Dear MyPE The budget for the Eastern Cape for 2015/16 will be tabled in the provincial legislature by Finance and Provincial Expenditure MEC Sakhumzi Somyo on Friday, 6 March 2015. The Eastern Cape MEC for Finance and Provincial Expenditure, Sakhumzi Somyo, must announce concrete steps to put this province on the high road to honest, efficient and caring government when he introduces the provincial budget on Friday in Bhisho. The Democratic Alliance expects bold pronouncements to clamp … [Read more...] about EC budget expectations: Measures needed for honest, efficient and caring government
bobby stevenson
Honour men and women in blue on National Police Day
Dear MyPE Today, on National Police Day, it is important to acknowledge the men and women in blue who put their lives on the line daily to ensure that our country is a safe place to live in. The DA honours and respects you. National Police Day is held on 27 January each year to commemorate the establishment of the South African Police Services and to give recognition to police officers for their sacrifice and commitment to upholding safety and security. A police service that will have … [Read more...] about Honour men and women in blue on National Police Day
Saving the ANC from itself
Dear Editor There has been a lot of hype about ANC president Jacob Zuma's appointment of a task team in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. What people should realise is that this is about saving the ANC from itself. It is a last, desperate measure to cling to power. The only party that can save the metro is the Democratic Alliance. Cadre deployment, whether you employ less weak people to council, will still result in the same outcome. Cadre deployment is the root of all evil in our … [Read more...] about Saving the ANC from itself
Tough leadership is needed to contain expenditure
Dear MyPE It is clear from the Adjustment Appropriation Bill which was tabled in the Provincial Legislature yesterday (Wednesday 19 November) that the country is cash strapped with expenditure exceeding revenue. This Adjustment Appropriation Bill of R467.6 million is the smallest one that I can remember. Last year's Adjustment Appropriation was R2.117 billion and in 2012 it was R1.191 billion. In an extremely sobering speech, the MEC for Provincial Planning and Treasury, Sakhumzi Somyo, … [Read more...] about Tough leadership is needed to contain expenditure
Eastern Cape is SA’s murder capital
Dear MyPE The increase in the number of murders and sexual offenses means that violent crime is still frighteningly high in our province. The Eastern Cape, with a murder ratio of 52.1 per 100 000 is the murder capital of South Africa. Out of the total of 20 categories, 11 have gone up while numbers in nine categories have been reduced. The number of reported sexual offences has increased from 9 567 to 9 897, and when looking at the crime ratio, we are the second highest in the … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape is SA’s murder capital
No final ruling by legislature ethics committee against Athol Trollip
Dear MyPE Reports in today's Daily Dispatch and The Herald state that the ethics committee of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature had found DA legislature leader Athol Trollip guilty of the use of unparliamentary language. The ethics committee nor the legislature has made any final ruling on the usage of unparliamentary language by DA legislature leader Athol Trollip. On Tuesday the deputy speaker, Bulelwa Tunyiswa, presented a report from the ethics committee in the Eastern Cape … [Read more...] about No final ruling by legislature ethics committee against Athol Trollip
Increase in civil payments awarded against SAPS in Eastern Cape
Dear MyPE A total of 4 534 civil claims, amounting to a massive R1,8 billion (1 861 913 832.49) were made against the South African Police Services (SAPS) in the Eastern Cape over the last three years, with R73, 026 million actually awarded to claimants. There should be no place for unlawful behaviour in the SAPS. A reply to a legislature question I asked the MEC for Safety and Liaison, Weziwe Tikana, has revealed that over the three-year period, payments amounting to R73,026 million (73 … [Read more...] about Increase in civil payments awarded against SAPS in Eastern Cape
DA hands over SAHRC complaint on Eastern Cape bucket toilets
Dear MyPE The following speech was delivered in Nelson Mandela Bay's Walmer Township today, by DA Shadow Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Kevin Mileham MP. Today, we hand over our complaint to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate the rapid increase of the use of the bucket toilet system, particularly in the Eastern Cape. We will assist the SAHRC to determine why and where these horrific bucket toilet systems exist and how to get rid … [Read more...] about DA hands over SAHRC complaint on Eastern Cape bucket toilets
EC under expenditure on education and health for first quarter
Dear MyPE The first quarter expenditure figures for the financial year (1 April 2014-30 June 2014) that were released by national treasury yesterday are a wake-up call for the Eastern Cape, particularly when it comes to capital expenditure. Expenditure on personnel is largely on track but capital expenditure (infrastructure) is lagging way behind. Our bloated bureaucracy is simply not giving us value for money. The slow pace of capital expenditure is not reducing infrastructural backlogs … [Read more...] about EC under expenditure on education and health for first quarter
Freedom means not abusing state resources
Dear MyPE The ANC keeps getting is wrong when it comes to the separation of party and state. A total of R106 000 was spent by the Department of Humans Settlements in the Eastern Cape on radio adverts in April and May 2014. This was revealed in a reply to a legislature question I asked the MEC for Human Settlements, Helen Sauls-August. A DA-government in the Eastern Cape would ensure money is spent on building houses and not building the profile of the ANC during an election … [Read more...] about Freedom means not abusing state resources
Abuse of state resources in Ward 40 Mandela Bay by-election
Dear MyPE The use today by the ANC of a community crèche as a campaign office in the Ward 40 municipal by-election in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole is another illustration of the wrongful use of state resources. This crèche is located in Kuyga, opposite the Kuyga Community Centre, where voting is taking place today. According to our information this building belongs to the Department of Human Settlements. State resources may not be used for party political campaigning. In any event, … [Read more...] about Abuse of state resources in Ward 40 Mandela Bay by-election
DA lays complaint with IEC against ANC
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance has today laid a complaint with the provincial Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) against the ANC for a violation of the code of conduct for elections. This code was signed for the ward 40 by-election on 28 July 2014 by all parties. The DA was prevented by the ANC from holding a public meeting in the Kuyga Community Hall on Sunday, 3 August. This was not some innocent mistake by the ANC or mix-up of bookings but a deliberate attempt to sabotage our … [Read more...] about DA lays complaint with IEC against ANC
Failing leadership results in failing municipalities
The Auditor General's report on audit outcomes of Local Government for 2012-13 was released on Wednesday, 30 July. The failure of political and administrative leadership at local government level is the direct cause of these poor audit outcomes and our failing municipalities. Once again the Eastern Cape municipalities have disappointed with no clean audits and 13 out of 45 municipalities receiving an adverse opinion or disclaimer. An increase of 50% in irregular expenditure from R2,2 … [Read more...] about Failing leadership results in failing municipalities
EC expanded rate of unemployment is 44,4%
The agricultural sector of the Eastern Cape economy is particularly hard hit, with a 17,8 % decline in those employed in agriculture in the Eastern Cape, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, released by StatsSA today - 29 July 2014. Year on year there were 15 000 less people employed in agriculture. This points to the failure of state-led economic growth initiatives in this critical sector. Although the number of employed people in the Eastern Cape has increased over the last … [Read more...] about EC expanded rate of unemployment is 44,4%
Eastern Cape is top spender on travel and accommodation
The following speech was delivered in the Eastern Cape Legislature on Thursday by the DA's Shadow MEC for Finance, Bobby Stevenson MPL, during the budget vote debate of Provincial Planning and Treasury. This budget takes place against a bleak fiscal and economic outlook for the province and country. The budget speech was made on the 6 March the projected growth for South Africa was 2.7 %. The projected growth rate for South Africa is now 1.7%. We've just faced a 25 basis point interest … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape is top spender on travel and accommodation
