Coronavirus morning update: 'Not stuck on level 4', says president, and what you can now buy online: We are not stuck on Level 4, we are going to migrate to Level 3 so that we can loosen up a number of restrictions, says the president; and you can now buy anything online under Level 4 restrictions – ... Source: "Port Elizabeth" - BingNews. The Bulls’ buying spree shows no signs of abating with Gio Aplon's arrival: The Bulls’ buying spree is showing no signs of abating with former Springbok … [Read more...] about Coronavirus morning update: ‘Not stuck on level 4’, says president, and what you can now buy online – Port Elizabeth in the News
Coronavirus
Apartheid vs Coronavirus
Some food for thought as we compare the denial of rights and freedoms introduced by the National Party during the dark years of Apartheid with our current Coronavirus Lockdown situation. Judging by the number of restrictions for Coronavirus could this really mean that our current situation is worse? For clarity - a CROSS indicates that the activity WAS/IS restricted and a TICK means that the activity WAS NOT/IS NOT restricted. Compare the number of Apartheid Deaths with the present … [Read more...] about Apartheid vs Coronavirus
Court Action to End Lockdown
Help us end this lockdown crisis Dear MyPE Today, the DA announced the court action we are taking to end the national hard lockdown that is tearing our society and economy to pieces. This afternoon, our lawyers will file papers in the High Court challenging the rationality of three separate lockdown-related decisions: the night curfew, the restrictions on e-commerce and the limited 3-hour window for exercise. These cannot be justified and should be immediately reversed. Tomorrow, our … [Read more...] about Court Action to End Lockdown
EC Health Department is broke and cannot rely on Covid-19 funding to bail it out
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Department of Health (EC DoH) is in dire need of additional funds to meet its financial commitments, but cannot hope to use national funding, earmarked to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, to pay off its historic debt. A Finance Portfolio Committee meeting, held last week, was unwilling to address the accruals, stating that there was no need to worry about the impact this could have on service delivery, as additional national funding was being made available. The … [Read more...] about EC Health Department is broke and cannot rely on Covid-19 funding to bail it out
From Port Elizabeth 0003
https://youtu.be/rUpPOWmnU8s A roundup of TWITTER videos that caught our eye and were uploaded today. After President Cyril Ramaphosa's speech on Day 48 of the SA Lockdown the only thing most South Africans can remember is the "no hugging and kissing' section. MyPE on Twitter - https://twitter.com/MyPE Hugging, shaking of hands and kissing is thing of the past - https://twitter.com/thegodmother_K/status/1260650119197679617 @Ntando_Mpofana - … [Read more...] about From Port Elizabeth 0003
National hard lockdown must end
Dear MyPE President Ramaphosa delivered a speech but said very little. Essentially, he doubled down on what has been a tragically flawed approach that has wreaked catastrophic, unnecessary and possibly irreparable damage to our country. South Africa’s economy and society must be opened up now, to save lives and livelihoods from all types of risks, not just Covid. We repeat our call for the national lockdown to end swiftly. It is not a rational strategy, and has not been so for weeks. It … [Read more...] about National hard lockdown must end
Uncle Cyril’s Full Speech
"My Fellow South Africans .................................................................................................................. may God bless South Africa and her children, Good Night." Save yourself some time from listening to the full speech below. See President Cyril Ramaphosa's address to the nation on Lockdown day 48: https://youtu.be/hlvW4w6jRMw … [Read more...] about Uncle Cyril’s Full Speech
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
R5 Billion availed for municipal COVID-19 response
National government has made available more than R5 billion in support to municipalities to assist them in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2019/20 municipal financial year. The support will assist municipalities provide additional access to basic services for vulnerable communities during the lockdown and to sanitize public transport facilities as the economy undergoes a phased re-opening. “The largest amounts have been made available through the reallocation of conditional … [Read more...] about R5 Billion availed for municipal COVID-19 response
Eskom embarks on free basic electricity programme campaign
In an effort to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 national lockdown on indigent households, Eskom has launched a campaign aimed at raising awareness of the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) programme. The programme is targeted at giving limited free electricity to indigent households. Qualifying households, in terms of the government’s policy of providing support to the unemployed, low-earning, the destitute and the elderly, are encouraged to approach their municipalities to register as … [Read more...] about Eskom embarks on free basic electricity programme campaign
Speaker must urgently address Parliamentary Committees Chaos
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thandi Modise, to request that she urgently addresses the current chaos reigning in some of the virtual portfolio committee meetings. Should the Speaker fail to address the issue and not stop Parliament from becoming Constitutionally delinquent in its oversight role, the DA will request an opinion from the Constitutional Court to whom every Parliamentarian swear an oath. The manner in which some … [Read more...] about Speaker must urgently address Parliamentary Committees Chaos
Urgent rollout of broadband needed to assist during Covid-19 crisis
Dear MyPE The Premier, Oscar Mabuyane, must prioritize the rollout of broadband services to hospitals and clinics to help mitigate the impact of the Coronavirus, which is running rampant through the Eastern Cape. The Office of the Premier introduced the broadband project with the aim of connecting government departments, including hospitals and clinics, to high speed ICT infrastructure. Sadly, more than four years have passed and there is little to show for the project which has … [Read more...] about Urgent rollout of broadband needed to assist during Covid-19 crisis
Disgusted by Nehawu’s plan to capture lockdown crisis relief funds
Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) is repulsed by the level of selfishness displayed by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) at a time of national crisis. In the midst of this ANC lockdown crisis, Nehawu has conclusively demonstrated to South Africans that they are prepared to doom millions of people in the productive private sector to destitution, just to further add to the ill-gotten gains of incompetent ANC cadres in the public service. This comes … [Read more...] about Disgusted by Nehawu’s plan to capture lockdown crisis relief funds
Minister Motshekga expected to announce the opening of schools in Covid-ready provinces
Dear MyPE The Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga, is expected to address the nation tomorrow on the way forward in terms of the academic year. As the economy gradually reopens, schools will inevitably follow as parents return to work. South Africans are understandably anxious about their children returning to school, and they require peace of mind that the Department has a detailed plan in place to ensure that their children will be protected against the Covid-19 virus. The … [Read more...] about Minister Motshekga expected to announce the opening of schools in Covid-ready provinces
The Level 4 madness continues
Minister Zulu now wants to ban cooked food distributed to the hungry Dear MyPE It has come to light that Social Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu, is considering draft directions on the distribution of food parcels that will see civil society organizations (CSOs) prohibited from distributing cooked food to the hungry. According to the draft directions, CSOs will only be allowed to deliver food parcels– not cooked meals. The document also suggests that these directions will be the … [Read more...] about The Level 4 madness continues
