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Vice President David Mabuza. (Photo by Gallo Images / Alet Pretorius)
- Vice President David Mabuza will answer questions in the National Assembly on Thursday.
- The DA wants to know how the government will promote social cohesion, investment and trade in the context of Covid-19 corruption.
- The EFF and the ANC have questions about Eskom.
Corruption and social cohesion are expected to top the agenda when Vice President David Mabuza answers questions in the National Assembly on Thursday.
READ | ‘I am thankful I survived’ – Mabuza after a month-long illness
One of the questions concerned the government’s initiatives to facilitate social cohesion, moral regeneration, investment, and business promotion in light of the corrupt activities emerging in the government’s response to Covid-19, as revealed through the work of law enforcement agencies.
“In his response, the vice president will reflect on how deepening unemployment, poverty, and growing inequalities within our society can lead to undesirable social fractures and disunity if not addressed,” read a statement from Matshepo Seedat, spokesperson for Mabuza.
“Vice President Mabuza will also speak about the interventions taken by the government to combat corrupt practices by officials doing business with the state, as the pursuit of a capable and ethical development state requires professional and ethical public servants with the skills and the experience necessary to advance socio-economic development and transformation.
“The vice president will reaffirm once again that this government stands firm in eliminating corruption and ensures that the integrity of the state and the public trust are protected.”
As was often the case when Mabuza answered questions around the house, the Eskom issue was expected to be addressed.
“As chair of Eskom’s Policy Task Force, the vice chair will also outline the government’s plans on acquiring cheaper and faster power generation options, including creating political certainty about acquiring renewable energy and mitigating the actions to avoid the loss of cargo projected for the next year.
“The Vice President will also address corporate governance issues at Eskom in response to the widely publicized question on procurement processes. [in] the media against the CEO. “
Mabuza would also answer a question about steps to speed up the amendment to the Land Rights Restitution Amendment Act, which the Constitutional Court had declared invalid.
“The vice president will reaffirm the government’s commitment to accelerating the land redistribution program to redress the historical injustices of land dispossession and displacement.”
The hybrid session of the National Assembly was scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m.
The questions:
Da Natasha Mazzone Chief Whip: What are the full details of social cohesion, including moral regeneration initiatives and investment facilitation and trade promotion initiatives that have been developed and / or implemented under your leadership to respond to reports of widespread corruption in response? from the Government to Covid-19?
EFF MP Omphile Maotwe: Yes, as chairman of the Eskom task force, you have been informed that Eskom’s chief executive officer (CEO) allegedly misled the board into terminating the rand 5.2 billion fuel supply contract with Econ Oil & Energy Ltd; If not, what reasons has Eskom provided for the termination of the specified contract? If so, what action will be taken against the CEO?
Assistant MP ANC Nontsele: With reference to the report of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research that indicates that the Republic faces a load cut for at least the next 18 months unless the Government and Eskom make the decision this year to bring cheaper energy and reliable power to the electrical grid over the next three years, what are the government’s plans to acquire the cheapest and fastest power generation options to avoid the worsening load shedding crisis that is projected at its worst for 2022 and how does the government intend to create certain policies in the hiring of renewable energies, what is the cheapest option, in line with the Integrated Resource Plan?
AIC MP Lulama Ntshayisa: Yes, after the decision of the Constitutional Court to declare invalid the Law for the Amendment of Restitution of Land Rights, Law 15 of 2014, and if on March 19, 2019 it rejected Parliament’s request for an extension to finalize the processing of a new Amendment Law, intends to take any steps to submit a request to the Joint Program Committee of Parliament, requesting that the amendment of the legislation to reopen land claims for the restitution of property rights that will allow a full opportunity for public participation before the end of this annual session of Parliament; if not, what is the position on the matter; if so, by what date?
ANC MP Gordon Mpumza: In relation to your responsibility to assist rapid response interventions regarding service delivery in working with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and as the pandemic has revealed the growing inequality gap in our country, what interventions New and innovative have been put in place, particularly in remote areas, to ensure better service delivery with respect to frontline health services, to provide decent access to health in rural areas such as Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape?
Regina Lesoma, ANC MP: Given that the Public Service is perceived to lack ethical and moral conduct, with many public service officials working in institutions such as the Public Service Commission that is involved in mismanagement, as well as public service officials conducting business corrupt with the state, what interventions will you launch to increase patriotism in public servants and inspire them to adhere to the principles of Batho Pele?
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