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Date : 30/10/2002
Source: The Presidency
Title: J Zuma: Answers to questions in the NA


DEPUTY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA's RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, 30 October 2002

QUESTION NUMBER: 43

Mr C M Lowe (DP) to ask the Deputy President:

(1) Whether the NEPAD principles relating to good governance have been converted into a programme of action for South Africa for implementation in government and Parliament; if so, what are the relevant details; if not,

(2) Whether he intends to implement such a programme of action; if not, why not; if so, (a) by what date and (b) who has been tasked with drafting such programme of action?

REPLY:

Member States in the African Union have all agreed on the centrality of good governance for the success of our programmes. However a uniform programme has not been developed as yet.

South Africa has always attempted to address the issue of good governance even before the adoption of the NEPAD principles. Our record, Honourable Member, I am sure you will agree, speaks for itself. Good governance is entrenched in all aspects of system of government - in our constitution, in our structures and in the processes that we follow. We also have institutions that provide checks and balances and are capable of evaluating our progress - one of these is Parliament, which has a key role to play in this regard.

QUESTION NUMBER: 44

Dr R Rabinowitz (IFP) to ask the Deputy President:

1. Whether, as leader of the SA National AIDS Council, he has been asked to mediate between the Department of Health and the KwaZulu-Natal department of health in order to settle the dispute in respect of funding from the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria which was dedicated for exclusive use by KwaZulu-Natal; if so, what are the relevant details;

2. Whether he intends acting as mediator in the dispute; if not, why not;

3. What is the rationale behind the deviation from the terms of the donor funding?

REPLY

In answering the Honourable Member's question, I would like to take the opportunity to explain the details of the Global Fund issue to this House.

There was no dispute between the MEC for Health in KZN and the National Minister of Health. When the Global Fund was established, some member countries, including South Africa, drew up rules on how funds were to be accessed. The focus of these rules was to ensure an equitable distribution of funds. One of the rules that was decided was that applications for countries' funds would be channelled through a country co-ordinating body. With regards to the KwaZulu-Natal application, colleagues from the Province submitted a provincial application, which was not in accordance with the rules. Instead of a national co-ordinating body they presented a provincial co-ordinating body as the co-ordinating structure. In terms of the Global Fund rules that had been determined, this application could not be entertained because it meant that South Africa would have submitted two applications, one from a province and one from the National Government instead of one application as all the other countries had agreed. This would have meant South Africa violating rules that had been drafted with its participation. To correct this matter, we had to indicate that the KwaZulu-Natal application was a provincial one and that the application they had submitted would be incorporated as part of a national application.

As chair of SANAC I interacted with both the National Minister of Health and the MEC in KwaZulu-Natal on this matter and there was a clear understanding as to how the matter should be handled.

In answering the Honourable Member's question: No, there was no dispute but a lack of information and I did not have to mediate, as there was no conflict.

QUESTION NUMBER: 45

Mr M R Baloyi (ANC) to ask the Deputy President:

(1) Whether he will make a statement on a recent survey of public opinion in South Africa, which found that South Africans who are better off are viewing Government performance more favourably that before, but that poorer people are less satisfied that previously;

(2) Whether any evidence contrary to this view is available; if so, what are the relevant details?

REPLY:

Surveys and opinion polls are conducted to gauge public opinion. Whilst it is always important to take note of these surveys it is equally true that they are not the only way of determining public opinion or feelings. Using the South African situation as an example, public opinion has always been changing reflecting the changing circumstance and developments over a period of time. It is also true that people's perceptions of specific issues will not be identical, for example the media will report on a matter in a particular way whilst sociologists and researchers will have a different slant. They also use different methods in arriving at their different slants.

Our approach as Government is that whilst taking note of these views we also rely on direct interaction with our people on the ground through the Imbizo programme. In the imbizo there are no limits to the numbers of people who participate or to the types of questions - it is the people themselves who decide what they want to ask and express their views on government performance. As the Honourable Member knows, this programme is the most advanced method of consultation and gauging the views of the people. This programme gives them an opportunity to ask, comment, criticise, praise and advise. It is informative, reliable and effective. Our findings in the imbizo have highlighted areas of improvement requiring government's attention as well as informing us as to the areas in which we are succeeding.

