STATEMENT ON CABINET MEETING

Issued by: Office of the President

Cabinet met today, 4 March 1998 in ordinary session.

The Cabinet received a comprehensive briefing from the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Broadcasting on a strategy for Information Technology, and approved, among others, recommendations for:

• the consolidation of the government's network and technology in order to ensure efficient service to the public;
• the establishment of a ministerial information and communications technology investment cluster in order to further speed up the growth of a sector that has massive potential, and which will place South Africa on the global communications "highway";
• the setting up of a Centre for Information and Communications Technologies as an advisory body comprised of both the public and private sectors; and
• the continuing work to lay out a high-speed information network throughout the country.

Cabinet also received a report on the recent Gold Mining Summit; and it noted the positive spirit of co-operation, and the search for practical solutions which characterised deliberations at the Summit. Cabinet approved the proposals emerging from the Summit, including participation of government in the tripartite Gold Crisis Committee, the establishment of a Rapid Response Team and research into employment generation and the absorption of retrenched miners through beneficiation.

Cabinet approved the transformation of Certain Rural Areas Bill which will repeal the apartheid Rural Act applicable to some "Coloured reserves". In this regard, Cabinet noted the extensive consultations which had taken place with these communities, and the fact that the Bill will afford them rights which they were hitherto denied. It also approved the submission of the following other Bills to Parliament:

• Unlawful Occupation of Land Bill;
• Shipping Laws Amendment Bill;
• Conversion of South African Special Risks Association Bill;
• South African Passports and Travel Document Amendment Bill.

Cabinet approved amendments to the White Paper on Local Government which will include an appeal to political parties to apply a 50% quota for women representatives. It also noted continuing investigations and consultations on the detail of the place and role of traditional leaders in Local Government structures.

The meeting also approved the programme for mass constitutional education, which will be conducted by all spheres of government, co-operating with Non-Governmental Organisations.

These and other matters will be elaborated upon by the relevant Ministries and departments.

4 March 1998

Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)

For further information, contact Joel Netshitenzhe 082 900 0083