Responses to questions for oral reply to the Premier

27 November 2012

9. Hon BT Shongwe, ANC, to ask Hon. Premier:

Your Office has been in the recent months hard at work in changing the lives of poor people for the better through delivering decent houses to various poor people of Mpumalanga.

(i). How many poor families have thus far benefited from the Premier’s housing program? And which regions and communities have benefited thus far?

Response

The Program has benefitted 147 poor families in the Province. (70 from Nkangala, 39 from Gert Sibande and 38 from Ehlanzeni Districts)

(ii). Which business companies have been able to adhere to the Premier’s plea to contribute in changing the lives of people?

Response:

There are 43 sponsors who contributed to the cause thus far. The sponsors comprises of individuals and companies. Among others, this includes companies such as:

• Putco
• MTN
• Busor
• Technicrete
• Megabus
• Various construction companies, and most importantly
• Individuals who have volunteered from their own pockets

(iii) Has this program been able to assist the most destitute community members like the elders, child headed families and disabled persons?

Response

Yes, the beneficiaries are Child headed households, Elderly and disabled persons.

10. Hon. VS Siwela, ANC, to ask the Hon. Premier:

Recently, the Statistician-General and President Zuma officially announced the 2011 Census outcomes which shows that South African population has grown up to 51 770 560 people and also shows an increase in the delivery of basic services like water and electricity by the ANC led government:

• What are the provincial trends which we can draw from the outcome of the census?

Response

Key provincial trends that can be drawn from the outcome of the census includes, among other things:

• Population change as a result of re-demarcation of provincial boundaries since 2001:

Mpumalanga had the second largest decrease in size, the extent of which decreased by 2 992 square kilometres with Limpopo province being the main recipient of this land area. Areas that were affected involves: following boundaries were affected:

• The boundary between Gauteng and Mpumalanga:
• As Members will recall, a portion of Delmas municipality then in 2001, now called Victor Kanye, was allocated to the City of Tshwane in Gauteng.
• Kungwini, also a cross boundary municipality, was incorporated into the City of Tshwane and currently is fully allocated to the Gauteng Province.

• Another area is the boundary between Mpumalanga and Limpopo:
• Greater Groblersdal, now Elias Motsoaledi; Greater Marble Hall now Ephraim Mogale; and Greater Thubatse were cross-boundary municipalities between Mpumalanga and Limpopo and have now been allocated in full to the Limpopo province. Ephraim Mogale municipality absorbed the Schuinsdraai Nature Reserve.
• On the eastern side, Bushbuckridge municipality was a cross-boundary municipality between Limpopo and Mpumalanga and has now been allocated in full to Mpumalanga province. Bushbuckridge also absorbed a portion of the Kruger National Park cross boundary District management area.

With regard to access to basic services, it is true that such access has been increasing since the ANC-led government took over.

• The census of 2011 relating to households that have access to piped water by province, show that:

The proportion of households having access to pipe water is high in all provinces, with Mpumalanga Province at 72%. The highest proportion of those with piped water inside the dwelling or yard is in Gauteng with 89,4%, while the proportion of households that reported to have no access to piped water is highest in Eastern Cape at 22,2%.

• The Census of 1996, Census 2001, Community Survey 2007, and Census of 2011 also show that:

The proportion of households using electricity as a source of energy for lighting by province increased over the period, with Mpumalanga province at 86.4%, from just 51.3% during 1996 census. This is also above the national average of 84.7% even though the highest proportion was recorded in Western Cape at 93,4% while the lowest was recorded in Eastern Cape at 75%.

• Relating to percentage distribution of households using electricity for cooking by province: Census 1996, Census 2001, Community Survey 2007, and Census 2011 indicate that:

There has been an expected upward trend in the proportion of households using electricity for cooking in all the provinces, from 47.1% in 1996 to 73.9% in 2011. Mpumalanga province has increased from 32.2% in 1995 to 69.3% in 2011.

• Percentage distribution of households using electricity for heating by province, Census 1996, Census 2001, Community Survey 2007, and Census 2011 further show that:

The proportion of households using electricity for heating increased over the period in all provinces as shown in the figure that I have just alluded to above, that is, from 44.5% in 1996 to 58.8% in 2011. The highest proportion was recorded in Gauteng at 74, 3%, followed by Western Cape at 63, 1%. The proportion rate for the Province has increased from 29. 6% in 1996 to 57.6% in 2011 and this is slightly below the national average of 58.8%.

