MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Letters to the Editor

E-Visa pilot system

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Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the announcement by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) that it will this month start the piloting process for an online e-visa system. The DA understands that this new electronic self-service solution system will speedily facilitate the movement of low-risk travelers. This announcement also follows the welcomed move on the part of Government to scrap unabridged birth certificates as a requirement for minors travelling to the … [Read more...] about E-Visa pilot system

EC government must prioritise housing in Bedford

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Dear MyPE The ANC government has kept the residents of Bedford hanging on the promise of housing opportunities for the past 23 years and will continue to keep its residents waiting due to the failure of the Department of Human Settlements and Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality to deal with challenges within the area. This has in particular affected hundreds of residents of Goodwin Park and the informal settlement known as Sizakhele where they are forced to sleep as many as six in a … [Read more...] about EC government must prioritise housing in Bedford

@BobaniMayor refuses to sign disaster declaration as Day Zero looms

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Dear MyPE The severity of the drought in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has been ignored by Executive Mayor, Cllr Mongameli Bobani, and as a result taps all across the Metro have now started running dry. For more than two months the necessary documentation to have a local state of disaster declared in the Metro has been on the Mayor’s desk, but he has refused to sign-off on this. In order to take quick action, or action that is outside of the ordinary, or to apply for relief … [Read more...] about @BobaniMayor refuses to sign disaster declaration as Day Zero looms

War Room needed to fight drought

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Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance welcomes the fact that the province has now been declared a disaster area, but we remain concerned that the province does not have a comprehensive drought plan that will enable us to deal swiftly and effectively with all drought related disasters. All authorities need to be on high alert, to identify critical areas where intervention is needed, to tackle the drought head on. The Eastern Cape is seeing a significant number of towns and villages that are … [Read more...] about War Room needed to fight drought

Let us for once call a spade a spade

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From the Pen of Stag Mitchell: I don't care whether the Springboks Victory Tour bypassed Kwanobuhle Township in Port Elizabeth!!!!!! I care less whether the Springboks Victory Tour Bus detoured the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium!!!!! Whether your touched Motherwell Township twice, paid homage to Rassie Erasmus Bok Coach home Despatch!!!!!!!! Whether you brought respect to Bok Captain Siya Kolisi Zwide home!!!!!!! But when you deliberately avoids the entire Coloured community from the … [Read more...] about Let us for once call a spade a spade

We do not support Port Elizabeth name change

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Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee’s call to change the name of Port Elizabeth to Gqebera is a slap in the face of the poor and suffering people of the province and the Democratic Alliance (DA) will never support this. The Eastern Cape government will have to spend millions of rands to change the name while 36.5% of the residents of the province, according to Stats SA’s most recent Quarterly Labour Force Survey, are unemployed. The province yet again has the highest … [Read more...] about We do not support Port Elizabeth name change

Calls for fresh elections in NMB

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Dear MyPE The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has become a “paralysed gangster state” ruled by fear and the threat of violence under Executive Mayor, Cllr Mongameli Bobani, and his ANC/UDM/EFF coalition of corruption. The blatant corruption, maladministration, collapse of service delivery and governance has left the Democratic Alliance (DA) with no alternative than to turn to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the national and provincial governments, and to call for the Metro to be saved … [Read more...] about Calls for fresh elections in NMB

Eskom in the Hole to Foreign Governments

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Dear MyPE In a reply to a Democratic Alliance (DA) Parliamentary question, the Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, revealed that Eskom is owed R632 million in outstanding payments by foreign state-owned power utilities. A breakdown of the debts can be seen below: ZESA Zimbabwe - R322 million: Zimbabwe has economic challenges due to political challenges which have led to it being unable to honour its debt obligations. Eskom and ZESA currently have a payment plan agreement … [Read more...] about Eskom in the Hole to Foreign Governments

NYDA to tackle scourge of suicides at Universities

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Dear MyPE The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) has agreed to implement the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s proposal to focus on young people’s mental health challenges. In a recent Portfolio Committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, the DA made a request that the NYDA implement programmes at Universities and other institutions of higher learning to curb the rise in suicide deaths on our campuses. Suicide has increasingly been on the rise among young people across the … [Read more...] about NYDA to tackle scourge of suicides at Universities

Education Department continues to mislead Legislature with impunity

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Dear MyPE The Education Department seems intent on misleading the Legislature and avoid being held to account, by submitting blatant untruths in response to parliamentary questions. Today it has become apparent that the Department has once again submitted untruths to the House. Earlier this year I was contacted by a disgruntled parent pleading for assistance in obtaining her son’s National Senior Certificate (NSC) which has been outstanding since he wrote his NSC examinations in … [Read more...] about Education Department continues to mislead Legislature with impunity

DA Retains Blue Crane Route Municipality Ward

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Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) today retained Ward 2 (Somerset East) in the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality, following a tightly contested by-election. The DA’s Jonathan Martin emerged victorious and received 53,5% of the valid votes cast. This results indicates growth after the DA received 50,26% of the vote in this ward in the 2019 National and Provincial Elections. The by-election was also contested by the African National Congress (ANC) the Economic Freedom Fighters … [Read more...] about DA Retains Blue Crane Route Municipality Ward

Shelve the name change and focus on beating the Eastern Cape drought

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Dear MyPE and fellow South Africans It’s great to be here in the Eastern Cape – a province with so much untapped potential. Under the right government, the Eastern Cape could really shine. It has the resources, it has the natural beauty and it has the people. All that’s missing is committed and honest leadership. And I assure you, we’re working on that too. But right now, there is another shadow hanging over this province. The drought that has gripped large parts of the country threatens … [Read more...] about Shelve the name change and focus on beating the Eastern Cape drought

R7 Million to Sit at Home

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Dear MyPRE The Department of Social Development in the Eastern Cape has paid out over R7 million to 51 employees who were placed on paid leave over the past three years, pending the outcomes of investigations against them. These employees sat at home, drawing salaries, while hundreds of thousands of people, living in poverty, were deprived of the services these individuals were supposed to be providing. In response to a parliamentary question, MEC for Social Development, Siphokazi … [Read more...] about R7 Million to Sit at Home

Corpses left at accident scenes

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Dear MyPE Since Friday last week, people declared dead at accident scenes in the Butterworth district and in the Buffalo City Metro have simply been left on the side of the road for hours, because Forensic Pathology employees are on strike over unpaid overtime and standby allowances. According to the striking workers, the overtime and standby allowances have not been paid since the April this year, despite promises made by the Head of Department, Dr Mbengashe. The Department of Health … [Read more...] about Corpses left at accident scenes