Chairperson, hon Ministers, Cope appreciates the efforts the Minister has made to improve services and curb corruption in the Department of Home Affairs. However, we wish to raise a few debatable questions.
The Home Affairs National Identification System, Hanis, was meant to implement two fingerprint systems, namely a civil system for citizens and a separate criminal system for lawbreakers. What is the progress in this regard?
A tender for the implementation was awarded to a MarPless Consortium in 1999. Where is the project at this stage and what percentage of the project can now be regarded as completed? Also, to what extent is the technology being upgraded to prevent the system from becoming obsolete?
One month ago the SA Banking Risk Information Centre and the department signed an agreement that will allow banks in South Africa to conduct online fingerprint verification of bank clients by having access to Hanis. When will this be implemented?
In 2008-09 the department implemented the Who Am I Online project. This is a R2,2 billion project. What percentage of the work has now been completed and when will implementation occur? Will the Minister please elaborate a little on the use of the advanced passenger profiling programme at our ports of entry and explain what benefits and results have come from its implementation?
I now turn my attention to Health. In this regard, Cope welcomes the programme to vaccinate children.
The revitalisation of health facilities through conditional grants is very important. Cope has acknowledged and noted that the revitalisation of hospitals, the procurement of health technology and keeping hospitals in a good condition, will need more than conditional grants. The department must examine additional models that will allow hospitals to be well maintained and to have the necessary technology to support good health care.
The Minister has come out strongly on the question of overpricing of antiretroviral medicines in South Africa. Will he engage with pharmaceutical companies in the country to find a solution? [Interjections.]
Finally, I wish to raise the question of procurement policy. The Minister of Finance has been asking for full value for every rand spent by government. How is the department progressing in this regard? Is the country getting full value? Also, are the items and medicines that are being procured at the top of the list and in accordance with this demand? [Interjections.]
Recently, in the Free State, a substantial quantity of medicines had to be thrown away because they had reached their expiry dates. Is there any system that will ensure that wastages that occur during the transfer of surplus medicines from one hospital to another don't ever happen? Will the department consider setting up a database to monitor the medicine situation in hospitals?
Cope recognises that there is a new determination to achieve a turnaround in Health. This is welcomed. Thank you.