Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape has scooped up two environmental awards in the prestigious Eco-Logic Awards hosted by Enviropaedia yesterday. The DA EC won Gold in the Eco-Innovation category and Silver in the Eco-Build category for the innovative plastic road, also known as the eco-friendly road which was built as a pilot project in Jeffrey’s Bay in the DA-run Kouga Municipality. The event aims to identify individuals, organisations and communities that … [Read more...] about History made as DA scoops up two environmental awards
Letters to the Editor
Initiative to allow EC matrics to write exams in isiXhosa welcomed
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes reports that the Department of Education is piloting a programme in the Eastern Cape that allows matric learners there to complete their examinations in isiXhosa. The DA has always supported mother tongue education. If successfully executed this should be hugely beneficial to the isiXhosa matrics in the province and bodes well for the development of all 11 official South African languages into business and sciences languages. The benefits … [Read more...] about Initiative to allow EC matrics to write exams in isiXhosa welcomed
Cele confirms that farmers’ lives don’t matter
Dear MyPE The moment the Democratic Alliance (DA) launched its 16 Point Plan in June, aimed at forcing a razor focus on farm attacks and murders, the ANC suddenly flipped its compassion switch. Overnight it began to take an interest – via Premiers and various Ministers – in the tortures and general horrors of South African farm attacks. They began to speak out against these atrocities. We almost believed them. One of the focus areas on our 16-point plan was to have farm attacks and murders … [Read more...] about Cele confirms that farmers’ lives don’t matter
Africa – A Giant Graveyard
Dear MyPE Justice Malala's Who does SA really belong to (The Herald 21 September 2020)? reminds me of ANC Indoctrinees who were made to be believe, often voluntarily so, that the struggle against Apartheid was something similar to a Tennis match between Nelson Mandela and the Apartheid government. The likes of PAC, AZAPO, Black Sash, SANCO, the Democratic Party (DP) etc. are thus conveniently dismissed as mere passengers of the ANC-driven (nowadays gravy) train. I concede that the ANC was … [Read more...] about Africa – A Giant Graveyard
NMB Metro has no plan to secure municipal buildings and infrastructure
Dear MyPE Several municipal buildings and infrastructure are currently unprotected due to the ANC-led Coalition of Corruption government in Nelson Mandela Bay allowing its alarm monitoring and response contract to expire before the country was placed under lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Municipal buildings and infrastructure have over the past year been vandalised on an almost daily basis. Repairing and reinstating the buildings and infrastructure is costing the Municipality … [Read more...] about NMB Metro has no plan to secure municipal buildings and infrastructure
Vehicle licence validity must be extended
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has received volumes of complaints relating to the registration of vehicles that couldn’t be finalised before the deadline. The validity of two categories of licencing, pertaining to person and trade, have been extended but not that of vehicles. This is causing huge disruption in most provinces with many more people now needing to move around, yet risk being faced with huge fines because they wanted but couldn’t renew vehicle registrations. Many … [Read more...] about Vehicle licence validity must be extended
Provincial Anti-Corruption Council fails to meet for over a year
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Provincial Anti-Corruption Council has not held one meeting over the last financial year and, to date, has not sat this financial year either. This highlights the sheer lack of political will of the provincial government to tackle corruption. This was revealed by Premier Oscar Mabuyane, in response to a parliamentary question from the Democratic Alliance. The council is meant to coordinate and integrate the anti-corruption work of the public sector departments … [Read more...] about Provincial Anti-Corruption Council fails to meet for over a year
Nelson Mandela Bay Speaker has pulled the plug on oversight, accountability
Dear MyPE The Speaker of the Nelson Mandela Bay council, ANC councillor Buyelwa Mafaya, has pulled the plug on oversight and accountability in the municipality, ignoring several requests to reconvene the various standing committees. Some of these committees, which are crucial in the decision-making processes that impact directly on service delivery across the City, have not sat since February. These committees are also responsible for oversight and holding the various departments to … [Read more...] about Nelson Mandela Bay Speaker has pulled the plug on oversight, accountability
EC Premier’s Broadband Project blows through R606 million
Dear MyPE Serious questions need to be asked about whether Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s Broadband Project is delivering value for money to Eastern Cape departments. In response to a parliamentary question, Premier Mabuyane confirmed that, to date, four sites have been connected to broadband infrastructure. The project has already cost taxpayers in excess of R606 million over the last three financial years, with a further R277 million budgeted for the current 2020/21 financial … [Read more...] about EC Premier’s Broadband Project blows through R606 million
Health MEC, HOD must account for Scootergate
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance welcomes the news that Health MEC Sindiswa Gomba and Head of Department, Superintendent General Thobile Mbengashe, will be called before the Special Tribunal tomorrow to answer for the Scootergate scandal. This R10 million contract has been plagued with irregularities, with those responsible ducking and diving and changing their tune from the moment the first video of the MEC parading up and down the East London esplanade on one of the scooters hit social … [Read more...] about Health MEC, HOD must account for Scootergate
Fairview racecourse invaders must be arrested
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance condemns, in the strongest terms, the violent attacks against helpless animals on private property that have taken place at the Fairview Racecourse in Nelson Mandela Bay. The invasion of the racecourse by between 150 and 200 people, and subsequent alleged attacks on the horses, have been attributed to grooms who worked at the stables who had allegedly lost their jobs and were unhappy about not receiving UIF payments. Police have confirmed that one of … [Read more...] about Fairview racecourse invaders must be arrested
Ugie school suffers while Department blows infrastructure budget on overpriced PPE
Dear MyPE The Ugie based ET Thabane Primary School is, quite literally, falling apart at the seams, but its cries for help over the past seven years have fallen on deaf ears, with the Eastern Cape Department of Education simply ignoring their plight. Instead, the Department has spent over R578 million of its infrastructure budget for the current year, purchasing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at highly inflated prices from connected cadres, paying up to five times the retail price … [Read more...] about Ugie school suffers while Department blows infrastructure budget on overpriced PPE
Cash Crisis Looms for Nelson Mandela Bay
Dear MyPE The ANC-led Coalition of Corruption, and the self-styled interim mayor, Cllr Tshonono Buyeye, are driving Nelson Mandela Bay to financial ruin, as their defiance of National Treasury instructions has already seen just under R1,6 billion in funds being withheld. The city is facing a looming cash crisis that could very easily lead to staff members going unpaid and not being able to pay for bulk service charges, if the impasse between the Metro and National Treasury is not resolved … [Read more...] about Cash Crisis Looms for Nelson Mandela Bay
Level 1 comes five months late
Ramaphosa to blame for the avoidable socioeconomic devastation Dear MyPE Although it has come far too late, we welcome the move to level 1, including the opening of international borders and lifting of more restrictions on economic and social activity. We repeat our call for the State of Disaster to be ended and the curfew to be lifted fully. Now that the virus is in retreat, we need to take stock. The DA will call for a parliamentary debate and ad hoc committee to assess the … [Read more...] about Level 1 comes five months late
SASCOC needs to investigate CSA board member for possible interference in team selection
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) to launch an independent investigation into Dr Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw, an independent board member at Cricket South Africa (CSA), related to the worrying reports that the transformation committee at CSA wants to have a say in team selection. It has come to the DA’s attention that Dr Kula-Ameyaw, who is only a temporary board member as she has yet to be voted in, has recently … [Read more...] about SASCOC needs to investigate CSA board member for possible interference in team selection
