Dear MyPE The Special Adjustments Appropriation passed by the Eastern Cape Legislature today offers the people of the Eastern Cape no hope at all. What should have been a budget to support and guide our people through the worst health and economic crisis that have ever faced this country has become a box-ticking exercise for bureaucrats. At a time when the government should be pulling out all the stops to assist those people who are bearing the brunt of the economic fallout caused by … [Read more...] about No COVID Budget lifeline for Eastern Cape
Letters to the Editor
Fire the NLC Board and place it under administration
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) again calls on Minister Ebrahim Patel to fire the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) board and place the entity under administration after yesterday’s meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition. In the meeting, the Director-General of the Department, Lionel October, informed us that an investigation into corruption at the NLC conducted by his department had been handed over to law enforcement agencies. According to … [Read more...] about Fire the NLC Board and place it under administration
Calls on Speaker to expedite Covid accountability committee following AG findings
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thandi Modise, to expedite our request for Parliament to establish a Covid-19 accountability committee in light of the findings by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AG) on the extent of Covid-19 corruption on the part of government. The DA repeatedly called for government and Parliament to establish various mechanisms to prevent the inevitable corruption that would ensue during this pandemic. Not only … [Read more...] about Calls on Speaker to expedite Covid accountability committee following AG findings
Open Letter to Minister Mantashe
You're all talk and no action on energy security Dear Minister Mantashe, As we enter the second day of stage 4 loadshedding, Eskom has just announced that we can expect loadshedding until 2022. But we have heard this story before. We heard them say that loadshedding would be resolved in weeks in 2007. We heard it again from then Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa in September 2015: “In another 18 months to two years, you will forget the challenges that we had with relation to power and … [Read more...] about Open Letter to Minister Mantashe
Premier must choose competence over political patronage
Dear MyPE On the 25th of May this year, I put a motion with notice to the House in terms of Section 131 of the Eastern Cape Legislature Standing Rules of Order that called for the House to resolve that the Premier dismiss the MEC for Health. During a multi-party Whips meeting, the ANC objected to the motion being debated, based on faulty legal advice given to them that it is unconstitutional to debate a motion of no confidence in an individual member of the Executive Council. I sought … [Read more...] about Premier must choose competence over political patronage
While the ANC and EFF pander outdated ideologies, Eskom plunges the country into stage 4 darkness
Dear MyPE On the same day Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy rejected the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) sound and practical solutions to address the electricity crisis, presented in our Independent Electricity Management Operator (IEMO) Bill, Eskom has leapt to stage 4 rolling blackouts. These developments reflect the continued inability of Eskom to meet the needs of South Africa’s energy supply. But the ANC government would much rather continue to drag the … [Read more...] about While the ANC and EFF pander outdated ideologies, Eskom plunges the country into stage 4 darkness
NMB water crisis worsened by lack of treatment chemicals
Dear MyPE The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will soon be unable to treat the water it is providing to residents, as crippling chemical shortages loom. These shortages came to light during an oversight inspection conducted in the Reservoir Hills area in Despatch, where I was informed that the Metro is fast running out of water treatment chemicals. The contract to deliver these chemicals expired in December 2019, and was initially extended to June this year, but has not been extended … [Read more...] about NMB water crisis worsened by lack of treatment chemicals
Farm Murders: Time for all parties to band together to demand immediate implementation of rural safety strategies
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on all political parties that pledged their support to the farming community in Parliament's Debate of National Importance on farm murders to band together and demand the immediate and effective implementation of the Rural Safety Plan. We welcome the 180-degree turn by the ANC which has suddenly decided that the murderous farm attacks are serious and need to be addressed. First, it was the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Sihle Zikalala, who broke … [Read more...] about Farm Murders: Time for all parties to band together to demand immediate implementation of rural safety strategies
Minister of No Tourism must provide a date for reopening of international travel to prevent more job losses
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be writing to the Minister of no Tourism, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, to request that she provides a date as to the opening of South Africa’s borders for international travel as well as the preparation thereof. This comes after the Minister’s comments at the launch of the National Tourism Month this week reconfirming that she has no clue or understanding about tourism and its functions in reality. Unbelievably, Kubayi-Ngubane said that local … [Read more...] about Minister of No Tourism must provide a date for reopening of international travel to prevent more job losses
National government must intervene in exorbitant Dr Beyers Naude Municipality spending
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) will be requesting an immediate national governmental investigation into allegations of fraud and corruption relating to the almost R20 million spent by the cash-strapped Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality (DBNLM) on its equalisation process. The equalisation process is designed to ensure salary parity for the staff of the smaller Ikwezi and Baviaans municipalities, following their amalgamation with the Camdeboo municipality in 2016, to form the … [Read more...] about National government must intervene in exorbitant Dr Beyers Naude Municipality spending
Afrikaner Patriotism & Corruption
Dear MyPE What a sweet tongue our president Cyril Ramaphosa has, especially when currently addressing his ANC Comrades' Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Tenders debauchery. I am repeating that there is no single race group in South Africa that loves this country, yet none more jealous of Black people's economic advancement, than the Afrikaner. As much as Apartheid was Satanically Evil, but the Nationalist Party (NP) did not treat Country & Citizenry like a Village Whore (VW) as … [Read more...] about Afrikaner Patriotism & Corruption
Health HOD’s resignation no surprise
The announcement this afternoon by Premier Oscar Mabuyane that the Department of Health’s Head of Department, Dr Thobile Mbengashe, has resigned should come as no surprise. The Democratic Alliance has repeatedly called for the Premier to remove Mbengashe as the HOD. The current Coronavirus pandemic has revealed the severe shortcomings and systemic lack of management of the Eastern Cape Health Department, which is on the brink of collapse. This collapse has happened under Mbengashe’s … [Read more...] about Health HOD’s resignation no surprise
‘Naughty’ MyPE – Here is your Spanking
Dear MyPE This letter relates to the video posted above the article published on My PE on 01 September 2020, titled “Live livestock export industry aiming to grow in the Eastern Cape.” Al Mawashi would like to begin by underscoring that we are pleased with the published article. However, we noticed with concern the 2019 video posted below the headline. In the caption it refers to the sheep that were onboard the vessel, “many did not make it out alive” which is misleading. We feel … [Read more...] about ‘Naughty’ MyPE – Here is your Spanking
CSA’s racial quotas will not fix chaos in South African cricket
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) rejects Cricket South Africa’s (CSA) commitment to only appoint "Black consultants" across the board to speed up transformation. This was confirmed by its newly appointed acting CEO, Kugandrie Govender, today. This internal commitment from CSA to the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, will stop the Proteas from utilising some of the best-skilled cricket players such as Jaques Kallis to help coach our national cricket team. Appointments should be … [Read more...] about CSA’s racial quotas will not fix chaos in South African cricket
Wasted Bhisho billions leaves little for service delivery
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Government has squandered billions of rands over the past few years, which, had it been better spent, could have made a dramatic impact in the lives of the residents of this province. Despite lip service to cost containment and belt tightening measures, a review of the past three financial years conducted by the Democratic Alliance, has revealed that non-core expenditure remains rampant. This comes despite the warning in January this year from Minister of … [Read more...] about Wasted Bhisho billions leaves little for service delivery