QUESTION NUMBER: 47

Adv D M Bakker (New NP) to ask the Deputy President:

(1) Whether any steps have been taken to develop a national moral charter as referred to in his introductory address on the debate on moral regeneration; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;

(2) Whether details of the campaign have been released to the citizens of South Africa, especially with regard to how they can participate in drawing up the charter; if not, when will this be done; if so, (a) when is it anticipated that the charter will be released and (b) what are the further relevant details;

(3) Whether any proactive steps have been taken by the Moral Regeneration Movement to confront the manifestations of moral decay in our society, with specific reference to the abuse of women, children and the elderly; if not' why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

REPLY

1. The Interim Executive Committee of the Moral Regeneration Movement is currently mapping out the process that will culminate in the adoption of a National Moral Charter by all South Africans. The focus of the Charter will be the building of communities.

2. The Moral Regeneration Movement will be inviting South Africans from every corner of the country to make submissions and inputs to the Charter. The Movement will be releasing details before the end of the year on the process to be followed in receiving submissions.

It is expected that the Charter will be launched next year.

3. From the beginning, I have always emphasised that it is not Government's task alone to address and correct moral degeneration. It is up to each one of us to contribute in whatever way we can to the moral renewal of our society. All stakeholders including those representing women, children and the elderly participated in the Moral Regeneration Movement launch held in Pretoria in April this year. It is expected that they will continue to participate in the formulation of the Moral Regeneration Charter, which should provide the framework for the strategies to address the moral decay in our society.

QUESTION NUMBER: 49

Mr I M Cachalia (ANC) to ask the Deputy President:

In light of World AIDS Day to be celebrated on 1 December 2002, (a) what inroads has South Africa made in the fight against AIDS and (b) what does the Government expect each South African to do in the fight against AIDS?

REPLY

a) As we move closer to the commemoration of World AIDS Day on the 1st of December of which this year's theme is "I care enough to act, do you?", I am proud to note the success that we have made as a country in fighting this epidemic.

As I reported to this House before, the awareness levels have gone up and this is evidenced by the latest annual survey of pregnant women receiving care in the public sector which indicates that HIV prevalence amongst those less than 20 years old is declining for the third year. This is an indication of success of the educational programmes, which have been conducted in partnership with ordinary South Africans who understand that HIV/AIDS is an issue of concern for Every South African. All South Africans must care enough to act.

Since the last time when I addressed Parliament on this issue, I am also very pleased to note the progress that is evident with regards to the reduction of a worrying tendency that was emerging where some members regarded HIV/AIDS as being the responsibility of the executive alone. In front of this very House in May 2002, many of you joined me in candle lighting ceremony to remember all those that had died from the disease. This was evidence of your commitment to this fight. By doing so you were being exemplary as the National Parliament to the entire country giving the necessary leadership as Members of Parliament.

Members will also be aware that the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission continues and additional sites have been rolled out throughout the country to address HIV/AIDS. Our budget as a country has also allocated R1 Billion this and will increase to R1.8 annually in the next three years to deal with this pandemic. A Trust Fund has also been established by the comprising representatives of government and civil society to deal with the objectives of SANAC. More work still needs to be done. I will ask of you as I have always asked, that each one of you do whatever you can to address and fight this disease.

As we move towards World AIDS Day, I call on all parliamentarians to either join your provincial commemoration services to mark this important day or formulate programme within their communities to commemorate this day. As the chairperson of SANAC I will join the national commemoration that will be held in Kimberley in the Northern Cape. I urge all of you to do your bit to show that you care.

QUESTION NUMBER: 51

Dr P W A Mulder (FF) to ask the Deputy President:

(1) What is the current status of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region;

(2) Whether allegations that as a facilitator he is not objective are affecting this process; if not what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?

REPLY

1. The current peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo is two pronged, i.e. (i.) the continuation of the talks between the different Congolese parties following their participation in the Inter-Congolese Dialogue at Sun City and (ii.) the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement.

