Statement on the Cabinet Meeting of 2 December 2009, Pretoria

Cabinet held its last ordinary meeting of the year in Pretoria on 2 December 2009.
Cabinet reaffirmed the President’s message on World AIDS Day calling on all South Africans to take individual and collective responsibility in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Cabinet further raised the need to reiterate and sustain this message as the country unites to revitalise its response to the pandemic.

The meeting highlighted the importance of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Draw, with 31 countries descending on Cape Town the meeting identified the event as the defining moment for South Africa to display its capabilities in ensuring that the world experiences the most memorable football event ever to be held on the African continent.

Cabinet noted the commemoration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities today, 3 December 2009. The main event is held today in Stellenbosch, Cape Town and will be addressed by the Deputy President. Cabinet has and on behalf of the people of South Africa wished people with disabilities well as they commemorate this day.

In its deliberation, Cabinet commended the work done on the turn-around strategy for the local government by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs  and approved the proposed action plan with critical milestones to address the local governance challenges with the view to take this sphere of government onto a trajectory of delivery.

The timeous response and intervention by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development on the unfortunate media reports around the appointment of the Director of the National Directorate of the Public Prosecutions (NDPP) was welcomed. Government wishes to reiterate its confidence in the NDPP to carry out his responsibilities.

The meeting received the close out report on the National Macro-Organisation of the State (NMOS) Project. To date the project has achieved its objective of facilitating macro organisation in the new dispensation. From now on the various departments will finalise residual matters with the support from the Department of Public Service, National Treasury, and the Department of Public Works. The Minister in the Presidency: Performance Monitoring and Evaluation will continue to provide guidance and oversight where necessary.

The meeting noted the positive increase in a number of unqualified opinions by the Auditor-General from twenty nine entities in 2007/08 to fifty five entities in 2008/09 signalling an improvement of the audit outcomes by national and provincial institutions, including the timeous tabling of their 2008/09 annual reports. Government is pleased with this development  which is a clear indication that we are making progress, however, it still remains concerned  with the departments and entities with persistent poor audit outcomes.

Cabinet supported the relocation of the National War Room on poverty to the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform from the Deputy President’s office.

The draft policy proposal on the implementation of a National Health Insurance in SA was noted as work in progress. The meeting also agreed to an establishment of an Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Social Security and Retirement Reforms which will be convened by the Minister of Finance with other relevant Ministers to oversee the process and report to cabinet by the end of February 2010.

Cabinet noted Eskom’s revised price application to the National Energy Regulator of SA (NERSA) and also approved the Inter Ministerial Committee on Energy which will convene to consider the electricity challenge facing the country.  The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) plan was approved. The process of alignment with the Eskom Multi year price determination (MYPD2) application has been concluded. The IRP is in accordance with the Electricity Regulation Act in order to provide National Energy Regulator of SA with the necessary policy framework within which the 2010-2012 Eskom tariff application would be determined.

The amended Exhumation Policy in respect of victims of conflict of the past was approved in accordance with the truth and reconciliation commission. The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development will in due cause submit a Policy on Exhumations internationally. The meeting approved the draft regulations on exhumation, reburial and symbolic burial of deceased victims which will be submitted to the President for consideration and processing.

The nomination of the SA incumbent Finance Minister as the country’s Governor to the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank was noted. In the same vein the Minister of Finance would replace the Governor of the SA Reserve Bank as the country’s Governor to the International Monitory Fund (IMF) and the Governor of the SA Reserve Bank will serve as alternate Governor to the IMF.  

Cabinet approved that the amendment to the Trade, Development, and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA) be submitted to Parliament for ratification in accordance with the provision of Section 231 of the constitution.

The meeting also noted that the President will lead a high powered South African delegation constituting the Ministers of Water and Environmental Affairs Buyelwa Sonjica, International Relations and Co-operations Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and senior representatives of the South African government to the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP-15) of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 5th Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP-5) to the Kyoto Protocol from 7 – 18 December 2009.

The conference brings together all signatories to the UN Climate Change Convention to negotiate a broader and more ambitious global pact to combat climate change beyond 2012, as this is the year when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCC comes to an end.

South Africa enters this phase of negotiations advocating for a successful outcome that will be inclusive, fair and effective; that has a balance between adaptation and mitigation; and a balance between development and climate imperatives. Success in Copenhagen should strengthen climate resilient development and must urgently assist the world’s poorest and most vulnerable to adapt to the inevitable impacts of a rapidly changing climate.

Cabinet approved the conceptual approach to the establishment of the South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA), further agreeing that the work leading to the establishment of the agency should focus on integration rather than on initiating a new process.

Draft Bills

• The South African Post Office Bill, 2009 was approved
•  The Geoscience Amendment Bill, 2009 was approved and will be tabled to Parliament in 2010.

The following appointments were made:

• Ms A Williamson – Deputy Director-General (DDG) Human Resources - Home Affairs
• Ms N Magubane – DG Department of Energy
• Ms Baduza – Chief Operating Officer (COO) – Department of Arts and Culture
• Mr M.J Diphofu – DG of the Public Service Commission
• Mr M Michell – CEO - Financial Intelligence Service contract renewed for 5years
• Professor GM Nkondo (Chairperson); Dr KR Kganyago; Ms F Darries, Ms B Dlamini; Mr TA Barben; Advocate TS Madima; Ms JM Matlala and Ms U Satgoor were appointed to the new board of the National Library of South Africa (NLSA).
• Mr AB Silva; Mr L Rabbets; Ms Y Kwinana; Mr ZJ Sithole and Ms KH Mazwai were appointed as Non-Executive Directors to the South African Airways (SAA) board for a period of three years.
• Mr GL Rapoo was appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of South African Diamond and Precious Metals Regulator.
• Mr Bolani, Mr Ngcobo, Ms Mojapelo and Mr Peters were appointed to serve on the Estate Agency Affairs Board.
• The appointment of Professor Jafta as Chairperson and Professor Ntuli as Deputy Chairperson of Arts and Culture and National Heritage Distribution Agency (ACNHDA) of the National Lotteries Board (NLB) respectively.
• Mr Qhena was reappointed as Managing Director of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) Limited.
• Dr NA Nevhutanda (Chairperson); Adv GM Negota; Ms M Mokoka; Mr OM Shabangu; Ms NEP Loyilani; Mr G Reddy and Ms ZP Ntuli were appointed as members of the National Lotteries Board.
• Mr Raymond Remember Mali; Dr Harold J Adams; Mr Vivian Petersen; Prof Andre Lindsey Travill and Mr Edwin Mveleli Ncula were appointed as members to serve on the Sports and Recreation Distributing Agency.

National Empowerment Fund appointments

• Mr Rakesh Garach, Mr Thabiso Tlelai; Mr Allon Raiz; Ms Nomalanga Mosala; Mr Kugan Thaver, Ms Nolitha Fakude; Ms Angelina Makwetla and Ms Zukiswa Ntlangula were appointed non executive trustees of the National Empowerment Fund.
• The extension of the term of office of Mr Ronnie Ntuli as the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees for three years with effect from 16 December 2009.
• Mr Andrew Wright, the Chief Financial Officer of the Trust, as the additional executive trustee of the board as well as Government representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry, of Public Enterprises, and of the National Treasury as soon as they have been identified by their respective departments.

Enquiries: Baby Tyawa
Cell: 083 302 7657
3 December 2009

Issued by Government Communications (GCIS)
3 December 2009