• What are the planning implications provided by this census for the province of Mpumalanga?

Response

Even though Mpumalanga had the second largest decrease in size by 2 992 square kilometres, the absorption of Bushbuckridge municipality which was a cross-boundary municipality between Limpopo and Mpumalanga, has led to a high increase of population especially within the Ehlanzeni District Municipality. The implications are that provincial plans must be properly aligned and adequate resources be allocated to cater for the increased population rate.

Even though, the proportion of households having access to pipe water is high in the Province at 72%, there is still a need to provide adequate resources to cover the remaining 28%, including resources for maintenance as well.

The increased proportion of households using electricity as a source of energy for lighting by province, of which is at 86.4% currently, means that the demand for electricity usage has increased and there is a need for maintenance and increase of the power supply to meet the demand. This is also supported by the fact that there is an expected upward trend in the proportion of households using electricity for cooking in all the provinces, from 47.1% in 1996 to 73.9% in 2011, with Mpumalanga province at 69.3% in 2011, coming from 32.2% in 1995.

• With more people said to be migrating from rural provinces to Gauteng, is Mpumalanga affected by this trend and if yes, how are we affected?

Response

Mpumalanga is affected by the trend of people moving to Gauteng; however this has not translated in the decline in the population growth rate since there has been an increase within the same period.

According to Census 2011, Mpumalanga also shows high net inflow between the 2001 and 2011 Censunses with Gauteng showing the highest in-flow figures.

With life-time migration, Mpumalanga has also experienced more people migrating out of the Province in the past ten years. With Mpumalanga, it is found that 19% were born outside the country and 23% and 21% were born in Gauteng and Limpopo respectively.

11. Hon. AM Bernadie, DA, to ask the Hon. Premier:

On the 3rd of July 2012, during a meeting in your office Hon Premier, we discussed land invasion currently taking place in Mpumalanga. Can the Hon Premier please indicate the following?

• What progress has been made on the draft land invasion legislation which you alluded to during the meeting?

Response

The Provincial Government, through the Department of Human Settlements, is working on an Informal Settlements Bill which seeks to address land invasion effectively in the Province.

As we speak, the Bill is being subjected to public comment, after which the other legislative steps will ensue. 

• How many land invasions have been reported in Mpumalanga since January 2010? Please indicate all illegal land occupation known, both private and public?

Response

Honourable Member, this type of information as requested is a challenge because, currently, we do not have coherent systems and data sets that account for each and every land invasion that takes place in different pieces of land belonging to different landowners.

We will ensure that the forum under the House of Traditional Leaders, which is already in existence, come up with mechanisms to address the challenge. Role players include the House of Traditional Leaders, DARDLA, COGTA, South African Local Government Association (SALGA), DHS, South African Police Services, Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, Safety and Security and other relevant stakeholders. We believe that through this forum, reporting of such cases will improve.

• What has Government done to assist the land owners as well as the land invaders to come to a reasonable solution?

Response

The Provincial government is currently working very closely with municipalities with a view of finding a long lasting solution to this challenge. We are busy putting together a long-term Human Settlement Plan for the Province.

It is a Plan:

• That looks at issues of spatial disparities that exist between rural and urban areas with a view of creating new spatially integrated and sustainable human settlements;
• That looks at growth points in the Province and inform Spatial Development Plans of municipalities;
• That creates different types of settlements to people living in rural, urban and farm areas.
• That seeks to encourage local economic development in rural areas, partly to slow down migration of people from rural to urban areas – a movement which result in the mushrooming of informal settlement in urban areas.

We believe that such a Plan will assist, inter alia, to address this problem of land invasion.

• What progress has the Premier made on considering the proposal for the establishment of an interim land invasion intervention unit as proposed to you?

Response

The Department of Agriculture & land Administration (DARDLA) has already been tasked by the Executive Council Lekgotla to come up with interim interventions while waiting for the conclusion of the Human Settlement Plan.

