Statement on the Cabinet Meeting of 21 August 2019

Cabinet met on Wednesday, 21 August 2019 at Tuynhuys in Cape Town

Issues in the environment

1. National Health Insurance (NHI)

1.1 Cabinet calls on members of the public to engage with the NHI Bill, which is now before Parliament. The parliamentary process will afford the public another opportunity to engage with this Bill.

1.2 Once it is passed into law, the Bill will give effect to universal access to healthcare to all citizens in our country, irrespective of their socio-economic background. This right is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996.

1.3 Cabinet remains confident that the NHI will be implemented in a phased and responsible manner. An implementation plan will be developed and published once the Bill is passed into law. 

2. State Visit to Tanzania and SADC Summit

2.1 Cabinet has received a report on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State Visit to the United Republic of Tanzania, which also included a business delegation to advance intra Africa trade and investment. As part of the outreach programme, the President also visited Morogoro, which hosted South African freedom fighters. He laid a wreath at Mazimbu Tower in honour and memory of all South Africans who died in exile.

2.2 President Ramaphosa also led the South African delegation to the 39th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Ordinary Summit of Heads of State, where his Tanzanian counterpart, President John Pombe Magufuli, assumed the Chairpersonship of the SADC.

2.3 In his capacity as the SADC Facilitator to the Kingdom of Lesotho, President Ramaphosa presented a report on developments in the facilitation process during the SADC Troika Summit of the Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation held on Friday, 16 August 2019.

3. 28th BASIC Meeting

3.1 Cabinet has acknowledged the 28th Brazil, South Africa, India and China (BASIC) Climate Change meeting that took place in Brazil from 14 to 16 August 2019.

3.2 Cabinet also welcomed the ambitious climate change action undertaken by BASIC countries in support of international agreements in the pre- and post-2020 period, notwithstanding the multiple socio-economic challenges these countries are faced with. 

3.3 Cabinet supported the call by the BASIC countries for developed countries to provide adequate finance, technology transfer and capacity-building to facilitate the effective implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, its Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement in a manner that does not increase the indebtedness of developing countries.

B. Cabinet decisions

1. District Based Service Delivery Model

1.1 Cabinet approved the new District Based Service Delivery Model, as an important innovation in the implementation of service-delivery programmes. The model, which currently focuses on forty-four (44) districts and eight metros, will ensure coherence and integration in planning, budgeting and implementation of service delivery projects in all districts by all three spheres of government – national, provincial and local.

1.2 The model is anchored on the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, 2005 (Act 13 of 2005), which provides for a framework for a coordinated and integrated alignment of developmental priorities, and objectives between the three spheres of government. It is also meant to enhance other alignment initiatives like integrated development plans with a clear focus of implementing one plan in each district across all spheres of government.

1.3 President Ramaphosa will be the champion of the model, supported by Deputy President David Mabuza and the entire executive. Provincial Premiers and their Executive and local and district Mayors, together with their EXCO, will be part of the implementation of this district-based service delivery model. 

2. President’s Coordinating Council (PCC)

2.1 President Ramaphosa convened the PCC, which was the first in this Sixth Administration, on Tuesday, 20 August. The District Based Service Delivery Model was presented to the PCC and accepted by all Provincial Premiers.  

2.2 The meeting also agreed on the district prototyped projects to be visited by the President, which will include OR Tambo District in the Eastern Cape; Waterberg District in Limpopo and Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.

2.3 The three prototyped projects to be visited include a rural district, a mining district and an urban metro. Whilst these will be the starting blocks on the district-based delivery model, the remaining 42 districts and seven metros will also be visited by President Ramaphosa and his government together with the provincial government leadership in the course of this sixth Administration.

2.4 The meeting also received presentation and discussed alignment of the nine Provincial Growth Development strategies to government’s Medium Term Strategic Framework 2019 – 2024.

3. India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) Fund Agreement

3.1 Cabinet approved for the submission of the IBSA Fund for the Alleviation of Poverty and Hunger (IBSA Fund Agreement) to Parliament for ratification. The agreement is between the Government of the Republic of India, the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Government of the Republic of South Africa. 