The following progress has been reported by the Secretary-General of the United Nations:

* 2287 Ugandan forces, 3477 Zimbabweans forces, 700 Burundian forces and 20 941 Rwandan forces have been withdrawn from the DRC;
* Some leaders of the ex-FAR and Interhamwe have been arrested and declared persons non grata in the DRC.

The implementation of Lusaka agreement and the Pretoria Agreement remain on track. The political solution of the DRC is nearing completion and discussions are currently taking place in Pretoria.

The Burundi situation is also yielding positive results. On 7 October a Heads of State Summit was held in Dar es Salaam attended by all the regional leaders, President Mbeki and former President Mandela. Two of the factions - the CNDD-FDD of Jean Bosco and the Palipehutu-FNL of Alin Magarabone - signed a cease-fire agreement with the Transitional Government of Burundi. Based on the report and recommendations I had submitted, the heads of State Summit granted the armed groups that had not signed a further 30 day period of grace within which they were directed to negotiate and sign a cease fire agreement.

I am currently chairing the talks in Tanzania. The CNDD-FDD of Nkurinziza has entered into discussions on a cease-fire agreement, whilst the Palipehutu-FNL of Ruata Agaton has presented preconditions for entering cease-fire negotiations.

2. Allegations of bias have not affected negotiations. Allegations of bias are often made against facilitators in such processes. If anything once such allegations emerge it is an indication of a positive impact. The Honourable Member will remember that when the late former President of Tanzania, Mwalimu Nyerere, started the Burundi peace process he was heavily labelled as being biased by the negotiating parties and by the so called experts on Burundi. Former President Nelson Mandela, the current facilitator who is acknowledged by all in the world as the most honest and balanced leader, was also labelled by the negotiating parties as favouring one of the parties for the position of President of the Transitional Government. People who are accustomed to negotiating processes therefore know that such allegations are a natural consequence.

QUESTION NO 52

Dr G W Koornhof (UDM to ask the Deputy President:

Whether his statement on 30 September 2002 that the ruling party was in favour of retaining the current electoral system of proportional representation reflects the official position of the Government; if not, what is the position in this regard, if so, (a) how does this accord with the appointment of the Electoral Task Team and (b) how does the Government reconcile this position with the floor-crossing legislation which impacts on the proportionality, exclusivity and fairness referred to in his statement?

REPLY

The statement the Honourable Member refers to was my closing address to the ANC National Policy Conference. It contained a summary of the deliberations of the ANC Policy Conference and detailed some of the proposed resolutions that will be tabled to the ANC's 51st National Conference in December. The statement reflects the position of the ANC on the electoral system and not that of Government.

The Electoral Task Team was established to draft new electoral legislation as required by our Constitution. One of the requirements set by Cabinet was that the task team should consult with other stakeholders - mainly political parties. I am sure that the Honourable Member will agree that the ANC - as one of the main parties and in fact the majority party - has a constitutional right to formulate a position on this matter. Government will consider the Task Team's Report once it has completed its work.

I do not believe that the floor-crossing legislation and support for proportional representation is contradictory as was borne out by the recent Constitutional Court judgement.

QUESTION NUMBER: 53

Adv Z L Madasa (ACDP) to ask the Deputy President:

Whether the economic policy of the Government distinguishes between the redistribution of wealth and the empowerment of persons previously disadvantaged by the apartheid policies; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

REPLY

Our policies, including our economic policies are driven by a need to address the disparities that were caused by apartheid. Those disparities as the Honourable member is aware took different forms and occurred at different levels. As a response, we have therefore adopted a multipronged approach that seeks to respond to the different situations - guided by the principle of addressing past imbalances. This will include consistently ensuring effective participation of all and not just a few select South Africans in our economy, whilst on the other hand dealing with bread and butter issues such as the provision of shelter, water and food for our people. There is therefore no distinction between redistribution of wealth and the empowerment of the historically disadvantaged. The main thrust of our policies is to achieve our gaol of bringing about a better life for our people.

Issued by The Presidency
30 October 2002

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