STATEMENT ON CABINET MEETING

Issued by: GCIS

19 January 2000

Cabinet held its lekgotla on 17, 18 and 19 January to finalise the programme of government for the year 2000. This was followed by an ordinary Cabinet meeting on 19 January.

The lekgotla reviewed the implementation of the programme that the President announced in his speech to Parliament on 25 June 1999 as well as the challenges for the coming year.

These include:

• socio-economic programmes such as the Integrated Rural Development Strategy; multi-disciplinary approach to urban renewal; the campaign against AIDS/HIV and the broad challenges of poverty alleviation and development of infrastructure;
• macro-economic issues and job-creation, including the promotion of Small, Medium and Macro enterprises (SMME's) and Spatial Development Initiatives;
• South Africa's international relations, including the issue of the African Renaissance and relations with developing and developed countries;
• governance and administration which encompasses among others, the issue of integration of government work; human resource development and employment and wage policy in the public sector;
• the justice system and the prevention and combating of crime, underpinned by improved co-ordination and efficiency in the whole criminal justice cluster and human resource development.

The major decisions issuing from the discussions at the lekgotla will inform the State of the Nation Address by the President on 4 February.

Cabinet was also briefed on the discussions with representatives of the European Union on the Free Trade Agreement. Cabinet reiterated its commitment to the agreement signed last year and ratified by Parliament. The meeting called for integrity in the handling of inter-state matters and recognition of multi-lateral treaties on the matters under discussion; and it emphasised South Africa's rejection of any pressures that will set precedents far wider than these bilateral negotiations.

The meting was also briefed on the Parliamentary programme for the first quarter of the year, including the debate on the President's State of the Nation Address on 8 and 9 February.

The following Bills were approved for submission to Parliament:

• Amendments to the Competitions Act which propose among others changes to the composition of the Competition Appeal Court;
• Abolition of the Lebowa Minerals Trust Bill in line with new policy; and
• Administration of Estates Amendment Bill which repeals laws of the former "TBVC states" regulating the administration of estates.

The following appointments were approved (refer Department of Trade and Industry for further details):

• Members of the Standing Advisory Committee on Company Law, including Judge RJ Goldstone (Chair) and Judge L Mailula (Deputy Chairperson);
• New members of the Council of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).

Issued by Government Communications (GCIS) For further information contact: Joel Netshitenzhe 082-900-0083