In view of the Government’s plans to launch a state-owned bank and whilst interest-free banking services may be the first step to reduce the draconian interest choking every South African, (a) what total amount was budgeted to fund interest on debt in the (i) 1995 budget and (ii) latest budget and (b) has he found this to be in line with inflation and/or poor fiscal frameworks year after year?
It is generally not possible in South Africa for the state, or any bank or company, to secure loan funding without paying interest except, possibly, for small amounts of concessional funding. No bank in South Africa is likely to lend to customers without covering the full cost of capital, including interest. Some institutions may be able to structure a small part of their loan ...
(1)(a) What reasons did the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) give to the National Treasury for spending only 49% or R1,3 billion of its allocated funds for its Agricultural Land Holding Account (ALHA), which was allocated R2,7 billion, by the end of the 2019-20 financial year when it requested a rollover of the unspent funds and (b) what proposed spending changes did the DALRRD provide in their application to the National Treasury for a rollover of funds that were originally meant for the ALHA;
(2) whether the DALRRD provided the National Treasury with a schedule indicating the month(s) in which the expenditure is expected to be incurred; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
1. (a) The DALRRD’s requested the National Treasury to retain the surplus from the 2019/20 financial year due to underspending on a number of projects for the following reasons.
- Recapitalisation and development projects: Non- Accountability of previous disbursements.
- Guarantees on Land Acquisition: The DALRRD indicated that there were lengthy negotiations on some projects between sellers of land and the department which concluded ...
Whether he will furnish Ms E L Powell with proof of all deviations for the purposes of personal protective equipment procurement that was authorised by the National Treasury in respect of the Travel With Flair (2004/028611/07) tender contracted by the Department of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation from 1 January 2020 to 31 January 2021?
National Treasury has not received nor approved any requests for deviations from procurement processes from the Department of Human Settlements (DHS) or Department of Water & Sanitation (DWS) for the procurement of personal protective equipment from Travel with Flair (2004/028611/07) for the period 1 January 2020 to 31 January 2021.
The National Treasury does, however, notice the Covid-19 transactions that were reported by DHS ...
(1)Whether, in light of the fact that inmates at Mangaung in Bloemfontein and Leeuwkop maximum-security prisons have called on the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) to exercise stronger oversight over warders, who have been accused of acting with impunity in their maltreatment of prisoners, as incarcerated persons should not be completely stripped of their rights and their safety must be of paramount concern while serving their sentences, his department has been actively involved in addressing concerns of prisoners and the JICS during the pandemic; if not, why not; if so, what are the details of the steps taken by his department in this regard besides the granting of early parole for non-violent offenders as was the case late last year;
(2) Whether his department has been in communication with the Department of Health and those responsible for the vaccine roll-out regarding the vaccination of prisoners as overcrowding is the state of affairs across the Republic, which poses a serious health risk for both staff of the Correctional Services and inmates; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
1. The Department is not aware of officials who have been accused of acting with impunity in their maltreatment of inmates at Mangaung as well at Leeuwkop Correctional Centres. The offenders at Mangaung have access to JICS officials or platform to raise complaints and requests, including cases of assaults by officials. Departmental officials are employed to manage compliance with the Contract between Department of ...
Whether (a) his department and/or (b) any entity reporting to him makes use of private security firms; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, in each case, what is the (i) name of each firm, (ii) purpose, (iii) value and (iv) duration of each specified contract?
No the Department of Correctional Services does not make use of private security firms.
END
Since the Republic was placed under Adjusted Level 3 Lockdown on 29 December 2020, what is the total number of Public Service employees who have been or are currently absent from work, but are still receiving their full salaries?
The total number of public servants absent since the Adjusted Level 3 Lockdown as from 29 December 2020 amounts to 322 818. The statistics as provided are up to and inclusive of 31 January 2021 (the latest date for which information is available). The figure is made up of employees utilising approved leave as provided for in the Public Service prescripts and as set out ...
(1) In light of the fact that the report of the auditor-general noted that irregular expenditure in her department increased from R1,318 billion in 2019 to R1,330 billion in 2020, what corrective measures have been taken to address irregular expenditure;
(2) whether any person has been held accountable for her department’s failure to address irregular expenditure; if not, why not; if so, (a) who and (b) what action has been taken against the specified person(s)?
1. The irregular expenditure cases are being investigated in line with the Irregular Expenditure Framework issued by the National Treasury in 2019. Upon finalization of these investigations, reports will be considered by the Loss Control and Asset Disposal Committee whereafter recommendations will be submitted to the Accounting Officer for further processing. At this stage, the department is not yet at the stage where it ...
Whether she has been informed of the unstable water supply to the residents of the uMhlathuze Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal and, more specifically, that the water has recently been found to be contaminated with diesel; if not, why not; if so, what steps has she taken to stabilise the water supply in the specified municipal area?
Yes, accordingly, the incident was discovered on 01 January 2021 and reported to the Department of Water and Sanitation and other stakeholders as per the drinking Water Incident Management Protocol.
The Water Treatment Works (WTW) was immediately stopped and process units were backwashed, and the raw water sump was drained. The intensive monitoring programme to determine the extent of the contamination was instituted. A ...
What total amount has the SA Social Security Agency lost as a result of cash-in-transit heists over the past five financial years?
SASSA has not lost any money as a result of cash in transit heists. Over the past 5 years, there have been two payment contractors. For the period from 2016 to 2018, payments were made by Cash Paymaster Services and for the period from 2018 to date, social grant disbursement services have been made by the South African Post Office.
In terms of the ...
(a) What are the relevant details of the (i) progress made and (ii) implementation processes of the migration of early childhood development from her department to the Department of Basic Education and (b) will she furnish Ms A L A Abrahams with the framework with requested details?
National Assembly Written Reply: 310 of 2021
a) The Department of Social Development is working with the Department of Basic Education on the ECD Function shift process. Both Departments recently briefed the Joint Portfolio Committees of Basic Education and Social Development, who noted the progress made by both departments in terms of the migration process and further called for a joint workshop to ...
