be followed.
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(1) Whether, with regard to the allegations against him in the affidavit by the former Director-General of the State Security Agency who was also the former National Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services, Mr AJP Fraser, surrounding the break-in and theft of around $4 million from his Phala Phala farm on or around 9 February 2020, he reported the theft to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, also known as the Hawks within the SA Police Services, as the law obliges him to do; if not, why not; if so, what is the case number;
(2) whether he had been informed that during the course of Major-General Rhoode’s investigation, that the suspects were (a) caught, (b) kidnapped and/or (c) interrogated by the Presidential Protection Unit; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) whether he had been informed that the Presidential Protection Unit facilitated the alleged paying off of the suspects, including his domestic worker after the offenders had been traced and apprehended, in order not to reveal the incidents surrounding the break-in and theft of money to anyone; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
I am ready to cooperate with any investigations on this matter and will answer whatever questions the investigators ask of me. The law must be allowed to take its course and due process needs to be followed.
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(1) Whether he will take the public into his confidence by providing the evidence that the money that he stored at his farm was the proceeds of the game auction; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) what was the currency in which the money was stored on his farm;
(3) whether he ever received a huge monetary amount as a gift during his State and/or official visits as the (a) Deputy President and (b) President of the Republic; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details in each case;
(4) whether he ordinarily stores large amounts of money at his properties, other than his Phala Phala farm; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details with regard to (a) each specified property and (b) amount he keeps at each specified property?
I am ready to cooperate with any investigations on this matter and will answer whatever questions the investigators ask of me. The law must be allowed to take its course and due process needs to be followed. I have furthermore declared every gift provided me during the course of tenure as Deputy President and President as required by law.
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(1) Whether he used his official position as the President of the Republic to seek assistance from President H G Geingob of Namibia, with regard to the suspects who fled to Namibia following the break-in and theft at his Phala Phala farm; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details of the assistance he requested from President Geingob;
(2) whether he requested Major-General W Rhoode, the Head of the SA Police Service’s Presidential Protection Unit, to conduct the investigations; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) did Major-General Rhoode travel to Namibia, (b) under what authority did he act and (c) who travelled with him to Namibia;
(3) whether the SA taxpayer footed any part of the bill for the remuneration, flights, accommodation and/or incidentals of the investigators’ travel to Namibia; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what were the costs associated with the trip;
(4) whether the stolen money was brought back into the Republic from Namibia and returned to him; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so,
(5) whether the repatriation and return of the money to him followed the exchange control and the SA Revenue Service regulations; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
I am ready to cooperate with any investigations on this matter and will answer whatever questions the investigators ask of me. The law must be allowed to take its course and due process needs to be followed.
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Whether, with reference to his reply to question 479 on 16 May 2022, he has found that the Government’s rejection of the Centre for Development and Enterprises report entitled The Siren Song of Localisation undermines the Government’s commitment to an evidence-based policymaking approach as envisioned by the National Policy Development Framework; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Government is committed to the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, which is a series of measures to accelerate economic recovery and create employment. The plan was developed with important contributions from social partners and expert advisers through bodies like the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
Localisation is one of several tools in the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan to improve the dynamism ...
With reference to the announcement by the Minister in The Presidency, Mr Mondli Gungubele, that Cabinet approved the R22 million flag project in February 2022, (a) what was Cabinet’s justification for spending public money on the non-essential project when millions of South Africans are going hungry, (b) how did Cabinet process the public outrage toward the project and (c) what other non-essential projects have been approved by Cabinet for the 2022-23 financial year?
The promotion of national symbols and the construction of monuments are important for building a common identity and advancing national unity.
The flag project, as with all programmes of government departments, is informed by the Medium-Term Strategic Framework (MTSF), which is itself based on the electoral mandate of this administration. These programmes are reflected in departmental budget votes, which are extensively debated in Parliament. ...
