Dear MyPE The plundering of state assets must stop. I have today written to the chairperson of the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Transport, Ntombizodwa Xhanti, to request urgent oversight visits to the three government garages in the provinces. The disgraceful neglect by the Department of Transport to adequately manage state assets cannot continue. In a cash-strapped province like ours, every cent must be spent wisely. Instead, vehicles to the value of an … [Read more...] about DA requests urgent legislature oversight of EC government garages
marshall von buchenroder
DA to apply national pressure to deal with paper shortage for vehicle licences
Dear MyPE Reports are emerging that the ongoing shortage of specialised paper at e-Natis offices countrywide, has spread to the Eastern Cape, particularly the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. This means "face-value" licence disks cannot be printed, thus vehicle licences cannot be renewed, nor can new vehicles be registered and delivered. I have contacted my colleague in Parliament, Manny de Freitas, DA Shadow Minister for Transport, to take up this matter on a national level. We cannot allow … [Read more...] about DA to apply national pressure to deal with paper shortage for vehicle licences
46 199 EC learners do not benefit from scholar transport
Dear MyPE A total of 114 000 learners in the Eastern Cape need scholar transport but only 67 801 children are benefitting from the programme. This means that 46 199 scholars are left to make their own way to school every day, according to a reply to a legislature question I asked Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana. This is part of the reason why the Eastern Cape comes bottom of the matric class in the country. The picture of hungry learners walking long distances in the dark and sometimes in … [Read more...] about 46 199 EC learners do not benefit from scholar transport
Mayibuye Transport Corporation tender manipulation is a travesty
Dear MyPE It was reported in the media today that an R81-million rand tender to supply Mayibuye Transport Company with buses was awarded to a firm that did not meet the requirements and was registered months before the contract was awarded. When the story of this tender manipulation first emerged on 23 January 2016, I tabled a question for written reply to the MEC of Transport. It is now abundantly clear that the whole tender was manipulated and delayed in order to cater for a … [Read more...] about Mayibuye Transport Corporation tender manipulation is a travesty
High visibility and tough law enforcement key to curb high road death toll
Dear MyPE High visibility and tough law enforcement all year-round, not just seasonal plans, can curb the high road death toll in the Eastern Cape. Bad practices developed by drivers over the year due to lack of law enforcement become a habit. The province recorded the highest number of road fatalities in the country during the festive season, an increase of 22 %, from 227 in 2014/15 to 278 in 2015/16. On behalf of the DA, I want to express my sincere condolences to the families who have … [Read more...] about High visibility and tough law enforcement key to curb high road death toll
Repeated call for 24-hour traffic law enforcement
Dear MyPE The DA repeats its call to Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana for the immediate implementation of a shift-system for 24-hour traffic law enforcement on Eastern Cape roads. Last night four people, including two children died in another horror car crash, on the Addo Road. My heart goes out to the families. The red tape in applying Resolution 14 of 2009, made between the Department of Roads and Transport, the Public Service Association (PSA) and the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union … [Read more...] about Repeated call for 24-hour traffic law enforcement
EC Road fatalities: 24-hour law enforcement needed
Dear MyPE On behalf of The Democratic Alliance I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families that lost a loved one during the tragic accidents in Willowvale and Cradock, claiming 44 lives. We wish God's richest blessings and speedy recovery to the victims who are in hospital. The DA calls on the MEC for Transport, Weziwe Tikana, to sort out the red tape with Resolution 14 of 2009. A shift-system needs to get up and running with immediate effect to implement the long … [Read more...] about EC Road fatalities: 24-hour law enforcement needed
Wasteful, unauthorised expenditure for Youth Parliament
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature has pushed ahead with the erection of a R425 000 lunch tent for today's Youth Parliament despite a recommendation by the institution's public participation committee a month ago, not to use a tent to save costs. The DA believes that in a fair society we need to practice expenditure on real service delivery rather than on jamborees. This is another shocking example of wasteful expenditure of taxpayer's money. In a society where … [Read more...] about Wasteful, unauthorised expenditure for Youth Parliament
EC Youth Parliament to cost R425 000 less
Dear MyPE The Youth Parliament, due to be held in the Bhisho legislature on 19 June 2015, will cost R425 000 less, thanks to the DA. In a cash-strapped province like ours, where every cent should be spent on clinics, schools and service delivery, we cannot afford to waste money on overpriced events. During a meeting of the Standing Committee on Public Participation, Petitions and Education last week, MPLs were informed that this year's Youth Parliament would cost R1, 640 million. This … [Read more...] about EC Youth Parliament to cost R425 000 less
New child restraint law complements UN’s safety week
Dear MyPE As we acknowledge the UN’s Global Road Safety week, the decision to pass a new law to ensure that children are safe on our roads must be commended. The amended new child restraint law in South Africa states: The driver of a motor vehicle operated on a public road shall ensure that a child seated on a seat of the motor vehicle uses an appropriate child restraint. The MEC for Transport, Weziwe Tikana, must ensure that the R460 million allocated to scholar transport is used to … [Read more...] about New child restraint law complements UN’s safety week
Huge revenue losses at out-of-action Kinkelbos weighbridge
Dear MyPE The province is losing huge amounts of revenue while the Kinkelbos weighbridge on the N2 outside Port Elizabeth is out of action. Unquantifiable damage is also being done to our roads by overloaded trucks taking advantage of the situation. Kinkelbos is the only weighbridge where some measure of control has been enforced on road freight in the province. A good roads infrastructure is the economic lifeblood of our province and we need to do everything we can to watch over our … [Read more...] about Huge revenue losses at out-of-action Kinkelbos weighbridge
Informal settlement evictions must be done humanely
Dear MyPE The lawful eviction of families who live in illegal informal settlements must be done in a humane and considerate manner. The refusal by officials of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro to help the families who were evicted yesterday from the Lapland informal settlement on the outskirts of Tiryville in Uitenhage is unacceptable. The DA respects the court order issued by the authorities six months ago for the eviction of the 450 families who have been living illegally in the Lapland … [Read more...] about Informal settlement evictions must be done humanely
EC cannot afford more scholar transport middle men
Pupils who rely on the state for scholar transport cannot be held hostage by tender-hungry consortiums. Funds for scholar transport should be used to get our children to school and not to line the pockets of middlemen and tenderpreneurs. This province was bottom of the class in the 2014 matric results. We must ensure that scholars in the Eastern Cape are given all possible opportunity to get a good education. This includes getting to school. Today’s media reports of the granting of an … [Read more...] about EC cannot afford more scholar transport middle men
MEC must ensure effective traffic law enforcement on EC roads during the festive season
Dear MyPE The Eastern Cape (EC) Department of Transport has launched a road safety campaign in Aliwal North today. The Democratic Alliance urges EC Transport MEC, Weziwe Tikana, to ensure that there is an increase in traffic police presence on the roads this festive season. The South African Road Federation (SARF) has identified the following key factors in ensuring road safety: Strict law enforcement is needed with regard to unlicensed, un-roadworthy and overloaded vehicles. Drunk … [Read more...] about MEC must ensure effective traffic law enforcement on EC roads during the festive season
Fuel shortage due to Transnet depot repairs
Dear MyPE The DA notes with concern reports of fuel shortages in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (NMBM) due to repairs to the Transport depot. No fuel can currently be offloaded at the depot. The failure of Eskom and Transnet is militating towards the shutdown of the Eastern Cape economy. I have contacted the DA's Shadow Minister of Transport, Manny de Freitas, to alert the national Department of Transport of the imminent crises in the Metro. It is impossible to run a modern economy … [Read more...] about Fuel shortage due to Transnet depot repairs
