Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor The DA has laid criminal charges against the mayor of the Koukamma Municipality after it came to light that he is running the municipality like a mafia state. On Saturday, 10 June 2023, we laid the charges against mayor Fuzile Jan Yake at the Kareedouw Police Station. The charges all relate to incidents that took place after the appointment of Vuka Belele Security in April 2022. The company was awarded a bid to render security services at various sites in the Koukamma … [Read more...] about Koukamma’s ‘Mafia Mayor’

Dear Editor https://bullsrugby.co.za/news/feed When the renowned Verkrampte Witmens [VW] aka White Supremacist, Steve Hofmeyr, once opined that Black South Africans have an "entitlement" problem, I thought that he was being his bigoted and ignorant self; but the application for the placement of the South African Post Office in business rescue simply justified that stereotype [The Herald 6 June 2023]. The propagated and often-than-not uppity Black captains-of-industry seem to think that … [Read more...] about Post Office Parasitism & Paralysis

Dear Editor Today, 7 June 2023, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s R19 billion budget to get Nelson Mandela Bay working again, was adopted with the full support of the Democratic Alliance (DA). This 2023/2024 budget, which was developed by the DA and its coalition partners during their tenure in government, is designed to get Nelson Mandela Bay working again. We consider this budget pro-poor - it is an austere budget which caters for austere times. The budget is in line with the … [Read more...] about We Support the Budget

Dear Editor Premier Oscar Mabuyane must resign from his position with immediate effect, as his latest actions show he clearly has something to hide. The Premier's desperate attempt to use the courts to stall a Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into allegations that he tried to fake his way into a PhD through the University of Fort Hare is cause for serious alarm. If there is nothing to find, why not allow due process to take its course and be vindicated? Not only is he attempting … [Read more...] about Mabuyane clearly has something to hide

Dear Editor Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s attempt to intimidate the SIU and the University of Fort Hare (UFH) by interdicting the investigation is simply the last attempt of a dying horse fighting for some air. UFH Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, and his team have already shown that they intend to stay the course, despite a number of threats and the heinous killings of UFH fleet manager Peet Roets and Mboneli Vesele, Prof Buhlungu's bodyguard. The SIU is investigating … [Read more...] about Mabuyane’s court interdict will not deter investigations

Dear Editor The DA in the Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) has submitted a motion requesting the rescindment of an unfair council resolution to write off millions of rands of debt regarding three companies in the Metro. The DA’s notice of rescission was submitted to the office of the Speaker on 16 May 2023 and is set to be tabled at a council meeting tomorrow, 31 May 2023. In December last year the ANC-led council approved the request for debt settlement proposals submitted by three … [Read more...] about R160 Million Write Off – Fair or Not?

Dear Editor The crime statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2022/23 financial year, between January and March, released earlier today, show that violent crime continues to stalk the Eastern Cape. Terrified residents continue to barricade themselves in at night, particularly during loadshedding. The township areas of Nelson Mandela Bay have become crime hotspots for the Eastern Cape, with several township-based police stations featuring on lists of the top 30 police stations in the … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape Plagued With Violent Crime

Dear Editor It is insulting that the eponymous New Brighton Beach is so neglected for a giant pothole at its entrance not yet been reported, let alone being fixed by now. The general squalor of its ablution facilities became a them-and-us Yo-Yo political game long time ago, the non-functional floodlights and Beirut-inspired pier being a typical "clever blacks" concerns to politicians that are anathema to upkeep and/or maintenance. My main gripe is the money and late payment rates we are … [Read more...] about New Brighton Beach Neglect

Dear Editor The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape has welcomed former ANC Mayor of the Kouga Municipality, Robbie Dennis, as a party member. Today, 29 May 2023, I was joined by Tsitsi-Kouga Constituency Leader, Dr Vicky Knoetze MPL, and Kouga Mayor, Cllr Horatio Hendricks, in welcoming Robbie as he signed his DA membership in Humansdorp. (see picture here) As an ANC member, Robbie was Kouga Mayor from 2004 to 2011. He left the ANC after the 2021 local government elections and … [Read more...] about Robbie Dennis Crosses the Floor

Dear Editor The removal of Executive Mayor, DA councillor Retief Odendaal, and his multi-party coalition government, has signalled a sad end to what has been one of the most positive and prosperous eight months in Nelson Mandela Bay in the last three decades. At a special council meeting today in the Feather Market Hall in Nelson Mandela Bay the ANC-EFF Doomsday Coalition completed its power grab though a frivolous motion of no confidence and installed a puppet mayor in the form of former … [Read more...] about Odendaal will keep fighting

Mandla Tyala writes about the judgement taken earlier today allowing the Council Meeting calling a Vote of No Confidence in Mayor Odendaal, Deputy Mayor Jack and Councillor Bill Harrington: The Council meeting went ahead and 61/119 Councillors voted for the removal of the Mayor. A new coalition government, Speaker, Mayor and Mayco will now take seat in council. Mandla writes: Hello everyone. Unfortunately we ended up with a very narrow judgement today. The judge elected to confine … [Read more...] about Council Votes to Kick Odendaal, Jack et al Out After Narrow Legal Challenge

Dear Editor The residents of Nelson Mandela Bay can still make a difference by making their voices heard in relation to the frivolous motion of no confidence (MONC) being brought against Mayor Retief Odendaal and the multi-party coalition government. Tomorrow, 26 May 2023, the ANC-EFF Doomsday Coalition’s motion of no confidence in Mayor Odendaal and the coalition will be tabled at a special council meeting, and 120 councillors will decide the city’s fate. In their desperation to start … [Read more...] about NMB residents must make their voices heard against frivolous MONC

Dear Editor Three days after President Cyril Ramaphosa suggested to Parliament that "power ships" were an immediate priority to alleviate the energy shortage, it now appears that he may have known that plans were already under way to force through the 20 year Karpowership contracts at all costs and to shield the details thereof from public scrutiny. It has now emerged that a Section 79 directive was clandestinely issued from the Ministry of Transport, either by Fikile Mbalula before he … [Read more...] about A Resounding NO to R200 billion, 20 year Karpowerships contract

Dear Editor The DA in the Eastern Cape held our first provincial council meeting since our elective congress in February this year. The Provincial Council reaffirmed its commitment to the DA’s Moonshot Pact and has committed to pulling out all the stops to ensure an historic election result in 2024. The Provincial Council expressed concern at the unacceptably high levels of unemployment and poverty in the province. Concerns were also raised at the high rates of violent crime, which are … [Read more...] about Moonshot Election