Statement on Cabinet meeting of 19 July 2005

22 July 2005

Cabinet held its ordinary meeting on Tuesday, 19 July, followed by a three-day lekgotla which ended on Thursday afternoon. President Thabo Mbeki will brief the media on the decisions of the lekgotla on Sunday, 24 July.

The ordinary Cabinet meeting was briefed on progress in the implementation of the Taxi Recapitalisation Project; and it approved an implementation strategy including the publication of draft Regulations on safety requirements. A national tender inviting interested parties to submit proposals on the management of the scrapping system for old vehicles will be issued soon. Details on these issues will be communicated by the Minister of Transport in the coming few days.

The following appointments were approved:
 

• Ms Nomonde Mapetla as CEO of the Estate Agency Affairs Board;
• Governing Board for the Inkomati Catchment Management Agency, chaired by Ms TP Nyakane-Maloka;
• Dr Sibusiso Sibisi as Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors of DENEL; and
• Mr Valli Moosa as Non-Executive Chairperson of Eskom.

Cabinet set up an Inter-Ministerial Committee to prepare for the World Summit on Information Society which will take place in Tunisia in November 2005. The Committee is made up of the Ministers of Communication, Arts and Culture, Education, Foreign Affairs, Health, Public Service and Administration, Science and Technology, and Trade and Industry. The meeting also noted the re-election of SA (represented by DG: Science and Technology) as co-chair of the Group on Earth Observation.

The meeting examined matters pertaining to research, including gross expenditure, performance and demographic composition of researchers. It agreed that the target for 1% expenditure in research and development as a percentage of GDP by 2008 should be pursued and if possible surpassed. This will require, among other things, the strengthening of direct government support and deliberate targeting of growth in fulltime researchers in the Higher Education Sector.

Cabinet also agreed to set up an Inter-Governmental Committee on the Hydrogen Economy, to drive research and innovation and deal with regulatory matters and demonstration programmes.

Having considered a briefing on a Human Resources for Health Plan, the meeting agreed that the Strategic Framework on the Plan should be released for public consultations. The Plan is aimed at developing and retaining critical skills in the health sector.

Enquiries
Joel Netshitenzhe
Cell: 082 900 0083

Issued by: Government Communication (GCIS)

top