Agricultural loans pose major threat to Department, must be investigated Dear MyPE Some of the agricultural and non-agricultural loans issued by the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency (ECRDA), which falls under the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR), could be considered reckless lending and place the department at risk. It is for this reason I have written to the chairperson of the Standing Committee of Public Accounts (SCOPA) Veliswa Mvenya, to request a full … [Read more...] about Reckless Lending
Letters to the Editor
SAA continues to trade at the expense of the poor and the hungry
SAA business rescue practitioners get licence to continue taxpayer bailouts Dear MyPE Yesterday, the SAA creditors and lenders gave Les Matuson and Siviwe Dongwana, the SAA Business Rescue Practitioners, yet another extension to the 31st of March 2020 to submit their proposed SAA business rescue plan. That means they will have had three months, which is considerably more than the period stipulated in the Companies Act. The complete lack of any urgency on the part of creditors and … [Read more...] about SAA continues to trade at the expense of the poor and the hungry
Eastern Cape municipalities in free fall
Amalgamation not the answer Dear MyPE This week, the MEC of COGTA, Xolile Nqatha, confirmed that he had approached national government for funds to bailout 14 unsustainable, bankrupt Eastern Cape municipalities. He also mentioned that provincial government was considering amalgamating these failing municipalities with more successful institutions. Amalgamating municipalities is simply a smokescreen, instead of taking decisive action, the MEC is kicking the can down the road. It is … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape municipalities in free fall
Swimming in Cr@p
Sewage spilling into Swartkops River a serious health and environmental risk https://youtu.be/lIjLr2rJPEY Dear MyPE Today, I conducted an oversight inspection at the Kelvin Jones Waste Water Treatment Site. I was joined by my colleagues including Winterhoek Constituency Leader, MPL Marshall von Buchenroder, NMB Caucus Leader Councillor Jonathan Lawack, Shadow MEC for Environmental Affairs, MPL Yusuf Cassim, and various DA Public Representatives. Raw, untreated sewage has been … [Read more...] about Swimming in Cr@p
Trickle down redress has not worked
DA proposes a bottom-up approach Dear MyPE Today the Democratic Alliance (DA) released the draft Economic Justice Policy, the second document to be released for discussion ahead of the policy conference to be held on the 4th and 5th of April. The draft Economic Justice policy is a response to the increasing economic exclusion experienced by the majority of South Africans. Economic exclusion in South Africa is rooted in a past of colonial and apartheid oppression, but years of poor … [Read more...] about Trickle down redress has not worked
Let’s Pass the Adjustments Budget
Democratic Alliance supports Nelson Mandela Bay Adjustments budget Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance today has supported the Nelson Mandela Bay adjustments budget, which was tabled in council. While we have reservations with regards to certain allocations, we had no choice but to support the budget, as we do not want to give any further reasons for National Treasury to follow through on the withholding of the municipality’s R800 million in equitable share. The R800 million in … [Read more...] about Let’s Pass the Adjustments Budget
It is only a Better Life For All when…
DA calls for stringent monitoring of grant funding in EC municipalities Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance is calling for far more stringent monitoring and guidance measures to be put in place relating to grant funding provided to Eastern Cape municipalities. In response to a DA parliamentary question, the MEC for COGTA, Xolile Nqatha, revealed extensive underspending of grants by Eastern Cape Municipalities. This is a simply unacceptable, as these funds are specifically granted to … [Read more...] about It is only a Better Life For All when…
Lack of urgency on the part of the Business Rescue Practitioners puzzling
SAA business rescue plot thickens Dear MyPE It should probably come as no surprise that Les Matuson and Siviwe Dongwane, the SAA Business Rescue Practitioners, have requested that the SAA creditors extend the time available to them to produce a business rescue plan for SAA. It illustrates the lack of urgency on the part of the Business Rescue Practitioners but also on the part of creditors. This lack of urgency is no doubt a product of the R5.5 billion commercial lender and … [Read more...] about Lack of urgency on the part of the Business Rescue Practitioners puzzling
About COGTA’s almost R4 million in “performance rewards”
NDZ’s department a basket-case but pays performance bonuses Dear MyPE Despite two consecutive audit disclaimers, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) paid its officials almost R4 million in “performance rewards" in the last financial year. Facing the COGTA portfolio committee on Tuesday evening, Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma offered no explanation of how this was possible. She also told the committee that the contract of the previous … [Read more...] about About COGTA’s almost R4 million in “performance rewards”
Inxuba Yithemba mayor’s resignation welcomed, but he must still be held to account
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance welcomes the news that ANC Councillor and Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality (IYLM) Mayor, Ray Shweni, and ANC councillor and Chief Whip, Tembisile Bobo, have resigned. Just last week hundreds of residents joined the DA and took to the streets, calling for the removal of Shweni as mayor, as service delivery in the IYLM, and especially in the towns of Cradock and Middelburg, has come to a virtual standstill and residents are suffering. The DA is not … [Read more...] about Inxuba Yithemba mayor’s resignation welcomed, but he must still be held to account
Department’s inaction placing lives of Fort Beaufort learners at risk
Dear MyPE It is simply unacceptable that the Department of Education does not care that the lives of primary school learners at Fort Beaufort Primary School are placed at risk. Children on their way to school have been threatened at knife point, residents use the school grounds as a shortcut and cattle graze on the school sports fields because the school’s perimeter fencing has been vandalised and stolen. The lack of fencing has also led to the school premises being burgled and … [Read more...] about Department’s inaction placing lives of Fort Beaufort learners at risk
Violence in the house can never be condoned in a parliamentary democracy
SOPA: Time is running out, the work must start in earnest Dear MyPE What happened in the Eastern Cape Legislature ahead of the State of the Province Address this morning is unacceptable. Violence in the house can never be condoned in a parliamentary democracy. I rose on a point of order, to request that the EFF be allowed to stay in the chamber and have the matter referred to the Ethics Committee, to avoid potential violence in the house, like what occurred in the North … [Read more...] about Violence in the house can never be condoned in a parliamentary democracy
Please allow residents to come clean on stealing
DA requests electricity amnesty be brought to NMB Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Nelson Mandela Bay has written to the acting City Manager, Noxolo Nqwazi, to request her intervention to expedite the plan to give residents (domestic customers) an amnesty period to allow them to come clean if they are stealing electricity to avoid fines or prosecution. In June 2018, during the DA-led coalitions time in government an amnesty plan was presented to the infrastructure portfolio … [Read more...] about Please allow residents to come clean on stealing
Action and follow through needed to steer province to a better future
Dear MyPE Last year the Democratic Alliance called on Premier Oscar Mabuyane to show strong leadership during his inaugural State of the Province Address. We called for a commitment that action would be taken against public representatives and government officials guilty of corruption, follow through that would lead to convictions and jail time for offenders, and to make the urgent intervention in collapsing municipalities a top priority. But, despite the countless promises, there has … [Read more...] about Action and follow through needed to steer province to a better future
The people of Inxuba Yethemba Municipality demand better services
Dear MyPE Hundreds of residents joined me on the streets of Cradock today, to hand over a memorandum to the Municipal Manager of the Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality (IYLM), Mr Xolela Msweli , demanding access to better basic services. The DA Eastern Cape Shadow MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Vicky Knoetze, MPL, will now deliver the memorandum to the Eastern MEC of CoGTA, Xolile Nqatha, and the standing committee on public participation, petitions, and … [Read more...] about The people of Inxuba Yethemba Municipality demand better services
