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681 WEDNESDAY, 22 OCTOBER 2008
682
Contract to supply office furniture
1514. Mr G G BOINAMO (DA) asked the
Minister of Education:
(1) Whether Data Master Automation
was awarded a contract to supply
office machinery and XEROX office
automation equipment in particular
to the Turfloop campus in June 2008;
if not, what is the position in this
regard; if so, what (a) was the value
of the equipment supplied and (b) are
the specifics of the equipment supplied;
(2) whether a tender was issued for the
supply of the equipment; if not, (a)
why not, (b) how was the said
company selected and (c) what steps
were taken to ensure that this was the
best deal; if so, (a) when was the
tender notice gazetted, (b) how many
other bids were received and (c)
what factors resulted in the said
company being awarded the tender?
NW2256E
The MINISTER OF EDUCATION:
(1) On 30 April 2005 the university entered
into a contract with Data Master Automation
that ends in March 2010. No
new contract was entered into in June
2008.
(2) No tender has been issued due to
current contractual obligations with
Data Master Automation
Research into bottled water
1592. Dr R RABINOWITZ (IFP) asked the
Minister of Health:
(1) Whether she has taken note of research
indicating that plastic made of
polycarbonate used in water bottles,
food can linings and dental fillings
release Bisphenol A (BPA), is believed
to have harmful effects on
animals and humans; if so,
(2) whether she will require the labelling
of plastic bottles to identify those
containing polycarbonate and those
free of the substance and the publication
of the information contained
on the label; if not, why not; if so,
when? NW2338E
The MINISTER OF HEALTH:
(1) Yes, the research on Bisphenol A
(BPA), a chemical building block for
polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins,
has been taken note of by the Department
of Health, including the views
expressed that it is believed to have
harmful effects on animals and humans.
(2) No, the labelling of plastic bottles to
identify those containing polycarbonate
and those free of the substance is not
currently required by the department
and will also not be required. This
decision is based on the findings of a
recent draft safety assessment of
Bisphenol A (BPA), done by the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) in the
United States, which is consistent with
two risk assessments for BPA conducted
by the European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) Scientific Panel on
Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing
Aids and Materials in Contact with
Food, and by the Japanese National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science
and Technology. Each of these
documented safety assessments considered
the question of a possible lowdose
effect and concluded that currently
no health risk exists for BPA at the
current low levels to which people
might be exposed. The Department of
Health will continue to closely monitor
the progress and further outcomes of
BPA safety assessment related research
conducted globally, and will take appropriate
action if and when necessary
in future, based on the scientifically
substantiated evidence provided by
such research. In addition, the relevant
legislation of the department aimed at