We have further instructed the Department to work together with the House of Traditional Leaders, Department of Human Settlements, Department of Rural Development and Land Affairs, and Municipalities in finding mechanisms to curb this behaviour. We expect the Department to table a report to Cabinet very soon in this regard.

• Please indicate the number of illegal eviction or forced removals that have taken place in Mpumalanga since January 2010, and how many of these cases were reported to the South African Police?

Response

This issue is monitored by Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. As indicated above, reporting will, in future, be done in a more coordinated way through the  forum under the House of Traditional Leaders, of which, I have already pointed out earlier on the stakeholders comprising such a forum.

12. Hon. KAP Madonsela, COPE, to ask the Hon. Premier

It is a year now that the Auditor General has presented a report on performance audit of infrastructure delivery process at the Department of Education and Health in Mpumalanga Province and the role that is played by the Department of Public Works in assisting these departments. The following weaknesses were identified 1) Demand Management, 2) Acquisition Management 3) Project Management

• Is the Premier aware of such a report? If yes.

Response

Yes, I am aware of such a report.

• What interventions and strategies have been implemented by the Province to assist the above mentioned departments to deliver on the areas mentioned above? Please indicate interventions per department and progress thereof

Response

The Department has, among other things:

• Recruited personnel with requisite skills – technical skills to be precise;
• Appointed an Infrastructure Delivery Improvement Programme Technical Adviser to fast-track the delivery of infrastructure projects;
• Have been supplied with a Program Management Support Unit (PMSU) from the National Department of Health to augment the technical capacity of the Department, particularly in the areas of planning and project management;
• Has enforced strict compliance with Government Immovable Asset Management Act (GIAMA) 19 of 2007; and
• Continuously subjecting internal staff to training and capacity building on Infrastructure Delivery Management System (IDMS) – a course offered by the University of Pretoria.

• Does the Province have an infrastructure needs determination policy/framework to guide the above mentioned departments?

Response

Currently, infrastructure in government is governed by GIAMA and Infrastructure Delivery Management System.

We are doing our best to comply fully with the requirements and provisions of the Act and the management system, particularly with regard to immovable assets for service delivery, right from acquisition up to disposal of condemned assets.

For long-term, the Government is developing a Provincial Infrastructure Master Plan to guide future investment in infrastructure development. This Plan is complete and currently being aligned with the Provincial Vision 2030 – our long-term plan.

iv. Do the above mentioned strategies yielding results?
     If yes, please expand on them.

Response

Yes indeed, these interventions are, slowly but surely, beginning to yield results, however, the journey is still long.

13. Hon. NC Mamabolo, ANC, to ask the Hon. Premier:

Regarding the historical achievement of the province under your administration, the president announced in July that the new university in Mpumalanga will be built in the agricultural college in Mbombela:

• Besides the site of the university what other preparatory work has been achieved towards the establishment of the university?

Response

Besides the sites of the university, the Minister of Higher Education and Training has established a Project Management Team to plan for the new Universities in Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape.

A number of expert groups have been established and are working towards different aspects of the new university. This includes, among other things:

• Institutional and organisation design:

This is a group of high level experts in higher education have been working towards developing guidelines and policies for the development of an effective university. These include all policies for the establishment.  This documentation will be handed over to the interim council once the institution has been gazetted.

• Academic Focus Groups:

It is a group that focuses on planning for the academic programmes that will be offered by the institution. The overall framework for the programme qualification mix (PQM) for the new institution has been designed. The PQM defines the academic programmes that will be offered across various fields of study. Work towards identifying the start-up programmes for 2014 is advanced and issues related to the accreditation of programmes have been agreed upon with the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

• Physical and Spatial Planning and Land Assembly: This includes aspects such as land assembly, environmental impact and economic impact analyses. The national Department will be working together with provincial Departments of Public Works relating to these aspects.

• We are engaged in Stakeholder Consultation and change management processes, including
• Legal considerations for the establishment of the new institutions.

• Feasibility study has been completed and submitted to national treasury, including the CAPEX and OPEX funding requirements

In addition, the Mpumalanga Government has availed the facilities at the former kwa-Ndebele College for the implementation of a teacher education programme from January 2013.

