Issued by: Office of the President
The Cabinet met this morning in the Union Buildings, in the main considering legislation to be submitted to the Parliament.
A number of bills ans a South African Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Transport, Communications and Meteorology were approved. These are listed in the attached annexure.
The Cabinet approved the country's contribution towards the eleventh replenishment of the resources of the International Development Agency (IDA11), an affiliate of the World Bank Group that provides concessionary loans to the poorest countries and the International Trust Fund (a special fund of the IDA created to counter the trend of reduced resource flows to less developed countries, especially in Southern Africa). Over a three year cycle South Africa will contribute SDR 6.44 million (equivalent to US$9.7 million).
South Africa would benefit from participating in the replenishment of IDA11 and the Interim Trust Fund as its private sector would be eligible to bid for contracts financed from these resources. During the period 1 July 1994 to 30 June 1995, the South African private sector managed to win contracts worth US$ 171 million. This amount was due to increase, as 50% of IDA's resources would be expended in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the South African private sector was becoming increasingly active.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of a National Commission on Special Needs in Education and Training and agreed with the list of persons nominated to serve on the Commission by the Minister of Education.
The Cabinet approved the establishment of friendly bi-lateral relations with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
The Cabinet approved that the Department of Constitutional Development becomes a member of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum.
The Cabinet's decisions on the country's approach to the conflict in Burundi and the Special Pensions Bill in terms of Section 189 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1993 were dealt with in a separate briefing.
Further information will be provided by or is obtainable from the relevant Ministries or Departments.
SECRETARY OF THE CABINET 7 August 1996