Replies by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Questions in the National Assembly

3 September 2021 - 1:15pm

QUESTION 7.

Ms T I Legwase (ANC) to ask the President of the Republic:

In view of the recent social unrest that exposed the underlying racial tension in our society, what additional measures will the Government implement alongside the Chapter 9 institutions and institutions supporting democracy to advance social cohesion and nation building?

NO2153E

REPLY:

Honourable Members,

The task of nation building rests on the shoulders of all of us as South Africans.

This is a commitment that we as South Africans made to each other when we adopted our democratic Constitution 25 years ago following a broad consultation that so many South Africans participated in.

The acts of violence and destruction that took place in parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July revealed many of the challenges that we still confront in building a united and cohesive society.

Part of the work we must do is to critically examine the preparedness for, and the response of, our security and law enforcement services to this unrest. 

I have therefore appointed an expert panel to investigate these issues, which will guide the measures that we need to take to prevent the recurrence of such events. 

Another critical part of the work we must do is to address the social and economic factors that contributed to the violence and destruction that we saw.

A deeply disturbing aspect of the unrest was the emergence of racial tension in parts of eThekwini, particularly between African and Indian communities.

This was occasioned by the terrible scenes of violence and several killings in and around the area of Phoenix.

Our law enforcement agencies have made significant progress in arresting individuals alleged to have been involved in this violence, and the law must take its course.

However, there is a broader task of addressing both underlying racial tensions that may have contributed to these events, and the further tensions that these events may have given rise to.

I wish to acknowledge and welcome the efforts of the South African Human Rights Commission, which is investigating the causes and circumstances of the violence in Phoenix. 

Government supports the ongoing work by the religious fraternity and civil society in promoting racial integration and co-existence in some of the most affected areas.

The Social Cohesion Advocates, which is a group of eminent persons and experts from all sectors of society, has been particularly active in this regard.

The Social Cohesion Advocates were established following the 2012 National Social Cohesion and Nation-Building Summit to assist government in fighting all forms of discrimination and promoting nation-building. 

Working with the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, and in partnership with the relevant provincial departments, local government, civil society and affected communities, they have conducted numerous social cohesion engagements to ascertain the root causes for the discord that occurred and manifested itself in the killings that ensued and to suggest possible remedies. 

These engagements covered areas in KwaZulu-Natal such as Marianhill, Umlazi, Umzinto, KwaMashu, Phoenix, Umkhumbane, Mobeni, Umzinyathi, KwaThoyana, Isipingo, Montclair and Pietermaritzburg. 

The District Development Model’s Political Champions that I appointed last year for the area, Deputy Ministers Nocawe Mafu and John Jeffery, have also paid visits and doing quite a lot of work in the affected areas, and have also been overseeing a number of public engagements in these areas and are working closely with civil society and all three spheres of government. A number of social cohesion initiatives are also being undertaken. 

In these areas of Ethekwini, as in all parts of the country, building social cohesion requires a concerted effort to overcome inequality and social deprivation.

It requires that we overcome the unequal material conditions that divide society along race, gender and class lines.

These are faultlines that we must continue to narrow.

We must build integrated communities with social infrastructure and services for all.

We need to ensure that young people have equal access to quality education, sporting and recreational facilities, social support and employment opportunities.

That is why, as part of its response, the eThekwini metro government is focused on various programmes aimed at young people, including psycho-social support in schools, the food security programme, youth employment initiatives, and the unity games that would focus on the communities of Phoenix, KwaMashu, Inanda, Tongaat and Newlands. 

The achievement of social cohesion and nation-building is closely tied to the work we are undertaking to drive economic growth, create employment and transform our economy.

This is also the focus of many of the interventions, as well as initiatives and projects of the Ethekwini District Development Model, such as the Metro’s High Impact Catalytic Projects, which will enhance investor confidence and create jobs.

We need to further accelerate the measures that we are undertaking as part of the Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan and significantly scale up interventions to create jobs and grow the economy.

I thank you. 

QUESTION 8. The Leader of the Opposition (DA) to ask the President of the Republic: 

Whether he uses a set of criteria to assess the suitability of potential candidates before appointing them to the position of Minister in his Cabinet in accordance with section 91(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details of the set of criteria he uses to assess the suitability of persons to be appointed to the position of Minister in his Cabinet?

NO1993E

REPLY:

Madam Speaker,

The administration that I lead came into office on the basis of a clear and decisive electoral mandate.

It was a mandate to transform the economy, advance social transformation, build safer communities, fight corruption, strengthen governance and public institutions, and build national unity and embrace our diversity as the people of South Africa.

