Chairperson, it is difficult to absorb the answer, especially as we don't have it in written form. However, what I would like the hon Minister to answer is: Is he aware whether these advisors have performance agreements that they signed with the principal officers, and is it necessary, with the extended Cabinet we have, that there be eight advisors to the President? Thank you.
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY - PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND EVALUATION, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATION IN THE PRESIDENCY: Hon Singh, with regard to your earlier comment, I can't help it; it is the nature of the question. If the question is asked in such a manner that you need that many details, then there is nothing I can do except to provide those details. If you don't follow, you cannot blame me for that.
As to whether it is necessary for the President to have so many advisors, I don't know of any President in the world who does not have advisors on the various fields. You cannot specialise in everything. You need to have the best advice with regard to the various works the President has to perform. We think that the advisors are adequate. Sometimes there are areas on which the President may often need advice, which, as you can see, are not necessarily covered.
With regard to the question whether they have performance agreements, my reply is: Not as far as I know. Advisors work in a special way, but there are no performance agreements - at least in my case. I don't know about others; I have not been able to check that. Thank you.
Hon Minister, my figures indicate that R7 million would be spent on paying advisors to the President in the 2010- 11 financial year. However, I have it on very good authority from you that it is R11 million. Seeing that the President's supplementary advice comes with a price tag of R11 million, which is R8 million more than we paid in the previous year, and the President's transgression of the executive ethics code is handled, in part, by his own private attorney, Mr Michael Hulley, at the cost of the state, instead of one of the legal advisors currently employed by the state to supply supplementary legal advice to the President, why did the Presidency deem it necessary to get additional legal support when he has all the existing advice, a cost of at R11 million to the state?
The MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY - PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND EVALUATION, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATION IN THE PRESIDENCY: I thought the question was to the Presidency and not the President. That is why my figures will differ from yours. You might be referring to advice to the President while I encompassed everybody who works in the Presidency. I think that is the difference.
With regard to the question of why do we need further legal advice whereas we have legal advisors; you would know that, normally, you source out a particular legal advice if the services you have are not adequate. I think you know that one cannot always have adequate legal advice. [Interjections.] For example, when you seek legal a opinion, you don't necessarily depend on what you have, but you have to seek a legal opinion from elsewhere as well. Therefore, I don't see anything strange in seeking additional legal advice with regard to matters you are dealing with, even if you have the services. [Interjections.]
Plans to enforce departmental compliance with legislation on employment of persons with disabilities
78. Mrs J M Maluleke (ANC) asked the Minister of Women, Children and People with Disabilities:
Whether she has any plans to compel departments to comply with legislation regarding the employment of persons with disabilities; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?