Dear MyPE Six operating theatres at Livingstone Hospital are standing empty while more than forty highly qualified personnel, including surgeons, theatre sisters, anaesthetists and auxiliary theatre staff sit idle, because of a bungled tender. Hundreds of patients are lying waiting in overflowing surgery wards, because the theatres have no linen. The collapse of the Livingstone Hospital is complete. Senior management is a misnomer at the facility. Those in charge at the hospital are … [Read more...] about Tender bungle brings Livingstone Hospital operating theatres to a standstill
Letters to the Editor
NHI public participation process deadline extended
Dear MyPE Following the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) and other interested parties’ petition to the Portfolio Committee for Health to extend the public participation process for the National Health Insurance Bill, the deadline has been extended to 29 November 2019. The DA welcomes this victory in the road to fighting the disastrous NHI Bill. Parliament cannot be used as a rubber stamp station for problematic pieces of legislation. The process needs to be rigorous and needs to place the … [Read more...] about NHI public participation process deadline extended
The 232 Day Actor
Dear MyPE Today marks 232 days since Police Minister, Bheki Cele, appointed Victor Senna as the Acting Head of the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID). It has also been 81 days since the Minister told Parliament that that this crucial institution would have a permanent Head by September this year. Today is the last day of September and the institution is still without a permanent head. Without strong leadership, IPID cannot hope to achieve its mandate, which is to provide … [Read more...] about The 232 Day Actor
R30 Billion per year on Millionaire Managers
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has established that, every year, the government spends close to R30 billion in public money to fund the millionaire lifestyles of 27 650 managers in the public service. This staggering expenditure emerged from a series of parliamentary questions asked by the DA over the past few months. It also illustrates just how top-heavy the South African state has become as a consequence of the ANC’s cadre deployment policy. According to the Minister of Public … [Read more...] about R30 Billion per year on Millionaire Managers
NMB municipal “shutdown”
Dear MyPE The current politically defensive Nelson Mandela Bay governing coalition is displaying a callous carelessness by delaying the financial allocations to charitable causes in the city. Today, 26 September 2019, a subcommittee of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Budget and Treasury Committee that deals with financial assistance to charitable organisations was unable to finalise the allocations as it lacked a quorum to proceed. Of the nine councillors who are designated to … [Read more...] about NMB municipal “shutdown”
EC Premier Mabuyane given deadline to finalise drought disaster plan
Dear MyPE The continued drought in the Eastern Cape has long ago reached a crisis point, and yet a provincial drought disaster has still not been declared. Today, 26 September 2019, I wrote to Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane to step in, as pleas from the farming sector to the Department of Rural and Development Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) have fallen on deaf ears. I have therefore given the Premier until close of business on Monday next week to submit a plan regarding steps to be taken … [Read more...] about EC Premier Mabuyane given deadline to finalise drought disaster plan
Too much violence and trauma on University and College campuses
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for a wide-ranging and comprehensive Ministerial Commission on Violence and Trauma on University and College Campuses following the escalating levels of violence across campuses which have reached pathological proportions. In recent months we have seen murders, rapes, suicides and examples of collective violence in places throughout the country, many of them associated with violent student protests. Amongst others, these include: Sandile … [Read more...] about Too much violence and trauma on University and College campuses
Bobani administration continues to rack up frivolous legal bills
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Nelson Mandela Bay acknowledges the judgement handed down in the Makhanda High Court yesterday, 19 September 2019, against Mayor Mongameli Bobani and the then acting city manager, Peter Nielson, in the matter of Grey Moodliar Attorneys and the municipality’s irrational removal of them as attorneys for the Metro. At a Council meeting during which the decision to remove Grey Moodliar was taken, the DA attempted to convince the current coalition of … [Read more...] about Bobani administration continues to rack up frivolous legal bills
Less than 7% of children in the Eastern Cape have access to Early Childhood Development Centres
Dear MyPE There are close to 800 000 children between the ages of 0 and 4 in the Eastern Cape, but only 6.8% of these are provided with Early Childhood Development services by the Department of Social Development. MEC for Social Development, Siphokazi Mani Lusithi, has revealed that only 73 187 children currently receive an ECD subsidy through the 1 757-government funded ECD centres in the province. This needs to be urgently addressed if we are to end the poverty cycle and build a … [Read more...] about Less than 7% of children in the Eastern Cape have access to Early Childhood Development Centres
Come clean about looming rolling blackouts Eskom
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has received reliable information, that Eskom has warned municipalities about the strong possibility of rolling blackouts during the months of September and October. In the interests of transparency and informing the people of South Africa and businesses, DA has written to Eskom Chairperson, Mr Jabu Mabuza, to seek clarity about the potential rolling blackouts. The utility has continuously failed in its mandate to deliver reliable and sustained … [Read more...] about Come clean about looming rolling blackouts Eskom
Democratic Alliance retains ward in Buffalo City and grows in Nelson Mandela Bay
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) yesterday retained Ward 19 in the Buffalo City Municipality, following a tightly contested by-election. The DA’s Derek Green emerged victorious and received 71% of the valid votes cast. This shows massive growth after the DA received 57% of the vote in this ward in the 2019 National and Provincial Elections. The by-election was also contested by the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), the African National Congress (ANC) the Economic Freedom … [Read more...] about Democratic Alliance retains ward in Buffalo City and grows in Nelson Mandela Bay
Water woes in collapsed Komani
Dear MyPE There is plenty of water in the Xonxa dam, but due to maladministration, none of it is flowing out of the taps in Komani (formerly Queenstown). The water shortages are the direct result of the continued failure of the Chris Hani District Municipality to deliver on their mandate to deliver bulk water supply to the Enoch Mgijima municipality. As a result, schools have closed, businesses are struggling to keep their doors open and residents battle one another in queues for … [Read more...] about Water woes in collapsed Komani
Appeal to DSTV to share Rugby World Cup Springbok games with the public broadcaster
Dear MyPE The DA shares the disappointment of South African rugby fans who cannot afford DSTV and will not be able to watch World Cup rugby games. We understand why the cash-strapped public broadcaster, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) could not afford to purchase the broadcasting rights for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The SABC is currently facing a financial crisis largely as a result of corruption and financial mismanagement that took place during the Hlaudi Motsoeneng … [Read more...] about Appeal to DSTV to share Rugby World Cup Springbok games with the public broadcaster
Only 16% of police stations meet the UN police to citizen ratio
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) can reveal that only 16.1% of police stations have enough officers to meet the UN recommended police to citizen ratio which is 1:220. This information was contained in a reply to a parliamentary question. Even more harrowing is the fact that some local police stations suffer incredibly disproportionate ratios of police officers mandated to protect the people within their jurisdiction. For example, the police to citizen ratio at the Flagstaff police … [Read more...] about Only 16% of police stations meet the UN police to citizen ratio
Chaos trumps law and order
Dear MyPE Service delivery protests are on the rise in the Eastern Cape and continue to contribute to an environment of chaos and disorder, with almost two protests taking place every day. MEC of Safety and Liaison, Weziwe Tikana, said in response to a parliamentary question, that 674 service delivery protests took place in the province between the 1st of April 2018 – 31st March 2019. This is a staggering increase of 158 additional protests that took place when compared to the 2017/18 … [Read more...] about Chaos trumps law and order