I appoint Ministers from among the Members of the National Assembly – and the Constitution allows me to choose two other people who are not part of the National Assembly – who collectively and individually have the understanding, the ability and the commitment to implement the electoral mandate received by my party.

In areas requiring particular expertise, I appoint Ministers on the basis of their knowledge and skills. I also look at the experience a person has had that will enable them to drive the policy direction of government.

I consider their capacity to adapt and understand the portfolio they will lead, but I also look at their ability to work with various social partners to achieve the electoral mandate.

To provide greater accountability and transparency, I have signed performance agreements with all Ministers as well as Deputy Ministers, which outlines in detail their responsibilities and tasks.

These performance agreements assist in assessing progress in the implementation of government’s programmes and inform any changes that need to be made to the executive.

Even under the extraordinary circumstances caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has caused massive economic and social disruption, this collective has made important progress in the implementation of its electoral mandate.

This Cabinet is determined to continue to work alongside all South Africans to overcome the effect of the coronavirus pandemic, to rebuild the economy, to restore society and to fulfil the mandate it was given.

I thank you.

QUESTION 9.    Rev K R J Meshoe (ACDP) to ask the President of the Republic:

With reference to his undertaking in his address to the nation on 11 February 2021 that nobody will be forced to take the vaccine, nobody will be forbidden from travelling, from enrolling at school and/or from taking part in any public activity if they have not been vaccinated, and that nobody will be given the vaccine against their will, nor will the vaccine be administered in secret, what steps is the Government taking to

(a) protect employees who are given ultimatums by their employers to take the vaccine or lose their jobs and

(b) protect tenants from being forced to take the vaccine without the risk of losing their accommodation?

NO2152E

REPLY:

Honourable Members,

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in our country in March last year, more than 82,000 people are known to have succumbed to the disease in our country and nearly 2.8 million people are known to have been infected. 

It has caused massive damage to the economy, disrupted education and increased levels of poverty and unemployment. 

When combined with other preventative measures, such as mask wearing and social distancing, the COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective instrument that we have to prevent deaths, reduce infections and restore the economic and social life of our country. 

Evidence shows that COVID-19 vaccines reduce the chances of severe disease, hospitalisation and death. 

As I said in February of this year, no one should be forced to be vaccinated. 

Instead, we need to use the available scientific evidence to encourage – repeat, encourage – people to be vaccinated to protect themselves and the people around them. 

At the same time, our occupational health and safety laws require that we ensure a safe working environment. 

This situation poses challenges for employers who want to keep their workers safe from COVID-19 while respecting the rights of those who don’t want to be vaccinated.

On 11 June this year, the Department of Employment and Labour issued Consolidated Directions on Occupational Health and Safety Measures in terms of the Disaster Management Regulations. 

The Directions provide guidelines for employers that intend to make vaccination mandatory. 

Such employers need to determine the category of employees to be vaccinated, taking into account the vulnerability of employees owing to age or any comorbidities they may have, as well as the risks posed as a result of the role of the employee. 

The implementation of any mandatory vaccination policies must be based on mutual respect, which achieves a balance between public health imperatives, the constitutional rights of employees, and the efficient operation of the employers’ business.

That is quite a delicate balance that needs to be struck. 

Employees may refuse vaccination on medical or constitutional grounds.

In such instances, the employer should counsel the employee and, if requested, allow them to seek guidance from a health and safety representative, worker representative or trade union official, as well as a health practitioner.

If necessary, steps should be taken to reasonably accommodate the employee in a position that does not require the employee to be vaccinated. It could include workers continuing to work from home without contact with other employees, customers or suppliers.

On the question of tenants being forced to take vaccines or risk losing their accommodation, like any other person, tenants have a right to decide whether they should be vaccinated or not. 

Getting vaccinated is not only a personal choice about protecting yourself from infection. 

It is also about protecting others, including your family, friends and co-workers, and allowing the whole of society to return to normal activity more quickly.

If we can vaccinate a large enough proportion of our population, particularly the adult population, by December, we can avoid another devastating wave of infections and restrictions on the economy.

Those who refuse to be vaccinated are increasing the risks for all of us, not only of a further resurgence of infections, but of prolonged economic hardship and lack of recovery.

We therefore all have a responsibility to encourage all South Africans over the age of 18 to go to their nearest vaccination site today to protect themselves, to protect others and to help all of us get our economy back on track.

Above all, vaccines are free in our country, they are safe and they are effective.

I thank you.