This campus will be incorporated into the new University once established. One hundred students (100) will be enrolled towards a B.Ed Foundation Phase programme, already accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority ( SAQA). The programme will be delivered under a joint partnership with the University of Johannesburg that has an excellent reputation on teacher training programmes

ii. Has the process of public consultation been considered especially of relevant stakeholders in crafting the curriculum content of the university?

Response

Public consultation has been considered in crafting the Programme Qualification Mix (PQM) for the new institution.

The PQM defines the academic programmes that will be offered across various fields of study.  This consultation included discussions with various provincial stakeholders and consideration of the provincial development plan (as part of the original Task Team work).

In addition it has involved expert academic groups as described in Question 1. The actual curriculum for the programmes will be developed by academics in line with relevant qualifications policies, requirements by professional bodies, and the requirements of Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council in Higher Education (CHE).   

iii. What are the possible financial costs to the province?

Response

Direct funding for the establishment of the new universities shall be provided through the national fiscus. If funding is to be provided through the province, this would be through an agreed upon process.

However, the relevant sphere of government in the province, namely the provincial administration or municipality, would indirectly fund the establishment of the university through the provision of infrastructure and services such as access roads to the university and bulk water supply. These costs have not been determined yet.

14. Hon. SJ Masango, DA, to ask the Hon. Premier:

With regards to the Premiers recent road show to Mpumalanga hospitals, where you expressed your dismay over the state of basic health care in the Province.  Could the Premier please explain?

• Why did the Hon Premier and his Executive Council allow Department of Health to reduce its number of posts from 44 199 in 2011 to 18 595 in 2012.

Response

The 44 199 are approved posts on the establishment and 18 595 are filled posts (with warm bodies).

The Department of Public Service and Administration directed that all departments in the country should abolish all vacant posts that cannot be filled. These posts are only abolished from PERSAL. This process is known as PERSAL Clean-up. This process removes all the posts that we can live without and those that cannot be filled due to scarcity of skilled personnel.

As and when the need arises, posts are advertised and filled and are then created on PERSAL based on the approved organogram.

• Why did the Hon Premier and the Executive Council impose a moratorium on the filling of vacant posts as a cost saving exercise at the expense of health care?

Response

When the Executive Council imposed a moratorium, it was meant to re-prioritise the budget, making it to tilt towards service delivery rather than increasing the wage bill rather than conducting a merely cost-curtailment exercise.

All Departments were provided space to evaluate their individual financial standing versus service delivery. During this period departments were allowed to fill all critical vacant posts necessary to accelerate service delivery.

The Department of Health has been filling posts through adverts and head hunting of suitably qualified health professionals during the period of the moratorium. The Executive Council lifted the moratorium in September 2011.

• Why did it take an unnecessary and costly road show for you to realise the state of Mpumalanga Provincial hospitals when the DA has, for months, been highlighting the lack of infrastructure, shortage of health professionals and the deplorable state of our hospitals?

Response

This is quite an interesting question. If you know our Manifesto, of which, I know that you do, Health is one of our five priorities.

These challenges that you are highlighting are well known to the Ruling Party.

Therefore, my recent visits to hospitals, of which, are not my first visits, have nothing to do in terms of establishing the status of hospitals. They were part of my programmes. I am visiting schools, destitute communities, municipalities and different stakeholders every time.

The challenges of poor of infrastructure and shortage of health professionals are known to me and were not only realized during my hospital visits neither informed by what the DA has been saying.
Therefore, the current planning for health infrastructure and its implementation is meant to address these challenges.

Shortage of health professionals is not only a provincial matter but also a national challenge. We do not have enough science students to take up these streams.

Due to the above-mentioned reason, the department of health has been recruiting health professionals on an ongoing basis.

It is the prerogative of the Premier to visit any hospital within his province at any time he deems necessary. Therefore, such an activity cannot be labeled as wasteful.

• Could the Hon Premier please explain why after all these years hospital, CEO’s are still not allowed the necessary autonomy to manage the financial and day to day affairs of their hospitals and why are still forced to rely on departmental officials in Nelspruit that do not know or understand grassroots conditions and local community requirements?