3.2 The IBSA Fund was created in 2004 to pioneer impact-driven and people-centred efforts for the promotion of South-South Cooperation.

3.3 The fund has enabled South Africa to contribute meaningfully and substantively towards international efforts to alleviate extreme poverty and hunger in developing countries. It has also contributed successfully in promoting all the 17 SDGs in approximately twenty-one (21) partner countries.

4. 4th Ministerial Meeting of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC)

41. Cabinet approved the hosting of the preparatory meeting of experts for the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the ACIRC Volunteer Nations from 30 August to 3 September 2019.

4.2 This supports and contributes to government’s priorities in promoting continental and regional peace and stability, and ensuring that African Union (AU) decisions related to harmonisation of the ACIRC Force and African Standby Force (ASF) activities are achieved. This will further ensure that the African Peace and Security Architecture is harmonised and operationalised.

4.3 South Africa and 12 other Volunteer Nations are part of ACIRC that was established in 2013 as an interim arrangement until the operationalisation of the ASF.

C. Bills

1. Housing Consumer Protection Bill of 2019

1.1 Cabinet approved for the publication of the Housing Consumer Protection Bill of 2019, in the Government Gazette for public comments.

1.2 The Bill repeals the current Housing Consumer Protection Measures Act, 1998 (Act 95 of 1998). This new legal framework will regulate homebuilders and developers; expand the protection to housing consumers; introduces effective enforcement tools and prescribes appropriate penalties/sanctions to deter non-compliance by homebuilders.

1.3 The Bill also creates an enabling environment for new entrants into the homebuilding industry by introducing contractual provisions that ensure their sustainability in the market.

1.4 Subsidy and social housing projects now fall within the ambit of the Bill, to ensure the protection of consumers in that segment of the housing market.

D. Upcoming events

1. TICAD VII Summit

1.1 President Ramaphosa will attend the 7th Summit of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VII) in Japan on 29 and 30 August 2019. The theme of the summit, “Advancing Africa’s Development through Technology, Innovation and People”, is aligned with the AU Agenda 2063 and continental priorities for integration.

1.2 This year’s TICAD VII Summit will discuss, amongst others, three overarching priorities: (i) accelerating economic transformation and improving business environment through innovation and private sector engagement; (ii) deepening sustainable and resilient society; and (iii) strengthening peace and stability.

1.3 Japan’s cooperation on regional and international issues is important to advancing the African Agenda and realising the principles of South-South Cooperation.

2. Group of Seven (G7) Summit

2.1 President Ramaphosa will lead the South African delegation to the G7 Summit in France from 24 to 26 August 2019, following South Africa’s invitation to attend as a key partner.

2.2 The G7 is a forum of the seven countries with the world's most industrialized and developed economies – France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada – whose government leaders meet annually to discuss important global economic, political, social and security issues. The upcoming G7 Summit will focus on fighting inequality, promoting gender equality, access to education and high-quality health services.

2.3 South Africa’s participation in the 2019 G7 Summit is guided by four strategic foreign policy pillars, (i) advancing national interest to attain domestic objectives; (ii) enhancing the African Agenda and promoting Africa’s sustainable development support; (iii) influencing a reformed global multilateral architecture; and (iv) advancing the agenda of the South by strengthening South-South Cooperation and North-South Dialogue.

3. World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa

3.1 The 28th World Economic Forum on Africa will take place in Cape Town from 4  to 6 September 2019 under the theme: “Shaping Inclusive Growth and Shared Futures in the Fourth Industrial Revolution”. The forum aims to shape regional and industry agendas for the year ahead.

3.2 The programme will focus on how to scale up the transformation of regional architecture related to smart institutions, investment, integration, industry and innovation to advance the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

3.3 The presence of World Economic Leaders and Heads of State in our country presents a rare opportunity for South Africa to promote itself and advance our key priority of growing our economy.

4. 42nd General Assembly of the ISO

4.1 The South African Bureau of Standards in Cape Town will host the 42nd General Assembly of the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) from 16 to 20 September 2019.

4.2 The ISO brings together experts to share their knowledge and develop voluntary consensus-based and market-relevant international standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges.

The 2019 ISO programme will establish strategies to deal with the challenges of climate change, the digital economy, economic growth and multilateral trade.

