Questions and Replies

The right of Members to put questions to Ministers is an important part of ensuring the executive authority’s accountability to the Provincial Parliament. Questions may be put to Ministers related to their spheres of responsibility. Replies to questions are either given orally in the House or in writing. The replies to oral questions are recorded in Hansard.

On this page you can search questions for written reply. Use one or more of the search fields by making a selection from the relevant dropdown menu. You can also do a text search by entering a search term in the text field– specific search terms will render a better result. Click ‘Apply’. The results will be displayed in the table below. Click on ‘Question Link’ to view the full result. When you are searching, it is advisable to complete as many of the search fields as possible in order to narrow down the results.

Question Question Number Date Question Link

Given that the illegal harvesting of and trade in indigenous plants (including succulents, bulbs and other threatened flora) continue to pose serious risks to the Western Cape’s biodiversity:

  1. (a) In which regions or conservation areas of the Western Cape has plant poaching been most prevalent since 2020, (b) what trends have been observed regarding the frequency or scale of such incidents, (c)(i) what are the primary species or plant groups most commonly targeted by poachers and (ii) what is the estimated market or commercial value associated with these plants and (d) what are the most common uses for or destinations of illegally harvested indigenous plants;
  2. whether his Department has identified any international or domestic trade routes linked to this activity; if so, what are the relevant details;
  3. what joint operations or partnerships have been undertaken between CapeNature, the SAPS, customs authorities and NGOs to detect and prevent plant poaching and (b) what outcomes have been achieved through these collaborations;
  4. (a) what public awareness or community engagement initiatives are being implemented to reduce the occurrence of plant poaching and (b) what additional measures or resources are planned to strengthen prevention and enforcement in the 2025/26 financial year?
 10 3 October 2025 19919

(a)   (i) What role does his Department play in supporting participation in Fruit Attraction 2025 and (ii) which entities, such as Wesgro or producer associations, are involved in coordinating this participation, (b)(i) how many Western Cape fruit producers and exporters are expected to participate in the event and (ii) what support (financial or logistical) has been provided to assist them, (c)(i) what was the estimated total export value of the Western Cape’s fruit industry in the 2024/25 financial year and (ii) what percentage of South Africa’s total fruit exports does this represent, (d)(i) what specific market access or trade opportunities is his Department seeking to expand through participation in Fruit Attraction 2025 and (ii) how will this contribute to provincial economic growth and job creation and (e)(i) what outcomes or trade leads resulted from the Western Cape’s participation in previous international fruit exhibitions and (ii) how does his Department measure the success or return on investment from such past participation?

 9 3 October 2025 19918

In the light of the recent decision by the NCOP to reject the application to place the Knysna Municipality under administration and to dissolve the Council;

  1. What specific steps does he now intend to take to address the governance challenges in the Knysna Municipality;
  2. whether he will pursue alternative interventions under section 139(c) or other mechanisms; if not, why not; if so, (a) what are they, (b) what is the timeline for implementation and (c) how does he plan to mitigate any negative consequences for residents while pursuing these alternative governance interventions;
  3. whether he will engage further with the (a) NCOP or (b) other national oversight structures to secure approval for any future interventions in the Knysna Municipality; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  4. whether there will be monitoring mechanisms implemented to track administrative performance during this period; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
 7 3 October 2025 19917

 

With reference to the Wingfield Informal Settlement that is situated on Ndabeni Trust land and land owned by the national Department of Public Works and/or the National Defence Force:

  1. (a) How many (i) shelters and/or (ii) families live in the Wingfield Informal Settlement, including the sections known as Gate 7, 18th Avenue and Olympic Park and (b) how old is the Wingfield Informal Settlement;
  2. whether a plan exists to acquire the land on which the Wingfield Informal Settlement is situated from the respective landowners for the purpose of upgrading the informal settlement; if not, what plans exist to ensure the housing rights of Wingfield residents are realised; if so, what are the relevant details;
  3. whether there are any plans to engage with the families regarding their housing future; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
  4. what steps will be taken to provide (a) toilets, (b) electricity, (c) waste removal and (d) high-mast lighting to the Wingfield residents;
  5. whether the families will receive basic services; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
 6 3 October 2025 19916

What is the significance of the CapeWine 2025 event for the agricultural and wine sector of the province, particularly in (a) strengthening exports and (b) promoting local producers on a global stage?

 5 3 October 2025 19915
  1. What factors have contributed to the consistent success of Wesgro as the official trade, investment and tourism promotion agency of the province and (b) what lessons can other state-owned entities learn from Wesgro’s approach to governance, accountability and delivery?
 4 3 October 2025 19914

With regard to the Competition Commission’s Cost of Living Report (August 2025):

  1. Whether his Department has engaged with the findings of the Competition Commis-sion’s Cost of Living Report (August 2025) regarding the disproportionate impact of rising food, transport, housing and utility costs on low-income households in Cape Town; if so, what measures are being implemented to provide relief to vulnerable residents in the province;
  2. in the light of evidence of “price stickiness” of staple foods (such as bread, maize meal, chicken, eggs and sunflower oil) where producer cost reductions are not passed on to consumers, what steps is his Department taking to address anti-competitive behaviour in food retail markets, particularly in urban centres such as Cape Town;
  3. given that electricity tariffs have increased by 68% and water by 50% over the past five years, with Cape Town residents facing compounded municipal tariff hikes, what interventions are being considered by his Department to curb the burden of administered prices on households, especially on households in informal settlements and low-income communities?
 2 3 October 2025 19913

What specific (a) programmes and (b) initiatives does his Department have in place to preserve, promote and celebrate our rich heritage, particularly in working-class and rural communities that are so often excluded from the Province’s cultural investment?

 7 18 September 2025 19912

In the light of the ongoing crises facing the province, such as unemployment, food insecurity, taxi violence and housing backlogs:

  1. How does he assess the performance of his Cabinet Ministers in addressing the urgent challenges facing the province and (b) what measures are in place to hold each Minister accountable?
 18 18 September 2025 19911

In the light of the recent reports, including but not limited to reports that the journalist Sandiso Phaliso has experienced harassment and physical assault at the hands of the police while trying to report from crime scenes in Nyanga:
(a) What are the current statistics for the past three months on the number of civilians who have (i) died and (ii) sustained serious injury as the result of altercations or confrontations with SAPS officers, (b) what immediate disciplinary and/or criminal action has been taken against SAPS members implicated in such incidents, (c) what mechanisms are in place in her Department to ensure that such cases are tracked and concluded in a timely and transparent manner, particularly those involving journalists and other civilians and (d) what specific oversight mechanisms has her Department implemented to prevent patterns of abuse, particularly against journalists and community members in high-crime areas such as Nyanga?

 14 2 October 2025 19910

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