Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor The dilapidated state of the Colchester clinic shows just how little the ANC provincial government cares about the people of the Eastern Cape and is testament to why the Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for the Eastern Cape Department of Health to be placed under administration. Yesterday, 13 September 2023, I was joined by DA councillor Pieter Terblanche in conducting an oversight inspection at the Colchester clinic in Nelson Mandela Bay. What we found, was an appalling … [Read more...] about The people of Colchester have been forgotten

Dear Editor In the 2022/23 financial year, under the DA and its coalition partners, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality achieved its highest grant fund spending over the past four financial years. The total grant funding spent for the financial year was 92.5%. The Metro will, therefore, forfeit far less money, if any, to the national fiscus for underspending conditional grants. (see document here) What makes this even more remarkable is that while a former ANC coalition governed the … [Read more...] about NMB achieved highest grant fund spending in four years, under DA and coalition partners

Dear Gqeberha, All over the world this Saturday 16 September, tens of thousands of volunteers will gather on beaches and in cities in 150 countries to be part of International Coastal Clean-up day. Since its inception 36 years ago by Ocean Conservancy, thousands of tons of rubbish have been removed from our environment. In South Africa, the Sustainable Seas Trust is the national coordinator of this event this year and mapped all the planned clean ups around the country. … [Read more...] about Sponsor Marine Cleanup Week

Dear Editor Today, 31 August 2023, Councillor Timothy Jantjes was elected as the new Deputy Executive Mayor of the Kouga Municipality at a Council Meeting in Jeffreys Bay. Cllr Jantjes takes over the position that was left vacant after Cllr Hattingh Bornman was elected as Kouga Executive Mayor. Mayor Bornman took over the reins from Horatio Hendricks, who has been appointed as a DA member in the Eastern Cape Legislature. The DA congratulates Cllr Jantjes, who will build on the good … [Read more...] about Timothy Jantjes Elected as Kouga Deputy Mayor

Dear Editor The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality (NMB) is facing a water leak crisis and the fact that we are losing 42% of our water whilst in the midst of a continuing drought is a massive indictment on the current ANC/EFF/NA/PA coalition government. The Metro has just averted Day Zero but seems dead-set on repeating the same mistakes. NMB officials admitted to the Drought Joint Operations team last week that there are some 5000 outstanding water leaks in NMB at the moment. Together … [Read more...] about 5000 Outstanding Water Leaks in NMB – What Now?

Dear All Our next Know Your Bay on 5 September will present the Marine Mammal Stranding Network active along our coast from KZN to Mossel Bay, their history and experience, in a very inspiring talk. There will be three presenters: Dr Greg Hofmeyr, from Bayworld, and Mgda Maritz and Val Marsh, from the Stranding Marine Animal Rescue Team. The event is free and open to all, 17:30 for 18:00 until 19:00. Bayworld has responded to marine mammal strandings along the coast for over a hundred … [Read more...] about Know Your Bay – Animal Strandings

Dear Editor Today, 24 August 2023, the DA launched a campaign at the KwaZakhele police station in Gqeberha to highlight and fight the scourge of violent crime, which is spiralling out of control in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB). (See pictures here, here, here and here) The campaign not only includes a petition that in due course will be tabled in Parliament before the police portfolio committee, but also stakeholder engagements, public meetings, meetings with Community Policing Forums (CPFs) … [Read more...] about Campaign Launched To Fight Violent NMB Crime

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance-led Kouga Municipality has launched an official platform to include the ‘whole-of-society’ approach in addressing critical issues in the municipality. The platform will serve as a vehicle where experts, skilled stakeholders, and any person or organisation that believes they can make a valuable contribution - can engage, formulate, and develop practical solutions, strategies and innovations. The first of these platform engagements will focus on addressing … [Read more...] about Kouga launches platform for whole-of-society municipal participation

Dear Editor The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has yet again proved that they are not interested in rescuing the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay by again voting to keep the ANC/EFF coalition in power. Despite PA president, Gayton McKenzie's talk and bravado about leaving ANC coalitions and joining the DA and its partners in the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa, when given the opportunity to remove the ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay, they chose to vote with the ANC/EFF coalition. Yesterday, 22 … [Read more...] about PA Snubs DA

Dear Editor Free legal advice, assistance with municipal service delivery and home affairs issues will be some of the services provided at the newly launched Democratic Alliance (DA) Nelson Mandela Bay Mobile Service Delivery Clinic. Today, 17 August 2023, I was joined by DA NMB Caucus Chief Whip, Cllr Georgina Faldtman, and PE Northern Areas Constituency Chairperson, Dr Malcolm Figg, in launching our mobile service delivery clinic at the Blou Kerk Hall in Riemvasmaak in … [Read more...] about “Not the Usual Suspects’ Open an NMB Service Delivery Clinic to Provide Legal Advice & Home Affairs Assistance

Dear Editor The community of Paterson in the Sundays River Valley Municipality is being terrorised by criminals while the under-resourced local South African Police Service (SAPS) cannot deliver services and is beset by alleged nepotism and corruption. Today, 15 August 2023, I was joined by Zuurberg Constituency Leader, Horatio Hendricks MPL, in attending a very productive meeting with the Paterson Concerned Members Group. (see pictures here, here and here) Residents raised various … [Read more...] about Paterson Crime Issues Head to Parliament

Dear Editor The unfolding grant funding crisis in Nelson Mandela Bay has necessitated the Democratic Alliance (DA) to demand that an urgent council meeting be held within the next 72 hours. This follows the postponement of a scheduled council meeting last week amidst growing concerns about the impasse between the Metro and National Treasury. National Treasury is currently withholding nearly R800 million in grant funding from the Metro. I have written to Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor, Gary … [Read more...] about Hold a Council Meeting Within 72 Hours or…

Dear Editor The letter by Malaika Wa Azania [The Herald 8 August 2023] is a great highlight on what we South Africans are papering-over as vandalism, whilst it is pure treason. When someone is tarnishing the image of one's country, then that is pure treason. I am almost always vilified as a "sell-out" by shallow-minded individuals, snobs and status-conscious people alike whenever I point out that there is no single race group in South Africa that loves this country more than the Afrikaner. … [Read more...] about Vandalism Is Treason