5. Integrated Government Public Service Month (PSM) in September

5.1 The upcoming programme for the PSM in September is a service delivery improvement programme which forms part of the Batho Pele (People First) Revitalisation Programme that promotes a professional public service culture of continued and incremental improvement in all areas of public service delivery.

5.2 The 2019 PSM Programme will be held under the theme: “Khawuleza”: Taking Services to the People: Batho Pele “We Belong, We Care, We Serve”. This gives momentum to President Ramaphosa’s call made in his 2019 State of the Nation Address for public servants to live up to the Batho Pele values and principles by putting people first.

5.3 The suite for the 2019 PSM Programme includes:

• Tourism Month – under the theme: “Tourism and Jobs – a better future for all”. Tourism is one of the sectors that has been creating jobs. Cabinet encourages South Africans to take a Sho’t Left and promote tourism in our nation, by taking advantage of the annual South African National Parks (SANParks) Week from 8 to 15 September 2019, where our national parks will be open to the public for free. South Africa is a home to 10 World Heritage Sites and an area of global niche tourism.
• Heritage Month – Heritage opens further opportunities for jobs and skills, providing platforms for performers, crafters and subsidiary industries. There is also a need to continue in our efforts to preserve, revitalise and promote indigenous languages, as part of protecting our heritage.
• Police Safety Month – initiated by the National Commemoration Day on 1 September, in remembrance of our heroes and heroines who died in the line of duty.

This integrated programme gives effect to the National Development Plan which highlights the need for well-run and effectively coordinated state institutions with skilled public servants who are committed to the public good and capable of delivering consistently high-quality services, while prioritising the nation’s developmental objectives

E. Messages

1. Condolences

Cabinet sent condolences to the:

• government and people of Tanzania after a fuel tanker explosion tragically killed more than 90 people and also wished those injured a speedy recovery.
• family and friends of South African artist, designer and businesswoman, Ms Carrol Boyes (65), who passed on Wednesday, 14 August 2019.

2. Congratulations and well wishes

Cabinet:

• wishes Justice Edwin Cameron well following his retirement after 25 years as a judge. Judge Cameron, who was appointed to the Constitutional Court in 2008, worked as a human rights lawyer during apartheid, defended those who fought against apartheid and fought for gay and lesbian equality. Cabinet commends his lifelong advocacy for human rights, as well as his fight for universal access to antiretrovirals.
  • wishes iconic musician, Mr Caiphus Semenya, a blessed 80th birthday. Mr Semenya has contributed to the South African national songbook with classics such as Matswale, Angelina, Ziphi’nkomo, as well as the powerful collaborations like Ndiphendule with his wife, Mama Letta Mbulu. He has worked with international music producers, and received 37 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won nine. He also received an Emmy Award for his role in creating the Roots soundtrack. He also contributed to the score to Disney’s The Lion King.
  • wishes the Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Silas Ramaite (SC) well, following approval by President Ramaphosa for him to take early retirement and vacate office in terms of Section 12 (8)(a) of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Act, 1998 (Act 32 of 1998). Cabinet extends its appreciation for the contribution Advocate Ramaite made in the NPA and to the administration of justice broadly over the many years of his employment in the justice sector.
  • congratulates Ms Sasha Maria Schwendenwein of investigative journalism television series, Carte Blanche, for her SADC Media Awards entry, which won second prize in the TV category. The story that won, “Follow the Guns”, was a co-production that looked at the scourge of rhino poaching.
  • congratulates the Springboks and Banyana Banyana for flying the South African flag high and emerging victorious at the Rugby Championship and the COSAFA Women’s Championship, respectively. They are the pride of the nation and their achievements are an inspiration to young and promising athletes across the country.  
  • congratulates Ms Zozibini Tunzi, who was crowned Miss South Africa 2019 and wishes her well during her reign. She will represent the country at the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants.

F. Appointments

All appointments are subject to the verification of qualifications and the relevant clearance.

1. Reappointment of Mr Fundisile Goodman Mketeni as the Chief Executive   
        Officer of SANParks.

Enquiries:
Ms Phumla Williams – Acting Cabinet Spokesperson
Cell: 083 501 0139