Question no

QUESTION NO: 581

PUBLISHED IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 11 OF 28 MARCH 2008

MR AJ LEON (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS:
Whether her department or the Government, in any communication or statement, addressed the violent eruption of protests and the Chinese government’s response thereto which occurred in Tibet during March 2008; if not, why not; if so, what was the nature of such communication or statement?
REPLY:
Yes. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr N C Dlamini Zuma wrote a letter dated 06 June 2008 to the Tibet Office in South Africa in response to a circular letter entitled “An Appeal to the Chinese People” sent to the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr T M Mbeki.


QUESTION NO: 587
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 28 March 2008
QUESTION PAPER NO: 11
DATE OF REPLY: 5 June 2008

Ms M Smuts (DA) to ask the Minister of Communications:

1. 
   Whether there has been an increase in the theft of copper from Telkom; if so, what are the calculated losses;
   

2. 
   whether these cables have been replaced; if so, at what cost; if not,
   

3. 
   whether any alternative technologies have been deployed to provide service to end-users; if so, (a) what technologies and (b) in which areas; if not,
   
4. 
   whether the cessation of service constitutes any infringement of license conditions; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
   

5. 
   whether Telkom has personnel dedicated to the investigation of copper theft or the protection of its infrastructure; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
   

NW1272E
Reply :
Answer to Question (1)
There has been an increase in cable theft and related incidents losses since the 2007 financial year. Cable theft losses for the period 1 April 2007 to 31 January 2008 is estimated at approximately R863 million rand. This includes the costs to replace the cable being copper or fibre, provide cable theft security, connect cable theft alarms to the network and also includes the estimated outbound revenue losses. It should be noted that the estimated outbound revenue losses included are for the period 1 April to 31 December 2007 only.
Telkom is currently in a closed period and can therefore not provide any update on the above information to 31 March 2008, being our financial year-end.
A closed period is prescribed by the JSE Securities Exchange Listing requirements to prevent companies from disclosing any price sensitive information regarding their financial and operational performances between the date of the financial year end (Telkom: 31 March 2008) up to the date of the results announcement (Telkom: 10 June 2008). The Telkom directors and employees are also prohibited to trade in any Telkom shares held by them during the closed period.

Answer to Question (2)

Cables for period 1 April 2007 to 31 January 2008 have been replaced at an estimated cost of R201 million.

Telkom is currently in a closed period and can therefore not provide any update on the above information to 31 March 2008, being our financial year-end.

Answer to Question (3)
Overhead routes have been replaced with underground cables. This means that the overhead cables which were strung on poles are buried underground making it more difficult for the thieves to steal copper.
Alternative technologies such as EMGW, VSAT, etc have been deployed in areas such as Bapsfontein and Diepkloof in Gauteng, Grahamstown, Paterson in the Southern Region and many other exchange areas nationally.

Answer to Question (4)
The cessation of service provision as a consequence of cable theft would not result in an infringement of Telkom's licence. Clause 13.4.2 of Telkom’s licence provides, among others, that Telkom shall have no liability for any failure or delay in complying with any provision of the licence if, and to the extent and for so long as, that compliance is prevented or substantially hindered by, among others, any cause whatsoever which is substantially beyond the control of Telkom. The large scale impact of cable theft is beyond Telkom’s control despite all preventive measures put in place.

Answer to Questions (5)
Telkom has internal staff proactively attending to copper theft i.e. serving on all copper theft forums, working with Business Against Crime as well as police forums and also working with recyclers and scrap yards to curb the selling of stolen Telkom copper cables. Various processes and resources are also in place to protect other Network elements such as Optic network and Dect /solar. Telkom has further procured Armed Response security to protect and secure the access copper network.

Question no.588

QUESTION PAPER DATE: FRIDAY, 28March 2008

588: Mr. M Waters (DA) to ask the Minister of Minerals and Energy:

(1) What are the co-ordinates with regard to the mining rights on a certain farm in the Kempton Park area (Witfontein ) R/33/151R

whether there are any restrictions which prohibit any mining from taking place near residential dwellings; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are the relevant details and (b) up to what distance from residential dwellings can mining take place?

REPLY:
Co ordinates on the remainder of the farm Witfontein No 15IR, wherein a mining permit has been issued.

DATUM: WGS 84

LO-Y	LO-X
70766.789	2883463.934
70676.433	2883953.612
70691.011	2884122.129
70780.737	2884125.445
70766.789	2883963.934

2(a) Yes, Section 48(1) of the MPRDA, restricts mining or prospecting in respect of land comprising a residential area, however Section 48(2) provides powers to the Minister to issue a right in respect of land mentioned above, if the Minister is satisfied that-

Having regard to the sustainable development of the mineral resources involved and national interest, it is desirable to issue it.

The right/permit will take place within the framework of national environmental management policies, norms and standards.

