(a) What number of missions does the Republic have around the world and (b) of those missions, what number have trade attachés and/or commissioners?
a) Announced at the 2023 Budget Vote of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), South Africa has representation through 116 diplomatic missions in 102 countries.
b) In terms of the above DIRCO missions, the dtic has 31 missions allocated for the transfer of officials to serve as Foreign Economic Representatives (FERs), fulfilling the roles associated with trade attachés or commissioners
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(1)What (a) is the name of each of the top 10 countries that the Republic imported goods from in the period 1 January 2023 to 31 March 2023 and (b) were the trade values to each country in the specified period;
(2) what is the name of each of the top 10 countries that the Republic exported goods to in the period 1 January 2023 to 31 March 2023 and (b) what were the trade values to each specified country in the specified period?
Based on SARS provisional data, the top 10 countries from which SA imported goods in the period 1 January to 31 March 2023 are:
1. China
2. Germany
3. USA
4. India
5. UAE
6. Thailand
7. Nigeria
8. Saudi Arabia
9. Japan
10. Oman.
Based on SARS provisional data, the top 10 countries to whose markets SA exported goods in the period 1 ...
Noting that the Competition Commission released their report on measuring the levels of concentration in the South African economy in November 2021, wherein it was recommended that considering the financial constraints of the Government in funding small-, medium- and micro- enterprises, the Government should ensure that the private sector financial institutions close that gap and fund small businesses owned by previously disadvantaged individuals, particularly those in the agro-processing and manufacturing sectors, what measures has his department adopted to date to ensure the implementation of the specified recommendation?
The findings of the Competition Commission report are taken up in a number of ways. They include the following:
1. Market Inquiries/investigations in terms of the Competition Act.
2. Considerations applied during the assessment of merger applications.
3. Support for SMMEs through financing packages.
4. Measures to strengthen the competitiveness of smaller firms.
5. Promotion of supplier development funds and partnerships.
6. Measures in ...
What (a) South African companies are involved in the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) that seeks to build intra-African infrastructure that will assist in the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and (b) projects are prioritised by the PIDA programme to advance the slow growth of the internet provisions in the African continent? [
a) The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) is a programme of the African Union (AU) launched in 2012. It is coordinated through the AU Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) in cooperation with regional economic communities, regional and continental technical agencies, and participating countries. The Presidency acts as the focal point in South Africa for PIDA.
According to the Virtual PIDA Information Centre, the following ...
Whether he will furnish Mr S Ngcobo with a comprehensive breakdown of the procurement allocation of (a) his department and (b) every entity reporting to him in terms of the percentages allocated to (i) small-, medium- and micro-enterprises, (ii) cooperatives, (iii) township enterprises and (iv) rural enterprises with a view to evaluating the effectiveness of the set-aside policy of the Government in fostering an inclusive and diverse economic landscape (details furnished) in the (aa) 2021-22 financial year and (bb) since 1 April 2023?
Through its procurement, the dtic group has a concerted effort to ensure that it procures from SMME, women, youth and people with disability, inclusive of township and rural enterprises.
The following information has been submitted by the dtic-group:
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(a)&(b) DTIC and its Entities
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(aa)&(bb) Financial Period
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b(i)
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Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic) including B-BBEE Commission
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2021-22
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56%
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Since 1 April ... |
(a) What total amount did the National Lotteries Commission pay for printed copies of its integrated annual reports for (i) 2020, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2022, (b) who were the suppliers, (c) what total amount were they paid, (d) what total number of copies of the relevant report was printed in each specified year, (e) how were the reports distributed and (f) to whom? [
The National Lotteries Commission has furnished me with the following response to the question
The NLC paid the following amounts for copies of its annual reports:
2020: R1, 987, 926
2021: R2, 695,956
2022: R2, 600, 897
The supplier in all three years was INCE (PTY) LTD.
The number of copies printed were as follows:
2020: 205 copies printed;
2021: 200 copies printed;
2022: ...
Whether the Government intends to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), considering how trade under the AGOA agreement has gone back to figures that were seen before it was signed, meaning that the AGOA agreement has ceased to be beneficial to the Republic and most of its African partners of the agreement; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the reasons? [
Trade with the United States is regulated by two types of legal instruments: the first is the multilateral framework of the World Trade Organisation, under which the largest part of SA exports to the US is classified; and unilateral preferential market access arrangements, such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP).
AGOA is a preference granted ...
(1)What are the reasons that the Draft Patents Amendment Bill, which is vital to pandemic readiness, access to medicines and to local manufacturing, has repeatedly been delayed;
(2) whether his department is experiencing external pressures from third parties such as trade entities from the United States trade and European Union to delay the Bill; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the details of the pressures;
(3) on what date is it envisaged that the Bill will be tabled in Parliament?
1. The draft legislation had been prepared by the department for consideration. There were two processes that needed to be taken account of however, prior to Cabinet consideration of its contents. The first relates to the World ~Trade Organisation (WTO) discussions on flexibilities to international rules on intellectual property. The second was the discussions held under the auspices of the African Continental Free Trade ...
Whether, with reference to his reply to question 277 on 8 March 2023, he has found that the (a) Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights, which was formally reported at the African Union Assembly during February 2023 and (b) final agreement reached at the World Trade Organisation on waivers and flexibilities relating to pandemic use of patented vaccines had an impact on the Draft Patents Bill; if not, what is the position in each case; if so, in what way will the specified instruments have an impact on the Bill?
The impact of the Protocol on Intellectual Property Rights and the agreement at the World Trade Organisation on waivers and flexibilities relating to pandemic use of patented vaccines are being considered. Should no changes be necessary, the Bill will be finalised for public consultation. Should changes be necessary, these will be effected prior to the release of the Bill.
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Whether, following reports that his department has stated that an energy one-stop shop to speed up the regulatory processes required for private investment in electricity generation has been established and is being managed by Invests A, he will furnish Inkosi B N Luthuli with the relevant details on the date by which business is expected to see potential results from the one-stop shop; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
the dtic has been mandated by the Presidency to support supply of energy through the Energy One-Stop-Shop (EOSS), that will be housed at the dtic Campus. It is envisaged that the EOSS Phase 1 will be operational by end May 2023 and will thereafter expand its capacity.
The EOSS core team is currently creating a single window process for Energy Project Developers to access ...
