Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor The release of the third quarter crime statistics confirm the fact that President Ramaphosa and Minister Bheki Cele are the enemies of safety and all South Africans. The Minister has once again proven himself unconcerned with the plight of millions of South Africans who live in fear and look to him to keep them safe and secure. According to the SAPS’ report, the period between 1 October 2023 and 31 December 2023 saw South Africans suffering: 7,710 Murders (85,7 per … [Read more...] about Ramaphosa and Cele are the enemies of safety as violent crime rises again

Dear Editor The unkempt & deteriorating R75 [or New Uitenhage Road] is a reflection of the indifference, if not outright treason, from the people who are responsible for its neglect and vandalism [The Herald 9 February 2024]. As it is my belief that stereotypes are often based on hard facts, the upkeep and maintenance of infrastructure are seemingly one of the crucial pitfalls of Black South Africans; in government or otherwise. Typically, the throwing away of rubbish anywhere, even within … [Read more...] about R75 Economic & Political Case Study

Dear Editor National Treasury has threatened that Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) could forfeit an amount of R524 million due to severe underspending by the administration. These devastating cuts would severely hamper the Metro's ability to provide even the most basic of services to certain areas of NMB, hamper the city's ability to provide temporary employment opportunities through its Expanded Public Works Programme, and severely hamper the rollout of critical infrastructure projects. These … [Read more...] about Half a billion at risk due to dysfunctional NMB administration

Dear Editor It has been a month since the start of the academic year, but hundreds of learners in Nelson Mandela Bay have not attended a single day of school due to the Eastern Cape government’s collapsing scholar transport programme. Today, 15 February 2024, at a Special Council meeting in Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay’s ANC/EFF/NA/PA coalition government proved that they feel nothing for the plight of our children when they refused to debate a DA Motion of Exigency regarding the scholar … [Read more...] about NMB ruling coalition refuses to debate scholar transport crisis

Dear Editor As remarkable occurences [and people] tend to come in 3's, the Weekend Post also fits that bill to a tee. The said newspaper's 3 Editors that swam against the tide in publishing my seemingly controversial writings; namely Ric Wilson, Nwabisa Makunga and Rochelle de Kock, herein refers. It should be taken into account that I am not a CODESA Posterboy, that is, an ANC Anointee and/or a South African White Capital Approved Individual, thereby meaning a pariah that is not supposed … [Read more...] about Homage to the Weekend Post

Dear Editor Constant power outages across Nelson Mandela Bay are threatening our already stagnating economy, while an excessive backlog in streetlight repairs and temporary connections is exposing our residents to criminality and life-threatening living conditions. The cause of the failing state of electricity services squarely rests on the ANC/EFF/NA/PA coalition government and the near-total inability of the municipality’s electricity and energy directorate to deliver on its … [Read more...] about Solutions to address Nelson Mandela Bay’s electricity crisis

Dear Editor The DA in the Eastern Cape has unveiled one of our two Battlebuses that will crisscross the province in the run-up to the 2024 National and Provincial Elections to ensure that we communicate our mission to Rescue South Africa to all voters. Today, 12 February 2024, I was joined by DA EC Provincial Chairperson and PE Northern Areas Constituency Leader, Yusuf Cassim MPL, DA EC Provincial Spokesperson, Cllr Georgina Faldtman, and PE Northern Areas Constituency Chairperson, Dr … [Read more...] about 2024 Elections Battlebus Launched

Dear Editor The DA welcomes the commitment by the CEO of SANRAL, Reginald Demana, to formulate a plan to deal with the dangerous state of the R75 in the Nelson Mandela Bay area following communication from us on the issue. Mr Demana made this commitment on Friday, 9 February 2024, during an interview with SAFM This follows a letter highlighting the dangers of the R75 that was sent to him on 15 January 2024 by DA NMB Caucus Leader, Cllr Retief Odendaal. Mr Demana acknowledged receipt of … [Read more...] about SANRAL commits to R75 plan

Dear Editor The DA will be writing to the chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on transport to summon the Minister of Transport and the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) to account for the dangerous state of roads in and around Nelson Mandela Bay. Today, 08 February 2024, I was joined by DA NMB Caucus Leader, Cllr Retief Odendaal, DA EC Spokesperson, Cllr Georgina Faldtman, and DA NMB Spokesperson for Roads and Transport, Cllr Rano Kayser, in conducting an … [Read more...] about Minister of Transport and SANRAL must account for dangerous state of the R75 and other NMB roads

The Makana Municipality's fourth consecutive audit disclaimer has reinforced the DA's call for council to be dissolved. Dear Editor The Makana Municipality recently received another disclaimer audit opinion from the Auditor-General (AG). This was the municipality's fourth consecutive audit disclaimer and further supports the DA's call for this failed and incompetent ANC-led council to be dissolved. During a Makana Municipal Council Meeting held yesterday, 30 January 2024, the AG painted … [Read more...] about If It Wasn’t So Shocking We Could Be Laughing!

Dear Editor The DA will submit a motion to the Nelson Mandela Bay Council and write to the South African Police Service (SAPS) to ensure that the city's scourge of crime-ridden problem buildings is urgently addressed. These derelict buildings have become a haven for criminals dealing drugs and attacking and robbing residents and tourists. Left to deteriorate, these dens of iniquity have become major contributors to crime spiralling out of control. Today, 01 February 2024, we conducted … [Read more...] about Criminality at NMB Problem Buildings

Dear Editor While the cost of living and unemployment crises spiral out of control in the Eastern Cape, the rural tourism and agriculture sectors are being destroyed, and job opportunities are decimated due to the government’s inability to maintain its road infrastructure. The news of the closure of the iconic Mazeppa Bay Hotel, largely due to the almost total collapse of the road infrastructure to the hotel and the subsequent loss of dozens of jobs, is just another example of how the ANC … [Read more...] about Crumbling Road Infrastructure Destroys Rural Tourism And Agriculture

Dear Editor Across the Eastern Cape tens of thousands of learners are left stranded next to roads and at bus stops due to the collapse of the provincial transport department’s scholar transport programme. They are unable to attend schools or must walk long and dangerous routes to access their constitutional right to a basic education. For these learners, the 2024 academic year has not started yet, and they are being left behind while their classmates are advancing. Today, 24 January … [Read more...] about #InTheirShoes Walk highlights collapse of EC scholar transport

Dear Editor Hundreds of learners’ hopes of a great start to the new school year have been shattered as they stand, stranded, next to roads and at bus stops waiting for scholar transport that never arrives. Today, 18 January 2024, the DA held a picket at Seavista in St Francis Bay, where 100 learners from schools in Humansdorp were left stranded 25 km from their schools, because of the failed Scholar Transport system. [See pictures here, here, here and here] The blame for this … [Read more...] about DA and St Francis Community come together to assist stranded learners

Dear Editor The R75 between Gqeberha and Kariega is fast becoming Nelson Mandela Bay’s most dangerous road and is proving hazardous to the safety of motorists and pedestrians. There are currently no operational traffic lights, no safe pedestrian crossings and hundreds of meters of damaged guardrails are strewn along the route. The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) is responsible for the maintenance of the R75, but over the last two years has shown very little interest in … [Read more...] about SANRAL Urged to ensure a safer R75 in NMB