Statement on Cabinet meeting of 13 June 2001

13 June 2001

At its meeting today, Cabinet approved the following appointments:
 

• Mr Eric Molobi as Acting Chairperson of the Telkom Board, to assume his duties on 1 August 2001;
• Deputy Director-General in the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and technology;
• Ms Sindi Zilwa as member of the Telkom Board and Chairperson of its Audit Committee;
• Members of the Board of Directors of the DBSA, including a number of new Independent Directors.

Cabinet was informed by the Minister of Justice that Judge Willem Heath had requested to be allowed to resign from the Bench; and that the request had been granted. This will come into effect on the 1st of July 2001.

The meeting was briefed on the positive results from the projects to run Saturday courts at places where serious backlogs were being experienced, as well additional courts (during normal working hours) where infrastructure could accommodate them. It was agreed that, additional cost implications would be placed before the Treasury Committee and the Minister’s Committee on the Budget.

The meeting was briefed on issues pertaining to the management and remuneration of consultants at South African Airways Ltd as well as other related matters. Cabinet expressed its full support for the steps that the Minister of Public Enterprises had taken to get to the bottom of the matter. Given the recent experiences with SA Post Office Limited, government will, in consultation with the relevant Boards, conduct a review of such contracts in order to ensure that the South African public derives maximum benefits from these arrangements.

Cabinet was briefed on preparations for the SA/German Binational Commission which will be held in Berlin on 2 and 3 July. It was also briefed on preparations for the UN General Assembly Session on HIV/AIDS due to take place from 25 to 27 June 2001.

Cabinet noted the progress report on the national programme to introduce Nevarapine in special pilot projects, to reduce mother-to-child transmission of HIV. It was also emphasised that this was in addition to the critical campaigns around prevention programmes, issues of nutrition and managing opportunistic infections.

The meeting approved the accession by South Africa to the Kyoto Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone layer, and ratification of the Montreal and Beijing Amendments to the Montreal Protocol. Further, the following Bills were approved for submission to Parliament:
 

• Interception and Monitoring Bill which replaces previous legislation, in order to bring it in line with latest communications technology, including cellular telephones;
• Disaster Management Bill which deals with comprehensive matters on disaster management, including processes of disaster declaration and preventative measures;
• Planning Profession Bill, which replaces previous legislation on town and regional planning, and broadens access to the profession while tightening ethical standards, which would govern town and regional planners.

Cabinet received a report on preparations for the launch of the National Anti-Corruption Forum on 15 June in Langa, Cape Town. The meeting noted the progress report on tightening of regulations and practices within the public service to root out corruption, since the National Anti-Corruption Summit in 1999. Three sectors, namely, Public, Business and Civil Society will come together in this Forum as a vehicle to co-ordinate and integrate sectoral strategies. This will help reinforce the new approach to the fight against corruption, which is premised on the understanding that society at large should take active part in this effort.

Cabinet was briefed on deliberations and recommendations of the 22^nd Session of the Southern African Inter-State Defence and Security Committee. Cabinet ratified the recommendations of the meeting, including better integration in the work of the ISDSC sub-committees, alignment of the Organ Chair and Chair of SADC which will come into effect once the Organ Protocol has been finalised, the establishment of a Regional Disaster Management Centre and examination of the issue of a mutual defence pact.

Enquiries
Joel Netshitenzhe
Cell: 082 900 0083

Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)

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