Dear MyPE It is clear that Premier Oscar Mabuyane has no solution to combat the rising unemployment in the Eastern Cape, which is robbing the food off the tables of the people. This after the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, released by Stats SA today, showed that unemployment in the province continued to rise, with the third quarter up by 1.1%, from 35.4% to 36.5%. The Eastern Cape continues to have the highest expanded unemployment rate in the country, at 46.5%. This translates into … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape Unemployment Crisis Reaches 46.5%
Letters to the Editor
Eastern Cape Declared a Disaster Area
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes today’s gazetting of Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s declaration of the province as a drought disaster area. The DA has been calling on the Premier to declare the province a disaster area for months, as this will allow the national government to make much needed drought relief funding available to the province. There is no doubt that the Eastern Cape is currently experiencing one of the most disastrous and debilitating droughts in … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape Declared a Disaster Area
John Steenhuisen returns as Parliamentary Leader
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) can confirm that the nominations for DA Parliamentary Leader officially closed Friday night at 20:00. I can confirm that the position was uncontested with only one nomination. Therefore the new Parliamentary Leader is John Steenhuisen. The DA’s Parliamentary Caucus looks forward to working with Mr. Steenhuisen and he can be assured of our support. Regards Annelie Lotriet MP Chairperson of the DA's Parliamentary Caucus … [Read more...] about John Steenhuisen returns as Parliamentary Leader
A billion rand needed for drought relief, and still no declaration
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape needs at least R1 billion in funding in the next financial year alone, if it is to provide sufficient support to municipalities and provide drought relief for farmers. Despite this, there is still no sign of the drought declaration from Premier Oscar Mabuyane, even though there were two gazettes published this week for the Eastern Cape. Speaking at Taking Legislature to the People in Komani this week, Premier Mabuyane said that he had declared the province a … [Read more...] about A billion rand needed for drought relief, and still no declaration
Eastern Cape had R2,1 bllion in outstanding invoices in 2018/19
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape was the second worst preforming province in terms of outstanding invoices older than 30 days in the 2018/19 financial year, owing suppliers in excess of R2,1 billion. Statistics recently released by the Auditor General showed that the Eastern Cape had the second highest outstanding invoice total in the country, behind Gauteng which owed suppliers just under R2,6-billion. This is a sad indictment on a province which has the highest expanded unemployment rate in … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape had R2,1 bllion in outstanding invoices in 2018/19
Calls for Enoch Mgijima municipality to be dissolved
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance has today moved a motion at the special sitting of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature (Taking the Legislature to the People) in Komani, that the Enoch Mgijima Municipality be dissolved in terms of section 139 (1)(c) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The Democratic Alliance believes that the Municipality has failed to meet its executive obligations in terms of the Constitution and legislation in that amongst other factors; … [Read more...] about Calls for Enoch Mgijima municipality to be dissolved
John Steenhuisen Didn’t Resign…. Technically
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Parliamentary Caucus sat today to discuss the resignation of Mmusi Maimane from the Party and as a Member of Parliament. As Caucus Chairperson, I will now act as the Interim Parliamentary Leader until a Caucus election takes place. I would also like to dispel the false reports that John Steenhuisen has resigned as Chief Whip of the DA’s Parliamentary Caucus. The tenure of the Chief Whip of the National Assembly is linked to that of the … [Read more...] about John Steenhuisen Didn’t Resign…. Technically
Tourism stats continue to spiral and threaten jobs
Dear MyPE The latest data released by StatsSA this week confirms the continuing downward trend for tourism in South Africa. The data is performance-based and records figures from January to August this year. The statistics confirm that fewer international tourists are visiting our shores, be it from other African countries or other parts of the world. Countries specifically targeted by TourismSA have shown a dramatic decrease in tourists to our country. This includes China, which has … [Read more...] about Tourism stats continue to spiral and threaten jobs
EC Government racks up over 1,2 million days of sick leave in two and half years
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Government is clearly sick to its core, with the various government departments racking up in excess of 1,2 million days of sick leave in the past two and a half years. The abuse of sick leave is crippling the public sector. In response to a parliamentary question Premier Oscar Mabuyane revealed that in the 2017/18 financial year 494 621 days of sick leave were taken, in 2018/19 447 859 days were taken. Between April and the end of August in the 2019/20 … [Read more...] about EC Government racks up over 1,2 million days of sick leave in two and half years
Phase one of first eco-friendly road in South Africa completed
Dear MyPE The first eco-friendly road in South Africa, that incorporates waste plastic that would otherwise have gone to landfill or ended up in our oceans, has been completed in Jeffreys Bay, in the DA –led municipality of Kouga. This amazing accomplishment comes two years after a motion by the Democratic Alliance to consider the implementation of a pilot project – to test the feasibility and practicability of building roads by incorporating waste plastic into the mix – was rejected by … [Read more...] about Phase one of first eco-friendly road in South Africa completed
Call on Premier to declare Province a disaster area
Dear MyPE Today the Democratic Alliance tabled a notice of motion publicly challenging Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane and members of the Provincial Legislature to declare the Province a disaster area. The Eastern Cape is currently experiencing one of the most disastrous and debilitating droughts in its history with over four years of way-below-average rainfall. This period has been characterized as a once-in-a-hundred-year drought and has placed many farmers in financial ruin. The … [Read more...] about Call on Premier to declare Province a disaster area
Education Department must ensure credibility of matric results
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance extends its best wishes to the Grade 12 pupils from the Eastern Cape registered as candidates for the National Senior Certificate, who have begun writing their final exams this week. As the matric exam season gets underway, it is imperative that the Eastern Cape Department of Education makes sure that there are contingency plans in place to deal with possible further loadshedding, as was experienced across the country last week. The DA is also concerned … [Read more...] about Education Department must ensure credibility of matric results
The Reason for the Steynsburg violence
Dear MyPE Lives are being endangered and valuable police resources wasted due to ANC Premier Oscar Mabuyane not honouring his promises to certain residents of the Karoo town of Steynsburg. Today, 18 October 2019, a second day of violence broke out between protesters and the Public Order Policing (POP) Unit of the South African Police Service (SAPS) after residents blocked off roads with burning tyres and rocks, and also pelted stones at vehicles. There were also unconfirmed reports … [Read more...] about The Reason for the Steynsburg violence
Recall of IPTS grant funding to bankrupt Nelson Mandela Bay
Dear MyPE National Treasury has given Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Mongemeli Bobani and his coalition of corruption government 14 days to prepare for the withdrawal and recalling of all transfers made since the inception of the Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) conditional grant allocation. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been warning of this impending crisis over many months and now the Metro stands to lose R3.2 billion, which is equal to nearly three years of equitable share. This … [Read more...] about Recall of IPTS grant funding to bankrupt Nelson Mandela Bay
Drought-stricken farmers deserve relief now
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape government could make at least R50 million available to drought hit farmers, through simple cuts in non-core expenditure for the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform. This funding would be over and above any national funding that could be made available once the declaration of the province as a disaster area is gazetted, following the Premier’s announcement earlier this week. While R50 million a drop in the ocean in the face of the drought … [Read more...] about Drought-stricken farmers deserve relief now
