Dear MyPE The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality will have to fork out R24-million from its Urban Settlement Development Grant (USDG) for the re-planning of Soweto on Sea. This follows the shocking revelation that some houses in the area were built on top of burial sites and that the houses built are of appalling quality. The MEC for Human Settlements, Nonkqubela Pieters, has said in a parliamentary response that once the re-planning has been completed, the Department would then fund the top … [Read more...] about Grave error to cost Nelson Mandela Bay R24-million, for starters
Letters to the Editor
Treasury’s proposal to sell Eskom’s coal stations welcomed
Dear MyPE On Tuesday, the Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, released an economic strategy paper which sets out practical proposals for reforms needed to get the economy growing, including selling some of Eskom's coal-fired plants as part of restructuring the state-owned power utility. The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes this move which is in line with our Cheaper Energy Bill. We hold the view that this proposal will free up billions of rands which Eskom and our economy desperately … [Read more...] about Treasury’s proposal to sell Eskom’s coal stations welcomed
NO to SABC’s bid to increase TV licence fees
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) is opposed to the South African Broadcast Corporation’s (SABC) proposal to increase TV license fees. Briefing the Select Committee on Public Enteprises and Communications in the NCOP today, the SABC’s CFO, Yolande van Biljon stated that a proposal to increases TV licenses fees had been drafted and sent to the Minister of Communications, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams. The DA is opposed to any additional - what would be in essence - taxation of already … [Read more...] about NO to SABC’s bid to increase TV licence fees
Mcheni Junior Primary School learners denied their right to a safe learning environment
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Department of Education is denying the learners of the Mcheni Junior Primary School near Tsolo their basic human right to a safe learning environment. Yesterday, 27 August 2019, I was joined by OR Tambo Constituency Leader, Mlindi Nhanha, MP, and local councillors in conducting an oversight inspection at the school. I was shocked to find that learning is expected to take place in dilapidated mud structures without doors, windows and, in some cases, even … [Read more...] about Mcheni Junior Primary School learners denied their right to a safe learning environment
1666 lives lost on EC roads last year
Dear MyPE Newly released statistics from the Department of Transport have revealed that 1666 people tragically lost their lives on the roads in 2018, with the most accidents and lives lost recorded in the O R Tambo district. In response to a parliamentary question Transport MEC, Weziwe Tikana, has now confirmed that 1666 lives were lost in 1320 crashes involving 1614 vehicles during 2018. That's more than four lives every day, lost in vehicle accidents on the province's roads! The … [Read more...] about 1666 lives lost on EC roads last year
From R53 Million Airfield to cattle grazing field in 3 years
Dear MyPE The R53-million Somerset East Airfield that was opened in January 2016, has now become nothing more than grazing field for stray cattle due to the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality’s failure to act. The airfield, with its 1.2km long runway, was built by the Cacadu Development Agency in collaboration with the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. It was supposed to be the gateway for transportation of domestic produce and tourism to the Zuurberg Heritage Corridor, … [Read more...] about From R53 Million Airfield to cattle grazing field in 3 years
Gavin Watson: Thorough and transparent investigation needed to determine facts from conspiracies
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has noted reports confirming that BOSASA executive, Gavin Watson, was killed in an accident during the early hours of Monday morning. The police need to probe the circumstances leading up to the fateful accident involving the BOSASA boss, whose company has billions of Rands worth of tenders with the government and has channelled millions of Rands into the coffers of the ANC in general and specifically the campaign of President Cyril Ramaphosa. The … [Read more...] about Gavin Watson: Thorough and transparent investigation needed to determine facts from conspiracies
R13.7 Million on Vehicles – Something not right here
