Letters to the Editor

[Listen to a sound bite from Andrew Whitfield - DA EC Provincial Leader here.] Dear Editor The results of the 2024 National and Provincial Elections have confirmed that the DA in the Eastern Cape is moving in the right direction having increased our provincial support since the 2021 local government elections. This would not have been possible without those resilient supporters of the DA that braved the queues for hours and have kept the DA on a growth path. We appreciate their … [Read more...] about We are on the right track and remain the official opposition in EC

Dear Editor [Listen to audio note from DA Eastern Cape Provincial Leader, Andrew Whitfield.] The first priority of the new Eastern Cape Provincial Government must be to declare a state of disaster following the extensive flooding that devastated the province over the past weekend. At least seven people have died, and thousands of people have been displaced due to extensive flooding across the province. The floods have also caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure, such as … [Read more...] about EC government urged to declare state of disaster to assist flood victims

Dear Editor [Listen to Andrew Whitfield MP speak on this] The DA in the Eastern Cape held its final election rally in the Kruisfontein Civic Centre in Humansdorp, where hundreds of people came out to hear our message of hope before the 29 May National and Provincial Elections. I was joined by DA Federal Leader, John Steenhuisen, DA EC Provincial Chairperson, Yusuf Cassim, Tsitsi-Kouga Constituency Leader, Dr Vicky Knoetze, and Kouga Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, in the Kouga Municipality, … [Read more...] about Our national government will devolve police powers to the Kouga Municipality

Dear Editor The DA has submitted an official complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) urging an investigation into the failure by the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, the National and Provincial Police Commissioners and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to protect the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay from the tidal wave of violent crime sweeping across the Metro. Today I was joined by DA Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Adv. Glynnis … [Read more...] about #JusticeForEmilio: SAHRC must investigate humanitarian crime crisis in NMB

Dear Editor Constant water and electricity outages, crumbling roads, overflowing sewage, sky-high unemployment, a total lack of basic services, and rampant corruption due to cadre deployment have broken the Eastern Cape’s once thriving small towns. The state of the utter collapse became clear after the DA recently concluded a tour to 32 small towns in 11 Eastern Cape municipalities. The towns visited were Krakeel, Joubertina, Clarkson, Woodlands, Stormsriver, Coldstream, Somerset East, … [Read more...] about Small Towns in the EC in a State of Total Collapse

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes troubling reports about the recent outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in the Eastern Cape. This province is one of the two largest producers of beef in the country. Such an incident is a setback for a region with high unemployment, heavily reliant on red meat production for its economy and where unemployment currently sits at 42.4%. Foot and Mouth Disease is a state-controlled disease, making it the government's responsibility to implement … [Read more...] about Foot and Mouth disease takes hold in the Eastern Cape

Dear Editor On Thursday 16 May 2024, the DA in the Eastern Cape protested in front of City Hall in Gqeberha to highlight the impact of national government’s unfair employment equity regulations on Nelson Mandela Bay and the impact of EPWP corruption on the Metro. I was joined by the Mayor of the City of Tshwane Municipality, Cllr Cilliers Brink, DA EC Provincial Spokesperson, Cllr Georgina Faldtman, DA NMB Caucus Leader and former Mayor, Cllr Retief Odendaal, and DA NMB Spokesperson for … [Read more...] about We will fight against unfair employment equity regulations and EPWP corruption in NMB

Dear Editor Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) is heading for record conditional funds underspending this year. With little more than six weeks until the end of the financial year, the Metro administration has only spent some 50% of its total budget. With the end of the financial year now fast approaching, it's almost a mathematical certainty that the Metro will severely underspend its budgets this year. This is disastrous news for residents as severe underspending will likely lead to NMB forfeiting … [Read more...] about NMB heading for an underspending plane crash

Dear Editor The Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) project in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) has been stationary for nine months. As a result, hundreds of thousands of commuters from the Northern Areas have been forced to seek alternative forms of transportation. Earlier today, Patriotic Alliance (PA) Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC), Bradley Murray, provided some insight as to the little progress they have made in getting the buses back on the road. In August 2023 the entire … [Read more...] about Slow progress with IPTS refurbishment puts entire project at risk

Dear Editor South Africa will be hosting its first ever Anti- Apartheid Conference, to be held in Johannesburg from the 10th to the 12th of May 2024. The conference marks the launch of the Global Anti -Apartheid Movement to hold Israel accountable for its war crimes and genocide against Palestinians. The conference program will see international Palestinian and South African activists take sessions and lead on legal, political narrative and activism to dismantle Israeli apartheid and … [Read more...] about South Africa to host first Anti-Apartheid Conference on Palestine and against Israel

The following speech was delivered today by the Leader of the Democratic Alliance, John Steenhuisen MP, during the launch of the Rescue South Africa Tour in Nelson Mandela Bay: Fellow Democrats, Welcome to the Rescue Tour. It is my privilege to be here today in the friendliest city of Nelson Mandela Bay. Waar’s dit lekker? Hier’s dit lekker! Want vandag is dit ‘n DA ding. Democrats, we are on a mission to rescue Nelson Mandela Bay, to rescue the Eastern Cape, and to rescue … [Read more...] about Doomsday Coalition will unleash a violent crime wave on South Africa – just like it has already done in Nelson Mandela Bay

Dear Editor The DA has put the Minster of Police on terms as the South African government has forsaken the people of the Northern Areas of Nelson Mandela Bay, leaving them to fend for themselves against gangsters and criminals. Today, 25 April 2024, we were joined by communities of the Northern Areas for a march through the streets of Helenvale. Enough is enough – we can no longer stand idly by and watch criminals and gangsters kill our people, especially our children. We marched to the … [Read more...] about #JusticeForEmilio: Minister of Police granted 14 days to respond to Northern Areas Crime Memorandum

Dear Editor While innocent children like three-year-old Emilio Hutchinson are being brutally killed by gangsters in the Northern Areas, the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality under the leadership of Mayor Gary van Niekerk and his ANC/EFF/NA/PA coalition have found it impossible to implement surveillance cameras in the city. To add insult to injury, this Doomsday Coalition of Corruption allowed the contract for Shotspotter technology in the Northern Areas to lapse. The lack of surveillance … [Read more...] about Absence of NMB metro surveillance cameras contributing to bloodshed