Cape Town: Deputy President Paul Mashatile will this afternoon respond to questions for oral reply in the National Assembly. At Thursday’s session, which will take place at 2pm, the country’s second-in-command will touch on a wide range of issues from agricultural support, water shortages, and intensified efforts in the country’s comprehensive HIV and AIDS response.
According to South African Government News Agency, as Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Agriculture and Land Reform, the Deputy President will inform Members of Parliament (MPs) on government efforts towards improving access to funding and resource support for small-scale and smallholder farmers, as well as supporting infrastructure development in rural areas.
Following the withdrawal of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding by the United States Government, the Deputy President will reassure MPs that government has the capacity to fund its HIV/AIDS programme. ‘The withdrawal will not have a dire impact in the purchasing and the distribution of the antiretrovirals,’ the Deputy President Office’s statement read.
The Deputy President is also expected to emphasise the need to enhance municipal service management and financial stability in the water sector to address water shortages in the country.
‘In light of the persistent and evolving threat posed by gang-related violence in both urban and peri-urban areas, the Deputy President will brief Parliament on the comprehensive strategy the Justice, Crime-Prevention and Security Cabinet Committee has implemented to dismantle organised criminal networks,’ the statement read.
He will further reiterate South Africa’s commitment to the rule of law, which his Office said is a cornerstone of South Africa’s democratic constitutional order.