QUESTION 10. Mr I K Morolong (ANC) to ask the President of the Republic: 

In view of the measures that the Government has implemented to grow the economy, create jobs and bring relief to businesses, workers and families in distress since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the Republic in 2020 and given the persistence of the pandemic and the recent unrest in parts of the country, 

(a) how is the Government mobilising funds for economic recovery, in the light of dampened confidence of the investor and business community and

(b) what are the elements of the economic reconstruction plan that will transform the structure of the economy that still has colonial and apartheid features? 

NO2154E

REPLY:

Honourable Members,

The Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan is our blueprint for building a more inclusive, more equal, more resilient and faster-growing economy.

Since I last addressed this house, we have made significant progress in turning that blueprint into a reality.

We remain focused on a massive rollout of infrastructure, a targeted industrialisation strategy to increase local production, an employment stimulus to create jobs and support livelihoods, and the rapid expansion of our energy generation capacity. 

We are implementing a range of structural reforms to ensure that we all have a reliable power supply, cheaper data, abundant and clean water, and efficient-running ports and good rail infrastructure.

Two weeks ago, the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy published regulations to raise the licensing threshold for embedded generation projects to 100 MW.

This was a defining moment in energy generation in our country.

This will not only alleviate the immediate energy supply shortfall, but will lead to massive investment in new projects and stimulate growth.

It has been widely welcomed, not only in our country, but also globally.

It will provide certainty to investors that the current electricity challenges will be resolved, enabling them as investors to confidently invest in new factories, mines and a whole number of other initiatives, such as data centres.

Two months ago we announced that the National Ports Authority would be established as an independent subsidiary of Transnet, which will improve the efficiency of port operations and enable greater private investment in port infrastructure.

Discussions between the Independent Communications Authority – ICASA – and various roleplayers and licensees have been underway with the hope of reaching a settlement to enable the allocation of high-demand broadband spectrum to continue.

I call on those who are part of this process, working together with Minister Ntshavheni and ICASA, to reach agreement. I would call on the litigants to seek a solution, so that we can put this matter to bed and open up our economy.

Significant work is underway in a number of other reform areas, including in the water sector and the visa regime, and this work will show results over the coming months.

Alongside the reform agenda, we are implementing measures to support employment.

The Presidential Employment Stimulus has supported close to 700,000 job opportunities to date, and largely to young people. This is an unprecedented achievement in our country in such a short space of time. 

A further R11 billion has been allocated to continue the job stimulus in the current financial year, and several programmes will begin implementation in the coming weeks.

This includes the continuation of the Basic Education Employment Initiative – which has absorbed young people in many schools to assist in our efforts to strengthen education and respond to the pandemic – as well as expanded support for small-scale farmers and workers in the early childhood development sector.

The violent unrest that occurred in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July dealt a further blow to our economic recovery.

We know that, according to estimates, the impact on our GDP will amount to nearly R50 billion.

To respond to the devastation and suffering that the unrest caused, I announced a range of additional measures to provide relief to affected businesses and poor households.

To support those who were left vulnerable by the pandemic and the unrest, we have reinstated the Social Relief of Distress Grant until March 2022.

We are also providing support to businesses who were affected by the unrest, through grant funding and additional support from the Unemployment Insurance Fund as businesses take time to reopen.

We have also committed to back SASRIA, our state-owned reinsurance company, to ensure that it is able to honour all valid claims in full.

We have had the Employment Tax Incentive, which has worked extremely well in providing jobs to young people. This has now been expanded for a period of four months, and payment of PAYE and excise taxes has been deferred to help businesses to recover.

These measures are funded primarily through additional revenue received as a result of the strong performance of our mining sector and other exports.

The interventions that we have implemented have sustained millions of jobs, prevented the closure of a number of businesses, and provided relief to the most vulnerable in our society.

Thus far, close to 12 million people have applied for the social relief of distress grant, and SASSA has start processing these and paying out.

However, we have a long way to go in our economic recovery.

The statistics released for the second quarter of this year are a reminder of our unemployment crisis and the extent of poverty in our country.

While the interventions contained in our reconstruction and recovery plan are necessary and significant, I will say now that they are not enough.

The time has now come for us to assess how far we have come, to reflect on the choices that confront us as a nation, and to take bold actions to achieve economic progress.

That is the singular focus of my mission and the mission of this government.

And we will be articulating this in time to come.

I thank you.

QUESTION 11.    Mr A M Shaik-Emam (NFP) to ask the President of the Republic:

In light of the fact that it has been nine years since the Marikana Massacre took place during which 34 miners died as a result of police gunfire, while many of the recommendations of the Farlam Commission had been left unresolved and compensation for the tragic losses were still outstanding to most families of the miners who had died, nor anyone held accountable for these deaths, 

(a) what are the relevant details of the delays in bringing about a resolution to the outstanding matters of compensation and

(b) when will people be held accountable for the deaths of the miners who died during the massacre to ensure closure for the affected families of Marikana? 

