MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Letters to the Editor

Government’s 0% funding to old age homes and youth centres

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Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls out the Department of Social Development (DSD) on its shameful excuses for dropping the ball on our most vulnerable in society. A reply to a parliamentary question posed by the DA, uncovered that government failed to meet its financial obligations, with 0% of child and youth care centers receiving funds in the second quarter in the North West. For old age homes, some communities were left out to dry, with Limpopo only receiving 57% of funds in the … [Read more...] about Government’s 0% funding to old age homes and youth centres

SSA and SASCOC fail swimmers after abuse allegations

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Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for an urgent investigation into an international report that executives at Swim South Africa (SSA), some of who serve on the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) board, have failed to report allegations of sexual abuse of minors to the South African Police Service (SAPS) as required by the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007. The Guardian reported that a police … [Read more...] about SSA and SASCOC fail swimmers after abuse allegations

The millions wasted every year on luxury flights for former ministers

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Dear MyPE At a time when millions of private sector workers have lost their jobs and when the government has announced that it no longer even has money to build houses for the vulnerable, the DA can reveal that Parliament has spent tens of millions of Rands on business class flight tickets for retired ministers, deputy ministers, and their spouses since the ANC came to power. This information has never been made public before and was painstakingly gathered by the DA over the past … [Read more...] about The millions wasted every year on luxury flights for former ministers

NMB permanently loses half a billion rand as National Treasury impasse drags on

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Dear MyPE The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has now permanently lost R503 million in grant funding that was earmarked for, amongst others, infrastructure development and drought mitigation measures. The ANC Coalition of Corruption must take full responsibility for this devastating financial blow that was dealt to residents, as it is their desperate clinging to power and blatant disregard of the law that has brought us to this point. This distressing turn of events stems from the … [Read more...] about NMB permanently loses half a billion rand as National Treasury impasse drags on

RIP Mncedisi Filtane

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Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance extends its sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the United Democratic Movement’s Deputy National Chairperson and Member of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature, Mncedisi Filtane. This follows the news of his sudden passing due to Covid-19, after being admitted to Hospital on Friday with low oxygen levels. Filtane was a true gentleman and an outspoken member of the Legislature. He was courteous in his dealings with everyone, … [Read more...] about RIP Mncedisi Filtane

Nelson Mandela Bay IPTS corruption and fraud arrest suspects

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Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape welcomes the arrest by the Hawks of nine people, including prominent politicians, implicated in alleged corruption and fraud within the Nelson Mandela Bay’s Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS). The arrests of Chippa Ngcolomba, Zandisile Qupe, Mhleli Tshamase, Nadia Gerwel, Dawid le Roux, Fareed Fakir, Andrea Wessels and Rukaard Abrahams, vindicates the hard work that was done by the DA and its coalition partners, during our … [Read more...] about Nelson Mandela Bay IPTS corruption and fraud arrest suspects

Minister Creecy rejects commercial sale of lion meat

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Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the Minister of Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy’s emphatic veto on the commercial sale of lion meat, stating in answer to an oral parliamentary question by the DA, that she had engaged the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, on her recommendation. Minister Didiza gazetted the proposed amendment to the Meat Safety Act 2000 (MSA) earlier this year which would have allowed for the … [Read more...] about Minister Creecy rejects commercial sale of lion meat

An open letter to the Honourable Minister Fikile Mbalula

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NADA calls on the Minister of Transport to urgently address licensing department backlogs Dear Minister Mbalula, Extensive administrative delays in document turnaround times and vital operational systems are drastically impacting motor vehicle sales in South Africa. This is having a dramatic knock-on effect in the industry with many related businesses unable to do business and secure much needed income at this critical time. In an economy crying for help, the motor industry has a … [Read more...] about An open letter to the Honourable Minister Fikile Mbalula

Changing municipal borders is not the answer

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Dear MyPE The MEC of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Xolile Nqatha, has finally admitted that the ANC’s policy of amalgamating smaller municipalities across the Eastern Cape into larger local entities has failed. Changing the municipal borders is not the answer, its like reshuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic. These municipalities are going down and unless a sustainable plan is put in place, they will collapse. Last week MEC Nqatha is reported to have told Parliament … [Read more...] about Changing municipal borders is not the answer

R75 & Chelsea Road Traffic Lights no more?

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Dear MyPE It has been almost 2 months now since the Traffic Lights at the R75 & Chelsea Road intersection, popularly known as the Chatty Dip that connects Veeplaas / Kwa-Magxaki / Kwa-Dwesi / Govan Mbeki Township, have stopped working due to some accident. The way drivers disregard the first stop, first drive rule and/or unaware of that K53 tutorial will cause countless accidents in a matter of who is faster than whom from being T-Boned. Regards Luyanda Marlon Kama Kwa-Dwesi, Port … [Read more...] about R75 & Chelsea Road Traffic Lights no more?

Patensie school finally opens

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Dear MyPE I am extremely excited for the learners of Patensie, who have finally been able to take occupation of their new school building, which was built for them over a year ago, but which had been standing vacant because of delays by the Education Department. The building of the school was part of the national Accelerated School Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) programme which aimed to eradicate schools built with inappropriate and unsafe materials. The delays in handing … [Read more...] about Patensie school finally opens

Provinces instructed to stop planned housing projects as government has run out of money

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Dear MyPE The Department of Human Settlements (DHS) has sent an alarming letter to provinces, instructing them to put measures in place to immediately downscale the delivery of top structures (government houses). According to the letter sent to Provincial Heads of Department by the Acting Director General, “the current economic reality renders the housing subsidy approach to delivering top structures fiscally unsustainable”. This means that the African National Congress (ANC) has … [Read more...] about Provinces instructed to stop planned housing projects as government has run out of money

Holy Cow! R43 Million for just 350 litres of milk a day

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Editor: When Being Vegan Just Makes Sense and Saves Cents Dear MyPE R43-million of taxpayers’ money has been invested into a failed dairy farm project in Port St Johns, in the Eastern Cape, that currently produces just 350 litres of milk a day. The Mantusini Dairy project was established on 373 hectares of communal land in Ward 7 in the Port St Johns Local Municipality and should benefit some 500 individual households under communal tenure. Instead, it is has become a shining example … [Read more...] about Holy Cow! R43 Million for just 350 litres of milk a day

Motsoaledi must account for Bushiri’s escape

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Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes with concern reports that the controversial self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary, managed to flee South Africa while expected to stand trial for allegations of fraud, theft, and money laundering to the value of R102 million. Bushiri and his wife were arrested in October and were each granted bail of R200 000 earlier this month on condition that they would remain in the country to appear in court. According to reports the … [Read more...] about Motsoaledi must account for Bushiri’s escape

Education Department denying Nkalweni SPS learners their right to a safe learning environment

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Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Department of Education is denying the learners of the Nkalweni Senior Primary School (SPS), in kuBhodi Village in the Nyandeni Municipality, their basic human right to a safe learning environment. Yesterday, 12 November 2020, I was joined by Democratic Alliance (DA) councillors in the OR Tambo Constituency in conducting an oversight inspection at this school, where learning is provided to 141 children from Gr R to 7. We were shocked to find that learning, … [Read more...] about Education Department denying Nkalweni SPS learners their right to a safe learning environment