Dear MyPE A shocking R2,3 billion rand in outstanding payments in excess of 30 days, was owed by Eastern Cape government departments to suppliers for goods and services rendered, as at the end of February this year. There is no place for a job-crushing administration in these times. In a period like this, where businesses are battling to make ends meet and pay their staff, the non-payment for work runs contrary to any commitment to economic recovery. This uncaring approach to paying … [Read more...] about R2,3 billion backlog in government payments crippling EC business
bobby stevenson
Claim payouts by Eastern Cape police skyrocket to R63 million
Most claim cases are still pending Dear MyPE Claims against the Eastern Cape Police Service have skryrocketed, with over R62,8-million paid out in the first ten months of the 2019/2020 financial year, which is already R17 million more than the year before. These payouts are for just 658 claims that have been finalized. There are still 8,216 claims pending against the EC SAPS. Even more concerning is that these claims could escalate exponentially, based on reports of heavy-handed … [Read more...] about Claim payouts by Eastern Cape police skyrocket to R63 million
Disaster Management Volunteers needed to Prevent Queues of Death
Dear MyPE The government is allowing people to line up and potentially die in “queues of death” that we have recently witnessed across the province. These queues are potential super spreaders of the virus. We need a new strategy that can save lives by preventing the spread of this virus. Municipalities are empowered to use disaster management volunteers in terms of chapter 7 of the Disaster Risk Management Act. The horrifying pictures of people squashed together lining up for grants, … [Read more...] about Disaster Management Volunteers needed to Prevent Queues of Death
Legislature meetings unconstitutional if not accessible to the public
Dear MyPE Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature meetings could be deemed unconstitutional and the decisions taken therein overturned if they are not opened to the public. I have written to the Speaker, Helen Sauls August, in relation to her press release of 5 May, where she highlighted the fact that the Legislature is conducting its business through virtual meetings and is accessible to the media and civil society organisations. The Democratic Alliance is not satisfied that this goes far … [Read more...] about Legislature meetings unconstitutional if not accessible to the public
Urgent investigation needed into police station shutdown
Dear MyPE There needs to be a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the closure of the New Brighton police station earlier this week, after a member tested positive for the Coronavirus. There are serious questions that need to be answered. I have therefore submitted parliamentary questions to the MEC of Safety and Liaison, Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe. These relate to the time between when the station commander found out that a member tested positive and when the station … [Read more...] about Urgent investigation needed into police station shutdown
Long term strengthening of police service in Eastern Cape needed
Dear MyPE There is a dire shortage of manpower within the Eastern Cape South African Police Service (SAPS) which needs to be supplemented by the urgent recruitment of police reservists once the lockdown is lifted. During a virtual safety and liaison portfolio committee meeting this week, the committee was informed that only 332 reservists were currently eligible for call up. Reservist numbers have been declining for years. In the 2015/16 financial year, there were 2017 reservists in … [Read more...] about Long term strengthening of police service in Eastern Cape needed
Health Portfolio Committee to meet tomorrow
Virtual Meeting a First Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance welcomes the announcement that the Health Portfolio Committee of the Eastern Cape Legislature will be meeting virtually tomorrow for the first time. This follows after I wrote to the Speaker of the Legislature, Helen Sauls-August, last week, to point out that the rules of the House make provision for meetings to take place via other platforms, and request that the portfolio meetings continue during lockdown using video conferencing … [Read more...] about Health Portfolio Committee to meet tomorrow
Eastern Cape Jobs Bloodbath Continues
Dear MyPE While the national unemployment rate remains unchanged at 29,1%, and six of the nine provinces recorded decreases in unemployment, the Eastern Cape continues to haemorrhage jobs, with unemployment growing to a staggering 39,5%. The expanded unemployment rate is also up, to 47,7%. Not only is the province the worst preforming in terms of job creation, it has the highest unemployment rates in the country. What this means is that almost one out of every two people in the province … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape Jobs Bloodbath Continues
State-of-the-art Aberdeen police offices unusable
Dear MyPE A multi-million-rand state-of-the-art police building, built in 2016 for South African Police Service admin personnel in Aberdeen, is standing all but empty, because they did not get the basics right. I am determined to fight for a fully resourced police service so that we are able to reduce the climate of fear and give residents of Aberdeen peace of mind. Earlier this week, I conducted an oversight inspection of the SAPS facilities in Aberdeen, accompanied by DA councillors … [Read more...] about State-of-the-art Aberdeen police offices unusable
Massive reservist decline is a blow to community safety
Dear MyPE The number of reservists in the Eastern Cape SAPS, has declined to a third of what it used to be, resulting in a massive blow to community safety in the province. The Department of Safety and Liaison, together with SAPS in the Eastern Cape, are failing to take bold measures to ensure that we recruit police reservists to beef up the war against crime. There are thousands of volunteers out there. Let’s harness the energy of the whole of society, working together to restore … [Read more...] about Massive reservist decline is a blow to community safety
Collective effort needed curb Gender Based Violence
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 … [Read more...] about Collective effort needed curb Gender Based Violence
Detective shortages, training in EC must be prioritised
Dear MyPE I welcome the fact that detective training in the Eastern Cape, with a particular focus on basic fraud investigations, will be prioritised in the 2020/21 financial year. However, along with the upskilling of existing detectives, priority needs to be given to the recruitment of new detectives to bring SAPS up to full strength in this division. The detective division is one of the key pillars in the war against crime, and the vacancy rate needs to be reduced. Every vacant … [Read more...] about Detective shortages, training in EC must be prioritised
Eastern Cape Unemployment Crisis Reaches 46.5%
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%
Historic moment in EC Legislature
Dear MyPE Yesterday the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature took a historic step in adopting my motion, with amendments by the ANC, dealing with the preparedness of the province for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The thrust of this motion is to ensure that the province is fully prepared for this new period, which entails the converging of digital, physical and biological technologies and is characterised by fast moving change involving big data, automation, robotics, artificial … [Read more...] about Historic moment in EC Legislature
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
