Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) is pleased that the Committee of Communications and Digital Technologies has agreed to invite Facebook to meet with the committee. We trust that Facebook, in good faith, will accept the offer to appear before the committee, in order to build a relationship with Parliament and clarify concerns. From the DA’s perspective the aim is not to use the opportunity to shut down protected freedom of speech but to deal with the proliferation of fake news in … [Read more...] about Facebook Invited to Meeting
Letters to the Editor
There’s no Tourism without Art
Dear MyPE The initiative “There’s no Tourism without Art” at the Red Location Cultural Precinct, has already & joyfully set into motion. It is set to run throughout 2021, once a week on Saturdays, at the Precinct, between 14:00 & 16:00. All kinds of creatively activities are on the programme. The last programme, the 3rd of 45 programmes, took place on 13 Feb ‘21 - where children played Draughts under the facilitation of Lubabalo Kondlo, our awesome & very own International Draughts … [Read more...] about There’s no Tourism without Art
Petition receives thousands of objections against Netflix, Showmax licence fee proposal
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has received 16 364 signatures for a petition we launched in December 2020 to oppose the government’s plans to extend license fees to streaming services such as Netflix, Showmax, and others. We will now submit these objections to the Acting Director-General of the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, Nomvuyiso Batyi, on behalf of the thousands of South Africans ahead of the Monday, 15 February deadline. The DA stands with the … [Read more...] about Petition receives thousands of objections against Netflix, Showmax licence fee proposal
Facebook to appear in front of Parliament?
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be requesting that Facebook be summoned to Parliament to account on several matters including its role in misinformation and the protection of the digital privacy of its South African users. Tomorrow the committee will have its first meeting of the year where the draft programme of the first term of the 2021 parliamentary calendar will be discussed. While the programme includes necessary procedures Parliament needs to be engaged in, it is way … [Read more...] about Facebook to appear in front of Parliament?
Premier Mabuyane must act against Health MEC
Dear MyPE All eyes are on Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane as the dam wall of corruption allegations continue to break over his administration. No amount of noting developments and looking into the matter is going to change the fact that EC Health MEC, Sindiswa Gomba, is facing a string of charges including fraud, corruption, money laundering and contravening the Municipal Management Finance Act. Premier Mabuyane cannot call for people like Ace Magashule to step aside, while in his … [Read more...] about Premier Mabuyane must act against Health MEC
Health MEC Must Resign
Dear MyPE As scandal upon scandal piles up against Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba, the honourable thing for her to do would be to step aside, allowing for the work of the Department of Health to continue without the accompanying drama. If MEC Gomba was as loyal to the ANC as what the party has been to her, putting her position ahead of the people the party claims to serve, she would have already informed Premier Oscar Mabuyane of her intention to step aside in face of the corruption charges … [Read more...] about Health MEC Must Resign
“Municipality v Workers Conflict Must Be Urgently Resolved,” says Jack
Dear MyPE Please let us not sabotage our city. Let us not vandalise public facilities. If there is a difference of opinions amongst us, in resolving that, we must consider the residents of the Metro. Striking workers, are allowed to strike or protest against any grievance they deem to infringe on their basic rights. Similarly, the municipality must be given space to provide the needed service to residents. I call upon all people to operate within the prescript of the law. I also hope … [Read more...] about “Municipality v Workers Conflict Must Be Urgently Resolved,” says Jack
Government wants to create centralized SOE model
Dear MyPE President Cyril Ramaphosa, during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last night, announced the creation of three new agencies, one commission and one council to “fast-track” and “accelerate” the implementation of various pipe dreams and empty promises. (See: Sounds Like?) The Democratic Alliance (DA) is of the view that the establishment of these five new state-owned entities (SOE) are nothing short of an attempt by the ANC government to further centralise its current … [Read more...] about Government wants to create centralized SOE model
Education Department desperately ill prepared for opening of schools
Dear MyPE Even with three extra weeks due to lockdown measures, the Eastern Cape Department of Education has not been able to prepare schools for the opening of the 2021 academic year. Based on a school readiness report presented to the Education Portfolio Committee yesterday afternoon [Thursday, 11 February 2021], only 63% of schools have received their textbooks and grade reader deliveries, with around 20% of schools still awaiting the delivery of their workbooks. The report … [Read more...] about Education Department desperately ill prepared for opening of schools
Thousands of Eastern Cape learners will be stranded
Dear MyPE Today it has been revealed that 37 247 Eastern Cape learners, who previously received assistance to get to school, will now be stranded at home with no transport whatsoever, because of budget cuts. This was revealed during a school readiness presentation to the Eastern Cape Education Portfolio Committee. Last year the Eastern Cape Department of Transport, which is responsible for scholar transport, was able to provide assistance to 124 247 learners, but this number has been … [Read more...] about Thousands of Eastern Cape learners will be stranded
The National State of Disaster a cover for government looting and incompetence
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes the refusal by President Cyril Ramaphosa to seek Parliamentary approval for the further extension of the national state of disaster. For almost a year now a single cabinet minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has had the near unrestricted power to make regulations that affect every aspect of South African life. Instead of creating a temporary means to get an upper hand over the Covid-19 pandemic, the national state of disaster has become a … [Read more...] about The National State of Disaster a cover for government looting and incompetence
Oops, she’s done it again…
Dear MyPE After the soapie-like shenanigans of the President’s sister-in-law seven months ago, Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe is hitting the headlines once again as she plays ducks and drakes with the Hawks. Unlike Isidingo, this soapie looks to run and run. Just in time to take some of the spotlight off the State of the Nation Address, it is reported that she is avoiding answering questions into her latest money-laundering scandal in Botswana. In July last year, a $10 billion case linking … [Read more...] about Oops, she’s done it again…
Boschberg ‘Mountain of Dreams’ now ‘Mountain of Nightmares’
Dear MyPE The R 11.7 million Boschberg ‘Mountain of Dreams’ tourism hub in Somerset East could now be described as a ‘Mountain of Nightmares’ as this tourism hub, developed to grow the local economy, lies in ruins. Identified as a key development project for the Blue Crane Development Agency, which has since been disbanded, the Boschberg Tourism Hub was completed in 2015, but is now nothing more than an abandoned pile of ruins. A capable state would have done a feasibility assessment … [Read more...] about Boschberg ‘Mountain of Dreams’ now ‘Mountain of Nightmares’
Kouga Municipality must remove councillor arrested on fraud charges
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape welcomes the swift action by the Hawks in arresting five people, including a high ranking ANC politician in the Kouga Municipality, The ANC today confirmed at a press conference that ANC Caucus Leader in the Kouga Municipality, Cllr Eldridge “Chico” Februarie has been arrested. Cllr Februarie is one of five people that were arrested today for allegedly defrauding the Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) of more than R450 000. The … [Read more...] about Kouga Municipality must remove councillor arrested on fraud charges
Software rollout delay cripples new academic year before it begins
Dear MyPE With less than three days to go before the opening of schools for the 2021 academic year, school staff and teachers have been unable to update any information for the year, because the Department of Education in the Eastern Cape has still not released the latest patch for the South African School Administration Management System (SA-SAMS). Not only does this platform allow schools to update information of learners, it is also utilised to assign learners to subject areas, … [Read more...] about Software rollout delay cripples new academic year before it begins
