In her response during the oral questions session in this House on 10 March 2010, your predecessor, Mrs Edna Molewa, said:
We are aware of the challenges that face the private sector as well as the NGOs with regard to bringing their salary package on par with that of government. And, indeed, we have engaged with the private sector and, in particular, the NGOs to try to find the mechanism to support those NGOs.
My question is: What was the outcome of those discussions? Secondly, were those mechanisms implemented? If they are not being implemented, why is that? After all, this is a crisis that is facing us.
IPHINI LIKANGQONGQOSHE WEZOKUTHUTHUKISWA KOMPHAKATHI: Ngiyabonga kwilungu elihloniphekile, futhi ngiyawubonga nombuzo wakho. Anginayo imininingwane yalo mbuzo owubuzayo manje kodwa ngingaya kohlala phansi ngibheke ukuthi umphumela walokhu okwashiwo nguNgqongqoshe obekhona ngaphambilini ube yini. Okwamanje anginayo imininingwane ephathelene nalokho.
Ngiyacela-ke kwilungu elihloniphekile ukuthi linginikeze isikhathi sokuthi ngihambe ngiyobheka lokhu elikhuluma ngakho manje nokubhekelelwa kwemiholo yezisebenzi zikahulumeni. Kodwa-ke, esikwaziyo thina sonke ukuthi empeleni imiholo yabantu abasebenza kuhulumeni nabantu abasebenza ezinkampanini ezizimele ayilingani; yingakho abasebenzi bephuma lapha emisebenzini kahulumeni baye lapho kunamadlelo aluhlaza khona.
Ngalokho ngicela ukuthi sibe nesikhashana sokuthi sibheke ukuthi umphumela walokhu okwavunyelwana ngakho ukuthi waba yini. Ngiyabonga Sihlalo. [Ihlombe.] (Translation of isiZulu paragraphs follows.)
[The DEPUTY MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Thank you hon member, and I also thank you for your question. I do not have the details pertaining to the question you are asking now, but I can sit down and look at what the outcomes were of what the previous Minister said. But right now I do not have the details pertaining to that.
I am, therefore, requesting you, hon member, to give me time to go and look into what you are talking about now and also to look into the salaries of government personnel. But we all know for a fact that the salaries of the people who are working for government and those who are working for private companies are not the same, and that is why people leave government jobs for greener pastures.
That is why I am requesting some time to look at what the outcomes were of what was agreed upon. Thank you, Chairperson. [Applause.]]
Particulars regarding Government's response to acid mine drainage, and costing of recommendations contained in report
54. Mr G R Morgan (DA) asked the Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs:
(1) What is the current status of the government's response to the acid mine drainage in the (a) western, (b) central and (c) eastern basins;
(2) whether the recommendations in the report entitled Mine Water Management in the Witwatersrand Goldfields with special emphasis on acid mine drainage have been fully costed; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?