Community News and Views from Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay

You are here: Home / Archives for Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor

Concern over escalating crisis at CricketSA

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has taken note of developments at CricketSA (CSA) over the past number of weeks. While we would never want to involve politics in the daily running of sport organisations, we also cannot sit on the sideline and see one of South Africa’s beloved sports seemingly embroiled in a crisis. It has become abundantly obvious that CSA CEO, Thabang Moroe, is not fit for office, and may not have the necessary aptitude or experience to run the organisation. The DA is therefore of the view that Moroe must do the right thing and resign before it is too …

Concern over escalating crisis at CricketSARead More

Stick to your guns on SAA business rescue, even if it means going against the unions

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) applauds the press release by the DA Member of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Alf Lees MP, which charts a potential strategy for South African Airways amidst the Business Rescue process. In line with this, we welcome the belated move by President Ramaphosa to place SAA under Business Rescue – better late than never! The DA believes this will, however, herald an upcoming battle with the unions which speaks to a central issue that bedevils all public enterprises. Under SAA’s Business Rescue, this nettle will have to be grasped and we …

Stick to your guns on SAA business rescue, even if it means going against the unionsRead More

Concerns over New Rural Development HOD following theft allegations

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The DA is shocked and outraged by the new appointment of the Head of Department for Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Siphokazi Ndudane, after theft allegations have come to light against her. Ndudane, the former Deputy Director General of Fisheries at the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), was announced as one of four new HODs appointed by Premier Oscar Mabuyane earlier this week. It has now come to light that just five days before the announcement by the Premier, her previous employer dismissed her after a disciplinary hearing found …

Concerns over New Rural Development HOD following theft allegationsRead More

The most destructive mayor in Nelson Mandela Bay’s history REMOVED

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the removal of the United Democratic Movement’s Mongameli Bobani, as executive mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay. In his fifteen months in office Bobani has been the most destructive mayor that this Metro has ever seen, and has single-handedly run this City into the ground. It comes as no surprise that every other party present voted to remove him. The question still needs to be asked at a national level why UDM leader, Bantu Holomisa, who has a reputation for fighting corruption, did and said nothing against Bobani’s reign of terror in Nelson …

The most destructive mayor in Nelson Mandela Bay’s history REMOVEDRead More

Intimidation of NMB audit team

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) will write to the Police Commissioner today requesting specialist SAPS protection, a secure working location, and accommodation for the Auditor-General audit team tasked with working in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. We will also raise this matter in Parliament today, where the A-G is expected to brief the Standing Committee on the Auditor-General. This follows the A-G’s decision on 4 November 2019, to withdraw its audit team at the Metro, after they received serious and credible threats to their safety. NMB Mayor, Mongameli Bobani’s now …

Intimidation of NMB audit teamRead More

EC Municipalities debt to Eskom surpasses the Billion-rand mark

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE As of the 19th of November, the debt owed to Eskom by Eastern Cape municipalities surpassed the R1-billion mark. This growing debt places Eastern Cape municipalities under significant risk of having their power disconnected. In a response to questions for oral reply in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature today (Wednesday 4 December 2019, the MEC of COGTA, Xolile Nqatha, revealed that, as of 19 November, the collective debt of Eastern Cape municipalities to Eskom was standing at R 1 101 074 549.61. The main culprits are: Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality – R 309 374 …

EC Municipalities debt to Eskom surpasses the Billion-rand markRead More

Criminal elements in Education Department must be rooted out

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance welcomes the precautionary suspension of the Education Department’s Chief Financial Officer, Jason O’Hara, following allegations of administrative misconduct. However, the Education Portfolio Committee can no longer be kept in the dark on this matter. O’Hara’s suspension follows the arrest of an Education Official last week, who is alleged to have stolen money from the School Nutrition Programme. The DA understands that the suspension is by no means a presumption or an accusation of guilt, but rather a a precautionary measure in order to preserve …

Criminal elements in Education Department must be rooted outRead More

Magwa and Majola Tea Estates in financial trouble, again

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The Magwa and Majola Tea Estates are proving to be an ongoing drain on the Eastern Cape’s finances, providing no return for the hundreds of millions of rands of taxpayers’ money that have been sunk into the estates for decades. These tea estates are sucking the lifeblood out of the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform’s funding, which could be far better spent on supporting drought relief for viable farms. Last week the Eastern Cape Rural Development Agency informed the portfolio committee that, less than six months after being taken out of business rescue, …

Magwa and Majola Tea Estates in financial trouble, againRead More

Are Millionaire Managers Worth it?