NO1996E

REPLY:

Honourable Members,

It is not correct to say that compensation has not been paid to the families of those workers who died at Marikana.

According to the records of the office of the State Attorney, claims totalling more than R174.4 million have been paid to the families of those who died and to workers who were injured or detained.

This includes the payment of loss of support claims to the families of 36 people who died, the payment of 253 claims for unlawful arrest and detention and also claims for severe injury.

There are still several claims that are not yet resolved and are still subject to negotiation and the exploration of possible offers of settlement. 

This includes further claims from 36 families for ‘general and constitutional damages’. 

There is currently no agreement between the parties regarding those claims as an amount of almost R70 million has already been paid to these families in full and final settlement. 

The State has made a number of payments, but further demands have been made and these are being processed.

While these ongoing engagements between the representatives of the families and the State are underway, these claims are as yet unresolved.

There are a further 22 claims for unlawful arrest and detention, 13 claims for injuries and malicious prosecution and 40 claims for injuries that have not been settled either due to incomplete expert reports, outstanding records or disputed claims.

The State is committed to settling all these claims.

Where an amicable negotiated settlement cannot be reached, these matters obviously would need to be adjudicated upon in court.

The lack of progress in the prosecution of those responsible for the deaths of all those killed is indeed a cause of concern and distress.

I am informed that the prosecution team is in ongoing meetings with the IPID investigators as part of the prosecution-led investigations that give effect to the Farlam Commission’s recommendations to the National Prosecuting Authority.

I am further informed that the National Director of Public Prosecutions has recently directed that the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions for the North West in Mahikeng must provide a clear plan of action regarding the IPID investigations of the events where 34 mine workers were shot and killed.

This is specifically intended to speed up and finalise the outstanding investigations so as to enable the NPA to decide on possible prosecutions emanating from the available evidence.

In exercising its responsibility to Parliament, it is important that the NPA should on a regular basis provide Members of this House with updates on progress in this regard.

It is important that this should be done as this is a matter of great public importance.

I thank you.

QUESTION  12. Ms D R Direko (ANC) to ask the President of the Republic: 

With reference to the Municipal Finance Management Report released by the Auditor-General, which found that only 27 out of 257 municipalities achieved a clean audit in the 2019-20 financial year, pointing to the reality that the state of local government finances is in a serious state, what are the details of the

(a) key policy interventions that the Government will implement to ensure the turnaround of the state of local government and

(b)  Government’s response to the recommendations of the Auditor-General?

NO2155E

REPLY:

Honourable Members,

The report of the Auditor-General on the state of local government finances in many ways underlines the extent and depth of the challenges facing the sphere of government that is closest to the lives of South Africans.

Addressing these challenges must necessarily involve all spheres of government, communities and social partners.

For its part, national government has a range of support packages that address issues of governance, financial management, institutional matters and service delivery at local government level. 

The Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma recently tabled a report on the state of local government to Cabinet, which report used audit outcomes as one of the criteria to assess municipalities.

The report identified 64 municipalities that have challenges across key performance areas of governance, financial management, service delivery, corporate governance and leadership.

The Department of Cooperative Governance and National Treasury are working with their provincial counterparts and municipalities to finalise municipality-specific support plans to address deficiencies identified in the state of local government report. 

There are, in addition, several programmes to give effect to the Auditor-General’s recommendations.

These include support to municipalities in the development and implementation of audit action plans, effective implementation of the Municipal Finance Management Act and improved revenue collection and management.

Intergovernmental debt forums have been established to facilitate solutions to the significant amount of debt owed to municipalities, but also debt that is owed to Eskom, water boards and other water entities. 

To address financial challenges, the Department of Cooperative Governance collaborates with provincial counterparts and Treasuries to support municipalities with the development and implementation of financial recovery plans. 

The Department is coordinateing the amendment of the Municipal Structures Act to strengthen the functioning of municipal public accounts committees, which are entrusted to investigate unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure. 

The Municipal System Improvement Grant helps municipalities to strengthen institutional and governance systems, such as data and tariff management, policies and bylaws, records management, and ICT infrastructure. 

The Financial Management Improvement Programme provides technical support and places experts in selected provinces and municipalities focusing on issues such as asset management, budgets, revenue management, supply chain management and audit outcomes.

Through these and other efforts, all spheres of government are working to turn around the dire situation in many of our municipalities.

As a country, we need to prioritise the local government sphere so that it may ultimately be able to stand on its own and meet the needs and serve the interests of the people of this country.

I thank you.

Issued by The Presidency, 3 September 2021