bobby stevenson

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance welcomes the implementation of a rural safety plan in 162 of the police stations in the Eastern Cape. According to a reply to a legislature question I asked Safety and Liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana, each station had appointed a rural safety coordinator. The DA is committed to ensuring that the Eastern Cape becomes a safer province for all its citizens, particularly those who are isolated in rural communities. While the implementation of a rural safety plan … [Read more...] about SAPS EC rural safety plan is a step in the right direction

Dear MyPE The South African Police Service (SAPS) must pull out all stops to ensure that the culprits who are involved in assassinations and threats against politicians in the province are brought to book as a matter of speed. Unless they do this, the rising trend of politically motivated killings and threats will skyrocket. The slide towards a criminal state must be stopped fully in its tracks. The SAPS must do their job. The DA is alarmed by the increase in politics-related killings … [Read more...] about Police must act against politically motivated threats and killings in Eastern Cape

Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape provincial government had failed to pay 6 478 suppliers to whom it owed money in excess of 90 days, as at 31 December 2016, totalling a staggering R169-million, according to a reply to a legislature question I asked. This government should focus on radical economic payment instead of monopolising provincial capital to the detriment of businesses that are owed money. If we want to get the economy of the Eastern Cape moving, we need to dump the rhetoric and get … [Read more...] about 6 478 suppliers need “Radical economic payment”

Dear MyPE The DA is challenging the MEC for Finance Sakhumsi Somyo to explain why a figure of R1,4 billion of unpaid health debt was not reflected in a reply to a legislature question I asked recently. For the reply click here. In March, the MEC for Health, Dr Phumza Dyantyi, told the national parliament that health debts (accruals) amounted to R1,4 billion as at 31 January 2017. Has the Health Department been hiding this crisis from the MEC for Finance, or has he been hiding it from the … [Read more...] about Finance MEC must explain health department debt crisis

Dear MyPE The results of a forensic investigation into the tender process and pricing discrepancies for the Lorraine- and Algoa frail care contracts in Port Elizabeth must be made public as a matter of urgency. We need to know who was responsible for this debacle. The DA will never tolerate human rights abuses and an uncaring attitude towards the most vulnerable members of our society. According to a reply to legislature questions I asked the MEC for Social Development, Nancy … [Read more...] about Frail care centres forensic investigation results must be made public

Dear MyPE The DA welcomes the approval by the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro council today (subs: 23 Feb 2017) for land to be allocated in Bloemendal for an additional police station in the Northern Areas of Port Elizabeth. The fight against gangsterism in the Northern Areas must be treated as a war and every resource available needs to be harnessed. The SAPS must now prioritise and expedite the building of this station. I will be submitting legislature questions to the MEC for Safety and … [Read more...] about Approval of land for additional police station in PE Northern Areas welcomed

Dear MyPE The Premier, Phumulo Masualle, repeatedly said that the state of the province is sound. If he believes that, he is living in his own echo chamber. The state of the Eastern Cape province is far from sound. The labour force statistics released last week showed that unemployment is on the increase with the only glimmer of hope being DA-led Nelson Mandela Bay, where it decreased. The Premier failed to make any game-changer announcement that would put the Eastern Cape on the high … [Read more...] about SOPA reaction: Premier living in his own echo chamber

Dear MyPE At the State of the Province Address on Friday, 17 February 2017, 09h00 at the Legislature precincts in Bhisho, the Premier, Phumulo Masualle, needs to spell out key game-changers that will put this province on the high road to prosperity. The key game changers that will fundamentally and materially improve the lives of people include education, the economy, the state of local government, healthcare, our roads network and good governance. Education is in crisis, with the province … [Read more...] about Eastern Cape SOPA expectations: Put the province on a high road

Dear MyPE The economy of the Eastern Cape remains in the doldrums as reflected by the increase in the unemployment rate in the province from 28.2 percent in the third quarter of 2016, to 28.4 percent in the fourth quarter (Oct-Dec 2016), according to the quarterly labour force statistics released by Statistics South Africa today. The expanded unemployment rate remains the same, at 41.3 percent. The big shock is the extent to which unemployment has increased in Buffalo City, up from 28.1 … [Read more...] about BCM unemployment shock, but positive results in NMBM

Dear MyPE The fact that consistent political pressure had to be applied to ensure that Eastern Cape Premier Phumulo Masualle reversed his uncaring MEC’s stance on the frail care crisis shows how out of touch the provincial government is with the needs of society. Premier Masualle must fire Social Development MEC Nancy Sihlwayi for this uncaring and painful episode, as she has demonstrated that she is not only out of step with the needs of the frail care patients but is totally at odds with … [Read more...] about Premier must fire MEC Sihlwayi

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance welcomes the SAPS recruitment drive for police reservists that is now taking place in the Eastern Cape. An advertisement was placed The Herald on Thursday, 17 November calling for people to join the police reservists. I appeal to members of the public to come forward and volunteer. Let's join hands to make our communities safer. This step is long overdue. The DA believes that fighting crime is a partnership between the community and the police. The … [Read more...] about Join as a police reservist

Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance in the Eastern Cape condemns in the strongest terms the action of rogue members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) who invaded and dumped furniture in the square in front of City Hall in Nelson Mandela Bay on Friday. (See: Tense scenes as armed soldiers dump furniture in front of City Hall) I understand that 30 members, with four trucks were involved. Some of the soldiers were heavily armed with R-4 rifles – some of the weapons with the … [Read more...] about DA condemns action of rogue SANDF members