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance is calling for a moratorium on new vehicles for the Eastern Cape Premier, Members of the Executive, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, to save costs, after it came to light that more than R13.7 million has been spent on these vehicles. It is preposterous that departments pay lip service to cost containment and cost cutting, but think it is okay to spend millions on vehicles for the executive. This is part of my cost containment campaign, to realign the … [Read more...] about R13.7 Million on Vehicles – Something not right here
“Alone in the dark: the Sylvia Plath Effect and the Northern Areas Poet Abigail George”
Alone in the dark: the Sylvia Plath Effect, and the Northern Areas poet Abigail George Author: Abigail George. Website: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5174716.Abigail_George/blog I was 16 when I first attempted to take my own life. I was seeing a psychiatrist (he of the Einsteinian-hair, he had studied at a university in Vienna, his son went to the same high school my brother went to, the highly-prestigious Grey High School for Boys) at the time who was convinced that Risperdal … [Read more...] about “Alone in the dark: the Sylvia Plath Effect and the Northern Areas Poet Abigail George”
Not like the movies: The Cape Corps (1939-1946) and the legacy of apartheid
Abigail George is a South African writer from Port Elizabeth. Versions of this article was published on www.goodreads.com (US), www.hackwriters.com (UK), LinkedIn (US), and (www.ovimagazine.com) Ovi Magazine: Finland's English Online Magazine (Scandinavia). "Not like the movies: The Cape Corps (1939-1946) and the legacy of apartheid" It is another violent day outside, it is another day of eating the dust of the colonial masters, the breadcrumbs from the kitchen table of the masters, the … [Read more...] about Not like the movies: The Cape Corps (1939-1946) and the legacy of apartheid
SA flag must act as a symbol of hope for a better tomorrow
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes the Equality Court ruling officially declaring the gratuitous display of the old South African flag as hate speech, harassment and unfair discrimination. The flag, however, can still be used for artwork, academic research and journalistic purposes. An outright ban is a position we do not support. The democratic flag must act as a symbol of hope for a better tomorrow, which the DA is committed to as articulated by our mission of Building One … [Read more...] about SA flag must act as a symbol of hope for a better tomorrow
Lingcom Primary School construction site a danger to learners
Dear MyPE The Department of Basic Education in the Eastern Cape has seemingly pulled the plug on the rebuilding of Lingcom Primary School in Graaff-Reinet, midway through the job. See pictures attached here, here, here and here. This has left the learners of the school squeezed into temporary classrooms, with up to 114 learners in some combined classes. Construction on the new school buildings commenced two years ago following the demolition of almost half of the existing school. The new … [Read more...] about Lingcom Primary School construction site a danger to learners
Request to establish fresh Gwatyu land rights enquiry
Dear MyPE The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has yet again let the community of Gwatyu Farms down by not conducting a thorough land rights enquiry into the community’s claim to the land they have lived on for generations. Yesterday, 19 August 2019, I was joined by DA Shadow MEC for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Retief Odendaal, MPL, and members of the Gwatyu CPA in meeting with the Department in Komani. The people of Gwatyu have been in an endless … [Read more...] about Request to establish fresh Gwatyu land rights enquiry
Crime-ridden Kuyga Primary School burgled seven times in one month
Dear MyPE The Kuyga Primary School in Port Elizabeth has been an ongoing target for criminals, who have burgled the school at least seven times in the last month, stealing, among others, the electrical cables and leaving the school without electricity, which is vital for classes to function. This came to light following an oversight conducted at the school today, where I was accompanied by DA Constituency Leader, Bobby Stevenson, MPL, DA councilors, as well as the SGB … [Read more...] about Crime-ridden Kuyga Primary School burgled seven times in one month
SAPS take action on lack of rape kits
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the announcement by the South African Police Service (SAPS) that a supplier for rape kits has finally been appointed after the previous tender was cancelled in 2017 due to alleged corruption. The delays in awarding a tender resulted in critical shortages in rape kits across the country. Last week the DA revealed that 76% of SA police stations did not have adult rape kits and 69% of stations do not have child rape kits in stock. The DA … [Read more...] about SAPS take action on lack of rape kits
