Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) strongly objects to Minister of Police, Bheki Cele’s nomination of Dikeledi Ntlatseng as the new executive director for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). We will not be supporting this appointment, especially in light of our repeated concerns regarding the fatally flawed nomination process. The Helen Suzman Foundation’s case before the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) concerning the renewal process related to the IPID executive … [Read more...] about How to see an end to police abuse
Letters to the Editor
Chris Hani District Municipality’s water and sanitation failures
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has launched a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application into the inability of the Chris Hani District Municipality (CHDM) to provide water and sanitation to the people residing in the district. The residents of towns such as Cradock, Middelburg and Komani have endured desperate times, with taps running dry on a regular basis. Wastewater treatment works in Cradock and Middelburg are also still non-operational, causing raw sewage to … [Read more...] about Chris Hani District Municipality’s water and sanitation failures
Education MEC still avoiding questions on irregular Sizwe Africa contract
Dear MyPE Education MEC, Fundile Gade, is still refusing to appear before a special sitting of Education Portfolio Committee to answer questions on the irregular R160 million contract with Sizwe Africa IT Group, six weeks after his initial refusal to be held accountable. If the MEC is adamant that the procurement was all above board, why is he hiding? Surely if there is nothing untoward about the contract, then there would be no harm in answering questions from the committee? MEC, when … [Read more...] about Education MEC still avoiding questions on irregular Sizwe Africa contract
National Lotteries Commission acted unlawfully
Dear MyPE Today, the Democratic Alliance (DA) presented its own legal opinion regarding the ongoing refusal by the National Lotteries Commission’s (NLC) to disclose grant beneficiaries to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Trade, Industry and Competition. The DA has taken the extraordinary step of soliciting our own legal opinion after the Committee Chairperson, Duma Nkosi, had failed to present a legal opinion solicited from Parliament’s legal advisor, despite it having been requested 28 … [Read more...] about National Lotteries Commission acted unlawfully
Another civilian dies at the hands of SANDF
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for the SANDF member who allegedly gunned down a 37-year-old man in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, over the weekend to be held fully accountable for his actions. The DA calls on the SANDF to suspend this soldier, pending investigations into the matter. We note that details about this incident are still unclear and that the allegation by the SANDF that the victim was armed is being refuted by his family. However, we have long held the view that … [Read more...] about Another civilian dies at the hands of SANDF
First-ever virtual Provincial Elective Conference
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape will be hosting its first-ever virtual Provincial Elective Conference. The DA’s Provincial Elective Conference is scheduled for 21 August this year because under current lockdown regulations such a physical gathering is not permitted. Yesterday, 6 July 2020, this was fully endorsed and overwhelmingly supported by the DA’s Provincial Council. The decision to host a virtual Elective Conference has now been referred to the DA’s … [Read more...] about First-ever virtual Provincial Elective Conference
Calls for the reopening of yoga, Pilates, and other specialised studios
https://youtu.be/Qndt7KreKw4 Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for the reopening of Pilates, yoga and other studios under strict and measured Covid-19 guidelines under the risk-adjusted level 3 lockdown. These studios have been shut down for more than 3 months due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic lockdown – they can no longer afford to watch helplessly as their revenue dry up. While some industries, such as restaurants have slowly been attuned to reopen … [Read more...] about Calls for the reopening of yoga, Pilates, and other specialised studios
Why has our president assumed spectator status?
Dear MyPE On Saturday we reached the hundred-day mark since our country went into lockdown. This is a long time, and I’m sure for many of you it feels even longer. But the truth is we are still in the early days of dealing with this virus. Even with the world’s best scientists working day and night to develop a treatment or vaccine, it could be another 18 to 24 months before this becomes available. We have to learn to live with the virus, as safely as we can. Whether we like it or … [Read more...] about Why has our president assumed spectator status?
Minister Sisulu finally commits to attend to looming Day Zero in NMB
Dear MyPE The Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu, has committed to attend to the water crisis and looming Day Zero in Nelson Mandela Bay on an emergency basis. Minister Sisulu made this commitment yesterday, 7 July 2020, in response to parliamentary questions I submitted. The DA in Nelson Mandela has previously written to the Minister to request her intervention as the ANC-led coalition of corruption government seems to lack the capacity and political … [Read more...] about Minister Sisulu finally commits to attend to looming Day Zero in NMB
Department of education spends millions on overpriced PPE for schools
Dear MyPE The Department of Education has apparently wasted millions of rands, paying exorbitant amounts for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for schools, which illustrates once again how the Eastern Cape is becoming the epicentre of Covid-19 corruption. After many attempts to obtain the truth from the MEC for Education, Fundile Gade, through means of parliamentary questions, and asking him directly in a portfolio committee meeting, the costing of PPE distributed to schools has finally … [Read more...] about Department of education spends millions on overpriced PPE for schools
Court ruling allow reopening of ECD sector
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the ruling by the North Gauteng High Court that Early Childhood Development Centres (ECD) may reopen, and we implore the centres to open as soon as possible while adhering to Covid-19 Health and Safety guidelines issued by the Department of Social Development (DSD). The sector has been in turmoil since the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown due to the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu’s ineptitude and unwillingness to engage with the … [Read more...] about Court ruling allow reopening of ECD sector
NDZ must account to Parliament over Covid-19 relief spending by municipalities
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request that the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs ensure the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, gives account on how the R20 billion Covid-19 relief funding has been administered and spent by municipalities. Since the start of the Covid-19 lockdown and the announcement of the Covid-19 relief stimulus to help municipalities weather the storm, there has … [Read more...] about NDZ must account to Parliament over Covid-19 relief spending by municipalities
Helenvale clinic closure a disgrace, urgent action needed
Dear MyPE The ongoing closure of the Helenvale Clinic, which is located a mere 200m away from the Gelvandale police station, needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency! The clinic has been closed for over a year and a half due to the violent crime in the area. This has had a catastrophic knock on effect on the Malabar clinic, that has seen its case load double as Helenvale residents turn to them for help We cannot afford to surrender any ground to gangsterism and the criminal … [Read more...] about Helenvale clinic closure a disgrace, urgent action needed
Rural Safety Court Watching Briefs Unit Launched
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has launched a nation-wide Court Watching Briefs Unit as a means to specifically assist in farm attacks and to put those attackers behind bars. The situation in our rural areas is now beyond urgent, with a sharp rise in terrible attacks and murders in June. There were two further attacks in KwaZulu-Natal just last night. In 2001 for every 100 violent crimes (murder, rape and aggravated robbery) reported to the police, in only six cases had the … [Read more...] about Rural Safety Court Watching Briefs Unit Launched
Retired cadres continue to abuse taxpayer money to fund their jet-setting lifestyles
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) can reveal that, between June 2013 and March 2019, the Parliament of South Africa spent over R36 million on business class domestic flight tickets for retired ministers, deputy ministers, as well as their spouses. This information has not previously been made public, and the DA only obtained it after months of cajoling Parliament into complying with a Promotion of Access to Information (PAIA) request. It is absolutely shocking that the legislative … [Read more...] about Retired cadres continue to abuse taxpayer money to fund their jet-setting lifestyles
