Open Letter to President Ramaphosa from Bridget Masango MP - DA Shadow Minister of Social Development Dear Mr President The Covid-19 pandemic caught the entire globe by surprise, and despite this, South Africans willingly joined the fight back in March. The pandemic has had severe effects on the populations of the world – economic collapse, hunger, and poverty have been exacerbated in countries already struggling with internal issues such as inequality, high unemployment rates, … [Read more...] about It’s time to fire Minister Zulu
Letters to the Editor
Lack of consequences crippling the public sector
Dear MyPE The handling of disciplinary cases in Eastern Cape government departments is riddled with critical challenges, and the lack of consequences is allowing corruption and maladministration run rampant. This is crippling the public sector’s ability to deliver services to the people of the province. In response to a parliamentary question, Premier Oscar Mabuyane revealed that there are currently 108 active disciplinary cases across departments. It has become clear that the ANC … [Read more...] about Lack of consequences crippling the public sector
SAB & Heineken Blackmail
Dear MyPE How timeously convenient for the South African Breweries (SAB) and Heineken BV to economically blackmail South Africans with their supposed multi-billion rand in investments losses due to the current alcohol ban. As much as I should be loyal to SAB as my late father was a truck driver therein up until his death in 1991, but the company has a reputation of playing victim when its BEE Manipulation isn't working in its favour. The likes of Distell are also suffering from the … [Read more...] about SAB & Heineken Blackmail
Hospital staff find innovative solutions in Health Department’s absence
Dear MyPE Hospital management and staff at the frontline of the defence against the raging Covid-19 pandemic, are having to find innovative ways to stretch meagre resources while the political leadership continue to claim they are handling the situation. Today I, together DA Shadow Minister of Health, Siviwe Gwarube, MP and Alfred Nzo Constituency Leader, Baxolile Nodada, MP, conducted an oversight inspection at the at Mount Ayliff Hospital and the St Patrick’s Hospital in the Alfred Nzo … [Read more...] about Hospital staff find innovative solutions in Health Department’s absence
Summons to recover stolen state capture funds
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the move by Eskom and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to issue summons in a bid to recover the more than R3.8 billion in stolen funds from the State-Owned Enterprise’s (SOE) former executives, non-executive directors and the Gupta-family. The DA has long called for SIU reports regarding the looting at the power utility to be made public, and for money stolen to be recovered and the guilty parties to face the full extent of the law. That an attempt is … [Read more...] about Summons to recover stolen state capture funds
Covid-19 Sports, Arts and Culture relief fund applications reopened
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) is pleased by the announcement by the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, that his Department will open a second wave of applications to the Covid-19 Relief Fund for Arts and Sports and that plans are in place to make payments to beneficiaries. According to the Minister, the relief is set at R2 200 per month, from September to November 2020. This is a welcome development, one that the DA has been calling for, and one which will … [Read more...] about Covid-19 Sports, Arts and Culture relief fund applications reopened
Ramaphosa’s integrity at stake
Dear MyPE I have written a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting him to act regarding the allocation of Covid-19 tenders to the sons of ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule as part of his public commitment to act against malfeasance relating to Covid-19 contracts. Two sons of the ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule received contracts to supply Covid-19 related products to the Free State Provincial Government. Motheko Projects, whose director is Tshepiso Magashule, provided liquid … [Read more...] about Ramaphosa’s integrity at stake
Tobacco and alcohol ban must be lifted yesterday
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes and agrees with comments by SA Medical Research Council (SAMRC) President, Dr Glenda Gray and Professor Charles Parry, Director of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs Research Unit at the SAMRC , that South Africa should be more "nimble" in its approach to the banning of alcohol. In a polite way, Dr Gray is saying that there is no longer any use for the ban and that we must "look at livelihoods" as she put it. Dr Gray has further stated that there … [Read more...] about Tobacco and alcohol ban must be lifted yesterday
R150m Arts and Sports Relief Funding Must be Audited
Dear MyPE For the sake of transparency and accountability, the Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for the R150 million relief funding issued to the Department of Sports Arts and Culture, which was meant to mitigate the effects Covid-19 on the sector to be audited. This follows numerous allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the funds and the accusation that the department was not transparent about the funding process. The relief fund application process has been laden with … [Read more...] about R150m Arts and Sports Relief Funding Must be Audited
Mboweni must put his money where his mouth is
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls on Finance Minister Tito Mboweni to put his money where his mouth is and issue a formal Treasury Instruction that would require the eight Provincial Treasuries which have not done so, to publish all Covid-19 procurement details in full. Minister Mboweni has already called on Provincial Treasuries and health departments to follow the Western Cape’s lead and publish this information. But he should go further, and issue a formal Treasury … [Read more...] about Mboweni must put his money where his mouth is
Speaker bows to pressure and places mayoral election on agenda
Dear MyPE Nelson Mandela Bay Speaker, Cllr Buyelwa Mafaya, has bowed to the ongoing pressure from the Democratic Alliance and has placed the election of an Executive Mayor on the agenda for the next Nelson Mandela Bay Council meeting, scheduled for 13 August. Although the DA welcomes this decision, we will continue with our urgent application in the Port Elizabeth High Court, to be heard on 11 August. Last week Friday, the DA launched an urgent application to have the court compel the … [Read more...] about Speaker bows to pressure and places mayoral election on agenda
Provincial Rural Safety Court Watching Briefs Unit Launched
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) today launches a provincial Court Watching Briefs Unit in the Eastern Cape as a means to specifically assist victims and families of victims of farm attacks and to put those attackers behind bars. The slaying of Mr Chrisjan van Niekerk, a blind farmer from Alexandria on 25 July, is the first case that the DA will be following in order to ensure that justice is served for this horrific crime. The situation in our rural areas is now at crisis point, … [Read more...] about Provincial Rural Safety Court Watching Briefs Unit Launched
I blame all of you
Dear MyPE The "you" I am referring to is each and every single politician, I know there are good ones out there, but even they have disappointed so many. As a politician you have a responsibility to us mere mortals that so many of you look down upon. We're in the middle of a pandemic, and what are politicians doing? Stuffing their faces, pockets and pointing fingers. I blame you for not having the true courage it takes to send blatant criminals to jail, prosecuting corruption instead of … [Read more...] about I blame all of you
Farm Attacks: The line is drawn in the sand
Dear MyPE The annual crime statistic released on Friday show that another 49 farmers were slaughtered last year - four every month - while reliable reports tell us that another 26 farmers and farm workers have been murdered in the first half of this year during some 141 attacks. Farmers, farm workers, their families and their visitors, of all races, are at enormous threat. In the last 10 years 612 of them have been murdered, and there have been 2818 attacks on farms – leaving many maimed, … [Read more...] about Farm Attacks: The line is drawn in the sand
Ban on travel for hunting is without sense
Dear MyPE This week’s ban on cross-provincial travel for the purposes of hunting, and the ban on hunting overnight within provinces are huge blows to the game ranching industry. It makes little sense. Hunting is an activity that requires very little close human contact. It can only be done in small groups. It takes place in the outdoors. These are precisely the conditions which are not conducive to the spread of Covid-19. To allow hunting would be to say yes to an area of economic … [Read more...] about Ban on travel for hunting is without sense
