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
COVID-19
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
Minister Patel should be fired
Patel gazettes 'Alice in wonderland' clothing list Dear MyPE The Democratic Alliance (DA) is stunned by the bizarre and extraordinary clothing list that has been gazetted by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister, Ebrahim Patel which seems to have been plucked from Alice in Wonderland. These new clothing regulations are frankly mad and seem more at place during the 1980's under the Soviet Union than they do in a democracy like South Africa. There is simply no justification for the … [Read more...] about Minister Patel should be fired
Loan applications open for COVID-19 hit business
South African banks are now ready to accept loan applications from COVID-19 distressed businesses. This was revealed on Tuesday by the National Treasury, the South African Reserve Bank and the Banking Association of South Africa. The development comes after the loan guarantee scheme announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in April is set to operate from today, 12 May 2020. “The initial set of participating banks (Absa, First National Bank, Investec, Mercantile Bank, … [Read more...] about Loan applications open for COVID-19 hit business
Government should follow the correct processes in spite of Covid-19 pandemic
Dear MyPE The DA in the Eastern Cape condemns the R160 million contract that has allegedly been awarded to the Sizwe Africa IT Group by the Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE). It is alleged this happened without a competitive bidding process taking place. The Sizwe IT Africa Group is owned by known ANC acolyte Iqbal Survé. Mr Survé has long been embroiled in having workers’ pension money pumped into his failing business ventures by the Government Employees Pension Fund … [Read more...] about Government should follow the correct processes in spite of Covid-19 pandemic