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) can today reveal that 77% of the most highly paid millionaire managers in the public service failed to submit their 2018/19 midterm performance reviews on time by the deadline of 31 September 2019. Moreover, nearly half of all millionaire Directors-General (DGs) and Heads of Department (HODs) have, to date, completely ignored the rules by failing altogether to submit performance reviews. Each of these DGs who brazenly ignored the law and rules of performance management are paid about R2 million per year. We are tired of the way in which they …

Are Millionaire Managers Worth it?Read More

RIP Peter Myles

Ben Fihla and Peter Myles

This letter was sent to NMBT Members today: It is with great sadness that we notify you of the passing of tourism’s dear friend, Peter Myles, after a lengthy fight against cancer. Peter Myles was regarded as one of South Africa’s leading tourism professionals. Before establishing his own business in 1995, Peter served as Director of Tourism Port Elizabeth (tourism marketing) and then as Regional Director of the South African Tourism Board in the Eastern Cape (tourism development). In 1995 he developed the Peter Myles cc network of associated specialists in Southern Africa and other parts …

RIP Peter MylesRead More

Thank you for your podcast “Red Location Failure” – Here are some comments:

Letters to the Editor

Dear Alan Thank you so much Alan for your passionate & moving podcast "Red Location Failure" about the healing power the Red Location Museum contributed to our people during it's operational years. See: http://mype.co.za/new/red-location-failure/126601/2019/11/ for context. I sorely miss that era when the Museum operated as well - and I remember the awesome support you consistently provided during that time to our Museum as the MyPE website. Last week I was privileged to mingle with some Swedish delegates during the 20 year anniversary celebration of the Twinning partnership …

Thank you for your podcast “Red Location Failure” – Here are some comments:Read More

1 in 5 South African children could be denied access to education

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE As school placements for next year are being finalized, thousands of South African children will still be denied access to an education due to a lack of documentation. This was confirmed by the Deputy Ministers of Home Affairs and Basic Education in Parliament on Tuesday in a response to a call by the Democratic Alliance (DA) to urgently resolve this issue and provide assistance to undocumented South African children. The Deputy Minister of Basic Education, Reginah Mhaule, merely reaffirmed that South African children are given a three-month grace period to get a birth …

1 in 5 South African children could be denied access to educationRead More

R12 billion stealth tax increase for working families

Letters to the Editor

The following speech by Geordin Hill-Lewis MP - DA Shadow Minister of Finance, was delivered in today's Parliamentary Debate on the Rates and Monetary Amounts and Amendment of Revenue Laws Bill: Chair, From the outset of the medium-term budget process, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has focused on whether the proposals by the government help to advance fairness in our society. To govern is to choose. No government can have everything, or satisfy every want. That is why the government is ethically obliged to make choices which are fair to the country as a whole. This means choosing …

R12 billion stealth tax increase for working familiesRead More

NMB’s R3bn IPTS grant recall by Treasury will bankrupt the Metro

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The governance crisis in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro has reached a point where urgent intervention can no longer be delayed. We simply cannot stand by and watch as one of South Africa’s biggest cities collapses under the coalition of corruption made up of the UDM, ANC, AIC, PA and UF, and spearheaded by the UDM’s Mayor Mongameli Bobani. It is critical that National Government intervene as a matter of urgency. They have the Constitutional power to step in and take over the running of the Metro. But until they do, the DA will pursue every other avenue available to it in search of …

NMB’s R3bn IPTS grant recall by Treasury will bankrupt the MetroRead More

Collective effort needed curb Gender Based Violence

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE A collective effort is needed from society as a whole if the rampant violence against women and children in the Eastern Cape is to be curbed, where 80 women and children a day are victims of crime. With 16 days of activism for no violence against women and children starting tomorrow (25 November 2019), we need to acknowledge that it will take more than speeches from politicians and community leaders to fix the broken and dysfunctional society which we live in. Patriarchy and toxic masculinity alone cannot be blamed for the situation. They are symptomatic of the collapse of …

Collective effort needed curb Gender Based ViolenceRead More

Farmers in crisis as goal posts shifted for drought relief applications

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE Farmers in desperate need of drought funding were dealt another blow this week, with the Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) changing the criteria for drought relief applications midway through the application process. With the extended deadline for applications closing today, farmers are now in a panic that their applications might be rejected, as the supporting documentation required has been changed. The changes, which were communicated by DRDAR in a memo sent out last week Friday, require farmers to submit proof of ownership or lease of farmland, …

Farmers in crisis as goal posts shifted for drought relief applicationsRead More

Committed to developing young leaders

Letters to the Editor

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape, through its Laphumilanga Leadership Programme, is committed to developing young leaders to take the party into the future. The Programme was first launched by the DA in the province in 2012 and has helped the party to identify leaders who have taken up positions within branches, constituencies, councils and legislatures. This programme is the DA Eastern Cape’s part-time political leadership development course for young democrats within the party’s provincial structures. It presents a unique opportunity to develop young DA …

Committed to developing young leadersRead More

Province spends R91 million on accident-damaged state vehicles

Letters to the Editor

Editor: Let's help our 'safe driving challenged' and accident prone government employees to drive like human beings - feel free to censure anyone that you see abusing a state vehicle. Ask yourself - would you allow someone to take cash out of your pocket and tear it up in front of you? If the answer is "No" then have at our state employees abusing our tax contributions..... Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Provincial Government has spent in excess of R91-million on accident-damaged state-owned vehicles over the past three years. This level of wastage is completely unacceptable and raises …

Province spends R91 million on accident-damaged state vehiclesRead More