Response

The Chief Executive Officers have the autonomy to manage the day to day affairs of the hospitals. Financial delegations were removed from all health facilities in the past and centralized to HQ due to lack of capacity at that level.  

The department is in the process of appointing capable CEOs. It has also started training all hospital CEOs and all responsible managers on the PFMA and Treasury Regulations. Delegation of powers to CEOs will then gradually be rolled out.

• On 5 November the media quoted you where you stated that you will take action against the departmental officials who are given the responsibility of ensuring people get health care.  Does this mean that the Hon Premier will relieve the MEC and HOD, as the political and administrative heads as you are responsible for their appointment in the first place.

Response

The Premier indicated that he will take action against officials who are given responsibility to ensure that people get help and fail to do so. During my hospital visits I have assessed this matter and have taken action where necessary, guided of course by policies, legislation and regulations that govern the jurisdiction of the provincial government.

15. Hon. NS Mtsweni, ANC, to ask the Hon. Premier:

Mpumalanga Province received four clean audits in the 2010-11 local government audit results- the highest percentage in the country for this period

• What positive work is being done by the Province to ensure we achieve our set national target of clean audit by 2014?

Response

• This is an important and critical objective. The Provincial government is all out to ensure that we meet this target by 2014. We have initiated some few interventions. This includes, inter alia:
• The assignment of COGTA and the Provincial Treasury to jointly assist all municipalities in the province to develop Remedial Action Plans.

 

• The remedial Action Plans were developed with the aim to ensure that issues as raised by the Auditor General are dealt with effectively.
• The progress by municipalities was monitored and a Support Framework was developed to assist municipalities with issues in relation to Operation Clean Audit.

 

• Financial experts were deployed by National Treasury to all municipalities who received qualifications and disclaimers.
• Provincial Treasury and COGTA conducted two rounds of verification. Teams were deployed to obtain detailed information on remedial actions from each municipality that received disclaimers or qualified audit opinion.

 

• MECs for COGTA and Finance also visited identified municipalities during the verification process to ascertain the readiness of municipalities to compile and submit Financial Statements by the required date. Interaction with Council, Administration and Consultants on readiness to submit complete set of Annual Financial Statement (AFS) to the Auditor-General.

 

• Following the submission of the financial statements a comprehensive integrated  support framework with specific interventions were developed for Municipalities on all areas in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act.
• Three support teams were identified to visit municipalities as from 12 November 2012.

ii) What are the lessons which we can learn as a Province from some of the successes from municipalities which got clean audits?

Response

Lessons learnt involve, among other things:

• That management should take responsibility of all activities to be performed in improving the audit outcomes and not leave everything in the hands of the CFO.
• That internal Audit Units and Audit Committees’ roles and responsibilities must become part of oversight within councils to improve on financial management and reporting.
• That municipalities must not wait for year-end to put systems and processes in place or to review the systems.

• That Quarterly reviews are critical in ensuring that municipalities develop portfolio of evidence on performance.
• That the compilation of midyear financial statement is important to ensure that challenges are addressed on time.
  

16. Hon. VV Windvoel, ANC, to ask the Hon. Premier:

The Office of the Premier has over the past two financial years received a financially unqualified audit outcome from the Auditor-General. For 2011/12 financial year your Office received a financially unqualified with no findings:

• What has been some of the positive contribution done by your Office in order to achieve this outcome?

Response

The Office of the Premier has amongst others:

• Involved high level leadership in the preparations and quality checking of the Annual Financial Statements and Performance Information;
• Reviewed the draft Audit Financial Statement and Performance Information Report before submission to AG by 31 May every year;
• Monitored the implementation of action plans as per the AG’s report, and
• Implemented recommendations of the internal Audit Unit on all audits conducted throughout the year.

• What lessons can be best learnt by other departments on this achievement?

Response

Departments can emulate from the Office, amongst others, the following:

• Integrated working between the internal Audit Unit, Senior Management Services Members, the Auditor-General and the Audit Committee;
• Leadership involvement in the audit process on a continuous basis;
• Ability to develop and thoroughly monitor action plans on a continuous basis.

• What message can you send to Provincial departments, municipalities and Parastatals which continue to get bad audit outcomes in Mpumalanga?