(b) Regulation 17(6)of Mine Health and Safety Act, provides that no mining operations are carried out under or within a horizontal distances of 100 metres from buildings, roads, railways, reserves, mine boundaries, any structure whatsoever.
QUESTION NUMBER: 589
DATE PUBLICATION: 28 March 2008
DATE REPLY SUBMITTED: 15 May 2008
MRS J A SEMPLE (DA) TO ASK THE MINISTER IN THE PRESIDENCY:
On what date was the decision taken to appoint a task team to investigate the scrapping of the Umsobomvu Youth Fund and the National Youth Commission, (b) what is the (i) (aa) full mandate, (bb) budget and (cc) objectives/deliverables of the task team and (ii) deadline by which these objectives/deliverables must be met, (c) who is the chairperson of the task team and (d)(i) how many members does the task team have, (ii) what are the names of the members, (iii) what are the qualifications and (iv) how were these members elected?
NW1274E

REPLY:

I proposed the establishment of an Inter Departmental Task team comprising representatives from the Presidency, the Department of Labour, the National Treasury, the National Youth Commission and the Umsobomvu Youth Fund to the respective Ministers and parties in a letter dated February 12, 2008. Subsequently it was agreed that a representative from DPSA would be invited to attend.

The task team’s primary responsibilities would be to:
Undertake an analysis of all the legal, logistical, financial, human resource and other socio-economic implications of such a merger;

Undertake an assessment of the mandates of the Commission and the Fund;

Address how the Integrated Youth Development Strategy, is to be reflected in government policy and implemented by a National Youth Development Agency;

Consult all the necessary stakeholders;

Develop a road map with respect to giving effect to the resolutions; and

Make recommendations to the Minister in the Presidency, the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Finance with respect to all the above.

All the running costs of the task team will be covered by the Youth Desk in the Presidency.
As Minister in the Presidency I proposed convening the task team by March 15 2008.
The following are members of the task team:

1. Ms Julia de Bruyn National Treasury

2. Mr Sam Morotoba Department of Labour

3. Mr Malose kekana Umsobomvu Youth Fund

4. Ms Nomi Nkondlo National Youth Commission

5. Mr Jeffrey du Preez Department of Labour

6. Commissioner Mothupi Modiba National Youth Commission

7. Mr Mbongeni Mtshali Umsobomvu Youth Fund

8. Mr Busani Nqcaweni Office of the Presidency

9. Ms Bernice Hlagala Office of the Presidency

10. Prof Anver Saloojee, The Presidency

11. Ms. Judy Naidoo National Treasury

All members of the task team were nominated by their respective principals. The Chairperson is Mr Busani Nqcaweni. The first meeting of the task team was convened on March 13, 2008 and the team meets monthly. The deadline for the teams’ report is December 31, 2008. The task team will brief the Ministers on a regular basis.

QUESTION NO: 590
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 28 March 2008
QUESTION PAPER NO: 11
DATE OF REPLY: 6 JUNE 2008

Ms M Smuts (DA) to ask the Minister of Communications:

6. 
   Whether Telkom has awarded a contract for security including the security of its copper cables, to a specific company; if so, (a) to which company, (b) when did the company take over and (c) what number of personnel did it (i) undertake to put in the field and (ii) actually put in the field;
   

7. 
   whether a director of Telkom is associated with this company; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
   

8. 
   whether Telkom’s existing copper theft investigators have been withdrawn from their task; if not, why not; if so, why?
   

NW1275E

REPLY
Answers to Question 1
Contracts to guard Telkom’s copper cables were awarded to four service providers. Subsequently the contract with one of the suppliers was cancelled due to non-performance.
Answers to Question 1 (a)

The remaining three service providers are:

• 
  Royal Security;
  
• 
  Sidas Security ; and
  
• 
  Enghlightend Security.
  

Answers to Question 1 (b)

The contracts came into effect during September 2006 for a period of three years.

Answers to Question 1 (c) (i)

Telkom prescribes the number of personnel required in the field.

Answers to Question 1(c) (ii)

Telkom decides on the number and size of teams required in each region. Telkom bases the number of personnel required in the field on the number of cable theft incidents in the regional area.

Answer to Question 2

At the time of awarding the contracts to the security service providers, there were no directors involved with any of the three security companies issued the contracts by Telkom.

Answers to Question 3

The Telkom investigators have not been withdrawn from their tasks. The investigators do not only deal with copper theft but with the protection of the entire network against theft and vandalism. It should be noted that the Telkom investigators are no longer required to work overtime doing inspection on the housekeeping audits on the security vendors during the night.

QUESTION 593
Dr S M van Dyk (DA) to ask the Minister for Public Enterprises:
(1) Whether Eskom had discussed the 60% rise in tariffs, apart from the 14% hike which has already been approved by the National Energy Regulator, with the Treasury, the SA Local Government Association (Salga), organised commerce, and the industrial, agricultural and mining sectors before deciding on a 60% tariff hike; if not, why not; if so,
(2) whether Eskom has taken into account the effect of this on economic growth and inflation; if not, why not; if so, how is a 60% tariff hike justified? NW1278E
Reply:
(1) Eskom has submitted its proposal to National Treasury and SALGA for input and is in the process of meeting with them to discuss the proposed increase. In addition, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) will hold public hearings and all stakeholders will have an opportunity to provide input. NERSA decides on the tariff following extensive consultations with sectors indicated above and civil society.
(2) Eskom has taken into account the effect of the price increase on economic growth and inflation. The current price of electricity is far below its true economic cost and is therefore not sustainable.