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Dear EditorThe unemployment figures released today show the Eastern Cape is still suffering from a Covid-19 pandemic jobs hangover because the recovery for the province is far too slow. The Quarterly Labour Force Survey statistics, covering the period from October to December 2021, have revealed that the Eastern Cape’s unemployment dropped slightly from 47.4% to 45%, The expanded unemployment rate has also dropped slightly, from 54.5% to 53.2%. While we welcome the slight decrease, it is still … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape still suffering Covid-19 pandemic jobs hangover

Dear Editor On Saturday 26 March I wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly on two issues pertaining to the voting procedure in the Motion of No Confidence in the Cabinet, which is to be considered in the National Assembly on Wednesday 30 March. It is the view of the DA that both these issues need to be urgently addressed prior to Wednesday’s debate and vote. A Motion of No Confidence in the entire Cabinet, tabled in terms of Section 102(1) of the Constitution, is not an action taken … [Read more...] about Speaker requested to recuse Ministers from their own MONC vote, and to use a roll-call system

The Western Cape Department of Human Settlements urges residents to be aware of fraudulent housing scams that requests you to pay for government housing assistance. Fraudulent scams have increasingly been reported and appears on different platforms, particularly online, requesting citizens to either: pay a deposit or holding fee for a government house; to pay to be approved for a government housing opportunity; or to pay for the processing of an application for example. Residents should be aware … [Read more...] about Human Settlements Urges Residents to Be Aware of Fraudulent Housing Scams

Malawian-born and raised entrepreneur, Bongani Chinkanda, aims to put the spotlight on the realities of anxiety and depression as he attempts to cycle 160km on a gravel road from Hartbeespoort to Sun City in May this year.Chinkanda, who was schooled in Harare, Zimbabwe before completing a degree at Rhodes University in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) in the Eastern Cape, has launched his R160 000 in 160km Back A Buddy campaign, which he aims to achieve on Saturday 7 May 2022. After suffering … [Read more...] about Advertising Entrepreneur Puts His Pedal To The Metal

Dear EditorOn Wednesday, Parliament will debate the DA’s Motion of No Confidence in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet of incompetents. Although there is extremely stiff competition for the position of worst-performing Minister, the DA believes that the Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi, deserves to figure at the front of the pack. Below are five reasons why Nxesi should be axed. Unemployment is a runaway train: The Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the fourth quarter of … [Read more...] about 5 Reasons for Motion of No Confidence in Thulas Nxesi

Dear Editor The Eastern Cape Department of Social Development (ECDSD) has forfeited R67 million meant to assist those worst affected by poverty in the province, because they were unable to spend the money. During a sitting of the Provincial Legislature last week, it was revealed that the Department has been unable to spend funds from the Social Relief of Distress Grant. This grant is provided for the temporary provision of assistance for persons in such a dire material need that they are unable … [Read more...] about Department of Social Development loses R67 million in unused funds

Dear EditorThe DA condemns the use of violence this week by Walter Sisulu University (WSU) student leadership and students. These acts of criminality are abhorrent and have no place in our institutions of learning. That being said, the increasing demand for student funding is becoming critical and the DA calls on the Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, to speed up the process of the Ministerial task team (MTT) assigned to investigate student funding models. The National Student … [Read more...] about Minister must speed up draft student funding model after violent WSU student protests

Patrick Brown, NSRI Gqeberha duty coxswain, said: On Saturday, 19 March, NSRI Gqeberha duty crew launched the sea rescue craft Rescue 6 Alpha to patient evacuate a 44 year old fisherman suffering an injury on a fishing trawler.We rendezvoused with the fishing trawler in Algoa Bay and in a technical extrication the 44 year old patient was transferred onto our sea rescue craft. He was brought to our NSRI rescue base and in a stable condition he was transported to hospital by EC Government Health … [Read more...] about NSRI Rescues