Response

It is important that Departments and Municipalities, as well as Parastatals, should learn that audit processes are not a responsibility of the Accounting officer with CFO and the Planner, but are a responsibility of all Senior Management Services Members responsible for the work of Government.

It is also important that these institutions must learn that action plans must not only be developed and left to run unchecked but require thorough monitoring, hence the involvement of top leadership throughout the process becomes a necessity.

17. Hon. AM Bernadie, to ask the Hon. Premier:

With regards to making tourism a priority in Mpumalanga, can the Hon. Premier please indicate the following:

• What steps have the Provincial Government taken to ensure that tourism is prioritised in Mpumalanga?

Response

The Province is continually engaging in national tourism forums coordinated by the National Department of Tourism and South African Tourism where tourism priorities are discussed at a national level. These engagements amongst other matters also motivate for joint marketing entities. Two such marketing campaigns are under discussion at this level and once implemented, they will promote and profile the province domestically, regionally and internationally.

The Province allocated an amount of R44 million during the current financial year to maintain and upgrade infrastructure in four reserves, namely, Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, Manyeleti Nature Reserve and Songimvelo Nature Reserve. Work is underway to upgrade infrastructure in these reserves. This initiative will make the said facilities to be attractive to tourists.

A domestic consumer campaign, running from October until end of November is currently underway promoting the destination to the key source market of Gauteng. This campaign is targeting the Festive season travellers from Gauteng and appealing to their travel needs of a tranquil and relaxed holiday. The campaign platforms include mall activation, radio and online women magazines.

• What initiative have the Provincial Government taken to assist tour operators with the licensing and acquiring of their vehicle and operate permits, in a way that would encourage their operation in the Province?

Response

The function of licensing and acquiring of vehicles and permits is done by the department of Transport (the department). The role that Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) is playing involves liaising with operators to ensure that the license and permit issued by the Department is appropriate and suitable for the type of vehicle and for tourist safety and comfort.

The Agency plays a liaison role where there are challenges to ensure that the department understands the nature of business and support needed by the tourism industry.

In essence, the Agency facilitates, inter alia, the registration process of the tour operator as a provider of transport business, capture it on our database if the service provider has complied with all the legal requirements of licensing and permit issuing by the department.

Some of the initiative the MTPA has done include conducting workshops to inform and educate the industry stakeholders so that there is proper liaison and communication gab is closed.

•  What is the nature and extent of maintenance and upgrading undertaken by the provincial government in terms of natural tourist destinations in Mpumalanga, such as waterfalls, Gods Window, Bouker Luck Potholes and other such attractions?

Response

Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency in the current year (2012/2013) received a special allocation of R44 million as part of the rescue package for tourism infrastructure development and maintenance to enable the province to regain its potential to attract high number of tourists in prime tourism destination areas.

The budget was allocated to address poor infrastructure conditions in the following four prioritized nature reserves, namely, Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, Manyeleti Nature Reserve, Loskop Dam Nature Reserve and Songimvelo Nature Reserve. The following upgrade and maintenance work has been prioritized for the Blyde River Canyon:

Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve

Bourke’s Luck Potholes

• Construction of a new entrance gate which will accommodate buses without obstructing the main road
• Construction of a new restaurant with a capacity of 50 seats
• Reconstruction of an eco-centre with new animal tropies, lighting and geological features
• Upgrading of ablution facilities, offices and guest houses
• Drilling of new boreholes for water supply

God’s Window

• Construction of new entrance gates, parking areas, walkways and view sites railings
• Drilling of new boreholes for water supply

Drie Rondawels and Lowveld Views

• Resealing and repair of roads
• Instillation of view sites walkways and railings
• Construction of ablution facilities

River falls

• Curio stalls and ablution facilities
• Construction of ablution facilities were constructed at the Berlin, Lisbon and Bridal Falls.

• What is the Premier's view on the contribution of Pilgrim’s Rest and Botshabelo (outside Middelburg) to the tourism economy of the province, and what is the Premiers vision for the future of these historical town or villages?

Response

The Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (DEDET) is working on the issues around Pilgrim’s Rest as there is a recognition that, because of its historic nature, these areas of the Province are a jewel to the Province and could contribute to the growth of tourism into our Province.

Go back |  Print this page | Return to top